Angela Bronicki is about to begin her West Coast adventure.

But before moving in less than a week to Riverside, California, to begin teaching at a charter school, she defended her road run title at her alma mater.

Bronicki, 27, was the female winner in the second Run Eddie Run 5K to benefit Edwardsburg Public Schools Foundation and Edwardsburg Fire Auxiliary Saturday.

There were 148 finishers.

Cheered on by friends, family and other runners, she was clocked in 20:49.861 on a muggy morning with the start/finish line between football and baseball fields at Edwardsburg High School. A year ago — then known as Angie Wilfert — the 2007 EHS graduate topped all females in 20:31.

“Last year was the first time I ever ran in a road race and I wanted to get that feeling again,” Bronicki said. “That’s what I love about running. Everyone can appreciate each other. We’re all running in the same conditions and we’re all running the same course.”

While she did not record a personal record Saturday, she has been getting better with time and has set her goal of besting the 19:00 barrier by the end of 2016.

“Last year, I changed how I was eating and starting working out a little differently,” Bronicki said. “I ran less and started lifting more weights. I’ve been getting faster since then.”

With the help of father Mike Bronicki, Angela was able to see her running career in chart form.

“My dad’s a true cross country father, which I love,” Bronicki said. She competed in cross country and track for four years in high school and then ran at St. Mary’s College.

After her win in the first Run Eddie Run last summer, Mike made a chart showing her daughter’s times from her freshman year at Edwardsburg through her days at St. Mary’s and beyond.

She was not getting any better from her junior year on until making the change.

Her best time of 19:42 was achieved at the Turkey Stampede in Elkhart on Thanksgiving. She hopes to return to run that race again this year.

But first, it’s off to California to teach and continue running.

“This past year has been a lot about changes for me,” Bronicki said. “It’s all about living and being and doing what makes me happy.”

Matt Morrow, 36, was the overall and male winner Saturday in 18:01.211. The Niles resident came in third in 18:35 in 2015.

“I was trying to run the fastest race I could run,” Morrow said.

The former Brandywine High School runner said his best times were achieved in his 20’s when he ran the distance in 16:47.

Now, he typically runs about 25 miles and week and competes in 5K road runs on weekends off from his job at National Standard.

Morrow said some of the races he has his sights on in the near future are Logan’s Run in South Bend Aug. 6 and Cat Tracks Trails Run at Brandywine Aug. 13.

 

RUN EDDIE RUN 5K

At Edwardsburg

Male overall winner

Matthew Morrow 18:01.211.

Female overall winner

Angela Bronicki 20:49.861.

Male age division winners

7-10

Matias Dahl 24:27.995.

11-14

Ryan McCaslin 22:15.653.

15-19

Aaron Denzer 19;43.852.

20-24

Austin Teter 21:23.795.

25-29

Patrick Cubberley 22:26.604.

30-34

Nick Bartlett 21:30.051.

35-39

Steve Reed 26:50.858.

40-44

Danny Balos 22:38.904.

45-49

Scott Smith 19:04.675.

50-54

Eddie McCollum 18:07.111.

55-59 

Eric Diamond 26:55.879.

60-64

Charles Harper 28:38.502.

65-older

Richard Lauer 22:32.767.

Female age division winners

7-10

Macy Andress 28:42.777.

11-14

Piper Horvath 25:02.556.

15-19

Zoe Pegura 24;15.571.

20-24

Allison Harper 29:00.803.

25-29

Millie Bartlett 28:06.072.

30-34

Jenny Pegura 29:00.051.

35-39

Jeni Sullivan 24:46.104.

40-44

Amy Anderson 25:28.775.

45-49

Tracey Opaczewski 28:40.812.

50-54

Betty Potter 51:50.943.

55-59

Michele Carey 21:45.363.

60-64

Leslye Runkle 34:36.152.

Total runners: 148.

 

Note: Times based on gun elapsed time.

Results provided by Good Time Event Timing.