The first annual Charlottesville Marathon on Saturday gave runners vying for a challenge hills, mud and a wet run. With light rain falling most of the morning, 314 runners completed the rolling, gravel and muddy course at the White Hall Vineyards, just outside of Charlottesville.

Wes Kessenich, 41, of Ruckersville, VA, won the race in 2 hours 52 minutes 4 seconds, his 82nd marathon. James Cathro, 21, finished second in 3:03.47. Kessenich led the pack from about the 20-mile mark, explaining that the race times were 10 to 20 minutes slower than a flat marathon. He said the hills between miles 20 and 24 "didn't end." "I tried to focus and relax," he added. "It's not the course where you will run real fast."

The rolling hills, particularly in the last mile, were brutal, many runners said. But Katie Freund, 18, who finished in first for the women in 3:26.08, said the terrain didn't impact her race. In the last mile, the Virginia Tech freshman from northern Virginia moved into first place ahead of Amy Robbins, 40, of Charlottesville, VA. "I just felt good," Freund said, smiling after the race, her first marathon.

Freund had planned to run the Washington DC Marathon in March, but it was cancelled. She chose Charlottesville since she had already been training to race the 26.2 miles. "I figured it would be a waste" not to run, she said.

Dave Lasch, a member of the Charlottesville Track Club, said the marathon attracted other runners who had planned to run the Washington DC Marathon. Runners from 38 different states completed the marathon, half-marathon and 5K races Saturday, said Russell Gill, race director.

He said Charlottesville, with its scenic horse country and Albemarle County mountains, was the perfect place for a race outside of the city. "The state of Virginia has so many marathons, like in Richmond and Virginia Beach," he said. "This shows people what Albemarle County is like."

In the half marathon, with 398 runners, Catherine Phillips, 27, of Lynchburg, VA, took first for the women in 1:25. Michal Chladon, 23, of Waynesboro, VA, won the race in 1:19.

Leann Brinton, 22, won the women's 5K in 22:15. Jason Wall, 25, took first for the men in 17:20.

See complete results of the marathon, half-marathon, and 5K.