Sacramento Running News

This past Sunday,  Paul Ngeny of Auburn (by way of Kenya) came to town and ran away with a commanding win of the now officially huge Urban Cow Half-Marathon.

Ngeny’s time of 1:07:51 was announced as a new course record, leaving this reporter confused as the race’s website lists Dennis Rinde’s 1982 course record as 1:05:38. (We promise to post an update when we figure this out.)

UPDATE: Race Director Rich Hanna explains that Dennis Rinde’s record is the “Race Record” set on the old Sacramento marathon course, but Ngeny’s time is the new course record for the Cowtown/Urban Cow course.

Following up in second and third were Chad Worthen of Sacramento and Ben Deland of Pleasanton, who finished in 1:13:17 and 1:14:35, respectively.

In the women’s race, masters runners dominated with Midori Sperandeo, of Folsom, picking up the win in 1:20:17, and Jenny Hitchings, of Sacramento, coming in second with 1:23:34.

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Jaymee Marty looking strong at the halfway point.

Since the 1970s, runners from around the region have lined up on the first Sunday after Labor Day to take on one of Sacramento’s premier distance running events: The Buffalo Stampede.

In the heyday of American distance running, there were fewer races to choose from and the competition was fierce. A sub-60 minute time might not guarantee you a top-20 finish!

The popularity of this 10-mile race has ebbed and flowed over the years, and the fast end of the field at one point dwindled to a single runner breaking that 60-minute barrier.

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