FORT WORTH -- Keith Pierce, assistant boys basketball coach at Krum, won the Cowtown Marathon on Saturday in Fort Worth, finishing in a time of 2:30:23.

For the DRC/Rex C. Curry

Keith Pierce crosses the finish line at the Cowtown Marathon on Saturday in Fort Worth.

It was the first marathon win for Pierce, 26, who previously ran marathons in Boston, Dallas and Pennsylvania, where he placed fourth in the 2005 Steamtown Marathon.

“I really didn’t expect to go out as fast as I did and run as hard as I did,” said Pierce, who led through most of the race. He said he felt comfortable and pulled away from the lead pack early on.

“I looked at the times from last year, and I thought I would kind of have a shot at it,” Pierce said. “I thought it would be a good opportunity to get a win and get a good, long run in, too.”

Although he was excited about the win, Pierce also used the race as a training run and confidence builder for the more prestigious Grandma’s Marathon, which he plans to enter in Duluth, Minn., in June.

Pierce has been running since he was in high school, and has competed in marathons since 2003.