Sunny skies, minimal wind, and warm, spring weather made for ideal running conditions for the 3rd Annual Gene Van Wyk Memorial 5k Run and Walk in Pella on Saturday. Approximately 230 runners and walkers took part in the event, which started and finished at the Pella Christian High School.

28-year-old Darin Schuknecht of Pella and 29-year-old Amanda Ives of Pleasant Hill were the top overall male and female runners in the race, which also awarded medals to the top three finishers in 8 age divisions.

Other notable runners included 45-year-olds Ed Tormey and Steven Fyfe of Pella, who finished second (18:28) and third (19:03) overall and took the top two places in the ultra-competitive male 40-to-49 year-old category.

In the female 60-to-99 age category, 61-year-old twins Marilyn Ver Meer and Mary Van Steenis of Pella completed the course in 23:53 and 24:47, respectively; and 81-year-old Stanley Mulder of Otley claimed the honor of the event’s most “experienced” participant.

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