Racer ran 13 miles too far

John Crews will always have a story to tell about how he won his first marathon.

He may start the tale with details of his long hours of preparation for Sunday's second annual Sony Ericsson City of Oaks Marathon and skip ahead to how he, as an N.C. State graduate student, felt comfortable with the 26.2-mile race course snaking through the grounds of his university and 3.5 miles of Umstead Park. He may even mention the beautiful, clear blue sky and not-too-hot, not-too-cold weather.

But soon he'll get to the part about how he crossed the finish line thinking he earned second place with a time of 2 hours, 21 minutes, 28 seconds.

How after an hour and a half, enough time to cool down and call his mom with the second-place news, he heard someone else's name called for second place during an announcement.

"I thought I was [disqualified]," Crews said. "I was like, 'Whoa, what, I thought I was second.' "

Then someone announced Crews as the first-place winner.

Nicholas Kurgat, who had crossed the finish line before him with a time of 2:19:34, had been disqualified.

And here's where Crews' story becomes a little complicated simply because he had nothing to do with the circumstances that forced marathon officials to make that decision.

Kurgat, 29, a resident of Chapel Hill and native of Kenya, had entered the Rex Healthcare Half Marathon portion of the event.

He was supposed to run 13.1 miles to the finish of that race, following the course signs.

Instead, Kurgat missed the signs for the half marathon turn and found himself deciding at the 13th mile to keep going, even though he had never run a full marathon and was participating in his first half marathon.

Ben Kurgat, who is no relation to the runner but is his coach with the Chapel Hill-based Global MBIO Club and Racing Team, spoke for Nicholas Kurgat. He explained the situation as a mistake.

He said Kurgat missed the signs and followed a police car that was ahead of the front pack.

"He just kept going because there was no where to go," Ben Kurgat said. "He just followed the vehicle home."

Ben Kurgat, who works as a researcher at the University of North Carolina, said Nicholas Kurgat's long-distance running ability was an "accidental discovery."

He started as a short-distance runner in Kenya and has been making the transition over the past two years to long distance, last week winning a 10K race. He jumped the gun in trying the marathon distance, although he fared well.

Nevertheless, the feat could not be officially recognized by City of Oaks officials.

Jim Micheels, the race director, said Kurgat was disqualified from the half marathon for leaving the course, a rule specified by USA Track and Field, the country's governing body for marathons.

Micheels said the City of Oaks full marathon is a USATF-certified event and officials must follow their rules and guidelines.

"One of their rules is that if you switch races, intentionally or unintentionally, you're disqualified," he said.

It wasn't the first time a half marathon participant had missed the turn, though Micheels said he thought the course was clearly marked with four signs and bright orange cones. He said there was a volunteer directing runners where to go.

"I feel bad he went the wrong way," he said.

After conquering the hilly course, Crews said he wasn't bothered at all by Nicholas Kurgat's presence. He saw him but didn't think twice that he didn't belong. If anything, he said the lead runner "helped him run faster."

It was Crews' first race after a career as a cross country runner for N.C. State. He decided to step out of his comfort zone with 5K and 10K races and challenge for more.

"I hate winning like this," Crews said. "It's a horrible way to win. I feel bad for the ones who missed the turn."

For now, before it's a long-gone part of his story, Crews must think of something to do with the $1,300 he picked up for winning the race. The 24-year-old mechanical engineering student hadn't thought that far in advance. "I don't know yet," he said.

He might talk to Heather Davis, winner of the women's full marathon race. She won with a time of 3:02:56, pacing Kimberlie Fowler and Heidi Tucker.

Davis, 35, captured her third marathon - her actual third in Raleigh - on her seventh wedding anniversary. It was special considering the Sanderson High graduate had taken five years off from running marathons to have two children.

She earned the victory after overtaking Tucker near the 21 mile mark. With her husband, Jason, standing next to her, Davis was asked who the anniversary gift was for, and she said, "It's all me."

NOTE: It was announced that 3,850 runners participated in Sunday's event, with 1,000 runners entering the full marathon.