“There was maybe a week or 10 days where the smoke was so bad you couldn’t do anything outside,” said Dumm, 29. “So I ended up swimming, riding the stationary bike or using an elliptical. I’d rather do the mileage outdoors, but you do what you can to maintain your training.”
Those days off the running trials didn’t seem to affect Dumm adversely. He and women’s overall winner Heidi Hamilton were not challenged the second half race as they both posted impress wins.
Dumm became the third two-time winner in the men’s division, covering fairly flat 26.2 mile course in 2:28.58. He ran 2:27.49 to win in 2010. In 2011 he was third in the 13.1 mile half-marathon.
Other two-time men’s winners are Dr. Mark Cucuzzella (2011, 2006) and Andrew Herr (1997-98). Andrew Timmins, who is stationed at Edwards AFB, Calif., was second (2:33.36) while Oakwood’s James Beyer was third (2:37.45). Cuccuzzella was 10th this year.
Hamilton, a 29-year-old intensive care nurse at Children’s Medical Center Dallas (Texas) was the women’s winner in 3:01.09. Katie Kay of Fairview Park in suburban Cleveland was second in 3:05.18 and Taylor Vroman from Murfreesboro, Tenn., was third in 3:10.41.
The race program (marathon, half-marathon, 10,000 meter run) drew 15,000 runners from 50 states and 20 foreign countries. An additional 15,000 cheered on the runners along the course and the grounds of the Museum of the United States Air Force.
“It was a tight pack in the front until about the 15-mile mark,” said Dumm. “Then I picked up the pace and no one went with me. I like this race because its a good preparation for other fall race.
“My next race will be the Marine Corps Marathon (Oct. 28) which is also the Armed Forces Championships. A lot of us who ran here today at running for the Air Force team which won it last year.”
Joining Dumm on that Air Force team will be Capt. Ben Payne, who set a course record in winning the half-marathon in 1:07.23.
A large group of runners went off course for several miles in the half-marathon. Race organizers are attempting to determine if problem was a portion of the being mismarked or some competitors misreading the course, going the wrong way and others following.
Hamilton, who lives in Dallas suburb of Trophy Club, was running her first Air Force marathon with her father, Chas Morse, a retired Lt. Colonel.
“Dad was in the Air Force for 25 years before he retired last year,” she said. “We’ve run races all over the world together including the Great Wall of China marathon.
“He always wanted to run this race but could never work it in. So about eight months ago we decided to do. It’s means a lot for both of us to be here with Air Force people from all over the world.
“There was really no place in the race where I broke away. I just gained separation over the last 10 miles.”
Morse, 55, also of Trophy Club, covered the distance in 4:12.06. That put him 1,025 out of the 2,223 men who finished the marathon and 32 out of 129 in the men’s 55-59 age group.
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