Leading the pack from Winamac were Glenn Bailey (1:28:27), Joe Schaller (1:37:00), Joell Grisel (1:38:28), Jeff Scott (1:38:28), Adam Collins (1:42:56), Kevin Tankersley (1:45:24), Michelle Schaller (1:49:47), Jill Collins (1:54:49), and Rick Grisel (1:55:42).

Also participating in  the Mini from Winamac were Bryce Kappes, Dagny Zupin, Randy Fox, Chad Watts, Shelley Tankersley, Steve Dobson, Brent Larkin, Lisa Larkin, Jason Hague, Charlotte Scott and Adam Bennett.

Seven runners from Francesville also participated in the mini-marathon. They were Kevin Cox (1:49:20), Scott Evans, Timothy Troxel, Paul Keller, Darlene Tanner, Meleita Street and Don Street.

Participating from Star City was Brenda Warner. Runners from Medaryville were Steven Demoss and Kim Gilbert. Completing the race from Kewanna were David Sommers (1:54:42), Austen Brown and Whitney Townsend. Participating from Royal Center were Juliana Patty (1:50:46) and Tammy Lewellen (1:57:57).

The 500 Festival News service reports that a pair of newcomers shook off any rookie jitters and brought home the men’s and women’s titles in the 2011 OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon.

Moroccan Ridouane Harroufi took the men’s race, winning in 1:02.45, while Everlyne Lagat of Kenya captured the women’s race with a time of 1:11:29, snapping the four-year win streak of fellow Kenyan Janet Cherobon-Bawcom, who took second.

Temperatures were in the mid-50s, and while rain threatened, it held off until well after the leaders crossed the finish line. The humidity also rose during the course of the race but was still low enough for Lagat.

“I felt the humidity, but it wasn’t as bad as I expected,” said Lagat, who has trained in Albuquerque, N.M, for the past six years and was the winner of the 2000 NAIA 5,000-meter national championship while running for Malone College in Canton, Ohio. “It wasn’t hot, and it wasn’t cold. It was just right.”

Lagat comes from a large family of runners that includes Bernard Lagat, who won a bronze medal in the 1,500 in the 2000 Olympics and silver in 2004. Saturday’s win was the first of the season for Lagat, who said she didn’t feel intimidated running down the stretch against the four-time defending champion.

“I just had to go out and run my own race,” she said. “I always run against a very strong field, so I’m kind of used to it. Now this gives me a lot of confidence for my next race.”

Harroufi, who also trains in Albuquerque, broke a 15-year run of 500 Festival Mini-Marathon wins by Kenyan runners in just his second race of the year. Harroufi blew kisses to the crowd as he headed down the main straightaway and then held up his index finger on both hands while crossing the finish line.

"It feels great because I was just coming off an injury,” said Harroufi, who had been battling a hamstring problem on his right leg. “I have more confidence now for the next race.”

Harroufi said he decided to run the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon because, “It’s nice weather, and the course is flat.”

Adam Bleakney of Champaign, Ill., took advantage of the ideal conditions to win the wheelchair race with a blistering time of: 49.18. The 2006 winner of the same race, Bleakney, a member of the 2008 U.S. Paralympics teams, was competing in Indianapolis for the first time since his previous win.

“It was a great day out there – great temperatures, overcast skies, not too much wind,” said Bleakney, who coaches the men’s and women’s track, field and racing team in the University of Illinois’ Division of Disability Resources and Educational Services. “It’s nice to get in front of a crowd of Illini fans. It was a great environment.”

Bleakney – who was presented with a $1,000 check from Rehabilitation Hospital of Indiana – actually stopped during the race to help change the tire of Aaron Pike, one of his athletes at Illinois. He managed to overcome the stop and finish ahead of several of his team members.

 “I have to keep the youngsters in check,” Bleakney said with a laugh.

Brandon Smith, a Warren Central High School junior from Indianapolis, won the Finish Line 500 Festival 5K race in 16:03:04, making it three wins in a row in the race.

 “The third time was just as thrilling as the first, said Smith.“It’s always exciting,” said Smith, who runs cross country and track for Warren Central. “It’s just a great course, and it’s one of my favorite races of the year. In fact, it’s my favorite road course race.”

Smith also was a fan of the weather conditions. “It was perfect,” he said. “It was a lot nicer than last year. It really helped my time, which was a personal record.”

Registration for the 2012 OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon and Finish Line 500 Festival 5K is now open at www.500festival.com.