VIRGINIA BEACH

Instead of the luck of the Irish at Saturday's Shamrock 8K race, there was a different type of good fortune at work: beginner's luck. A pair of newcomers to the 8K made the most of their debuts.

Kenyan Mathew Kosgei blew past his competition more forcefully than the winds whipping the runners to seize first place. His time of 23:26.10 was nearly 3.5 seconds better than that of runner-up Samuel Kosgei, who took second at 23:29.50.

Samuel Kosgei improved on his time last year, when he placed fifth. Worku Beyi of Ethiopia took third at 23:36.30.

Ryan Carroll of Portsmouth finished ninth at 24:59.30. Carroll's standing was the third-highest among Americans and best of South Hampton Roads and Virginia runners. Carroll's pace was clocked at 5:01 minutes per mile.

An 8K is equivalent to 4.97 miles.

Nine local men netted spots among the top 50, including John Lomogda of Norfolk, who finished 22nd (27:03.40), James Coombes, a 45-year-old Norfolk native who placed 35th (28:12.70), and Grant Ulmer of Chesapeake in 47th

(29:29.90).

Only four runners older than Coombes finished in front of him.

Ulmer, 14, was the youngest runner in the top 50 by a margin of four years.

The Shamrock was the first 8K Mathew Kosgei has run competitively.

Kosgei, 25, arrived in the United States seven weeks ago to train with the AmeriKenyan Running Club of Santa Fe, N.M.; the Shamrock 8K was his second race since coming to the States.

"I came here to test my body," he said.

In addition to displaying a speed that had him several feet ahead of his closest trailers coming down the home stretch, Kosgei showed confidence, despite an unfamiliarity with the course and the event.

"I was relaxed," he said. "I could've run the race in 22 (minutes), but because of the wind it was 23," he said.

As was the case last year, the top 10 was dominated by Ethiopians and Kenyans, with runners from both African nations seizing the first six spots and top seven overall.

The women's 8K winner, Margaret Chirchir, who finished 21st overall with a time of 27:00.90, shared a backstory with Mathew Kosgei. Like Kosgei, Chirchir is a native Kenyan and recent immigrant who runs with the same club in New Mexico and was only at the Shamrock to participate in the 8K. She also got a taste of first place in her second race in the United States, exceeding her expectations.

"It was a big surprise. I thought I would come in third or fourth," Chirchir said, adding that she's now eager to run another 8K.

Following Chirchir were Ethiopian Meskerem Legesse (27:05.70), who was second among the women and 23rd overall, and Dawn Cromer of Charlottesville (27:49.10) in third and 30th. Lauren Ulmer of Chesapeake turned in the best time among area women at 33:37.20.

The men's masters 8K, for age 40 and older, was won by Jeffrey Niedeck, 43. Niedeck's time of 26:44.90 was good for 16th overall. Maureen Hall prevailed in the women's masters at 33:55.70.

Kosgei and Chirchir were part of what is thought to be the largest number of entrants for the 8K, with more than 4,900 people crossing the finish line.

The races wrap up today, starting with the half-marathon at 7 a.m. and the marathon at 8 a.m.

Marc Tandan, (757) 446-2366, marc.tandan@pilotonline.com