NEW YORK — Ben True said his strategy was to hold back until the near end of a half-marathon, then use his speed in the final stretch, and “hang on for dear life.”
It worked.
The North Yarmouth, Maine, native was the first American to win the 13.1-mile course in the 12-year history of the United Airlines NYC Half on Sunday.
The 32-year-old True crossed the finish line in 1 hour, 2 minutes and 39 seconds in his first attempt at the distance. He just beat out fellow countryman and second-place finisher Dathan Ritzenhein.
True says he didn’t feel confident about his ability to win until the last mile.
He holds the American record for 5K road racing but had not previously raced longer than 10 miles. He said he’s not giving up on shorter distances but might mix it up a bit more.
The women’s race was captured by 24-year-old Ethiopian Buze Diriba. She finished with a time of 1:12:23, only a one-tenth of a second edge over second place finisher American Emily Sisson.
More than 20,000 runners competed in the 13.1-mile race from Brooklyn to Manhattan. The new route featured iconic landmarks, including Times Square, Grand Central Terminal, Chinatown and the Manhattan Bridge.
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