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After Severe Weather Delay, Norman Runners Win Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon

A pair of runners from Norman have won the 2014 Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon. Severe storms forced organizers to delay the Marathon just before runners were set to take the course.

Sunday's race was scheduled to start at 6:30 a.m., but inclement weather that formed west of the city moved into the area around sunrise. Organizers pushed the start of the race by nearly two hours to let the storm move through. Downtown buildings opened to provide shelter to the runners.

The National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm warning for downtown Oklahoma City, where the 26.2-mile race starts. It warned of wind gusts to 50 mph and quarter-sized hail.

The man with the best time in Sunday's marathon was 32-year-old Jason Cook, who won with a time of 2:42:29.

“The win is wonderful” Cook said. “The weather delay was hard on my nerves but it’s something you have to deal with."

The winner of the women's race was 32-year-old Camille Herron, who placed fifth overall with a time of 2:51:20.

“You learn how tough you are when you’re not feeling good but have to hang in there,” Herron said at the Finish Line.  Camille is a two-time Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon winner also coming in first in the 2012 Memorial Marathon.

Cook placed third in last year's race and Herron set the women's course record in 2012.

The marathon was set to begin at 6:30 a.m., but strong thunderstorms including small hail, pouring rain and gusting winds postponed the race.

Oklahoma City's marathon is held each year close to the anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing on April 19, 1995, which killed 168 people and injured hundreds more.

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