The Hoptown Half-Marathon and 5K may have had unusual circumstances this year, as most things have, but that didn’t stop around 550 runners from participating.
The race—which included a new division called Wally’s Walkers in honor of the late former Mayor Wally Bryan—kicked off around 6:30 a.m. and Parks and Recreation Superintendent Tab Brockman says things couldn’t have been better, from the weather to the careful following of COVID-19 health guidelines.
With 566 participants registered for the event, Brockman says they weren’t far off from the same amount they had the first year, and that was without a pandemic.
He says there were several people who did choose to participate virtually—they will run their own races at separate locations and turn in their times to be counted. Due to the pandemic, there was no awards ceremony, but coming in first place for in the half-marathon were Jessica Cooper and Brad Averitt—for the 5K, the first place winners were Alexis Swoboda and Russ Hurd. Winners were able to pick up their medals at the Complete Nutrition Center located next to Planet Fitness. Proceeds from the races will go to benefit Challenge House, to honor and remember Mayor Bryan.