YMCA River Run in Medicine Hat has 272 runners compete

The 42nd annual YMCA River Run took place in Medicine Hat on Saturday with 272 runners competing across four distances.

Taking top spot in the half marathon was Drumheller’s Avelino Pestano with a time of one hour 31 minutes 53 seconds. Medicine Hat’s Josh Sparkes was just over a minute behind at 1:32:57. Medicine Hat’s Heloise Shrives was the top female competitor with a time of 1:34:30, 31 seconds ahead of Medicine Hat’s Rebecca Ross.

In the 10km run, Medicine Hat’s Darryl Smith took top spot with a time of 40 minutes seven seconds. He was followed closely by Medicine Hat’s Steve Nicolleau at 40:43, and Calgary’s Silas Giesbrecht at 41:24. The top female with a time of 45:09 was Cypress County’s Reyna Woodruff, a member of the Medicine Hat College Rattlers’ Cross Country running team, and winner of the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference Indoor Track Rookie of the Year.

Top spot in the 5km run went to Medicine Hat’s Alejandro Ayala Aguilar with a time of 16 minutes 57 seconds. The high school athlete had a large lead over another young runner, Redcliff’s Will Miller, who finished at 18:48. Medicine Hat’s Jason Handley finished at an even 21 minutes. Medicine Hat’s Marlene Corcoran had the top time among female competitors at 25:26.