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COLUMBIA — Justin Gillette, a 28-year-old from Goshen, Ind., was the overall winner of this year's Heart of America Marathon, a Labor Day tradition in Columbia.
He led from the start and finished in 2 hours, 36 minutes, 58 seconds. It was Gillette's first time competing in the Heart of America.
- A pile of medals lies near the finish line on Monday at the 52nd Heart of America Marathon.
Josh Grotzinger, 28, of Rocheport, was second, in 2:46:05. Thomas Dever, 54, of Terre Haute, Ind., rounded out the top-three in the men's division. He came in at 2:53:17.
Columbia resident Kyla Berendzen, 21, won the women's division in 3:10:24. She was running in the marathon for the second time.
Julie Bergfeld, 44, of St. Louis, was second in 3:15:25. Annie Laperle, 33, of Brossard, Quebec, was third in 3:24:42.
The race took place under almost ideal weather conditions. Temperatures which ranged between 65 and 70 degrees and a clear sky made the hilly course a bit more friendly to the 212 runners who finished the race.
Still, the winners agreed the course was difficult.
"I don't have a lot to compare it to, but those hills were certainly tough," Berendzen said after the race.
"It's a hell of a course," Gillette added.
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