Cooler weather improves 5K times1 min read

Photo by Jordan Reece/Larson Newspapers
Jesse Martin, left, Kevin Alvarez and Jason Blair were the top three finishers in the final Sedona Summer Series 5K held at Posse Grounds Park on Thursday, July 25.

Cooler heads, and feet, prevailed at the third of three Sedona 5K Summer Series races at Posse Grounds Park on July 25.

The race series, which was sponsored by the city’s Parks and Recreation department and a local running company, saw perfect racing conditions — 82 degrees and overcast skies — for a much more “runnerfriendly” climate than it had for its second race, which was held June 27 in 106 degree weather.

Kevin Alvarez, who is getting ready to start the fall season as a member of the Sedona Red Rock High School
cross-country team, sprinted out to take the lead from the starting line, and won the race handily in 19 minutes,
58 seconds.

“I just did this for fun this summer,” Alvarez said. “I wanted to see where I was before the [high school] season started.”

Alvarez said he’s been training all summer, averaging about 40 miles a week.

“I’m pretty happy with where I’m at,” he said. “The hard work over the summer definitely pays off.”

Advertisement

For the full story, please see the Friday, July 31 issue of the Sedona Red Rock News.

Jeff Bear

Jeff Bear began his journalism career in 2003 as a graphic designer and sports reporter at the Weekly Register Call in Central City, Colorado. In 2007 he began working at the Canyon Courier in Evergreen, Colorado, as a graphic designer, but soon transferred into the editorial department where he worked as a copy editor and sport reporter under Editor Doug Bell. After a stint as a graphic designer at American Classifieds in 2009-10, Bear began working in 2011 as a copy editor at the Arizona Daily Sun, in Flagstaff. While at the Daily Sun, Bear was tapped by the late Randy Wilson to report on local sports including Northern Arizona University and Olympic medalists training in Flagstaff for the 2012 Olympics. In 2013 Bear began working at the Red Rock News in Sedona, Arizona, where he was an assistant editor and sports editor. Bear has two daughters, Angela and Jessica, with his wife Nina. He is a singer and guitarist, an avid cyclist and hiker, and enjoys camping with family and friends.

- Advertisement -
Jeff Bear
Jeff Bear began his journalism career in 2003 as a graphic designer and sports reporter at the Weekly Register Call in Central City, Colorado. In 2007 he began working at the Canyon Courier in Evergreen, Colorado, as a graphic designer, but soon transferred into the editorial department where he worked as a copy editor and sport reporter under Editor Doug Bell. After a stint as a graphic designer at American Classifieds in 2009-10, Bear began working in 2011 as a copy editor at the Arizona Daily Sun, in Flagstaff. While at the Daily Sun, Bear was tapped by the late Randy Wilson to report on local sports including Northern Arizona University and Olympic medalists training in Flagstaff for the 2012 Olympics. In 2013 Bear began working at the Red Rock News in Sedona, Arizona, where he was an assistant editor and sports editor. Bear has two daughters, Angela and Jessica, with his wife Nina. He is a singer and guitarist, an avid cyclist and hiker, and enjoys camping with family and friends.