RUNNING 31st Peace Race set for Sunday

The 10K race will start on West Indianola and end near the downtown YMCA.
By JOHN KOVACH
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- Close to 1,000 runners are expected to participate in the 31st annual Peace Race that will be held here Sunday.
The Peace Race consists of two events -- a 2-mile fun run/walk and the featured 10Kilometer (6-mile) run through Mill Creek Park.
The 2-mile event will begin at 9:30 a.m. at Commerce Street near the Youngstown YMCA where it also will end.
The 10K race will start at 10:15 p.m. on West Indianola Avenue near Glenwood Avenue and Cleveland Elementary School, and extend through a course in Mill Creek Park to the finish line downtown on Commerce Street near the Youngstown YMCA.
The 10K entries must take a bus from the front of the YMCA to the starting line on Indianola. The buses will run from 8 a.m. to 9:45 a.m.
Entry fee is $15 and will increase to $17 the day of the race.
Entry forms are available at Second Sole and area YMCAs. Registration also made be made Sunday morning near the YMCA beginning at 7:45.
Prize money
The Peace Race will award $5,300 in prize money with $1,000 going to the overall winners in both the men's and women's divisions. Second place overall in both divisions will earn $500 followed by $250, $100 and $50 for the next three places.
The men's and women's masters winners each will win $300 followed by $200 for second place and $100 for third, while the men's and women's Grand Masters winners will pocket $150 apiece.
The awards presentations will be held in the YMCA gymnasium on the second floor at 10:15 a.m. for the 2-mile event and 11:45 a.m. for the 10K.
Refreshments for all runners will be available at the YMCA after the race.
In addition, Buffalo Wild Wings will offer complementary wings for runners that present their race numbers after the race. Buffalo Wild Wings is located at the finish line of the race.
Sponsors
The Peace Race is sponsored by Greenwood Chevy/Hummer, Cumulus Media Group and WFMJ-TV21, and will benefit Tod Children's Hospital.
Other sponsors are Parker Hannifin of Youngstown, Key Bank, Hill, Barth and King, Trolio Silk Screening, Second Sole, Michelob Ultra, Mill Creek MetroParks, Fairfield Inn, Alpine Springs Water, McDonald's, Arby's, Udder Cream, Buffalo Wild Wings, Eastwood Mall, Betras Harshman, GU Energy Gel, Kravitz Bagel Co., Grain Harvest Bread Co., Whitehouse Fruit Farm and Coca Cola.
Last year, 669 runners completed the 10K race. The winner was Gareth Price of Kent (29:36) by just five seconds over Matt Folk (29:41) of Canfield. Folk is an assistant coach for the Youngstown State men's and women's track and cross country teams.
Chris Reis of Cincinnati was third in 29:50 followed by Nick Allen of Rochester, Minn., in 30:42 and John Hopple of Canton in 30:53.
Ted Rupe returns as the Peace Race director.
More information is available on-line at www.secondsoleohio.com or at www.ted.rupe@neomin.org.
kovach@vindy.com