Leading the pack, again

LITTLE ROCK — Mark Chepses said in broken English last year after winning the Little Rock Marathon, “I be back next year.”

He was true to his few words.

Chepses won the Little Rock Marathon in 2 hours, 29 minutes and 42 seconds Sunday, joining Leah Thorvilson as the only runners to win the respective divisions of the event multiple times.

Thorvilson, of Little Rock, was the top female finisher for the fourth consecutive time. She crossed the line in 2:37.26 - her best time in a marathon.

“I’m ecstatic,” Thorvilson said.

“This is huge for me. I can’t even tell you how awesome Little Rock is. ... It was like everywhere on the course I had the support of the city, and it just warmed my heart.”

Chepses, a 35-year-old Kenyan who lives in Mexico, finished nearly three minutes ahead of runnerup Julius Kosgei (Searcy).

“I’m very happy because I have defended my title,” Chepses said quietly. “I’m going to train now.”

Chepses said a slight breeze early in the race led to him taking a little longer than his 2:24.07 winning time last year.

When asked if he’d be back for next year’s Little Rock Marathon, he smiled and replied, “I hope so.”

Thorvilson, who finished fourth overall Sunday, won last year’s race in 2:45.51 despite a strained foot and won the 2010race in 2:48.28 despite health problems that caused fatigue. Preparation and the opportunity to run without any nagging injuries helped propel her to her best finish since winning to 2010 Fargo (N.D.) Marathon in a course-record 2:41.52.

Her mark Sunday was also the first time a female runner had finished the Little Rock Marathon in less than 2:40.

“I have worked my a off for this race, and I couldn’t be happier,” she said.

Thorvilson, a fan favorite because of her engaging personality, was so lively about her victory that after she had cooled down she found enough energy for a little dancing beneath a pavilion near the River Market finish line.

And she doesn’t plan on stopping.

“I’m a good age for a marathoner,” Thorvilson, 33, said. “It’s easy to get caught up in it ... I need to reign it in a little, but I’m on a roll right now.”

Approximately 9,000 runners began the marathon, half-marathon and 10K races at 8 a.m. Participants lined up at President Clinton Boulevard from Sherman Street to Cumberland Street and streamed across the starting line for nearly 10 minutes.

Carlos Cordero, of Mexico, was among the first to cross the finish line when he won the half-marathon in 1:06.02.

“Very good,” Cordero said through a translator. “It’s very beautiful and a lot of people were clapping.”

Cordero, 35, is the top qualifier for the Mexico Olympic marathon team this summer in London, having run a 2:13.15 last year in London. Cordero lived in North Little Rock for four years before moving back to Mexico, and Sunday was his firsttime at the Little Rock Marathon.

Among those watching the 10th running of the race was Little Rock Mayor Mark Stodola, who praised the event and the positive influx it gives the city.

“This thing is self sustaining,” Stodola said. “The hotels are full, the restaurants are full, so it’s important to the local economy.”

Little Rock Marathon officials estimated that approximately 13,000 people attended throughout the weekend, and that the crowd would contribute about $4.3 million to the local economy.

“When you pull in 10,000 people from all over the country and countries all over the world, they get a chance to see this wonderful city,” Stodola said. “It shows you what this means to this city.”