2nd Annual Middle Half Huge Success

October 11, 2008

The weather was perfect as over 1,800 runners started the 2nd Annual Middle Half-Marathon on Greenland Drive in front of MTSU’s track stadium. It was just after 7:00 o’clock Saturday morning (10/11/08) when internationally known MTSU Head Track Coach Dean Hayes raised his pistol and fired the shot to started the race (left photo). The throng of runners from 26-states went 13.1-miles through historic Murfreesboro, back to the campus and onto the track where they crossed the finish line. Murfreesboro police officers on motorcycles and in cars traveled alongside the runners to make certain that they were not injured by traffic.

There was one wheelchair entry. However, since every athlete has a computerized chip that records when they cross both the start and finish lines–each person’s precise time enables them to compete against their own earlier times or to challenge someone else’s record. Matt Davis rolled across the start line about five-minutes before the runners left. Matt was cheered across the finish line considerably before any runners were in sight.

(L-R above) Wheelchair athlete Matt Davis, there was no on one the track as Kenyan native Jacob Korir who lives in Kentucky crossed the finish line, then Josh McAdams came in second, and as forecast Susan Graham-Grey was the first female to cross the finish line. She is legally blind and started losing her eyesight 10-years ago as a result of Stargardt’s disease.

FEMALE OVERALL ===================

1 Susan Graham-Grey age 40 time 1:24:24 Greencastle PA 1635 won $400

2 Andee Cranford age 31 time 1:26:52 Morristown TN 1632 won $200

3 Amy Barrow age 23 time 1:27:11 Nashville TN 1039 won $100

MALE OVERALL =================== ==== ==== === ====== ===== =====================

1 Jacob Korir age 28 time 1:07:57 Richmond KY 1740 won $400

2 Josh McAdams age 28 time 1:08:31 Cordova TN 1641 won $200

3 Sammy Nyamongo age 32 time 1:12:16 Augusta GA 1631 won $100

Race Results: see below

(L-R above) Doron Claiborne, Ashley Allen of Chattanooga and Steve McKinney of Murfreesboro carries his granddaughter while his daughter sprints ahead, here Nashville’s Amy Barrow gets 3rd place overall female.

(L-R above) look at David Sevier’s feet and shadows–he really is “totally off the ground”, Mary Catherine Sevier, and Murfreesboro’s Bill Lowe and daughters run together…The Middle Half was a great family event. There was a special 1-mile run for the kids along with inflatables and other activities for youngsters.

(L-R above) 7-year old Reed Walker runs across the finish line in the youth 1-mile run, and Murfreesboro Police Officer Terry Spence was cruising in his patrol car to protect the runners. In the 3-hour time frame, he got to know these twins–Jamie Ray and Georgia Asbury. He stopped to congratulate them on their half-marathon accomplishment. After all, that’s 13.1-miles. Again–congratulations to Melinda Tate and The Middle Half board, sponsors, volunteers, runners, spectators–all of you made this an outstanding event!

For all of the results from The Middle Half-Marathon at MTSU on Saturday morning, October 11, 2008, click this website: http://www.besttimescct.com/results/Middle_Half08.txt

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