Stride-for-stride

James Rucker, of Spokane, Wash., edged Whitefish's Tyson Warner by about one minute to win the annual Two Bear Marathon on Sunday, finishing at 2:41:00.

Rucker averaged a 6:09 per mile pace on the course that wraps around Whitefish Lake, starting at Skyles Lake and finishing at The Wave. Warner carried a 6:11 pace.

Both Rucker and Warner opened a big lead on the course's trail section and finished about 20 minutes ahead of the third-place runner.

It was another photo-finish among women runners, with Katie Gibson, of Lolo, taking the top overall time with a time of 3:36:44. She was only 28 seconds ahead of second-place finisher Marie McLaughlin, of Butte, and 58 seconds in front of Hannah Riedl, of Missoula.

Eighty-eight runners completed the marathon and 184 raced in the half-marathon.

Results at Competitive Timing www.competitivetiming.com