July 4th means a lot of different things to Austinites: a day on the lake, barbecues, neighborhood parades, fireworks and the Austin Symphony. For runners, there’s no better way to get the festivities kick started than the second annual Freedom 5000.
This year the race was shifted from a course along Lady Bird Lake that ran out and back on Cesar Chavez to the friendly confines of the Austin State School, off 35th Street. There, the race could be held without any of the outrageous fees and restrictions the city is imposing on downtown events.
The race was welcome with open arms by the State School (which also was a race beneficiary) and its residents who lined the course, worked traffic control and enthusiastically staffed the two aid stations on the two-loop course.
The course itself was mostly flat, but full of tight turns that made it feel almost like a track race. And it was well short of the standard 5-K distance. Instead of 3.1 miles, it was closer to 3 miles.
But none of the 400 or so entrants seemed to mind a slightly shortened course on such a warm morning "By the time I hit the finish line," said Austin attorney Chris Gunter who ran 19:01, "I was pretty much done with running. A little short’s better than a little long."
That sentiment was echoed by many, including Governor Rick Perry who ran his normal—conservative—eight-minute pace.
Overall winner was Bernard Manirakiza—natch—who led the field from the gun with a 4:30 opening mile. Mabben Berhane was the only one in contact with Manirakiza through the first mile, but faded out of contention on the second loop.
"I liked this course more than the one on Cesar Chavez," said Manirakiza after winning in 13:45. "There were a lot of turns, but it was nice to run someplace different and with a little shade."
Berhane was second in 14:33 and Brandon Chiuminetta, 18, from Dripping Springs grabbed third in 15:31 with Logan Gonzales fourth in 16:07.
The first masters runner was 40-year-old Eric Mata of Dripping Springs in 16:49 with Mac Allen, 50, right behind him in 16:50.
Age-group victories went to James Gelb in the 45-49 in 18:58, Chris Gunter in 19:01 in the 50-54, Wish (19:20) in the 55-59 and Dick Wilkowski, 64, in 20:12 in the 60-64.
By most estimates, the course was about 50 seconds short so 5-K personal and seasonal bests don’t count. Unless they were for 3 miles.
Among the women, 24-year-old Anna Seals of Austin kept up her winning ways. The one-time Austin HS volleyball and basketball star, was an easy winner in 17:34 and finished 15th overall. Seals, who won the Keep Austin Weird 5-K on Saturday, has now won four of her last five races.
Patricia Keener of Pflugerville was second woman in 19:21 with Melisa Aguilar third in 19:31.
Kristen Lotter, 43, was the first woman masters runner in 20:20 with Leslie Barclay, 40 second in 21:00 and Karen Fuller, 46, third in 21:26.
The fastest 50-year-old was Bernadette Beck of San Antonio in 23:18.
