CLEVELAND (AP) -- An Akron couple is celebrating after their half-marathon ended up being a sort of race to the altar.

Allison Ramsey says she was "completely shocked" when her boyfriend got down on his knee to propose after they finished the Cleveland half-marathon on Sunday. The Plain Dealer ( http://bit.ly/JqEmjs ) reports the 30-year-old Ramsey was crying but nodded yes when Nolan James Jr. popped the question.

The 25-year-old James says proposing at the race was appropriate because the pair's first date about a year ago started with a 2-mile run.

He says carrying the engagement ring for all 13.1 miles of the race made him nervous. He says he had to keep touching his pocket to be sure he hadn't lost it.

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Information from: The Plain Dealer, http://www.cleveland.com