Springlike Weather for Marine Corps Marathon (photos)

In spectacular springlike weather, thousands participated in the 41st annual Marine Corps Marathon on Sunday, Oct. 30. More than 30,000 registered for the event, with 19,724 finishing the 26.2 mile course. The sixth-largest marathon in the U.S. and the twelth-largest in the world, the MCM is generally scheduled for the last Sunday of October, a few weeks before the Marine Corps birthday Nov. 10.

Army specialist Samuel Kosgei won his second title, finishing in 2:23:53, 36 seconds ahead of Desta Morkama of Arlington, Virginia. Oscar Santos placed third. Kosgei, a medic stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas, won the race two years ago with a time that was one minute faster. Marathoners may have been hampered by the warmer than average temperatures and high humidity. Though the race does not offer prize money, it can generate prestige for the top finishers. Kosgei, who was born in East Africa, hopes to qualify for the Army’s World Class Athlete Program, which placed five of its athletes on the Rio Olympic team.

Perry Shoemaker of Vienna Va., who placed second at the Army Ten-Miler earlier this month, was the top female finisher with a time of 2:51:47, just 91 seconds ahead of Army Capt. Meghan Curran of Denver. Shoemaker’s husband is in the Navy. Curran, like Kosgei, won the 2014 race. The race has special meaning for Curran, whose father and sister are Marines. She wore the initials AWS on her left hand to remind her of teammate 1st Lt. Ashley White-Stumpf, who was killed in Afghanistan in 2011. Nicole Irving of Arlington came in third.

*View Jeff Malet’s photos of the 41st Marine Corps Marathon by clicking on the photo icons below.*
You can see additional photos by clicking [here.](http://www.maletphoto.com/Sports/Running/Marine-Corps-Marathon-2016/)