At the halfway mark of the 2010 Eugene Marathon Sunday, former Ohio standout Craig Leon trailed Zachary Freudenberg by nearly a minute.
That was probably not a surprise to most people in Eugene, Oregon. Leon was running his first marathon and Freudenberg was a 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials marathon qualifier.
If the marathon was anything similar to the 5K races from Leon's career in Athens, he would have had no shot at winning.
In any other race
the race would be over Leon said.
From his five years of cross-country, including one redshirt season, at Ohio, Leon was used to having the leeway to adjust his pace depending on the runners around him.
The marathon is so different because really the race doesn't start until the last 10 miles he said.
That proved to be the case in Eugene. Freudenberg's lead shrank from 49 seconds halfway through to 12 seconds with 10 miles left.
Leon won the marathon with a time of 2:23:15. Freudenberg finished 89 seconds behind him, with a time of 2:24:44.
Leon, who adjusted his running style to focus less on those around him, did not anticipate beating a former Olympic qualifier.
That's the thing that's so different with the marathon
you really have to run your own race and be happy (with the results)
Leon said.
I couldn't control what the next person did or what anybody else did
and (I) just ran my own race.
It just so happened that I finished first in the process
he said with a laugh.
The Eugene Marathon was the first stage in a larger plan for Leon. He intends to run in two more marathons, one during the fall and another during the spring, before traveling to Houston in 2012 to attempt qualifying for the Olympic Trials during the marathon.
I have to run about four minutes faster (to qualify)
said Leon, who began training seriously for the Eugene Marathon in October. It's realistic in another six months to a year now that I know what to expect.
In 2007, Leon capped an impressive career in cross country and track and field by becoming an NCAA qualifier. He also was the runner-up at the Mid-American Conference Championships that season.
Leon has remained at Ohio since graduation. In addition to voluntarily assisting the cross country and track and field teams, he is OU's Director of Compliance, a job in which he works with coaches on NCAA rules to keep athletes eligible. In the run-up to the Eugene Marathon, Leon took advantage of living in Athens by seeking advice from former marathon runners, such as cross country assistant coach Mitch Bentley and exercise physiology professor Fritz Hagerman.
Last weekend, former Bobcat runner Brian List also won a marathon.
He was the first-place finisher at the Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon, and is a 2005 Ohio alumnus. List was a two-time Academic All-MAC selection at Ohio.
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