Corby kicks away in late miles to a repeat win
Ryan Corby considers himself sort of a late bloomer when it comes to running marathons.
The 40-year-old from Novi, however, is making up for lost time as he repeated as champion of the 45th annual Free Press Marathon on Sunday, covering the 26.2-mile course in 2 hours, 24 minutes and 28 seconds.
Corby, who takes home $6,000 for his overall victory along with winning the Masters Division, separated himself during the final four miles to outduel runner-up Mitchell MacDonald of Macomb Township (2:25:12) and third-place finisher Matthew McSween of Grand Rapids (2:26:29), who earned $2,000 and $1,000, respectively.
The race was run under ideal weather conditions with temperatures in the low 40s for the 7 a.m. start.
“There was a pack of three or four that ran most of it together until about Mile 22,” Corby said. “The weather was beautiful, the temperature was perfect, sunny skies, a little bit of wind but I’m not going to complain at all about that.”
Corby, an engineering manager at Nisson, ran at Armada High School and attended Michigan State. He transitioned over to the marathon distance recently and has enjoyed some positive results.
It was Corby’s 13th marathon overall and his fourth victory. He also captured Bay Shore in Traverse City (2019) and Glass City in Toledo (2021). His personal best is a 2:21:42, in May at Bay Shore.
“I just really picked it up the past four or five years and I’ve run some shorter distances kind of in my late 20s and early 30s, but the marathon I’ve settled in and trying to keep up with the younger kids, the mid-20s, 30-yearolds, but switched over the marathon,” he said. “I love running the marathon and I’ll try and keep up with them as long as I can.”
Part of the reason why Corby got a relative late marathon start was because he started a family.
“I have two wonderful kids — Ella, 11, and Kyle, 8, and an awesome wife (Ana),” Corby said. “And to have them support and be on board, and have them here cheering for me ... it’s kind of a family effort to get to this point.”
McSween, who placed third a year ago, along with McDonald, made Corby earn his victory.
“We exchanged a few words ... casual, very friendly while trying not to exert too much energy while doing it, but it’s really nice to run in a pack like that,” Corby said. “We’re all running toward the same thing, just support each other and get the most out of ourselves every day. The guy who came in second (MacDonald) . . . I gave a big hug across the line. You just want to see everybody get the best out of themselves on the day.”
With the race returning to Canada this year, there were some changes to the course which no longer included Belle Isle. There were many familiar spots, but also some new scenery on the Dequindre Cut, which covered part of Miles 17 through 19 from Mack Avenue to East Lafayette.
“I’ve never been, but it was really nice,” Corby said. “There was a hill at the end of the Dequindre Cut to get back on the road and at that point of the race is always something you’re thinking about, but it was a really nice little greenway.”
Corby joins now a short list of multiple Free Press men’s winners including Livonia native Doug Kurtis, who won six in a row from 198792; along with two-time champs Zach Ornelas (University of Michigan) and Christopher Chipsiya (Kenya).
“The course is wonderful,” Corby said. “It was nice to be back to the international again this year. I love running this to Canada and back. I did my first marathon when I was 16 and it was and international then. Last year I ran, but it was domestic only and this year it was back to international. The fan support both domestically and Canada is wonderful.”