Sunday morning's weather was a bit overcast with a light breeze blowing through Marietta's East Muskingum Park-nearly perfect for the 176 runners and walkers who took park in the 5-kilometer Ninth Annual Marietta Times Y5 Road Race.
"The weather's great and it's nice to be here in town along the river," said Suzy Zumwalde, executive director of the Marietta Family YMCA, co-sponsor of the event.
Past Y5 races have been held in Devola, but this year the run/walk took place along Front Street and the River Trail between Marietta's East Muskingum and Indian Acres parks.
Article Photos
SAM SHAWVER The Marietta Times
Race coordinator Joe Corra with the Parkersburg River City Runners and Walkers, left, gives last-minute instructions to runners and walkers on Front Street during Sunday’s Marietta Times Y5 Road Race.
"We've had a lot of positive comments about this location, and I'm pleased with the response," Zumwalde said. "I was a little concerned about the change in the course, but we've actually had more runners this year."
Randy Petit, 25, an assistant men's basketball coach at Marietta College, was first to cross the finish line Sunday morning.
"I run the River Trail often, it's scenic and just a great location for this race," he said.
Petit has only been running races like the Y5 for about a year now.
"This is only the second 5K race I've run, but I did run in the half marathon in Parkersburg last week," he said.
Joe Corra with the River City Runners and Walkers of Parkersburg was a race coordinator for Sunday's Y5.
"Al Miller (former executive director of the Marietta YMCA) started this race back in 2003," he said. "It's a great race, but it's a social time for the runners, too."
Sunday's event was the first Y5 for Chris Walker of Williamstown, who walked the course with wife, Meryl, and children Connor, 11, and Clare, 7.
"I consider this part of my marathon training," Chris said, noting he'll be participating in the half-marathon in Columbus during October, and another half-marathon in Huntington, W.Va., in November.
Donna Graham, 61, of Lowell, took first place overall in the female category as a 5K walker in Sunday's event.
She's been walking in races for more than six years, including international USA Track and Field events in Italy and Finland.
"And in Houston this year I did my best ever and was the fastest woman walker in my age group," Graham said.
Zumwalde said great community support from sponsors, volunteers and others make the annual Y5 possible.
"This is a race that helps promote a healthy lifestyle for people of all age groups," she said.