CLEVELAND (WJW) — Hundreds of runners in the 2022 Cleveland Marathon arrived at the finish line on Sunday morning.
Congratulations to Jeremiah Fitzgerald, 25, of Lakewood who placed first in the male division of the full marathon with a time of 2:31.
Ashton Swinford, 32, of Hudson is the first place runner in the women’s division of the full marathon with a time of 2:46. This is her first marathon win.
“This is a dream come true,” she said while still catching her breath at the finish line. “I have so much support from my family. I have a supportive husband. I have 3-year-old twins. My teammates are out on the course cheering for me. I couldn’t have done it without them.”
After her accomplishment on Sunday, she has set her next goal of making it to the Olympic Marathon trials in 2024.
“You don’t have to be extremely competitive but I think it’s important just to get outside and clear your head and move,” she said. “You’ll feel so much better and you’ll have more energy for your kids or your job or whatever you have going on in your life. Running feels good if you give it a chance.”
Congratulations to the female half marathon winner, Jaclyn Range, 39, of Westlake, who came in at 1:20 and the male half marathon winner, Joe Westrick, 23,of Pittsburgh, PA, with 1:11.
The race stepped off at 7 a.m. on a course that started in downtown Cleveland and continued west along Lake Avenue into Lakewood and Rocky River.
The starting line and finish line as at West Mall Drive and St. Clair Avenue.
Click here to see the start of the race.