Shamrock Marathon runners brave winds

By Mike Connors

The several thousand who participated in the Shamrock Marathon and half-marathon on Sunday in Virginia Beach faced a tough opposition. A driving wind gusted most of the day, slowing times and costing a few runners a chance at Olympic glory. But it didn't stop Samuel Gebremichael of Ethiopia, who won the overall title in 2 hours, 22 minutes and 40 seconds, or Jessica Allen, who took the women's title in 2:48.59. The top Hampton Roads finisher was Steve Speirs of Virginia Beach, who finished 27th overall in 2:53.08.

WIND DOWNS OLYMPIC DREAM

Allen, 30, of Long Island, N.Y., was aiming for a time of 2:47.00, which would have qualified her for the U.S. team's Olympic trials. But even before she started, she knew that time would be tough to achieve.

"Going into the wind was really hard," she said.

Despite not reaching her goal, Allen took solace in winning the women's title. And she noted that she should hit her peak about the time of the 2012 Olympic trials.

"This just makes me want to go harder, to do it in four years," she said.

FRIENDLY FIGHT TO THE FINISH

Katie Koski took third in the women's race in 2:51.04, 22 seconds ahead of fourth-place finisher Brandy Erholtz. But it wasn't a fight to the finish. The two were pushing each other throughout the race, and Erholtz immediately helped Koski when she started cramping after the race.

That type of help from competitors shouldn't come as a surprise, though. Koski, 35, and Erholtz, 30, grew up racing together in northern Minnesota and still compete together with the aim of gaining an Olympic-trial qualifying time.

"I look at Katie as my idol," Erholtz said.

RUNNING FOR A GREAT CAUSE

More than 100 runners participated Sunday to honor Mike McGreevy, a Navy SEAL killed in action in Afghanistan in 2005.

McGreevy was an avid runner. So his wife, Laura, organized Team Groove - McGreevy's nickname was Groove because he liked to dance - to raise money for the Mike McGreevy Memorial Scholarship Fund, which awards two scholarships per year.

Between a fundraising pull-up contest, the race and donations (www.mikemcgreev ymemorialfund.org), the group raised more than $10,000.

FANTASTIC FINISH

Jenny Boyd, of Germantown, Md., didn't make her personal-best time in the half-marathon, but she had a much more pleasant surprise at the finish line.

That's where her boyfriend, Ken Trombatore, asked Boyd to marry him. She said yes.

"I just made up the idea on my own," Trombatore said.

Trombatore wanted to pop the question at a race since they met at a running club and remain avid runners. And Shamrock is one of Boyd's favorite races, one where two years ago, "I figured out I was really interested in him."

Boyd insisted she didn't know the proposal was coming. In fact, one of the couples' friends, Ashley Zuraf, said Boyd had been feeling down recently because Trombatore hadn't popped the question on Valentine's Day.

"She was a little depressed it didn't happen then," Zuraf said. "But I knew he wouldn't do it the cliche way."

CHILD PRODIGY

McKenzie White of Fairfield, Va., didn't win the half-marathon - Andrew Letherby of Australia did in 1:03.40. But White did finish ahead of more than 700 competitors.

One more number: White is 8.

"She's amazing," said her mother, Jamie White, who also raced. "She'd get up every Sunday and run with us. No TV. Never complained."

White wasn't complaining Sunday either. In fact, she might have been the only runner bothered by something other than the wind.

"I liked (running near) the trees," she said. "They blocked the sun."