Runner bolts through valley in record time

The course record was broken and a USU cross country team member placed first in the 15- to 19-year-old women’s division in the ninth annual Top of Utah Marathon Saturday.

Holbrook Call, of Laverkin, ran a time of 2:16:39, smashing last year’s record of 2:20:02.9 set by George Towett of Marietta, Ga. Call also beat his own time set in the 2006 race by almost seven minutes.

“This year’s race went really well,” said Todd Hugie, one of the race coordinators. “The men’s record got broke by almost four minutes and the women ran really well. It was one of the better years for the race.”

Call’s time qualifies him not only for the Boston Marathon, but also for the U.S. Olympic team tryouts in six weeks.

Kira Datwyler, freshman from Providence, placed first in her division with a time of 3:14:42. It was her first marathon, and she was all grins at the awards ceremony Saturday afternoon.

“It’s a nice course,” Datwyler said. “It got pretty hard after mile 17.”

Ryan Butler, a Brigham Young University student who placed first in the 15- to 19-year-old men’s division with a time of 2:57:51, said it was a good experience for his first marathon, and if someone was willing to run with him he might consider running again. The freshman from Escondido, Calif., ran with his sister this year.

Fewer people registered for the marathon than last year, with 1,660 starting the race at Hardware Ranch in Blacksmith Fork Canyon. About 100 ran in the 5K, which is run over the last part of the marathon course.

People came from all over the country to run in Top of Utah, with participants from both coasts and the Midwest running. Several runners hailed from Canada.

Hugie said the course is known for being fast, scenic and well-organized. He said it is the second most popular marathon in the state, with only the St. George Marathon drawing more participants.

-elizabeth.lawyer@aggiemail.usu.edu

By the numbers:

Top of Utah Marathon: Overall winners

Men

Holbrook Call Laverkin 2:16:39

Ezekiel Ruto Kenya 2:24:26

Joseph Sitienel Wildwood, Ga. 2:25:42

Women

Carol Rowe Richmond 2:53:36

Amy Laughter Ogden 3:08:12

Genevieve Keogh Layton 3:09:15