Santa Rosa Marathon wraps up its 9th year

For Mikey Kennedy, completing a marathon has always been a bucket-list item.

On Sunday, the 22-year-old got to cross it off, successfully completing his first 26.2-miler at his hometown Santa Rosa Marathon with a finish time of 3 hours and 21 minutes.

Before Sunday, he had never even raced a half marathon.

“It was really fun,” he said. “It’s a really pretty race. Mile 17 was about where I started to hurt, but when you’re that far, it’s like you just have to finish.”

Kennedy was one of 3,000 racers from 38 states and 12 countries who participated in either the full or the half marathon on Sunday, crossing the Fourth Street finish line to a chorus of whoops and clanging cowbells.

The fastest of the day was 36-year-old Samuel Bradbury, of Santa Monica, who finished in a time of 2 hours and 31 minutes.

The Santa Rosa Marathon is one of the last qualifying races for the Boston Marathon, where registration opens and closes in late September.

Kennedy, a recent Chico State University graduate who competed on the school’s triathlon team, was cheered on by parents Cathy and Mike Kennedy and older sister Kimmy Kennedy, who kept him motivated throughout the race - as did volunteers from Santa Rosa High School, where as a student he ran track and cross country.

“Watching him since seventh grade and culminating to this, I just feel really, really proud of him,” his mother said.

Despite the excessive heat warning issued by the National Weather Service on Sunday for Santa Rosa - highs topped out at 100 degrees - organizers reported no major problems for the race, now in its ninth year.

Orhan Sarabi, race director, credited advance preparation that included offering a free ticket back to next year’s marathon if any runners were worried about the heat and decided to back out.

“We’re always concerned about (the heat),” he said.

“We had contingency plans all over the course - extra water, extra Gatorade, kiddie pools, sponging people down.”

Runners were also allowed to downgrade their registration and do the half marathon instead.

And some did take that option, but just a few.

Additionally, none of the snafus that have dogged previous marathons - a wrong turn by a pacer last year that marred results and cost some a spot in the Boston Marathon, for example - happened.

“In all, we consider it a home run,” Sarabi said.

“It was a beautiful day.”

You can reach Staff Writer Christi Warren at 707-521-5205 or christi.warren@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @SeaWarren.