Sunday morning was full of stories of athleticism and perseverance; it’s a day when Orange County streets welcome runners from all over to push their boundaries and make their goals a reality.
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The 22nd running of the Hoag OC Marathon and Half Marathon registered more than 25,000 participants, organizers said, adding they came from 45 states and 21 countries. Several were running toward qualifying for the 2028 Olympic trials.
The marathon launched runners from Newport Beach’s Fashion Island on a trek that took them oceanfront along Pacific Coast Highway, past Upper Newport Bay and then South Coast Plaza, into Santa Ana and on to finish at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa.
First to cross the finish line was Steven Martinez of San Diego, who completed the 26.2-mile route in just over 2 hours and 14 minutes and qualified for the Olympic trials.
Brianna Bourne, a UC Irvine School of Medicine student, led the women runners, finishing in just over 2 hours and 57 minutes.
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“I was so shocked,” she said in an interview with race organizers. “It’s 26.2 miles. You’re not really expecting it to be that many people, but there were so many people out there and so much energy given to us runners. So thank you, Orange County community, for coming out.”
Salvador Capetillo was the half-marathon men’s winner and Sierra Atkins the women’s leader.
The marathon capped a three-day weekend that also featured a 5K, a kids run and a running festival.
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