Johnson, Swiatocha claim 2010 Mayor's titles
ANCHORAGE – Seward’s Erik Johnson and local newcomer Alexandra Swiatocha claimed the men’s and women’s marathon victories, respectively, in Saturday’s 37th annual Mayor’s Marathon and Half-Marathon, presented by ConocoPhillips. Swiatocha earned the women’s crown in 3:06:30 in her first Mayor’s appearance. Originally from Mahopac, N.Y., the 23-year-old was a former collegiate heptathlete at Holy Cross College.
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Excerpt from Anchorage Daily News, Sunday, June 20, 2010
“Meanwhile, women’s marathon winner Alexandra Swiatocha, 23, was never certain that she owned the lead. Various spectators and race officials told her during the race she was the leading woman, but she remained skeptical through the finish at West High. She was not sure she won until she checked results posted shortly after finishing. Swiatocha, who is from New York, but is spending a year in Anchorage with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps and working at the Providence Extended Care Center, was running her second marathon. She clocked 3:06:30, which slashed 20 minutes off her previous time. ‘It’s pretty neat,’ Swiatocha said with a laugh. ‘I was impressed.’ Swiatocha, ran cross country and track at Holy Cross, where she competed in the 800 meters and heptathlon. Alexandra said she was doubtful about how she would finish while she was laboring through the backcountry miles on a dirt and gravel road at the base of the Chugach Mountains, but was psyched to win the 26.2 miler. ‘I should just retire,’ she said grinning.”
