San Diego native has blast on Strip, rallying to win Las Vegas Marathon

Josh Cox is 35, but he approached the finish line of the Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Marathon with the unbridled joy and spontaneity of a 5-year-old on Sunday.

Even after 26.2 miles.

First high-fiving fans, then spreading his arms and whirling around in his finest airplane imitation, Cox completed a brilliant rally to break the tape in a winning time of 2 hours, 25 minutes, 5 seconds. He then raised the tape over his head, as if it were a heavyweight championship belt.

"The crowd was just screaming and going nuts, and I wanted to give them something to remember," Cox said. "I was just floating and flying out there on the back half. I was really enjoying it out there.

"The crowd support was awesome."

And not just at the start/finish area at Mandalay Bay, but throughout the course, which included nearly 11 miles of Las Vegas Boulevard for 28,000-plus runners in the marathon and half-marathon.

Cox finished atop the medals podium by making up a huge gap over the final 10 miles. The San Diego native, who lives in Mammoth Lakes, Calif., trailed Ecuador's Stalin Barros by four minutes.

Barros got lost in the shuffle in the first few miles, pulling away from the marathon leaders, and many thought he was competing in the half-marathon. Cox thought he was in first place at the 12-mile mark when he overtook early leader Zach Nyambaso of Kenya.

"Then one of my training partners said there might be another guy in front of me," Cox said. "And I was like, 'Oh crap, how far ahead is this guy?'

"I stopped real quickly for a bathroom break, then put my head down and started crunching. With all the out-and-backs this course has on the second half, I could see him. He looked pretty good at mile 16, and he was almost four minutes ahead. I just said, 'That's a lot of time. Just take it one mile at a time.' "

And they were fast miles, mostly in the 5:05 to 5:15 range -- but he blasted one out in 4:55.

"I got a little carried away there, then got back on my pace," he said.

At mile 22, Cox was still 43 seconds behind. Just a mile later, the race was practically over, with Cox making up all 43 seconds and much more. As he drew alongside Barros, he gave the Ecuadorian a low-five, then took off.

"He really made me work," Cox said. "I extended my hand just as a sign of respect. He was out there all by himself for 22 miles, and that's tough to do. He ran a brave race."

Barros did so probably still dealing with jet lag. He flew in from Ecuador on Saturday and signed up only 15 hours before the 7 a.m. start. It was his first race in the United States.

"It was a little hard, but it was a beautiful race," Barros, 30, said through an translator, adding he appreciated Cox's gesture. "I was surprised. It gave me incentive to keep going. I was so happy about that."

Barros ultimately slipped to third, as Seattle's Steve Dekoker overtook him to take second in 2:31:21, ahead of Barros' 2:31:52. Nyambaso, 43, couldn't keep his early pace and ultimately dropped out.

Dorota Gruca got a measure of redemption and a 40th birthday present all rolled into one, coasting to victory in the women's field in 2:44:36. In 2005 in Las Vegas, the Polish runner was part of a four-runner mad dash to the finish, ultimately settling for third. This time, no such sprint was necessary, as she finished all alone.

"I feel very happy to come back here and win," Gruca said. "It's a wonderful place to celebrate my birthday. I'm gonna have fun and party, for sure."

Then she's going to retire from elite marathoning. Gruca, who lives in Las Cruces, N.M., is getting married on New Year's Eve and hopes to start a family.

"No more running until I get hungry again. I'm not hungry right now," she said. "But I won, so I'm very happy."

Beth Woodward of Orrville, Ohio, was more than 14 minutes back in second place, and Beth Walsh of Encinitas, Calif., who took third here in 2008, matched that effort.

The sun-splashed, wind-free morning proved most beneficial to a gaggle of runners who train with Cox in Mammoth Lakes. Scott Bauhs won the half-marathon in a speedy 1:02:39, with training partner Patrick Smyth second at 1:03:31.

Bauhs, 24, took over about eight miles into the 13.1 mile race.

"I was feeling better. I could feel it," Bauhs said. "I tried to get Patrick to come with me. He's a good runner -- his (personal record) is way better than mine -- but he just didn't have it today."

The women's half-marathon featured yet another Mammoth Lakes winner, as three-time Olympian Jen Rhines clocked 1:14:57, more than three minutes ahead of Britain's Nicki Archer (1:18:01).

"I was able to tuck in with some of the men in the marathon early on," said Rhines, 36. "I felt really good, and it was really exciting out there. The atmosphere was great. It had that big marathon feel, with people lining the streets, and the mass of runners cheering for us."

With participants running in both directions along the Strip, thousands of average runners and weekend warriors heading north could cheer the elite competitors passing by in the southbound lanes, miles ahead.

Cox was equally impressed with the vibe.

"This is the place where you come for vacation, sit by the pool in the summer, go to the sports book in the winter," he said. "To have the whole Strip shut down for the marathon, and then to be the first guy coming through with this crowd -- this is a party. It's not just a road race, it's an event, and that's what makes it special."

Contact reporter Patrick Everson at peverson@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0353.

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Comments

Note: Comments made by reporters and editors of the Las Vegas Review-Journal are presented with a yellow background.

1. LVC Dec. 7, 2010 | 11:53 a.m. Report Abuse

   Why don't they move New Years Eve events out to Red Rock too? Closing down the Strip for 250,000 tourists to celebrate just doesn't make any sense either!!!

2. Generic_Name Dec. 6, 2010 | 5:09 p.m. Report Abuse

   Hey Joe, just because you lay on the coach does not mean your are in training for the LUGE!! It just means you are laying on the coach.

3. tigerm Dec. 6, 2010 | 9:55 a.m. Report Abuse

   BTW Joe.
   
   What you are saying is ridiculous. You can't fit 29,000 runners round Red Rock.
   And where did they stop you getting to work? If you couldn't get to work because you didn't know about this annual event and the well publicized road closures, then if I were your employer I would fire you. Why you couldn't take the diversions or monorail or walk or bike makes me think you don't want to work.

4. tigerm Dec. 6, 2010 | 9:50 a.m. Report Abuse

   Joe,
   
   They should get rid of all the tourists. Every day they stop me doing stuff! They form long lines at the buffet, bars and getting round the Strip at weekends. There are thousands of them, walking on the sidewalks, in their cars. If they weren't there I could get to my job at a Strip casino far easier.
   ..................................Yes, take this posting with all the derision and irony you like.

5. derek.marlowe Dec. 6, 2010 | 9:31 a.m. Report Abuse

   Hey Joe Blow,
   I realize that the race disrupts your journey to work. I am sure the shift manager at McDonalds will understand if you are late.

6. Mufon Dec. 6, 2010 | 9:13 a.m. Report Abuse

   John G, Mr. Blow is a regular angry blogger. Methinks he should go on a run, or better yet, train for and run the marathon! Of course, there's the chance one may think he's an "eggomaniac." Can I get some ham with that?

7. John G Dec. 6, 2010 | 8:12 a.m. Report Abuse

   Joe--
   
   Chill, dude. Like desertrat said, it's just one day. We're in the worst recession any of us can ever recall, and to bring 28,000 runners plus family members with them is a great shot in the arm for our local economy. You're not going to get the same turnout holding the race out at Red Rock. There's one out there every year, and it only gets a few hundred runners.

8. desertrat Dec. 6, 2010 | 5:50 a.m. Report Abuse

   'Tis the season to be jolly, Joe! It was just ONE day. Relax, have some eggnog and enjoy the day.

9. Joe Blow Dec. 6, 2010 | 2:38 a.m. Report Abuse

   Why don't they move this out to Red Rock where it won't disrupt the citizens trying to get to work? Too many eggomaniacs thinking there is a crowd watching them. No, it is tourists looking in amazement as to why roads are closed for something like this when there is plenty of space out in the desert to do this.