The inaugural Winterfest 5K, part of Thornton’s annual Winterfest celebration, kicked off Saturday morning under cloudy skies and chilly temperatures. Runners and walkers were treated to a course that circumvented the Margaret Carpenter Recreation Center twice, and featured a couple of decent hills and a gravel/trail section in the last mile. After the race, participants took part in a post-race party that featured warm coffee, a smorgasbord of food, awards and a plethora of raffle prizes.
The men’s race saw 21-year old Nick Robinson of Northglenn take the lead from the gun and never look back. Robinson finished in 17:31. Thornton’s own Lenny Archuleta took second in 18:53 with 45-year old Jonathan Fenske rounding out the top three in 19:15.
In the women’s race, Amanda Jamrogiewicz grabbed the win in 22:06. 27-year old Veronica Davis finished second in 22:22, and Julie Mendoza of Thornton crossed the line in third in 22:54.