THUNDER BAY – Local runners were ready to go bright and early this morning for the 6th Annual Kakabeka Falls Half-Marathon and 8K race.
This year was the second time a full marathon was also added and the event consisted of 272 competitors with 36 competing in the full marathon, 72 in the 8K, and 164 competing in the half-marathon.
The half-marathon route started at Kakabeka Legion, down highway 588, looped around to Harstone road, through Kakabeka falls and back to the finish line.
The best time of the half-marathon went to local Nelson Pasciullo who competed in the race for the third time this year.
Pasciullo was ahead of the pack for most of the race, neck-and-neck with his friend Adam Walse, but was able to pull ahead and cross the finish line in an hour and 27 minutes.
I was definitely didn't think I was gonna come first, but it was pretty exciting. It was fun,” said Pasciullo. “Of course I've done it a couple of times now so and I kind of know what it's like and it’s still tough every time, but it was good.”
The fastest female time for the half-marathon went to D'Arcy Arends from Utopia, Ontario making her Kakabeka Falls half-marathon debut.
She was second to cross the finish line, doing so in just over an hour and 28 minutes. Arends was fourth for most of the race, but was able to get into third in the Kakabeka Falls trail, and pulled ahead into second during the last kilometre.
Arends said she joined the race last minute, and just wanted to have fun with it.
“The scenery was beautiful. Even though the roads were dirt, it was nice trees, lots of good views,” she said.
“There was a nice bridge right across the falls, which was nice, and I tried to take that in while feeling really tired, but I definitely recommend it.”
Thunder Bay Television's own Ryan Bonazzo also competed in the half-marathon and he finished with a time of just under one hour 40 minutes.
