Kevin Sweeny and Jenny Early leave Dasher with Hospice Half titles

Before 2018, Kevin Sweeny had raced the Hospice Half Marathon twice, finishing runner-up in 2013 and 2014. On Saturday morning, 17 February 2018, Sweeny made a third trip to Dasher, Georgia to race in the seventh annual Hospice Half. This time the Saint Augustine, Florida master runner won the 13.1-mile race, running 1:25:21. Jenny Early of Tallahassee, Florida was the first woman in the race, placing sixth overall in 1:42:28.


At both of his earlier appearances at the Hospice Half Marathon, Sweeny had finished second to Ryan Kelly of Lake Park, Georgia. Kelly was in the race again in 2018, but in this rematch it was Kelly who came up second-best, taking the runner-up spot in 1:27:55. Colin Prinsloo of Hahira, Georgia was third in 1:30:15, and Valdosta, Georgia triathlete Dan Butzin took fourth in 1:35:18. Jacksonville, Florida master runner Bill Dorrian was fifth in 1:36:17.


Less than two weeks before her win in Dasher, Jenny Early had run 3:47:28 in the Tallahassee Marathon. Early had been seventh in the women's division that day, but no woman finished ahead of her at the Hospice Half. Anne Diaz of Valdosta was second in the women's standings of the Hospice Half, placing fifteenth overall in 2:02:12. Valdosta's Morgan Long (17th, 2:03:10) was the third woman finisher, just seconds ahead of Karisa Zickos (18th, 2:03:17) and Monika Miller (19th, 2:03:26), both Valdosta women. Penny Bell of Hahira, Georgia was the top woman master and eighth female finisher, 25th overall in 2:15:03.


For the first time in the seven-year history of the race, the course for the Hospice Half Marathon was USATF certified (course number GA18003WC), measured by Valdosta State University cross-country coach Todd Smoot. 45 athletes finished the 2018 Hospice Half. A Course/Line, LLC, of Valdosta timed the race and provided finish line services.


Top Ten Men, 2018 Hospice Half Marathon

1. 1:25:20.6, Kevin Sweeny (M, 48) Saint Augustine, FL
2. 1:27:54.1, Ryan Kelly (M, 39) Lake Park, GA
3. 1:30:14.1, Colin Prinsloo (M, 31) Hahira, GA
4. 1:35:17.6, Dan Butzin (M, 32) Valdosta, GA
5. 1:36:16.1, Bill Dorrian (M, 42) Jacksonville, FL
6. 1:44:17.2, Kerry Warren (M, 42) Hahira, GA
7. 1:45:36.4, Grant Herring (M, 28) Valdosta, GA
8. 1:46:43.7, Jerry Giacchino (M, 59) Saint Anne, IL
9. 1:56:54.6, Andrew Medford (M, 38) Valdosta, GA
10. 1:56:55.1, Rich Kingery (M, 36) Valdosta, GA

Top Ten Women, 2018 Hospice Half Marathon

1. 1:42:27.8, Jenny Early (F, 34) Tallahassee, FL
2. 2:02:11.8, Anne Diaz (F, 26) Valdosta, GA
3. 2:03:09.2, Morgan Long (F, 23) Valdosta, GA
4. 2:03:16.5, Karisa Zickos (F, 39) Valdosta, GA
5. 2:03:25.2, Monika Miller (F, 34) Valdosta, GA
6. 2:05:23.2, Emily Singletary (F, 22) Valdosta, GA
7. 2:14:03.8, Audrey Williams (F, 27) Oakfield, GA
8. 2:15:02.5, Penny Bell (F, 44) Hahira, GA
9. 2:15:29.8, Ashley Norton (F, 29) Valdosta, GA
10. 2:15:39.4, Sherri Welch (F, 52) Hahira, GA

Hospice Half Marathon champions, 2011 - 2018
Date	Men	Women	Finishers
19 February 2011	1:25:36, Masked Avenger	1:43:03, Brandi Faircloth	72
17 February 2012	1:23:09, Stan Darsh	1:37:58, Amy Sharon	76
16 February 2013	1:20:45, Ryan Kelly	1:32:23, Beth Sweeny	107
15 February 2014	1:21:44, Ryan Kelly	1:30:28, Beth Sweeny	84
27 February 2016	1:17:14, Roger Schmidt	1:32:31, Anna Busby	56
25 February 2017	1:35:07, Ariel Godwin	1:50:45, Brandy Van Jura	56
17 February 2018	1:25:21, Kevin Sweeny	1:42:28, Jenny Early	45
The race was not held in 2015.

Links

• Complete results of the 2018 Hospice Half Marathon, courtesy of A Course/Line, LLC
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vQsWR1dvf-kkigFgFKd7P2zDV-8mY9GKAaL-uAtG7Q_WXINSuVyUhGHjE4yzUBGQvaMKDXLEaY1Wll_/pubhtml
  
  
• 2017 story, “Godwin and Van Jura go the distance in the Hospice Half”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2017/02/hospice-half-2017.html
  
  
• 2016 story, “Schmidt and Busby take the Hospice Half titles home to Tallahassee”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2016/02/hospice-half-2016.html
  
  
• 2014 story, “Ryan and Sweeny repeat at Dasher half marathon”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2014/02/hospice-half-2014.html
  
  
• 2013 story, “Kelly and Sweeny set records in third annual Hospice Half”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2013/02/hospice-half-2013.html
  
  
• 2011 story, “Avenger, Faircloth dash through Dasher to Hospice Half victories”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2011/02/hospice-half-2011.html
  
  
• USATF course certification map GA18003WC for the 2018 Hospice Half Marathon
  http://www.usatf.org/events/courses/maps/showMap.asp?courseID=GA18003WC
  
  
• If there's another new half marathon, you'll find it on the Trouble Afoot! calendar
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

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