Carnation Festival events put fun on the run
WASHINGTON TWP. − Sean Barker of Alliance might've said it best when describing Tuesday's Carnation Youth Color Run at First Christian Church.
"It was color chaos," he said with a chuckle.
Barker's son Jonathan, 10, and daughter Alexis, 9, were two of almost 100 kids to participate in the four-lap, one-mile run organized by Alliance Family YMCA.
For ages 5 to 18, the free fitness event in its second year is part of the Greater Alliance Carnation Festival, which will run through Sunday.
Participants tossed colorful powder as they ran and were sprayed with colorful liquid. "Getting sprayed," was Jonathan Barker's favorite part of the run.
His sister enjoyed the powder toss. "I don't like getting wet," she said.
It was a fitness run, not a competition
YMCA Director Andrea Lee said the purpose of the Youth Run is not for a trophy, and it isn't timed. "It's just for them to get active and get out here and have fun."
Lee added this year's Color Run participation "quadrupled" from last year.
Barbie Moore of Alliance entered her children, Braxtyn, 10, and Brooklynn, 9, for the first time. She said they saw it promoted on Facebook in June.
"I mentioned it to them," Moore said. "I said, 'Do you guys want to do it?' They said, 'Yeah.' It's free. It's nice that it is something the community does that is free for everyone."
Trail run brings in 30 participants
The Carnation Trail Run, which drew 30 adult runners, began and ended at the church − adjacent to the Color Run event. The runners stepped off around 6 p.m. on Iron Horse Trail and ran 3.75 miles, out and back.
Among them were friends Kim Seese, 52, of Canal Fulton, Lindy Anastis, 58, of Perry Township and Kandy Young, 55 of Carrollton. All of them are part of the runner's group Canton Peeps.
The same group had three other runners participating in the event.
For Seese and Young, it was their first Trail Run in Alliance. Anastis ran it last summer.
Asked why she entered the race, Seese said: "I run a lot of Stark Parks trails. I've never been to this one. It was a great opportunity to see the trail and support this community."
Anastis, remembering last year's race, enjoyed the Tuesday's overcast and cooler experience. "It was super hot last year. It was so hot," she said. "The weather is great (this year)."
"I came to enjoy some time with friends and it's something different than running road races," Young said.
The event was considered a fun run.
The first person to cross the finish line was Gary Pate of Alliance, with a time of 22 minutes, 38 seconds.
Second was Heath Morgan of Alliance in 29:26, and Bruce Ballard of North Canton was third in 29:42.
The first finisher for the women was Julie Jakmides of Canton, with a time of 31:13. In second was Christine Gibson of Canton, in 33:36; and Anastis was third, in 34:24.
Reach Benjamin Duer at 330-580-8567 or ben.duer@cantonrep.com. On Twitter: @bduerREP.
This article originally appeared on The Alliance Review: Carnation Festival events put fun on the run
