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Saturday, March 27, 2010 -- Charleston, WV
31st St. behind CAMC Memorial/WVU Medical Center
Joker Run & Walk - Spring/Summer Speed Series #1 (iPO Event Id#: 12673)

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Photo by George Gannon
See more race photos
Story and photos by George Gannon

Jason Pyles got the last laugh at the Joker Run & Walk on Saturday morning.

Pyles, who is training to run the venerable Boston Marathon on April 19, jumped out to an early lead on the four-mile course and never looked back. The Joker Run capped a nearly 100-mile week for Pyles, but Saturday's competition wasn't a stroll in the park.

Though the course, which winds along a residential area in the Kanawha City neighborhood of Charleston, is completely flat, Pyles said he was attacking it like speed training.

"I could definitely feel it in my legs," he said following the race.

Pyles, who finished with a time of 20:20 said he got out fast and maintained his lead for the entire race.

Pyles, his wife Marian and their friend Marshall Spradling, are all planning to run in Boston. Spradling took the number two spot (23:35), followed closely by Marian Pyles (24:17). They are all sponsored by www.strands.com

For the men, Aaron Kaylor (25:08) rounded out the top three. For the women, Bobbie Jo Chapman (27:40) and Cathy Hill (31:23) finished two and three, respectively.

The Joker Run is just the first in the city of Charleston's 2010 Summer Speed Series. Next up is Sundown Showdown on Friday, May 14.