Dueling with Jynocel Basweti over 26.2 miles, said Michael Wardian, is invariably an all-or-nothing proposition. “Either he’s going to crash and burn or he’s going to run pretty well,“ Wardian said. “Today he ran pretty well, I guess.“ Basweti, a 22-year-old Kenyan, became the SunTrust Richmond Marathon’s first back-to-back winner in five years by delivering an elegant effort yesterday in raw, windy conditions. He finished in 2:18:28—the sixth-fastest time in the event’s 32-year history—and defeated Wardian, the runner-up, by nearly seven minutes.

Salome Kosgei required less than three hours to travel from chacteristically late to stunningly early. Kosgei, a 29-year-old Kenyan, won the women’s portion of yesterday’s SunTrust Richmond Marathon in 2:40:51, the fastest time in six years and the third-fastest in the event’s 32-year history. Her triumph, which occurred in her marathon debut, surprised, well, everyone.

McDonald’s Half Marathon Women’s Results

McDonald’s Half Marathon Men’s Results

HCA Virginia 8K Men’s Results

HCA Virginia 8K Women’s Results

Ten yards from the finish line, LaRee Etter checked her watch, looked up at the race clock and a smile came across her face. Ten yards later, when she crossed the finish line, Etter raised her arms in exultation and said to anyone within hearing distance, “I qualified. I qualified. I need a hug.“ But when you are single and come here from Rochester, Minn., specifically to run in the SunTrust Richmond Marathon, no one is at the finish line to offer that hug.

SunTrust Richmond Marathon Men’s Results (pt. 2)

SunTrust Richmond Marathon Women’s Results (Pt. 1)

SunTrust Richmond Marathon Women’s Results (pt. 2)

SunTrust Richmond Marathon Men’s Results (pt. 2)

On the Lee Bridge, a tall man sporting a three-horned Viking helmet cheered on runners in green T-shirts, running with them along the bridge, then doubling back to do it again. Sean Cusack, one of the Sports Backers’ marathon training coaches, has trained with them for half a year to prepare for the race. “Watching them finish is a great reward for me,“ he said.

SunTrust Richmond Marathon Men’s Results (pt. 1)

One mile into the 13.1 miles of the McDonald’s Half Marathon, Nicholas Kurgat was certain of one thing. The pace was too slow. “I ran the first mile in 5:19,“ Kurgat said. “I wanted to be around 5:00.“ So Kurgat knew only one thing to do. He broke away from the crowd. Did he ever. Kurgat, 30, won his race in 1:06:02, setting a course record - this is only the second year of this course and Derese Deniboba’s winning time last year was 1:06:50 - and finished more than two minutes ahead of second-place Jared Abuya, who ran a 1:08:26.

Jynocel Basweti finished in 2:18:28 to repeats as the men’s winner of the SunTrust Richmond Marathon. Salome Kosgei of Kenya wins the women’s marathon.