Friday, June 8, 2007 -- Charleston, WV / Appalachian Power Park
Run for Your Life 5K - Smoke on the Water Chili Cook-Off (iPO Event Id#: 10170)

2007: [Photos] [Details] [Coverage] [Overall Results] [Results by Class]

Coverage: [2004] [2005]

Run for Your Life 5K
Photo by George Gannon

Photos and story by George Gannon

It's fitting that the Run for Your Life 5K in Charleston snakes through a cemetary. After the hill that greets runners just as they leave the starting line, some likely felt like crawling into hole. And was if the vertical ascent wasn't challenging enough, the Capitol City was as hot and sticky as any place in the state on Friday night.

The course, which was changed this year from a 5 miles to a 5K, starts at Appalchain Power Park in the city's East End, snakes up Farnsworth Drive, does a few loops in Spring Hill Cemetery, drops back down the hill and back into the park.

Run for Your Life 5K
Photo by George Gannon

Unlike most road races in the Charleston, this one can neither be described as flat or fast. J. R. Luyster, Daniel McDowell and Nick Lucento were out of the gate fast and didn't give the rest of the pack much of a chance.

Luyster got out and back the fastest, crossing the finish line first. McDowell and Lucento followed him. Lucento said the hill was one of the "three or four hardest hills" he's ever run.

For the ladies, Christine Azevedo (22.41) crossed the finish line first. Though she said it was a fun run, she described the hill as "pretty big." Mandy Music and Carrie Nyden rounded out the top three.