Marathon distance takes a lot out of race walkers in Santee championship

SANTEE  — As Perseus Karlstrom finished first in this year’s USATF Marathon National Race Walk championships, the three-time Swedish Olympian could barely speak.

“I think I’m going to faint,” said Karlstrom, seeking the help of two people nearby to stay steady.

He didn’t faint, Karlstrom did vomit after taking a seat. He had just prevailed in the men’s race by six minutes in 3 hours, 4 minutes, 50 seconds on the 1K course adjacent to the Trolley Square shopping center they traversed for 26.2 miles on Sunday.

This was the introduction to start the year of the marathon along with the half marathon as the new international championship distances for race walking. Gone were the shorter 35K and 20K in a move to provide direct time comparisons between walkers and runners.

The added distance only contributed to a convergence of challenging circumstances for Karlstrom since the temperature went from 41 degrees at the start to the mid-60s under direct sunlight  and there was a brisk early pace by El Cajon’s Nick Christie, a longtime stalwart at the event.

“It was very tough” said Karlstrom, who dominated in setting an event record in the 35K last year (2:27:19). “Initially, I was hoping for 3:05. I just did it, but I wasn’t planning for racing it the way I did. Still, it was pretty solid for a first-time event.”

Karlstrom, 35, alternated in the lead until Christie became ill on the course about three-fourths through the race.

Soon Karlstrom increased his advantage to more than a lap while Christie persevered to take second (3:11:12) and claim the top U.S prize.

“I went a little after Percy, and both us of us paid the price,” said Christie, 34, whose experience includes the 50K races from bygone days. “My (time) splits were pretty even, surprisingly. So, all in all, it was good.”

Christie, a two-time champion at the event, was greeted past the finish line by his fiancée, Miranda Melville, a two-time women’s winner herself.

Melville participated in the race for training purposes and withdrew without finishing. Maria Michta-Coffey, a two-time American Olympian, won the women’s marathon by eight minutes (3:50:38) for her 50th national championship.

Both a competitor and coach, Michta-Coffey also cerebrated that her protege, Lauren Harris, of Sachem, N.Y., set an American record in the 10K by breaking Michta-Coffey’s old mark (44:09).

Harris, 26, placed second behind Mexico’s Alejandra Ortega Solis (42:59).

“I had 49 national titles for over a year now, and 50 just sounds so much better than 49,” said Michta-Coffey, 39, of Lake Grove, N.Y.

“Since Lauren was going for the 10, I said to myself for my pace, ‘This is it. You’ve got to do it.’ ”

Michta-Coffey kept largely in stride with former El Cajon resident Katie Burnett for much of the race and then took charge when Burnett slowed.

“I held on, held on, then I felt her slow,” Michta-Coffey said. “I thought, ‘Maybe I’ll blow up, or maybe I won’t, but let’s go.’ ”

Burnett, 37, of Lake Olympia, Wash., placed second (3:59:07), while third (4:07:15) went to Lydia McGranahan, 49, of Sheridan, N.Y.

The top three U.S. finishers earned $8,000, $6,000 and $4,000, respectively.

Mexico’s Valeria Ortuno Martinez, 27. who set an event record in thee women’s 35K last year (2:56:33), switched to the shorter half marathon and prevailed by a minute (1:42:01) for the eighth-best time overall.

The men’s winner (1:27:28) was Noel Charma, 28, of Mexico. Spring Valley’s Natos Corvera, 32, placed fourth (41:47) in the men’s 10K and sixth overall, one spot behind Harris.

The day’s entries included a record 11 Olympians.