Lt. Gen. Willie Williams presents Hirut Guangul with the finish line tape at the 2012 Marine Corps Marathon awards ceremony on Sunday, Oct. 28. Guangul was the first woman to cross the finish line with a time of 2:42:03. (C.J. Lin/Stars and Stripes)
Lt. Gen. Willie Williams presents Hirut Guangul with the finish line tape at the 2012 Marine Corps Marathon awards ceremony on Sunday, Oct. 28. Guangul was the first woman to cross the finish line with a time of 2:42:03. (C.J. Lin/Stars and Stripes)
Four U.S. Army teammates lead the way near the 11-mile mark of Sunday's Marine Corps Marathon. Eventual winner Spc. Augustus Maiyo, right, is followed by Spc. Robert Cheseret, Spc. Joseph Chirlee (115) and Spc. Kyle Heath (110). (Joe Gromelski/Stars and Stripes)
With the Jefferson Memorial in the background, Marine Corps Marathon runners head for the 16-mile checkpoint. (Joe Gromelski/Stars and Stripes)
Competitors take a turn midway through the Marine Corps Marathon. (Joe Gromelski/Stars and Stripes)
A Marine Corps Marathon competitor passes the Lincoln Memorial. (Joe Gromelski/Stars and Stripes)
Runners begin the Marine Corps Marathon. (Joe Gromelski/Stars and Stripes)
Runners await the start of the Marine Corps Marathon. (Joe Gromelski/Stars and Stripes)
Runners await the start of the Marine Corps Marathon. (Joe Gromelski/Stars and Stripes)
Competitors await the start of the Marine Corps Marathon. (Joe Gromelski/Stars and Stripes)
The Marine Corps War Memorial, site of the finish of the Marine Corps Marathon, in the pre-dawn hours. (Joe Gromelski/Stars and Stripes)
In the pre-dawn hours, Marines await their duties at the Marine Corps Marathon. (Joe Gromelski/Stars and Stripes)
Post-race refreshments are ready before the start of the Marine Corps Marathon. (Joe Gromelski/Stars and Stripes)
A Marine Corps Marathon competitor gets encouragement from the sidelines. (Joe Gromelski/Stars and Stripes)
Runners in the Marine Corps Marathon approach the 17-mile mark. (Joe Gromelski/Stars and Stripes)
A spectator displays the colors at the Marine Corps Marathon. (Joe Gromelski/Stars and Stripes)
A competitor in the 37th Marine Corps Marathon near the 10-mile mark. (Joe Gromelski/Stars and Stripes)
A determined competitor in the 37th Marine Corps Marathon. (Joe Gromelski/Stars and Stripes)
Runners break from the start of the 37th Marine Corps Marathon. (Joe Gromelski/Stars and Stripes)
Marines line the finish line to congratulate runners finishing the Marine Corps Marathon on Oct. 28, 2012. (C.J. Lin/Stars and Stripes)
Hirut Guangul displays her trophy after winning the women's division of the Marine Corps Marathon on Oct. 28, 2012. Guangul finished with a time of 2:42:03. (C.J. Lin/Stars and Stripes)
Army Spc. Augustus Maiyo (right) displays his trophy after winning the men's division of the Marine Corps Marathon on Oct. 28, 2012. Maiyo finished with a time of 2:20:20. Army Capt. Kenneth Foster (left) came in second with a time of 2:22:39. (C.J. Lin/Stars and Stripes)
Marine Lt. Gen. Willie Williams congratulates men's winner Army Spc. Augustus Maiyo at the Marine Corps Marathon on Oct. 28, 2012. Maiyo finished with a time of 2:20:20. (C.J. Lin/Stars and Stripes)
Finishers catch their breath after crossing the finish line at the Marine Corps Marathon on Oct. 28, 2012. (C.J. Lin/Stars and Stripes)
Hirut Guangul is the first woman to cross the finish line at the Marine Corps Marathon on Oct. 28, 2012. Guangul finished with a time of 2:42:03. (C.J. Lin/Stars and Stripes)
Runners in the 37th Marine Corps Marathon approach the 18-mile mark on the National Mall. (Joe Gromelski/Stars and Stripes)
Runners in the 37th Marine Corps Marathon head for the 17-mile mark on Independence Ave. in Washington, D.C. (Joe Gromelski/Stars and Stripes)
Lt. Gen. Willie Williams presents Birhanu Tadesse with a plaque at the 2012 Marine Corps Marathon awards ceremony on Sunday, Oct. 28. Tadesse finished third place with a time of 2:23:03. (C.J. Lin/Stars and Stripes)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — With rains from Hurricane Sandy holding off, a U.S. Army soldier attempting his first-ever marathon won the 37th Marine Corps Marathon on Sunday.
Spc. Augustus Maiyo, 29, posted a time of 2 hours, 20 minutes, 20 seconds, leading a pack of about 30,000 runners in a grueling 26.2 miles around Washington, D.C., and Arlington, Va., before finishing near the Marine Corps War Memorial.
“To run my first marathon and then win it, it’s a one-in-a-million feeling,” said Maiyo, from Colorado Springs, Colo., who was representing the Army’s World Class Athlete Program.
Maiyo’s win comes a week after he placed second in the Army Ten-Miler.
Hirut Guangul, 20, of Team I Run 4 God (IR4G), was the first female to cross the finish line, coming in at 2:42:03, a week after coming in second at the Twin Cities Marathon.
“I’m very happy to win this one,” Guangul said through a translator, who added the Ethiopia native was happy to be running in support of the U.S. military.
Maiyo’s teammate, Capt. Kenneth Foster, came in second at 2:22:39 and Birhanu Tadesse, a native of Ethiopia, placed third with a 2:23:03.
Wayinshet Hailu of Ethiopia posted a 2:47:04 to become the second woman to finish the race, while Erin Richard of Michigan came in third at 2:48:11 in her first Marine Corps Marathon.
“It’s inspiring,” said Richard, who is not affiliated with the military, after receiving a plaque and a bronzed olive branch wreath. “They do so much, and I’m just running a race, and they’re treating me like I’m great.”
David Swope of New Windsor, Md., won the men’s wheelchair division with a 2:09:03 and Leonardo Varon of Colombia came in first on handcycle at 1:23:17.
Gigi Ranno of Norwood came in first in the women’s wheelchair division at 5:34:46 and Sherry Schulz was first for handcycle at 2:25:18.
Team IR4G, which was running on behalf of an Army sergeant who has PTSD and traumatic brain injury and has been in treatment at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, captured three out of the six spots on the podium.
The accomplishment was one the group hopes will help inspire the wounded warriors it runs for, said Lt. Col. (Ret.) Sue Bozgoz, coach of IR4G.
“It means a lot because it tells the wounded warriors that they can stay in the present and move forward,” Bozgoz said.
Marines lined the roadway after the finish line to congratulate finishers, but many runners instead took the chance to offer them an “Oorah” and thank them for their service.
“I’m glad that this many people come out and support the Marine Corps,” said 2nd Lt. Carl Stofberg, who got some handshakes from finishers. “It’s an awesome feeling to be able to support them as they go through this. It’s really about the runners today.”
linc@stripes.osd.milTwitter: @cjlinSS
