OCEAN CITY- Thousands of runners from all over the country descended on the resort area last weekend for the Island to Island Half Marathon and 5K race with a Berlin man crossing the finish line first.
The Island to Island Half Marathon and 5K races, hosted by OC Tri Running for the benefit of Worcester County Youth and Family Counseling, have become fixtures on the early spring special events calendar over the last decade. Last weekend, over 2,000 racers competed in the combined events. The total number of competitors in the half marathon last year was 1,514, while another 630 competed in the 5K race.
The 13.1-mile half marathon began on Assateague and the course wound its way up the Route 611 corridor through West Ocean City before crossing the Route 50 bridge and concluding at the Inlet in Ocean City. The 5K race was run entirely on the Boardwalk with a start-finish line at the Inlet.
For the record, Berlin’s own Jeremy Goetzinger was the first to cross the finish line in the Half Marathon, coming in at 1:13:27. Shawn Loper of Bel Air was second at 1:19:44, while Aaron McCray of Cumberland was third. The top female finisher in the Half Marathon was Katie Harman of Clarksville.
In the 5K race, Theo Johnson of Woodbine, Md. was first, finishing in 18:42. Wes Stull of Frederick was second and Hogan Mower of Sykesville was third. The top female finisher in the 5K race was Renee Green of York, Pa. The OCPD, Maryland State Police, Worcester County Sheriff’s Office and other allied law enforcement agencies provided support and traffic control along the course.