Projo Running Blog

A high school biology teacher by day and a runner, well, any time he's not in the classroom, Drew Best claimed his first marathon victory in five attempts at the 26.2-mile distance, winning the Cox Sports Marathon at today's Cox Providence Rhode Races in 2:35:19.

An NCAA Division II qualifier in cross country during his days at Saint Michael's College in Vermont, the 27-year-old Manchester, Conn. native, who now makes his home in Leverett, Mass. said the men's race yesterday in downtown Providence could best be described as "a race of attrition."

"I was running with (Danny Gough) through the whole race, and I think the wheels fell off for both of us around mile 20 or 21," Best said. "So we both slowed down, and I didn't really leave him. He just sort of faded. Once I saw that I wasn't really going to run the best that I wanted, I just wanted to win and I kind of put my nose down and did what I could, which the last six miles were really slow."

TOP MARATHON FINISHERS
MEN - 1, Drew Best, 2:35:19; 2, Danny Gough, 2:35:46; 3, Charles Engle, 2:37:54; 4, Keiron Tumbleton, 2:38:49; 5, Kevin Martin, 2:44:19; 6, David McKay, 2:44:50; 7, Blaine Moore, 2:46:40; 8, Joshua Adams, 2:48:45; 9, Chadwick Brown, 2:50:59; 10, David Principe, 2:51:32.
WOMEN - 1, Michaela Driscoll, 2:56:09; 2, Barbara McManus, 3:06:06; 3, Maria Urso, 3:10:13; 4, Amanda Lawrence, 3:11:22; 5, Karen Dolge, 3:13:33; 6, Erin Fisher, 3:22:31; 7, Lena Groeger, 3:23:09; 8, Melissa Carter, 3:29:44; 9, Kristin Kowalki-Grillo, 3:29:44.

 Tags  Cox Providence Rhode Races Cox Sports Marathon Danny Gough Drew Best

---