ORANGE PARK - Nearly 500 energetically costumed runners; Spiderman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Ghostbusters and a lot of firefighters and police, descended up Grace Episcopal Day School for the annual Superhero 5K/8K running race doubleheader on Saturday on one of the best running days in nearly a month.
With windy rains and cold weather on Friday night, runners were greeted with a superbly sunny, cool morning for the 3.1 miles and 4.97 miles races with 51-year-old Bob Massaglia taking an early lead ahead of John Webb, 53, in a battle of super masters that finished in the same order with Massaglia clocking in at 28 minutes, 28 seconds and Webb about a minute behind. Massaglia won the DONNA Marathon 5k last weekend in Ponte Vedra and the prestigious Kilwins Jacksonville Ice Cream last March.
In third, was 41-year-old Nicholas Scheib who finished in 31:20.
For the women, in 10th place overall, Chelsie Hurren, a visitor from Gorleston, England and former Delta State University soccer ace, battled to a 21-second win over Liv Ade, 26, of Jacksonville, with times of 36:28 and 36:49, respectively, in the best race of the day.
In the 5K, 99.9 Gator Country radio host Eden Kendall, a top 50-plus runner in Jacksonville, finished fifth overall in dominating her race with a 24:56 split with second place going to 22-year-old Jodie Stevenson in 26:45.
Josh Lewis, 17, won the 5K at 21:30 ahead of Joseph McLaren, 15, at 21:49.