Similar to the inaugural Great Bangor Marathon, winners John Ignacz and Hannah Kershner are new to the marathoning scene.
For Ignacz — a 22-year-old Annandale, New Jersey native who finished Sunday’s race with an unofficial time of 2:38:26 — it was his second time running a full marathon. For Kershner — a 25-year-old Orono native who won the women’s division with an unofficial time of 3:12:38 — it was her first.
“I was looking for a race to qualify for Boston, and my sister at UMaine told me about the race,” Ignacz said. “I was coming off the track season [at Marist University] and put together a three-week training block with some long runs. It feels good to be a part of Maine marathon history — it was a cool race.”
The Great Bangor Marathon was the first of its kind in Bangor since the 2006 Paul Bunyan Marathon, and is certified by USA Track & Field, meaning both Ignacz and Kershner were able to qualify for high-profile marathons like Boston with their times. The duo will also take home $1,000 each in prize money.
“I just kind of run to stay in shape and tire out my dog. I started out [today] slow, went with what felt good, and here I am,” Kershner said. “I’ve trained for a marathon prior to this, but had some injury problems. I just kept training, and this was right in my hometown, so I had to do it. It’s so awesome [that] Bangor has such a big event, and hopefully it keeps getting bigger.”
Ignacz and Kershner were two of 361 total participnts (101 marathoners) hailing from 33 different states and four countries, ranging from ages 16 to 83.
Under cloudy skies and with a slight breeze at their backs, they traversed the intersection of Main and Dutton Streets in Bangor at 7 a.m. sharp Sunday, running past the iconic Paul Bunyan statue down Main Street, to Front Street and ultimately to Outer Broadway via Valley Avenue.
The half marathoners turned around right before Pushaw Road in East Bangor, while the full marathon turned around in the outskirts of Kenduskeag, at the intersection of Broadway and Trafton Lane.
Many half marathoners were able to beat the rain which started at around 9:15 a.m., including winners Sam Rhoads and Flori Davis. Rhoads, a 32-year-old Bangor native, was the first runner to cross the finish line at Dutton Street Park, with a time of 1:28:57. Davis, a 36-year-old Hermon resident, was the top woman finisher and placed third overall with a time of 1:29:21.
“The weather was perfect, especially given how last week was so hot,” Rhoads said. “It feels good to cross first. There were some great crowds along the way, and some good runners. It brings a sense of community — this is cool for the city.”
As more and more runners finished and the rain worsened, fans began to disperse, which caused a few marathon participants to veer off course at key junctures on Outer Broadway.
Veteran marathoner and Baltimore native Megan DiGregorio, 36, finished second in the women’s division with an unofficial time of 3:18:59. Her GPS watch reported that she had run four extra miles trying to find her way back on track.
“There was a fork with signs on both sides. I don’t know these roads, and I didn’t know which direction to go,” DiGregorio said. “You’re feeling good and then you make a wrong turn — I had to stop and wait for cars to help me figure it out. It’s rough.”
Brewer native and North Yarmouth resident Kristin Olsen came in third with an unofficial time of 3:19:09, reporting that she briefly got lost and ultimately ran two extra miles. Second and third place men’s finishers Thomas Harvey of Westbrook (2:40:35) and Robert Ashby of Brunswick (2:43:41) did not report getting lost.
“For a first annual marathon, they did a great job. The course is fairly fast, it was well-organized, there was police control and plenty of water stops,” Ashby, a Maine Running Hall of Famer, said. “I’ve traveled all over the country and run more than a hundred marathons — it’s nice to run locally and sleep in your own bed. Going through downtown and along the waterfront was a nice touch.”
Hermon-based organizers Laura and David McIntyre of Lifestyle Sports Global spent the last 11 months putting the Great Bangor Marathon together, and have the course Boston-certified for the next decade.
They plan on installing more directional signage next year, and believe the event could become an annual tradition of sport, spectacle and hospitality.
“We are committed for 10 years, and Bangor is an awesome city to have a marathon [in],” Laura McIntyre said. “We will work on improvements for next year, and project over 1,000 runners to come. Central Maine needs something like this — we want to give Bangor an opportunity to shine.”
