A bright and gorgeous day greeted area runners last Saturday during the 11th Annual North Pacific Cannery Road Race amid passing trains and sun-loving dogs at the historic site.
Leslie Peloquin, Lynn Daniele, Stella Kafka and a barrage of volunteer organizers gathered from 8:30 a.m. until the late afternoon to put on the half-marathon and post-race barbecue for participants, of which there were 162 in all, with donated fish from Aero Trading.
"[The response has been] fantastic," said Peloquin on Saturday.
"As well, there's been lots of response out here for the kids ... and it's an absolutely wonderful day for it. I just hope for our half-marathon-ers it's not too hot because that's a 21.1-kilometre run and it can be quite warm."
The 162 participants beat last year's totals of 92 adults and 46 children runners.
The 10-kilometre walk and half marathon commenced at 11 a.m. while dozens of eager kids took part in the kids' one-kilometre fun run 30 minutes later.
For their efforts, they were awarded licorice and cookie medals.
Noon saw the bulk of the runners take off down the gentle slope of the starting point for the five kilometre and 10 kilometre run and the five kilometre walk.
A run director cycled the participants safely through the winding road, which took runners to varying distances with the furthest being the Port Edward turnoff.
First-place winners from the race in the varying divisions, sexes and age groups went to (all winners are based in Prince Rupert unless otherwise designated) Ray Leonard, Shayne Stokes from Errington, Francois Dagenais-Cote, Andrea Nelson, David Shearer, Judson Rowse from Port Edward, Ryan Staschuk, Karen Cruz, Tara Irwin from Terrace, Dale White, Ross Franes, Sean Carlson, Daelan Calder, Brigitta Bartlett from Terrace, Kathy Murphy, Marci Leblanc, Michaela Yeo from Terrace, Megan Mitchell and Joanne Nelson from Port Edward.
Runners to race second-place finishes included Chris Kim from Switzerland, Tracy Moraes, Kurt Schlegel from Terrace, Laudo Furtado from Kitimat, Bryce Gladdish, Sung-Hee Kim from Switzerland, Emma Payne, Mike Reid from Terrace, Daniel Hamel from Terrace, Landen Franes, April MacLeod from Kitimat, Alanna Unrau from Kitimat, Melissa Rektor, Charlotte White from Lax Kw'alaams, Erin Newton and Floria Peloquin.
Third-place runners included Fred Lambright from Terrace, Michele Smith, Dale Robinson, Jesse Newton, Karen Sankey from Port Simpson, Crystal Sawatzky, Susan Enns, Virginia Bessette, Jessica Hamel from Terrace, Marion Olson from Terrace and Angus MacLeod from Kitimat.