Several factors conspired to produce the slowest men's winning time in race history. Kenyan Julius Gwako, 28, based out of Ann Arbor, MI, won the Pomoco Group/Running Crab Half Marathon in 1:10:41, well off the course record of 1:03:36 by Andrew Letherby of Australia.

The amount of prize money had decreased significantly from previous years, from as much as $3,000 for first (plus course record bonuses) to just $600 this year (and incidentals like travel money and lodging were eliminated from the race budget).

The unusual weather, with a strong front lowering the temperature from a record-breaking 81 degrees the day before to morning temperatures in the upper 30s to lower 40s, also brought along strong winds.

But the main factor producing the slow times was that a marshal at around eleven and one-half miles sent the six lead runners off course. Instead of going straight on Powhatan Parkway, the marshal sent the runners right down Queen Street, which was the route for the early portion of the half marathon, and for the accompanying 5K race. The leaders went as much as 700 meters off course before turning back. Those leaders included the front pack of Kenyans: Julius Gwako and Jacob Kirwa (based out of Chapel Hill, NC), along with Virginia Tech grad George Probst of Blacksburg.

They eventually finished in that order, with Gwako's 1:10:41 a bit ahead of Kirwa (1:10:57) and Probst (1:11:07).

Things got more complicated for the second pack composed of Douglas Cross of Towaco, NJ, masters star John Tuttle of Douglasville, GA, and local John Piggott of Newport News. Since they finished after some of the rest of the race pack (who by then ran the correct course), race director Steve Shapiro adjusted their finish times and places to be fair, with adjusted times for Cross (1:11:40), Tuttle (1:11:41) and Piggott (1:11:49). The first runner to complete the correct course was Dai Roberts, a British citizen out of Virginia Beach, seventh overall, but assigned the first masters division prize money (1:12:21).

In the women's race, second-place Delores Ware of Virginia Beach (pictured above) was more than five minutes behind Anna Pichrtova, but a good minute-twenty seconds ahead of third-place Joan Nesbit Mabe of Chapel Hill, NC.

Prize money was $600-400-200-150-125-100-75-50 for the top eight men and women overall, $100-75-50 for the top 3 masters division runners, and $50 for the first 50+ male and female.

Virginia resident money of $200-100-50 went to the first three men and women residing in Virginia.

Complete results of the half-marathon, team results, and 5K can be found on the Washington Running Report Results page. We also have a few photos of the event.