Marathon: Omahans own race

It's not that Mike Vance was unaccustomed to running marathons — he's done them plenty of times.

They just usually come at the end of Ironman-distance triathlons, rounding out a day that also included a 2.4-mile swim and a 112-mile bike ride.

“This is probably my first stand-alone marathon in three years or so,” Vance, 46, said after winning Sunday's Omaha Marathon in 2 hours, 41 minutes and 23 seconds. The Omahan is a psychologist in the Children's Hospital behavioral health clinic.

Fellow Omahan Lauren Klima, 26, took the women's race in 3:04:19. She ran alone for the last half of the race and smashed her personal-best time by around 15 minutes.

Mild temperatures in the mid-50s greeted the runners at the start.

Vance was about 1:30 behind the race leaders near the halfway point and slowly started reeling them in. He passed then-leader Robin Witte just past the 23-mile mark, near Carter Lake. From there, he kept the tempo steady and finished with a 56-second advantage.

“Even at 19 miles, I think they said I was 1:10 back, so I pulled him in pretty quickly,” Vance said. “He held on for a while after I passed him, too.”

Vance battled a headwind in the closing miles as he approached the riverfront finish via 11th Street.

“It wasn't hard, but it was noticeable,” Vance said. “There was no break from it. I probably slowed down a bit in that stretch.”

Vance, who won an Olympic-distance triathlon regional age-group crown earlier this year, was especially pleased with the finish given the nature of the course.

“There are some serious hills at the beginning,” he said. “It's not an easy course at all.”

Klima, though she ran alone, did have some companionship along the way. Mike Huggenberger rode a bike alongside her, offering encouragement and support. The two work together at Great Plains Communications in Blair, Neb.

“I couldn't have done it without him,” Klima said.

Klima also owns Image Total Fitness in Grant, Neb., and has been running marathons for four years or so. She said running alone wasn't a big deal, because it's so similar to training runs.

“It didn't bother me at all,” she said. “I like to be out by myself, anyway.”

Around the 22-mile mark, Klima began thinking about the win.

“I began to relax a bit, knowing I'd be able to hold on,” she said.

Jennifer Viehrig finished second in 3:10:17, followed by Julie Carpenter in 3:19:14 to round out the top three. In the men's race, Witte held on for second in 2:42:19. Jeff Nielsen was third in 2:49:29.

In the half-marathon, Creighton cross country coach Chas Davis took the men's win in 1:13:30, followed by Thomas Madut and Josh Blue. Janelle Ralph won the women's race in 1:27:39, with Laura Bauer in second and Michelle Ellingson in third.

Results:

Marathon

Men: 1, Mike Vance, Omaha, 46, 2:41:23. 2, Robin Witte, Omaha, 26, 2:42:19. 3, Jeff Nielsen, Blair, Neb., 33, 2:49:29. 4, Jason Shanahan, Waverly, Neb., 34, 2:56:10. 5, Mike Neubert, Aberdeen, S.D., 43, 2:58:24. 6, Aaron Wells, Altoona, Iowa, 25, 2:58:39. 7, Jeremy Collins, St. Peters, Mo., 29, 3:00:57. 8, Todd Nott, Plattsmouth, Neb., 45, 3:02:04. 9, Scott Maley, Prairie Village, Kan., 25, 3:02:57. 10, Jason Schiessler, Tempe, Ariz., 28, 3:03:34.

Women: 1, Lauren Klima, Omaha, 26, 3:04:19. 2, Jennifer Viehrig, Omaha, 28, 3:10:17. 3, Julie Carpenter, Bartley, Neb., 43, 3:19:14. 4, Lee Trujillo, Omaha, 25, 3:23:09. 5, Betsy Miller, Lincoln, 23, 3:25:40. 6, Brenda Peschel, Axtell, Kan., 43, 3:26:07. 7, Ellen Dowling, Hoboken, N.J., 37, 3:28:01. 8, Katie Marshall, Omaha, 22, 3:28:04. 9, Kimberly Gudenkauf, Olathe, Kan., 38, 3:28:21. 10, Monica Huff, Athens, Ga., 39, 3:29:17.

Half-marathon

Men: 1, Chas Davis, Omaha, 27, 1:13:30. 2, Thomas Madut, Mitchell, S.D., 24, 1:14:15. 3, Josh Blue, Council Bluffs, 24, 1:14:42. 4, Chris Stiffler, Omaha, 30, 1:14:58. 5, Mark Wittland, Council Bluffs, 39, 1:17:10. 6, Jordan Tucker, Omaha, 23, 1:18:07. 7, Caleb Chatfield, Chicago, 29, 1:21:47. 8, Josh Hesse, Omaha, 30, 1:22:22. 9, Zach Dolen, Lincoln, 24, 1:22:56. 10, Bob Garcia, La Vista, 54, 1:23:14.

Women: 1, Janelle Ralph, Terre Haute, Ind., 27, 1:27:39. 2, Laura Bauer, Kearney, Neb., 30, 1:29:28. 3, Michelle Ellingson, Omaha, 28, 1:29:30. 4, Jacque Calvert, Omaha, 42, 1:29:50. 5, Lisa Wells, West Sacramento, Calif., 28, 1:29:56. 6, Natalie Jetensky, Tekamah, Neb., 39, 1:30:10. 7, Tonya Janzen, Omaha, 31, 1:31:51. 8, Amy Twarling, Bellevue, 30, 1:32:59. 9, Jennifer Hooley, Chicago, 24, 1:33:04. 10, Emily Von Weihe, Kansas City, Mo., 23, 1:34:45.

• Click here for complete results from all of Sunday's events.

Contact the writer:

444-1201, sports@owh.com

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