RUMFORD- Pumpkin Festival weekend started off with a field of runners and walkers of all ages coming out in the bitter cold to continue making a healthy lifestyle for themselves. The 3.1-mile course follows the same route as the Healthy Hearts, which is no easy task.
With the course traveling up over Lincoln Avenue to Somerset and then following Porter Avenue to Piscataquis and reconnecting for a small uphill over Lincoln, some may be intimidated by the challenge, but not the Downtown dashers. They took it on with zest.
As several of the runners were making their way by the two-mile marker, front runners Bob Arsenault, Jeff Arsenault and Eric Arsenault were making their way across the finish line, all in under 23 minutes.
Other men finishing the race were Don Rajaniemi, Greg Trundy and Joe Sirois.
The top two women finishing in less than 34 minutes were Mary Lou Lowrie (60+), Cherri Crockett (18-59) and Beth Bellegarde (18-59). The women were followed by Deborah Laurinaitis, Ivy Benner, Ashley Dyer, Jenna Rocque, Cynthia Freeman and Stephanie Wilson.
One boy, Azra Dyer, finished the race with his family.
For more information on ways to get healthy in the River Valley, visit River Valley Healthy Communities Coalition at 94 River Street or find them on Facebook.