Jacob Buhler of New Braunfels won the men's side of the Rock 'n' Roll Running Series Marathon on Sunday with a time of 2:29:29. Courtney Oliver of Breaux Bridge, Louisiana won the woman's side with a time of 2:47:20.
"I feel like a hometown favorite, I like to think, in the sense that I have a lot of support in the community," Buhler said after the marathon. "That is what sport is all about."
He said it was tremendous experience, and having friends and family cheer him on meant a lot.
Oliver said she likes not to look back and focus on the road ahead while see runs. "No matter what happens, if you get to the finish line, it's a win," she said.
Organizers of the Rock 'n' Roll Running Series reported just under 20,000 turned out for the marathon, half-marathon, 10K, and 5K held over two days in and around downtown.
The oldest man scheduled to run was 90-year-old Justo Aquino of San Antonio, who signed up for the 10K. The oldest woman registered was 85-year-old Ladene Dowell of Melrose, Massachusetts, who joined the 5K.
The youngest boy running was 8-year-old Sean Barrera of McAllen. The youngest girl was 8-year-old Evelyn Alexander of Helotes. Both ran in the 5K.
The entrants also included 53-year-old Angela Lee of Schertz, who survived cancer both as a child and as an adult. She ran in the 5K.
Fifty-year-old Kristen Teeter of San Antonio underwent a physical transformation, losing 150 of 300 pounds to run in the half-marathon. And 53-year-old Michael Vasquez of San Antonio weighed more than 300 pounds a year ago and could not run for 30 seconds. After hard work and dedication, he ran in the 10K.
The 5K and 10K runs both took place at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, at the UTSA downtown campus. The 5K traveled down Houston into downtown and included the following streets or avenues: Live Oak, Austin, West Jones, Broadway, Brooklyn, North St. Mary's, Avenue A, and Navarro. The finish line was on Navarro.
The 10K runners followed much of the same route, but instead of turning onto Broadway with the 5Kers, they peeled off and continued on the following streets or avenues: West Jones, and Camden, Newell, East Park, East Euclid, West Josephine, East Ashby, Belknap, West Dewey Place, North Main, Howard, West Cypress, Brooklyn, North St. Mary's, Avenue A. and Navarro.
The full and half marathons began on Sunday at 7 a.m. Motorists were advised to expect several road closures for a couple of hours. Barricades were removed once the runners passed.
Thunderstorms brought a cold drenching pall over the 5K and 10K on Saturday. Cloudy skies greeted Sunday's runners.
Nathan Cone contributed to this report.
