When the air horn sounded, nearly 500 runners surged across the start line to run 5 kilometers (3.1 miles). They were competing in the second race in the running of the Squares 5K series.
Colton Woods, 18, of Leesburg was the overall race leader. The Villages High School senior ran a blistering six-minute 11-second per mile pace to finish in 19 minutes, 11 seconds. Woods was closely followed by 11-year-old Riley Novack, in a time of 20 minutes, 20 seconds. Novak of Tavares was the youngest runner in the race.
The field ranged in age from 11 years to runners in there 80s. Ruth Weber, 86, of Fruitland Park, won her age group. Weber has been a runner since 1978 and has continued to run, even after receiving a pacemaker.
The runners enjoyed ideal conditions for the race as they navigated the course.
They left the start line near the radio station on Market Square at 8 a.m. They headed out past Cody’s Original Roadhouse and the Waterfront Inn and on to Buena Vista Boulevard. At the Palmer Legends Country Club they made a turn around and headed back to the Square. The Sumter County Sheriff’s Office was out in force providing traffic control to insure a safe race for both runners and spectators.
Runners appreciated the well-organized event complete with water stations on the course.
Complete race results can be found HERE
