The Second Annual Soul Ryeders Half Marathon & 5K drew an even larger crowd than the highly successful inaugural event last year, with about 1,400 runners and walkers and more than one hundred volunteers participating on Sunday morning. Both races began at the Rye Playland parking lot with the intention of raising money for Soul Ryeders’ programs, which support those in the tri-state area impacted by cancer.
Executive Director Heidi Kitlas and Westchester County Executive George Latimer spoke before the half marathon starting horn sounded at 7:30am. Kitlas noted the greater impact of such an event than just two races: “We created this race to be more than a finishers time, more than shoes on the ground. We created this race to create a community, a community of people who support one another.” Latimer confirmed that, saying, “We’re excited that we’re doing it for the right cause.”
Avi Portillo clinched victory among male participants in the half marathon race, with a sparkling 1:16:10 time (5:49-mile pace). Betsy Burke was the women’s champion, finishing in 1:24:06 (6:26-mile pace).
The men’s and women’s winners of the 5K were Cian Galligan and Laura Hergenrother, respectively. They finished their races in 17:37 and 18:30.
You can view all the race results.
