Huntersville man rocks it in Richmond

If you paid close attention to the SunTrust Richmond Marathon results I posted Sunday, you may have noticed the blisteringly fast time put up by Huntersville's Nathan Stanford: 2:43:46, which was good for 20th place overall -- out of 5,188 total entrants.

On Sunday afternoon, the 30-year-old Stanford took a few minutes to share some details about his race:

"Heading into the race Saturday I felt really good about my fitness. My coach, Mark Hadley, [and I] plotted out a plan to attack a sub-2:40 clocking. Unfortunately I fell just short of that goal; I did, however, run a six-minute PR, and I'm pleased with that.

"Fortunately the remnants of Tropical Storm Ida cleared out late Friday night, though she left us with her calling card: a nasty little northern wind that made the Lee Bridge crossing (at Mile 16) and ensuing run up Main Street a brutal three-mile stretch.

"I fell off pace a little during those miles, but I was able to tuck in with two other runners and resume a solid pace after the road flattened at Mile 19. Miles 22-26 were especially rough for me due to a fueling error, something I can easily correct in my next marathon."

He also added: "I'd like to thank the organizers of the Richmond Marathon. Everything, from the door greeters at the Expo, to the party zones along the course, to the volunteers handing out pizza in the finishers’ tent, makes this smaller-town marathon feel like a big-city event."

His coach, Hadley -- who is the father of local 12-year-old running sensation Alana Hadley -- said Richmond was Stanford's third marathon. In his first 26.2-miler, at Myrtle Beach in 2007, Stanford ran a 3:13; last year, he put up a 2:49:49 in Richmond.

Said Hadley: "This incredible improvement is a true testament to his dedication and hard work."