Crouch finishes 2nd at half marathon in Duluth

Clark County native Sarah Crouch may not have won a half marathon for the first time in several months, but her second-place finish Saturday in the Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon in Duluth, Minn., was just as satisfying.

Crouch, a Hockinson High grad who now resides in Flagstaff, Ariz., set a personal best for 13.1 miles by finishing in 1 hour, 11 minutes, 31 seconds.

It was only second to Monicah Ngige, 24, of Kenya, who won with a personal best of her own in 1:09:55.

Crouch, 28, posted on Instagram that it was her first personal record in four years.

“I took the first mile out in 5:17 and never looked back, pushing as hard as I could for as long as I could,” she posted. “Yesterday at the press conference I really put myself out there, looking into the cameras and reporters and saying ‘I’m stupid fit. If I don’t PR tomorrow it will be because I didn’t step up.’ ”

There were 7,577 finishers of which 4,711 were women. The half marathon was part of the 42nd annual Grandma’s Marathon, which had 4,586 finishers.