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Saturday, April 25, 2009 -- Bridgeport, WV
YMCA Partner with Youth Benefit 5K Fun Run/Walk (iPO Event Id#: 11747)

[Details] [Coverage] [Photos] [Overall Results] [Results by Class]

Participants "conquer the hill" in YMCA 5K

Story and Photos by Angela Ogle Lindley

YMCA 5K Photos by Angela Ogle Lindley
YMCA 5K volunteers smile for the camera
The April morning warmed up quickly for the second annual YMCA Partner with Youth Benefit 5K Fun Run and Walk in Bridgeport, WV.

In anticipation of the challenging out-and-back course, some of the 75 runners and walkers took advantage of free massages before heading to the start line. After leaving the Gabriel Brother's Plaza in Bridgeport, the pack headed down a mile-long, very steep hill to the turnaround point.

The top runners were neck-in-neck, and only seconds separated them for a while. They pulled apart closer to the finish line.

Clarksburg native Joshua Gray took first overall, finishing with a time of 20:34, followed by Andrew Seyler of Bridgeport at 20:42 and Richard Everley, Jr. of Clarksburg, at 20:50.

The first female finisher was Wendy Madden of Bridgeport, finishing 13th overall with a time of 26:04. Second place went to Nicole Fygetakes, also of Bridgeport, who finished in 27:26. Jessica Alsop of Charleston took third place in 27:38.

Special awards went to "King and Queen of the Hill," the male and female with the fastest time up the steep hill that dominates the course. This award is sponsored by Larry Myers Subaru Hyundai in Bridgeport, and winners were crowned at the awards ceremony. King of the Hill was Andrew Seyler with a time of 4:37, and Queen of the Hill was Wendy Madden with a time of 5:03.

YMCA 5K Photos by Angela Ogle Lindley
It's fun to stay at the Y-M-C-A

Proceeds from the race benefit the YMCA's Youth Scholarship Fund to help less fortunate children and families pay for YMCA memberships and programs.

The YMCA will also hold an elimination dinner May 8 and a golf tournament July 24.