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Top marathoner credits 'ideal weather,' energy gels

DeWitt is fastest from Madison with time of 2:38:34

Wednesday, December 20, 2006

By BOB LABBE

For the Madison Spirit bob0873@yahoo.com

With two marathoners in the top 15 and three in the top 50, Madison runners posted their best finishes ever in the 30th annual Rocket City Marathon on Dec. 9.

George DeWitt, the top-seeded local runner, posted his fastest of three Rocket City Marathons with a time of 2:38:34. He finished seventh overall, was the fastest local runner and was the top male master division finisher. That earned him $750.

"It was a great day for the race and nearly ideal weather conditions," DeWitt said. "During the race, I ate several of the shot-blocks cubes they offered on the course and combined those with the energy gels I brought with me, and I think that made the difference in my times. I dropped 3 minutes from my marathon time of a year ago."

DeWitt, 48, said he is proud of being the top Madison finisher. He took the lead in the master division in the last half-mile of the marathon.

He plans to use his prize money to help pay for his trip next November to New York for the New York City Marathon, and he'll give some to a few friends and give some to the needy.

Jason Reneau finished the race in 11th place with a time of 2:42:40. He was the first-place finisher in the male 30-34 age division. Matt Brass, 36, placed No. 48 in a time of 3:04:40.

More than 30 marathoners from Madison ran the course through downtown Huntsville. For some of the runners, weather conditions were nearly perfect, although temperatures were in the 20s at race time.

Kim O'Flynn had the best finish for a Madison female runner. Her time was 3:43:17. Jennie Rountree, a regular Madison marathoner, was second among the women with a time of 3:48:41. Her time was 7 minutes slower than last year. Her son, Josh, ran his first marathon.

Rountree, a computer science teacher at Bob Jones High School, said she gave her son a kiss for luck at the starting line. "The second half of the race was difficult for Josh. He was suffering from a knee injury," she said.

Josh Rountree finished the marathon with a time of 3:47. "He began running about a year ago," his mother said, "so I think he did well."

Rountree said she also had pain during the race. At the 20-mile mark, her left hip started hurting so much that she nearly dropped out.

Rountree and her son worked hard to prepare for the marathon and celebrated together. "We ate at Kentucky Fried Chicken the day after the race," she said.

"The Rocket City Marathon was a good race and a great experience," said Bill Kahle, who completed his 10th marathon. Kahle, an aerospace engineer at NASA, completed the race in 4:25:55. His finishing time is about 4 minutes faster than the goal he set for his second attempt at the Rocket City Marathon.

"It was bitter cold at the start of the race, but I got into a rhythm and the race went as I had planned it," he said. "I like the race because of the support all of the runners receive from the people who line the course. I get to chit-chat with runners throughout the race, and that makes it enjoyable. The race is a social event."

Sue Mixson used the Rocket City Marathon as a birthday present. She celebrated her 40th birthday on race day with family and friends and posted a time of 4:25:08.

"I wanted my children and husband see me do something like a marathon," she said. "I ran the Chicago Marathon in October, but they were not there to watch me run. This time around, I also had my mother in attendance. Plus, I had several of my close friends at the race. They all held signs they made for me and sang 'Happy Birthday' to me along the racecourse.

"My 40th birthday was a great celebration," she said. "The race made it a happy birthday instead of a depressing one."