Cousins Take Top Finishes At Kalamazoo Marathon

They were both pleasantly surprised with their races.

Cousins Rachel Ingle and Michelle Grevenstuk signed up for the  Kalamazoo Marathon this past weekend with pretty low expectations. Neither expected to do well.

Rachel ended up winning it, while Michelle took fourth.

Both were surprised to see each each other at the finish. Ingle passed Christine Ganz with a half mile to go to win in 3:15:15. It was Ingle’s first marathon win.

“It’s surprising,” Ingle said of her win. “I knew I was fourth heading out, but I didn’t think I was going to catch anyone. I saw the second-place girl with about nine miles to go and then I caught her in the last half-mile. It’s absolutely unbelievable.”

Ganz had nothing but respect for Ingle. “She caught me, she passed me right at the last mile and just motored right on in,” she recalled. “I had nothing left. I give her a lot of credit. She was good.”

Ingle’s time on Sunday was a five-minute PR.

For More: MLive.com