CARMEL >> Serena Burla referred to the start of the race as a party type atmosphere, with a lot of encouragement among the group of runners she landed with.

Then it got serious.

“That’s went the grind starts,” Burla said. “We had gotten through the hype area. We were very animated and happy over the first 15 miles. We were conserving energy. We conquered the big climb. Of course, we knew there was plenty of work left.”

Living a bucket list moment, the 42-year-old cancer survivor began to accelerate the pace, distancing herself from the pack, burning last 6 miles to be the fastest women’s finisher at Sunday’s 38th Big Sur Marathon.

Joining Burla as a champion was Simon Ricci, who defended his men’s title, leading from start to finish, the finish line in two hours, 31 minutes and three seconds.,

Burla, who came out from Stafford, Virginia to compete in her first Big Sur Marathon, is the first masters (40-over) competitor to win the event, clocking 2:49.40.

“It was an amazing experience,” Burla said. “I’ve heard about this race for years. We partied it up the first half. Then the race began. Then it got quiet. The group dwindled. Then it became one foot in front of the other.”

Burla, who averaged 6:28 per mile, didn’t go in with a plan to run with a group. Yet, the hope was she’d be able to latch on to a party of runners in the early part of the 26.2-mile run.

“I really wanted to enjoy the experience,” Burla said. “We were just chatting it up and getting to know one another. One guy named Tyler ran with me. We did the hard part together. Having another pair of footsteps on the same journey really helps.”

While cautious, Burla began to push the pace over the final 6 miles, running fluid and effortless as she crossed the finish line with a gigantic smile, winning the race by three minutes over 2023 champion Anne Flowers of Colorado Springs.

“At some point, everyone is in pain,” Burla said. “I have been in plenty of marathons where you blow up the last 6 miles. The pace is irrelevant. I just wanted to keep pressing and get to the finish line.”

Burla, who qualified for the United States Olympic Trails in the marathon in 2012 with a career best of 2:26.00, was a 2013 USA Half Marathon champion, and finished 10th at the 2015 World Championships in Athletics in Beijing in the marathon.

“I’m trying to embrace this new era of my running career,” Burla said. “I probably said this course is so pretty 5,000 times when I was running. I just want to enjoy this for as long as I can.”

Ricci, who won last year’s modified out-and-back course in 2:29:31, ran just slightly slower in 2:31.02, breaking from the field early and taking on Hurricane Point alone.

“Hurricane Point is the real deal,” the 27-year-old Ricci said. “It’s 2 miles and it really was just uphill the whole way. The start is not bad running through the redwoods. So there are pros and cons. But Hurricane Point is really hard.”

One of eight male or female runners in the 38-year history of the event to defend their title, Ricci took command of the race from the start, building as much as a five-minute lead over runner-up Jake Erschen near the 21-mile mark.

“I was alone,” said Ricci, who lives in San Francisco. “I think I had a decent gab early on. But you have the lead bikes. Then you run into the 21- and 11-milers (shorter races run concurrently with the marathon). The atmosphere is quite good.”

As effortless as Ricci made it look, weather was a factor early in the race with the rain coming down and the winds picking up along the coastal portions of the race.

“The temperature was great,” Ricci said. “I could have done without the rain. There were some points of headwinds. But it was not terrible. You realize everyone else is dealing with it. I’d rather be cold than warm.”

Earlier in the race, Ricci did some whale watching off the coast while blistering the course, soaking in the world renown event, using it as a distraction when attacking the hills.

“I got to take in the atmosphere a good portion of the race before it started to hurt too much,” Ricci said. “It’s such a cool race. The end is always hard in a marathon. I enjoyed most of it. I’m tried. But I feel really good.”

Ricci is just the second repeat winner to capture the event on two different courses, joining Srba Nikolic, who won it 1997 and 1998. Last year’s rainss, which washed out a portion of Highway 1, forced an out-and-back course for just the third time.

“It was different than last year,” Ricci said. “It’s hard to validate your time with the hills and wind. But I’ll take it. It’s such a privilege to run in such a beautiful place. It was amazing experience.”

Just two other runners have three-peated as a champion of the race with course record holder Brad Hawthrone winning the men’s race five straight times from 1989-1993, and Nuta Olaru capturing the women’s race from 2012-2014.

“I hope so,” said Ricci, when asked if he will return next year. “I haven’t made my race plans for next year yet. But I really enjoy this event. It has been an incredible experience.”

Hawthrone won the race six times, setting the course record of 2:16.39 in the race’s second year in 1987. Pacific Grove’s Adam Roach has won the race five times, but never three in succession.

The 41-year-old Roach, whose last Big Sur Marathon win came in 2018, finished fifth for the second straight year. Adam Murray of Monterey was 14th overall in 2:52.26.