Maria Busienei of Charleston, a three-time women's winner of the Charleston Distance Run, was the No. 2 female finisher in the Richmond Half-Marathon Nov. 15.

Busienei, 23, a native of Kenya who has lived in Charleston since 2006, ran the 13.1-mile distance in one hour, 20 minutes, 51 seconds - a 6:10 per-mile pace - and placed 14th overall in a field of 3,629 finishers. Her finish earned her $500.

Since Oct. 4, Busienei has run in six races in North Carolina, Ohio, Kentucky and Virginia and placed no worse than fifth among females and earned a total of about $2,500.

She plans to compete Dec. 6 in the Savannah River Bridge Run, a 10-kilometer race she won last year in 35:30, finishing 10th overall in a field of 1,264. She's also scheduled to run in the Mississippi Blues Marathon Jan. 3 in Jackson, Miss.

In August, Busienei won her division of the Charleston Distance Run in 1:33:34 and in 2007 won in 1:27:38.

Maria Busienei of Charleston, a three-time women's winner of the Charleston Distance Run, was the No. 2 female finisher in the Richmond Half-Marathon Nov. 15.

Busienei, 23, a native of Kenya who has lived in Charleston since 2006, ran the 13.1-mile distance in one hour, 20 minutes, 51 seconds - a 6:10 per-mile pace - and placed 14th overall in a field of 3,629 finishers. Her finish earned her $500.

Since Oct. 4, Busienei has run in six races in North Carolina, Ohio, Kentucky and Virginia and placed no worse than fifth among females and earned a total of about $2,500.

She plans to compete Dec. 6 in the Savannah River Bridge Run, a 10-kilometer race she won last year in 35:30, finishing 10th overall in a field of 1,264. She's also scheduled to run in the Mississippi Blues Marathon Jan. 3 in Jackson, Miss.

In August, Busienei won her division of the Charleston Distance Run in 1:33:34 and in 2007 won in 1:27:38.