Approximately 40,000 people gathered before sunrise Friday in downtown Little Rock to raise money and awareness for breast-cancer research for the Arkansas affiliate of the Susan G. Komen organization and participate in the 2017 5K Race for the Cure.
Eric Stanton Betts of Los Angeles finished first overall in 19:04.93. Shaun Kozlowski of North Little Rock was second in 20:35.21 and John Ristaino third in 20:59.67.
Lindsey Petruk of Little Rock won the women's division in 21:06.67, followed by Krissa Thoreson in 21:25.07, and Rocia Basillo in 21:86.67.
Breast-cancer survivors were led by Michelle Huff in 23:51.73, Kim Leverett in 26:12.24, and Ashlee Stephens in 30:46.97.
Typical of the Race for the Cure, pink was everywhere. Nearly everyone wore pink shirts or shorts or skirts. Many wore pink hats, ribbons, pins or a combination of many things pink, including stick-on handlebar mustaches. Several buildings were awash in pink light, including the Robinson Center, which was on the course at the base of the Broadway Bridge.
The race through downtown Little Rock and North Little Rock followed the original route used from the first race through 2014, when work on city streets and the Broadway Bridge forced a temporary change.
Even the frontrunners knew they were in for more than a race.
Betts, an actor on tour with Kinky Boots, a Harvey Fierstein musical currently running at the Robinson Center, said an aunt of his died of colon cancer earlier this year and another was recently diagnosed with breast cancer before she underwent a double mastectomy.
"Cancer has been in my family for years," Betts said. "It's nice to have something to run for."
Betts, 27, ran through mile splits of 5:58, 6:21, and 6:10 and said his lead was comfortable from the halfway point forward.
Petruk, 36, said she primarily participates in cycling events and triathlons but that she trained briefly for the Race for the Cure.
"I love anything that's for a good cause, finding a cure that affects so many people," Petruk said. "I love the energy of this race."
Kozlowski, 35, best known in central Arkansas as Shaun Reed, an afternoon disc jockey on KHLR-FM 106.7, said he couldn't get Betts to cooperate on the course.
"About three-quarters of the way through, I said, 'Wait up,' and he didn't," Kozlowski said. "But really, for an event like this, it's less about setting a personal record and more about being part of the experience."
Sports on 10/15/2017