'Despite the odds I made it': Michelob Ultra El Paso Marathon crowns its champions
One of the draws of running is that it is an escape from the real world, a chance for a few hours to get away from the stress of everyday life.
That took on extra meaning for 34-year-old Anais Arce, who pulled a bit of an upset to make it to her native El Paso from Austin to run the Michelob Ultra El Paso Marathon. She did make it, then she won it, claiming the women's division with a time of 3 hours, 14 minutes, 14 seconds.
More: Michelob Ultra El Paso Marathon results
More: Raiz Federal Credit Union Half Marathon results
More: Sprine & Rehab Specialists 5K results
"This was a goal of mine, to win first in my city, win a marathon in my gender," Arce said. "So I'm really excited that I did it in El Paso. I'm even more proud and excited because it was a really rough work week, I was almost asked to work the weekend, but I made it here.
"Despite the odds I made it. I'm really happy."
So what's next in what turned into a wonderful weekend?
"I'm ready to eat, I'm ready for a beer," Arce said. "I'm ready to meet my family and celebrate.
"I've heard there are really good burritos here so I'm excited to try the burritos. Then I'll probably be eating all day."
The men's winner, Hector Falcon, also a former El Pasoan now living in West Virginia, had different specifics for his next meal.
"Desserts. A big ole' German chocolate cake," said the 34-year-old Falcon, who ran most of his second career marathon — and his second career marathon win — by himself.
He certainly felt like he earned it after running a time of 2:38:03.
"I put in a lot of work," he said. "I'm out of breath right now."
More than 3,600 runners showed up for the annual celebration of El Paso's running community, which included the Raiz Federal Credit Union Half Marathon and the Spine & Rehab Specialists 5K (3.1 miles).
Falcon found the weather cold, but it was mostly a perfect morning for running. The marathon began at San Elizario High School and finished at the El Paso County Coliseum, while the half marathon and 5K began and ended at the Coliseum.
The men's second-place finisher, former El Pasoan Brian Ditzler, had every right to feel like a winner. The 47-year-old soldier started running four years ago to lose weight, after getting a wake-up call in a Walmart parking lot here in El Paso.
"I bent over to tie my shoe," Ditzler recalled. "When I got up, I was out of breath. I knew I had to do something."
In the four months that followed he lost 50 pounds, then ran his first El Paso Marathon. He's now stationed in Colorado Springs and used this race as preparation for next month's Los Angeles Marathon.
"This was great," Ditzler said after running a time of 2:40:15.
It was a great day all around for El Paso's running community.
Bret Bloomquist can be reached at bbloomquist@elpasotimes.com; @Bretbloomquist on Twitter.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Michelob Ultra El Paso Marathon crowns its champions
