More than 3,500 runners raced through the streets of Pottsville on Saturday morning for the fourth annual Yuengling Light Lager Jogger 5K.
At the sound of a fire siren at 9 a.m., the first group of runners took off from the starting line near the Yuengling brewery.
“It’s amazing how many people want to run in this,” Richard L. “Dick” Yuengling Jr., president and owner of the brewery, said. “It’s great for the town. The race increases the population by 30 percent in a day and hopefully the businesses do well.”
Although many of the runners were bundled up for the freezing temperatures, the snow held off until the first few people started crossing the finish line.
The first to finish were Stephen Febish, Baltimore, Maryland, and Kyle Price, Milltown, New Jersey. They both posted a time of 17:39, but Febish was a few steps ahead of his friend. They both finished in the top four every year for the race.
“I won the first three, he got it this year,” Price said.
“It feels great, it’s been a long time coming,” Febish said.
Febish said he placed second in the first race and fourth in the previous two. Price placed first in the previous three.
“They put on a great race,” Febish said. “The organization does a great job and it has become a tradition every year for our group of friends.”
Justin O’Brein, Hamburg, a native of Orwigsburg, was third with a time of 17:53.
The top three women and their times were: Marina Orrson, Shavertown, 18:15; Kara Phelps, Lewsiburg, 20:07; and Josey Rupert, Shickshinny, 20:44. Results were provided by Mid-Atlantic Timing.
Thirty-eight states were represented in this year’s event. There were 3,513 entrants. The youngest was 5 and the oldest was 86.
The most represented city was Pottsville with 387, followed by Harrisburg, 98; Schuylkill Haven, 90; and Orwigsburg, 87. Frackville also had 50.
Many of the runners stopped for beer or boilo along the way. Noah Stagliano and his family were handing out beer to some of the runners as they ran down Howard Avenue.
“Normally there is a water table,” he said. “But it’s the Lager Jogger so we set up a beer table.”
Stagliano said he had many friends and family members running in the race and it’s a great event for the city.
“It’s fun and a chance to get the whole family together,” he said.
Other runners packed their own beer for the run. One person even pulled a wagon with a keg.
“It’s not just a race, it’s much more than that,” Kathryn Ross, marketing and partner relations director for CK Running, said. “It’s about doing it with your family. There is a big post-race party. People love Yuengling beer and the history of it. There’s just a lot of things happening. There are a lot of vendors and food. It’s just a really fun event people look forward to every year. It’s a real testament that people come from all over the country just for a 5K.”