Run With Heart 5K raised money for heart disease.

Byline: Bill Marsh

CLINTON - In spite of a light rain and cloudy skies, the Runway Run with Heart 5K road race was a huge success, according to race director Erin Keenan.

There were 163 finishers in the race's inaugural year.

The 3.1-mile race, which started at Clinton High School and ended near the Philip J. Weihn memorial pool, was dedicated to the fight against heart disease.

"We had a really good day," Keenan said. "The weather cooperated enough for us to have a good race."

Keenan, a founder of the Runway running club, conceived of the race because her sister, Marykate Winn, had suffered two heart attacks and is now battling heart disease.

The winner of the Run with Heart 5K was Arthur Besse, of Templeton, who crossed the finish line in 17 minutes and 48 seconds. In second place was James Route, of Sterling, at 19:04, while James Latino, of Worcester, took the third spot in 19:33.

The 39-year-old Besse, who is a member of the Central Mass. Striders (CMS), took up running just two years ago and has been hitting the roads ever since. The Run with Heart 5K was his eighth race this month.

Three weeks ago, Besse completed the Stu's 30K and, last week, he finished the Quincy half-marathon, where he was seventh overall out of 1,400 entries.

Besse, who was part of a large pack of runners at the start, bolted to the front at the half-mile mark on South Meadow Road. and continued to increase his lead when the runners turned onto Fitch Road.

When Besse took the turn onto Woodlawn Street, he had a big lead on Route and Latino. After that, he was on cruise control heading to the finish line in front of the state pool.

"He (Route) set the early pace and, then, I caught him about a half-mile in," Besse said. "This race went the way I trained.

"I took up running to get healthier," he said. "I've been able to race myself back into shape."

The first woman to cross the finish line was Ellen O'Toole, of Clinton, in 23:19 Three seconds behind O'Toole, at 23:22, was Alyssa Caffi, of Rockport.

In third was Reenie McNally, of Clinton, in 23:30.

"It was a great race for a great cause," the 49-year-old O'Toole said. "There were so many wonderful people there, and I felt honored to be part of it."

O'Toole has been running for two years and works out at Achieve Performance Training with Keenan and Runway co-director Meegan Turini.

"I took an early lead and didn't want to let anybody get by me," O'Toole said. "I was challenged by her (Caffi) for most of the race.

"I've known the Winn family for a long time," she said. "It was my first local race and it was amazing to win it."

At the conclusion of the race, Winn spoke to the runners in a moving speech about her challenges with heart disease as a 28-year-old woman.

"Her (Winn's) story was so great, yet so sad," Besse said. "I wanted to be at this race to support the American Heart Association.

"My three grandparents passed away from heart disease," he said. "It was a good turnout, for a great cause, and was very well done."

The first 100 pre-registered runners received red T-shirts. CMS timed and scored the race.

DJ Patrick McIntyre provided the music before and after the race.

All proceeds from the Runway Run with Heart 5K will go to the American Heart Association (AHA) via Team MKardial infarction and the Heart Association's Heart Walk.

"We had 220 registered...

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