Course Record Goes Down in Cape Cod Half-Marathon

About 100 runners competed in the Clam Chowdah Challenge this weekend.

These runners competed in the fourth annual Novo Nordisk Cape Cod Marathon Half on Saturday and came back on Sunday to run the 37th annual Cape Cod Marathon.

Saturday’s half-marathon winner was Bryan Morseman, 29, of Bath, NY, who ran a new 13.1-mile course record.

Morseman covered the seaside course in 1:10:15.

He beat the previous course record of 1:14:42 that was run by Jean-Pierre Allera of South Park, PA, in 2013.

“The course was challenging – up and down in some places and windy here and there,” Morseman said.

The second place finisher was Barnstable High School cross-country coach Mike Merrill, 35, of Centerville, who ran a time of 1:14:49.

Melissa Henry, 27, of Brookline, was first out of 1,200 women who competed in the half-marathon.

Henry finished in 4th place overall in a time of 1:25:26 and was 38 seconds ahead of the second place female finisher, Kerry Arouca of Boston, who ran 1:26:04.

Henry said she would liked more female competition. “I race better when a lot of people are running,” she said. “It’s kind of hard to push myself if there’s no one to grit down on.”

The premier event, the 37th Cape Cod Marathon, kicked off at 8:30 a.m. on Sunday on Main Street in Falmouth and ended near the Village Green in Falmouth Center.

The Cape Cod Marathon winner, Eric Blake, 35, of West Hartford, CT, finished the race in 2:30:52.

The top female marathon finisher was Amy Steffen, 39, of Madison, CT, who ran 3:03:00.

Morseman came back from his win on Saturday to claim second place overall in a time of 2:33:38.

“Why not challenge yourself?” said Morseman. “It’s good to push the body, you know.”

Fourth Novo Nordisk Cape Cod Marathon Half results

Top Men

1. Bryan Morseman, Bath, NY, 1:10:15
2. Mike Merrill, Centerville 1:14:49
3. Nicholas Holowka, East Setauket, NY, 1:15:05
4. Steve Garner, Yarmouth Port 1:15:59
5. Mark Mayall, Maynard 1:16:56

Top Women

1. Melissa Henry, Brookline 1:25:26
2. Kerry Arouca, Boston, 1:26:04
3. Madeline McKeever, Providence, RI, 1:28:15
4. Daphne Tsoucas, Mount Kisco, NY, 1:29:49
5. Paula Healey, Pocasset 1:31:58

37th Cape Cod Marathon results

Top Men

1. Eric Blake, West Hartford, CT, 2:30:52
2. Bryan Morseman, Bath, NY, 2:33:38
3. Lehm Maguire, Victoria, B.C., 2:42:36
4. Kyle Hall, West Hartford, CT, 2:51:08
5. Alex Parulis, Falmouth, 2:52:23

Top Women

1. Amy Steffen, Madison, CT, 3:03:00
2. Jessica Kutcher, North Kingstown, RI, 3:04:14
3. Elizabeth Lawton, New York, NY, 3:06:13
4. Amy Knoblock, Plymouth, 3:15:45
5. Kimberly Burke, Portsmouth, NH, 3:21:41

Photo: (l-r) Novo Nordisk Cape Cod Half Marathon Winners Melissa Henry and Bryan Morseman