JACKSON, Mississippi (AP) — A weekend marathon in Jackson drew 3,500 runners from 50 states and more than 15 countries.
The seventh annual Mississippi Blues Marathon took place Saturday, along with a half-marathon, marathon relay and kids’ run. The event benefits the Musician’s Benevolent Fund of the Mississippi Blues Commission. Event founder John Noblin told The Clarion Ledger that runners said they were pleased with the festivities, which took place this year at the Mississippi Museum of Art’s Art Garden.
WLBT TV reports that one couple even got engaged near the end of the race.
Candace Nichols and Mark Schenk, a couple from Ohio, were among the runners. Nichols completed the half marathon and Schenk ran the full marathon. Near the finish line, Schenk, who had put on a headband emblazoned with the words “Marry Me,” pulled out a ring and proposed.
He had been carrying the ring the entire 26 miles.
“Yeah, I had it in my little pack here I kept checking to make sure the zipper wasn’t coming undone. It’s insured,” said Schenk.
First-place winners were Ryan Henderson of Madison, who finished the full marathon in two hours and 43 minutes, and Jon Hager of Alpharetta, Ga., who finished the half-marathon in one hour and 14 minutes. For the women, Lindsey Pierret of Eden Prairie, Minn., took the marathon in 3 hours and 15 minutes, and Melissa Robinson of Austin finished the half in one hour and 32 minutes.
Another participant was Denver-based entrepreneur David. Every runner was motivated by a personal goal, and Knapp’s is to complete 50 marathons in 2014 as a fundraiser for the Alzheimer’s Association.
Knapp kicked off the effort in Jackson Saturday, hoping to raise at least $50,000 this year to benefit the Colorado chapter. “The first two hours was pretty much perfect weather to run a marathon,” said Knapp, who finished in four and a half hours. “Around mile 24½, one of Jackson’s famous potholes that I kept hearing about jumped up and got me and I took a little tumble and got some road rash.”
Another runner was Trent Morrow of Australia.
“I haven’t been to Mississippi before, so I thought I would come out and share the marathon man love with the good people of Mississippi and Jackson,” Morrow said.