JH Half Marathon doesn’t lose a step
JACKSON HOLE NEWS&GUIDE, Wednesday, June 17, 2015 - 5C
Jackson’s Matt Chorney defends title as race faces a new competitor.
rain. This year’s race was the total opposite but featured the same winner. Jackson’s Matt Chorney took the win with a time of 1 hour, 16 minutes and 29 seconds. His time was 1:59 slower than 2014 but he still managed a 6:53 By Clark Forster cushion between himself and runner-up ust seven days after the new Grand Dominic Smith of Minneapolis. “It was a great day to run, weather Teton Half Marathon brought in more than 1,100 runners for its in- was ideal and I was excited to have my augural event, the valley’s traditional dad visiting to watch the race,” Chorney half marathon continued to see a rise in said. “It made for a really fun day.” Chorney was the fastest of the bunch numbers. In its eighth year the Jackson Hole but one of the more impressive perforHalf Marathon and 5K saw its par- mances of the day was turned in by ticipation increase by 13 percent over women’s winner Barbara Strehler. 2014. The Driggs, Idaho, runner finished “Our race is about the locals and in 1:24:57 and took third place overall about getting people in to support the behind Chorney and Smith. local businesses and the local hotels,” The top 15 was flooded with local event organizer Amy Asbell said. “But runners as Jackson’s Abbott Gilbane took seventh, then on the other Reid Bauer ninth, hand we don’t James Farmer want this race to 11th and Lanier be huge because Bolmer was 15th. it’s an impact on Wilson’s Keith our pathway sysCozzens placed tem.” 10th and Moose’s Asbell and Kevin Schneider Reed feared that finished 13th. Utah-based VacaIn the 5-kilometion Races, which ter race Jackson put on the Grand – Amy Asbell was represented Teton Half Marajackson hole half marathon organizer by seven runners thon and attemptin the top 10 as ed to buy out the the locals battled duo’s event, would it out with three threaten the Jackson Hole Half Mara- runners from Tallahassee, Florida. thon. But the ladies say they put on an Seminole state runner Clayburn Milevent that keeps runners coming back. ford took the win with a time of 17:11 at And the 374 participants Saturday a pace of 5:32 per mile. But separating proved them right. Milford and family members Kennan “We’re a mom and pop race,” Asbell Milford in ninth and Angie Milford in said. “We’re not a great big corporation. 10th were seven consecutive Jackson We’re Pam Reed and Amy Asbell. We’re runners. runners. I kind of feel like we know Kameron Moroneso was the first lowhat runners like.” cal across the finish line, 13 seconds The runners and organizers said they back of the winner. Following Moroneso never wanted their event to become a in order were Matt Williams, Esteban huge race or a burden on the town. As- Barrios, women’s winner Anna Gibson, bell said they would cap the race at 500 Dylan Nash, Tyson Danby and women’s if it ever got to that point because of the runner-up Abby Brazil. congestion it would bring to the area’s The half marathon age division winpathways. ners were Chorney, Strehler, Tyler Asbell said she wasn’t pleased when Brannen, Alice Rogers, Bauer, Maddie she heard the news of an extremely sim- Downes, Randy Brophy, Jenni Bruning ilar event taking place one week before Brown, Jeff Bryson, Susan Davis, Dorothe Jackson Hole Half Marathon. But thy Collins, Cody Mulkey and Robert upon seeing the turnout, she was happy Blagden. that the large corporate race didn’t inThe fastest half marathoner of them terfere with the traditional event. all was wheelchair participant Matt Da“We thought it could hurt our num- vis of Bowling Green, Kentucky. Davis bers, but it didn’t,” Asbell said. finished the race in a blistering pace of Friendly aid stations and music at 57:31. the finish line in downtown Jackson For further results from the races see greeted runners on a clear and sunny JHHalf.com. day perfect for racing. Last year’s event saw much different Contact Clark Forster at 732-7065 or weather in the form of gray skies and sports@jhnewsandguide.com.
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“We’re a mom and pop race ... we’re not a great big corporation.”
Jackson Hole Half Marathon competitors run along the bike path toward Rendezvous Park in Wilson on Saturday morning.
Brook Phillips, of Jackson, grabs a cup of water from a volunteer along the Village Road pathway. Phillips finished the race with a time of 2:43:06.
Jackson Hole Half Marathon competitors run across the Snake River pedestrian bridge.
JONATHAN CROSBY PHOTOS