Different race, same result as Clifford wins Dasani Half Marathon
A year ago Tom Clifford won the Myrtle Beach Marathon by nearly seven minutes, but he says he didn’t have any set plans to compete this year to try to repeat the feat.
On Friday night, though, the 31-year-old Wilmington, N.C., resident had a change of heart after receiving a challenge from his father, as he explained, and so he chose to run in the Dasani Half Marathon on Saturday morning.
Although it was a different race, the results were much the same as last year as Clifford won the half marathon by nearly three and a half minutes, finishing the 13.1-mile course in 1 hour, 8 minutes and 25 seconds while Natalie Lawrence, 32 of Kernersville, N.C., won the women’s half marathon in 1:18:43 for an equally convincing victory.
“I actually made the decision last night to come,” Clifford said. “My dad and I were bowling and I lost to him so he told me I had to go run. I lost in the 10th frame – it’s too bad. He was using my ball too.”
Whatever the motivation Saturday, Clifford said he really doesn’t get caught up in winning and isn’t even sure how many races he’s won over the years.
He coaches a group called “Without Limits” in Wilmington, and some of his runners were using the Myrtle Beach event as a warmup for the upcoming Wrightsville Beach Marathon or to qualify for the Boston Marathon, in which Clifford also plans to compete.
“For me, it’s really not about winning; it’s just about coming to get a hard workout. Winning’s a bonus,” he said. “Happy to be out here and cheer on my athletes.”
According to the results and data posted online Saturday afternoon, there were 1,457 registered runners in the men’s half marathon and 1,211 finishers.
Clifford was followed in second place by Mike Mitchell, of Mint Hill, N.C., in 1:11:52 while Daniel Matena, of Charlotte, N.C., placed third in 1:12:30.
While Clifford ultimately decided to run the half marathon this time, he said he didn’t really consider trying to repeat as champion in the full 26.2-mile race, which he completed in 2:30:06 last year.
“[I did] a couple marathons last year in New York, this and then Boston, and three is a lot in a season so I’m just going to stick with some training and do Boston again,” he said.
As for Lawrence, she was happy to come away with a more positive experience at the Myrtle Beach race after also competing here in 2012 and finishing in so much pain she was struggling to walk afterward.
“I actually didn’t know at the time, but I had a fracture in my [foot] when I ran it,” she said of that 2012 race. “I’ve kind of been injured, taking time off, I didn’t know I had it and finally here I am. It was a long process.”
The women’s half marathon drew 1,920 entrants and 1,584 finishers.
Lawrence, who returned to competitive running last year, also won by more than three minutes as Allison Peters, also of Kernersville, N.C., finished second in 1:21:50 and Caitlin Judd, of North Charleston, was third in 1:23:07.
“I am happy for the win, but I was trying to race the clock today and I didn’t hit my time,” Lawrence said, adding that she was aiming to break 1:15. “But, you know, I’m happy with it, I guess.”
While temperatures were in the 20s when the race started at 6:30 a.m., both half marathon winners said they enjoyed the conditions.
“It was good weather, you can’t complain really. This is a great course,” Lawrence said.
Said Clifford: “I mean it’s cold, but not. Not for running. It’s good for running. Without the wind, it’s good. Your body heats up and your body has to have a way to cool. So conditions like this people can complain a lot, but it’s actually awesome. It’s perfect. You can’t beat it.”
This story was originally published February 14, 2015 at 2:33 PM with the headline "Different race, same result as Clifford wins Dasani Half Marathon."