By By SCOTT NOVAK / Niles Daily Star
NILES – Nearly 1,200 runners took to the streets on Thursday morning to compete in the Niles-Buchanan YMCA Thanksgiving Day run.
Niles' Clarence Grimm of Niles was the 5K walk winner for males with a time of 24:58.70.
Nancy Garrett of Elkhart, Ind. was the women's 5K walk winner with a clocking of 26:10.55.
A total of 183 walkers took part in the race.
The biggest group of runners came in the 5K race, where 688 people crossed the finish line according to Classic Race Management.
Jenny Every of Peoria, Ill. and
Chuck Bradley of Brewer, Maine were the overall female and male winners respectively.
Every ran a time of 17:40.65, while Brewer posted a time of 16:14.55.
In the 10K race, where there were 326 competitors, Krissi Ernst of South Bend, Ind. was the overall female winner with a time of 40:23.2, while Justin Kowalski of Mishawaka, Ind. was the men's winner with a time of 31:58.85.
"For the first year with our new facility, there were a few glitches," Bret Hendrie, CEO
Niles-Buchanan YMCA said. "But overall, I thought it went well. We will made a few adjustments for next year. We really lucked out with the weather. We had three straight years where the weather was really bad on Thanksgiving."
YMCA Thanksgiving Day Run
5K Run
Overall Female Open Winner
1 Jenny Every, Peoria, Ill.
Age Group Winners
Female 14 and Under
1 Kathryn Hojara, Granger, Ind.
Female 15 to 18
1 Emily Haines, Mishawaka , Ind.
Female 19 to 24
1 Kara Egan, South Bend, Ind.
Female 25 to 29
1 Lisa Mueller, South Bend, Ind.
Female 30 to 34
1 Keri Pawielske, St Joseph
Female 35 to 39
1 Amy Backus, Granger, Ind.
Female 40 to 44
1 Lynda Wurzel, Berrien Center
Female 45 to 49
1 Kathie Smith, Lawrence
Female 50 to 54
1 Michele Tucker, South Bend, Ind.
Female 55 to 59
1 Karen Freeburn, Lawrence
Female 60 to 64
1 Jean McCarty, Niles
Female 65 to 69
1 Judith Cayo, Benton Harbor
Female 70 and over
1 Barb Burton, Niles
Overall Male Open Winner
1 Chuck Bradley, Brewer, Maine
Male 14 and Under
1 Eric Walker, Granger, Ind.
Male 15 to 18
1 Kyle Higdon, Michigan City, Ind.
Male 19 to 24
1 Joshua Taylor, Niles
Male 25 to 29
1 Matthew Morrow, Niles
Male 30 to 34
1 John Meiser, South Bend, Ind.
Male 35 to 39
1 Jeff McClaine, Bloomington, Ind.
Male 40 to 44
1 John Kroening, Davenport, Iowa
Male 45 to 49
1 Mark Grose, Fort Wayne, Ind.
Male 50 to 54
1 Mark Furkis, Ligonier, Ind.
Male 55 to 59
1 Michael McCrea, Granger, Ind.
Male 60 to 64
1 Dan Whitten, Niles
Male 65 to 69
1 Larry Christensen, Elkhart, Ind.
Male 70 and over
1 Frank Bonn, Buchanan
YMCA Thanksgiving Day Run
10K Run
Overall Female Open Winners
1 Krissi Ernst, South Bend, Ind.
Age Group Winners
Female 15 to 18
1 Michelle Grondin, Mishawaka, Ind.
Female 19 to 24
1 Laura Herr, Goshen, Ind.
Female 25 to 29
1 Kathleen Schelstraete, South Bend, Ind.
Female 30 to 34
1 Jamie Noland, Niles
Female 35 to 39
1 Lisa Bodey, Denver, Colo.
Female 40 to 44
1 Bethany Shearer, Mishawaka, Ind.
Female 45 to 49
1 Mary Zemansky, Michigan City, Ind.
Female 50 to 54
1 Loretta Lecount, Elkhart, Ind.
Female 55 to 59
1 Cecelia Boyce, Dowagiac
Female 60 to 64
1 Barb Miller, Union
Female 65 to 69
1 Mary Connoly, South Bend, Ind.
Overall Male Open Winners
1 Justin Kowalski, Mishawaka, Ind.
Male No Age on Application 1 Rex Sessions, Chicago, Ill.
Male 14 and Under
1 Aaron Sieting, Niles
Male 15 to 18
1 Nicolas Schuck, Niles
Male 19 to 24
1 Calon Naragon, Mishawaka, Ind.
Male 25 to 29
1 Troy Smits, St Joseph
Male 30 to 34
1 James Furkis, Ligonier, Ind.
Male 35 to 39
1 Denis Omerovic, Grand Rapids
Male 40 to 44
1 Kevin Miller, Lawton
Male 45 to 49
1 Dave Bussard, Elkhart, Ind.
Male 50 to 54
1 Edwin Hurlow, Berrien Springs
Male 55 to 59
1 Gary Jenswold, Granger, Ind.
Male 60 to 64
1 Steve Smith, Granger, Ind.
Male 65 to 69
1 Marty Liggett, Niles