FAYETTEVILLE -- Phil Davison returned to the 39th Hogeye Marathon as last year's winner in the Hogeye half marathon run. Sunday, Davison took his first crack at the full 26.2-mile marathon race with hopes of adding another first-place prize to his list of Hogeye feats.
Mission accomplished.
Davison, 32, of Fayetteville, ran the course in a time of 2:58.00, two minutes clear of 53-year old runner-up Randy Johnson.
Adding the full Hogeye Marathon to his half-marathon victory from a year ago was a perfect to a race held on a sunny, yet windy day.
"I don't normally think like that, but this year I wanted to win," Davison said. "I had already done it in the half, and obviously it worked out again this year."
A brisk wind was Davison's biggest obstacle on a course that took runners throughout Fayetteville. The marathon, which no longer runs through the town of Hogeye since a major course change in 2003, now features a path along Scull Creek Trail, Mud Creek Trail and Lake Fayetteville Trail before runners finish at the Walton Arts Center parking lot.
"I live here now and I didn't live here last year, so I figured this was a good time to do the full marathon," Davison said. "This is my hometown now, I've got a lot of friends out here and this was the time to do it."
The top finisher in the female division came from a lot farther away than Davidsonb.
Bonnie Ritchotte, 42, of Rhode Island, has run in more than 50 full marathons since 1999. Her goal is to compete in at least one marathon in every state. Sunday's victory in Arkansas put her at 30, leaving her 20 states to go.
Ritchotte's winning time was 3:26.00.
"I just fit this one into my calendar," Ritchotte said. "I flew in yesterday (Saturday) and I'm flying out later today (Sunday).
"It was very lovely weather. Definitely better than back home."
Wind was an hindrance for Richotte, who said she was surprised to be the top women's finisher in her first appearance at the Hogeye.
"My time depends on how good of shape I'm in coming into a race," Ritchotte said. "I wanted to run a 3:30 and I was able to do that. Definitely the wind was a factor. The hills weren't that big of a factor out there, but the wind was the biggest factor."
Eric Solberg won the Hogeye Half Marathon male overall run in a time of 1:17.32.
For complete Hogeye Marathon, half marathon, relay and 5K results from the event, visit hogeyemarathon.com.
Sports on 03/30/2015