Naples native Logan Howard tops field to win 2023 Naples Half … – Naples Daily News

Mother Nature greeted participants of the 2023 Barron Collier Companies Naples Half Marathon with a brisk 40-degree morning, but a bit of chilly weather wasn’t enough to chill the spirits of over 900 runners from all over the world ready to compete. 

Naples native Logan Howard took home first place overall Sunday morning, finishing in 1:03:34.39 with a 4:51 pace. Howard, who recently turned 34, is just the second Southwest Florida native to win the half marathon since 2014. 

“I just started running competitively in the last couple years, and this is a big one,” said Howard, a member of the Gulf Coast Runners Club who won $2,000. “This is a special one. This is a big one for the running community down here. Naples is a beautiful community, it’s a very motivating and inspiring community.” 

Howard, who expected the weather would be a factor, stuck with the pack until he knew it was time to flip into high gear. After an eighth-place finish in last year’s race, he said he had a bit left in the tank for the decisive final miles this year. Pacing himself for a push at the end led Howard to a first-place finish in just his third half marathon. 

“I knew I could run faster than I did, so I was saving it,” Howard said. “I was waiting to make the move. At that last stretch, I just said ‘turn it on and give everything I have’ and I’m grateful to win.” 

Coming in first for the women was Stephanie Muscat with a time of 1:20:20.79 and a 6:08 pace. Muscat’s performance surprised even herself, who couldn’t believe she was the first woman to cross the finish line. 

“I’m honestly in shock still, I’ve never had to run through the sign at the finish line,” she Muscat, who won the $2,000 first-place prize. “I didn’t realize how fast I might be, in a way. So crossing the finish line makes me rethink pretty much every race I’ve thought about doing. It changes pretty much everything.”

Muscat, 33, grew up in England but splits time between Michigan and Florida. She says the environment at the finish line on 8th Avenue made the win just that much sweeter. 

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“There’s something about here, and the atmosphere around it,” Muscat said. “Just everything that leads up to it. This group puts on a really good race and event, so that higher standard, too.” 

Following closely behind was 24-year-old Kimberly Proctor from Michigan. Despite a phenomenal time compared to the rest of the field, Proctor says her second-place finish is motivation to improve. 

“It felt like it wasn’t a great time for me today, but it was fun to be a part of the rest of the race,” she said. “It definitely is a good stepping stone for the year.” 

Top Ten Men’s Finishers

Top Ten Women’s Finishers