Islander wins New Orleans Marathon

Last weekend was definitely a Super Sunday for Galveston marathoner Autumn Ray.

Like the Steelers in the Super Bowl, she was able to draw on prior experience as she won the New Orleans Marathon in 2 hours, 58 minutes and 18 seconds.

Ray was defending her title from last year’s race, which she won in 2:58:42.

The 2008 win was her first overall marathon victory, which she followed up with a first-place time of 2:57:56 in the Baton Rouge Beach Marathon in December.

“The conditions were very good Sunday,” Ray said. “It was overcast and cool, and a great day for running.”

Around 7,400 runners participated in the marathon, half-marathon and 5K, but Ray, 28, left most of them behind quickly, maintaining a consistent lead over the other female runners.

By the halfway point, Ray had opened up more than a 2-minute lead over New Yorker Stephanie Hodge.

The 43-year-old Hodge later slowed to finish the race in third place behind Louisiana runner Brittany Sizer, 24, who ran a 3:07:55 time.

Ray was paced throughout the race by boyfriend, Michael Tognorelli.

“Michael can run a 2:48 marathon, and he’s a very consistent pacer,” Ray said.

They ran Sunday’s race at a 6:45 pace.

Ray’s recent marathon victories have been achieved in the midst of upheaval.

A third-year medical student at UTMB, Ray was transferred to Temple when UTMB closed in the wake of Hurricane Ike.

She later spent time in Sugar Land before returning recently to Galveston.

“My condo still hasn’t been repaired, but I’m looking forward to being back at UTMB where I can train at the field house,” she said.

For the spring, Ray plans to focus on shorter distances.

“I’m going to do some speed work,” she said.

Her long-term goal is to train for a fall marathon, taking aim at her current personal best of 2:57:56.

“I’m kind of at the mercy of my school schedule, but if all goes right, I’d like to run the Chicago Marathon. I think I could do well there.”