Although the skies were cloudy and cool, over 4,000 people approached the starting line on Sunday, May 5 to compete in the Pittsburgh Marathon. (The official title, "The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center/City of Pittsburgh Marathon", is almost as long as the race itself.) In its twelfth year, the Marathon actually features several races for men and women: 26.2-mile marathon, wheelchair marathon, 10K, and relays.

Neighborhood Festivals As always, there was as much action on the sidelines as on the race course. In neighborhoods all along the route, groups sponsored food and music festivities as local spectators cheered on the passing runners. <== A volunteer offers water near Mile 16 in Pt. Breeze.

An International Event

The Pittsburgh Marathon continues to attract international competition, which was represented in the winner's circle:

• Tamara Karlioukova, 25, from St. Petersburg, Russia, raced past the women's field to win in 2 hours, 36 minutes and 12 seconds.
• Ruben Maza, 28, from Caracas, Venezuela, set his country's national record (2 hours, 12 minutes and 2 seconds) and qualified for the Venezuelan Olympic team.

Maza was challenged by Carolos Tarazona, another Caracas native vying for the Olympics. Their contest not only assured them both trips to Atlanta, but produced the second- and third-fastest times in Pittsburgh Marathon history.

Local runners provided strong competition. Cheryl Collins of Plum, in her second year as a marathoner, raced to a second-place medal -- her best finish to date. And Monroeville's Tammy Slusser battled exhaustion to finish fourth in the women's field.

Here are the top winners, and their finishing times, of the 1996 Pittsburgh Marathon races:

Men's Marathon
Ruben Maza, Venezuela	2:12:02
Carolos Tarazona, Venezuela	2:12:03
Dmitri Kapitonov, Russia	2:15:20

Women's Marathon
Tamara Karlioukova, Russia	2:36:12
Cheryl Collins, Plum	2:43:02
Ludmila Llina, Russia	2:43:50

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