First-time marathoners won the men's and women's divisions of the 33rd Marine Corps Marathon on Sunday.
Andrew Dumm of Washington took the men's race, finishing the course among the monuments in the nation's capital in 2 hours, 22 minutes, 42 seconds, and Cate Fenster of Wooster, Ohio, led the women's field in 2:39:32.
"I knew it was my first one, and I knew it was going to be OK if I hit a wall because you usually do in your first marathon," the 23-year-old Dumm said. "So I was expecting and fearing that would happen, but being my first marathon also freed me up a little bit to make kind of a bold move."
Fred Joslyn, 24, of Rochester, Mich., finished second in 2:23:52, and was followed by Corey Duquette, 26, of Pensacola, Fla., in 2:24:38.
Lindsay Wilkins, 30, of Arlington, Va., was second among the women in 2:49:04, and was followed by Melissa Tanner, 27, of Bethesda, Md.
"I was crying in pain coming up that last hill, the last 200 yards," the 37-year-old Fenster said. "I felt good for most of the way, but about mile 20, I could feel the bricks coming. I was kind of shocked to win."
Dumm joined the lead pack during the sixth mile and made his winning move near the 12-mile mark while running around Hains Point.
"That's a pretty early spot for a move, but I just wanted to use Hains Point because that's a little bit of a lonely stretch of the race to make a move," he said. "It's a pretty good psychological area to do so."
Dumm surged past a stage band playing the theme song from "Rocky" near the half-marathon mark and maintained a 150-meter lead the rest of the way.
A cannon blast at 8 a.m. sharp on Sunday signaled the start of the 33rd annual Marine Corps Marathon. More than 20,000 runners were at the starting line next to Arlington National Cemetery.
The race weaved runners up Route 110 in Arlington, over the Key Bridge into northwest Washington, along Canal Road, then to downtown around the National Mall before heading to the finish line back in Arlington.
There were a few changes for this year's race. This time, runners were to visit Hains Point about half way through the race. In previous years they would have been there later. Organizers said it would give participants a second wind earlier when they take in the breeze off the Potomac and enjoy all the scenery.
Also this year, runners were to have an even more convenient way of tracking their progress. A microchip that keeps mile-by-mile times online and even alerts loved ones is now even smaller. In previous years, they would have to tie the chip to their laces. Now, the chip is on a small piece of paper that they simply slip underneath their laces. Organizers said they won't even notice them.
Of the approximately 21,000 people taking part in the race, organizers expected about 20,000 to actually finish the 26.2-mile trek.
