Photos: Russian beats out Kenyan runners in Dallas Marathon

by Debbie Fetterman

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High humidity and 60-degree temperatures at the race start made for tough conditions for many runners, including the elites, who posted slower-than-anticipated times.

DALLAS — Chuck Dannis saw his vision for the MetroPCS Dallas Marathon on Sunday morning come alive as thousands ran across the iconic Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge into downtown Dallas.

Vernon Bryant

Runners make their way across the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge during the Dallas Marathon.

His image lacked the sunrise, but overcast skies and high humidity did little to dampen the electricity generated by more than 20,000 marathon, half marathon and relay runners, who filled Main Street from Market Street halfway across downtown to Field Street before the race started.

“That was my dream,” said Dannis, board chairman emeritus, as he cheered the final finishers after 3 p.m. in front of the Dallas Convention Center and a giant video board. “This was a big-city marathon.”

Dannis credits the marathon board, a new partnership with the city and long hours by the marathon staff to work out the logistics of moving the marathon back downtown.

“I think we took it to another level,” said executive director Marcus Grunewald.

The 43rd running of the race featured a new route that highlighted West Dallas, Dragon Street’s galleries and shops and Texas Scottish Rite Hospital, the race beneficiary.

G.J. McCarthy

Vladimir Safranov of Russia pumps his fists as he wins the MetroPCS Dallas Marathon Sunday, December 9, 2012 in Dallas. Safronov finished with a time of 2:19:38.

The course then picked up portions of past courses, providing repeat runners with the familiarity of Turtle Creek Boulevard, the M Streets, White Rock Lake and historic Swiss Avenue before returning downtown to the finish line and post-race festivities in and around the Dallas Convention Center.

High humidity and 60-degree temperatures at the race start made for tough conditions for many runners, including the elites, who posted slower-than-anticipated times.

Russian Vladimir Safranov surged past leader Joseph Mutinda of Kenya in the 24th mile to capture the marathon title in 2 hours, 19 minutes, 39 seconds. It was Safaranov’s debut marathon.

“I feel good,” he said in broken English after the race. “I run easy early, and it helps me later.”

Safranov, 26, earned $6,500: $5,000 for his victory and a $1,500 bonus for finishing before an elite high school relay. This marked the third year for the relay, composed of 16 of the area’s top high school boys and girls. The students couldn’t keep up with the elites this year.

G.J. McCarthy

Nastassia Padalinskaya of Belarus finishes first in the women's race during the MetroPCS Dallas Marathon Sunday, December 9, 2012 in Dallas. Padalinskaya finished with a time of 2:43:56.

The women’s winner, Nastassia Padalinskaya of Belarus, dominated the women’s race. She finished in 2:43:56. For Padalinskaya, it was a successful return to Dallas, where she placed sixth in 2005 (2:40:17).

The more than 6,000 marathoners, nearly 12,000 half marathoners and another 5,100 relay runners cleared the starting line in 17 minutes. The last runner to start, Craig Miller of “The Ticket” KTCK-FM (1310), passed 8,986 half marathoners en route to finishing in 1:38.

The Cotton Patch Café had committed to donating $4 for every runner he passed, up to $25,000. The restaurant chain’s officials later said they would honor their $4-per-runner promise and donate $37,500.

While Sunday’s conditions weren’t as harsh as last year, when everyone was drenched and cold, the high humidity and strong winds made for a challenging day. Officials said they were lucky that the course closed and most runners were finished before an arctic cold front blew in.

G.J. McCarthy

Texas-shaped confetti lays on the course as runners make their way during the MetroPCS Dallas Marathon.

“We dodged a weather bullet by about four hours,” Dannis said.

The consensus among runners seemed to be that they liked the new course with the West Dallas Loop and the bridge. Several half marathoners didn’t like what they described as the “awkward” turnaround for the out-and-back half course, but everyone appreciated having separate finish lines and the elimination of a merge between the races.

And they liked the move back to downtown after two years at Fair Park.

“There’s a special feeling running in a major metropolitan city,” said Bob Walker, Texas Scottish Rite Hospital’s president and CEO, of the downtown start-finish. “There’s something electrifying about it.”