RUMFORD — Natalie Bolduc and Tyler Jasud notched the fastest times for female and male runner in a field of 43 in the 15th annual River Valley 5K Race on Saturday morning in Rumford.
The 3.1 mile race, sponsored for the first time jointly by the River Valley Chamber of Commerce and Rumford Rotary Club. was graced with ideal running conditions on Saturday with overcast skies, negligible wind and temperatures in the upper-50s.
The race course, which began and ended in front of the Hosmer Athletic Field home bleachers, took runners through residential Rumford neighborhoods, with gradual ascending terrain for the first half of the course and gradual descending terrain to finish.
“We got a lot of positive feedback on how well the course was designed,” said Charley LeDuc of the Rumford Rotary Club and chief crafter of Saturday’s course.
“Once again, the Chisholm Ski Club volunteered their equipment and volunteers to provide the race’s timing services,” LeDuc said.” They do such a great job.”
“This race breaks with our past practice of running it at Black Mountain Ski Resort,” LeDuc said. “That course ( Black Mountain) was more challenging and more out of the way. We hope this location will draw more people.”
“We had a real nice turnout for this race,” he said.
Proceeds from the River Valley 5K go to college scholarships for deserving River Valley high school seniors.
“I would like to thank the River Valley Chamber of Commerce for all their efforts with race preparation, organization and coordination,” LeDuc said. “Also, special thanks to Janet Brennick and Peter Perry for all their work.”
“We will have the preregistration up for next year’s River Valley 5K probably within the next week.”
Top-three male times:
1. Tyler Jasud, 23: 16:42
2. Dan Crooker, 39: 17:07
3. Ryan Nichols, 16: 18:48
Top-three female times:
1. Natalie Bolduc, 15: 23:24
2. Robyn Parsons, 24: 26:26
3. April Richard, 37: 26:27
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