Cool, gray morning skies welcomed the nearly 400 runners and walkers who gathered on Saturday morning for the 33rd annual Bill Burby Inspirational Fun Run and Walk. An estimated 130 participants wore stickers declaring “I’m Running for Ryan,” a fundraiser that brought in more than $1,800 for the Ryan Krug Memorial Scholarship Fund.
Russ Brazill, one of the race founders, fired the starting gun.
For the second year in a row, Shichi Komatsuzaki, 25, took first overall in the 10K with a final time of 36:57.6. Kevin Ross, 40, followed at 37:31.6. Mark Ripley, 51, placed third with a time of 38.33.7.
The fastest woman on the 10K route was Kelsey Dunn, 17, at 41:31.6. Celeste Macapia, 37, placed second with 42:20.0, and Rebecca Nichols, 22, came in third with 46:14.1.
After four years of winning the 5K, Scott Healey, 38, relinquished his crown to Graham Peet, 16. Peet took first by running the course in 16:27.17. Healey came in second with a time of 17:00.5 and a 5:29 pace. Benjamin Martin, 15, took third with a time of 19:09.8.
Only 7 seconds separated the first- and second-place winners in the women’s 5K. Maddi Groen, 17, with a time of 21:43.4, edged out Shelley Neal, 52, who came in at 21:50.2. Third place went to Hanh Shaw, 42, who completed the course in 22:23.8.
The Burby family was represented by the “Burby In-Law” team of Suluh Lukoskie, Halina Lukoskie and Suru Kim dressed like strawvberries. Destia (Burby) Hermes cheered from the sidelines.
Peet, winner of the 5K, lives on Vashon and attends The Northwest School. He started running in eighth grade with coach Kevin Ross.
“Coach Ross is the reason I run,” Peet said. “He’s a great coach.”
Peet said he really wanted to beat Healey after coming in second to him last year.
“I thought he had me,” he said, “but then he faded on that last hill and I pulled ahead.”
Ripley’s third-place finish in the 10K was a personal best for him.
“It’s the neon shoes,” he claimed.
But neighbors reported seeing him training on the Dilworth loop route over the last few weeks and attribute his results to hard work.
Komatsuzaki, the 10K winner, has been working and living on Vashon for over a year on an agricultural exchange program. He will return to his home in Hokkaido, Japan, in a few months and take over his family’s rice growing business.
When asked what he will take back to Japan from Vashon, he tapped his chest and said, “Heart. Vashon has heart.”
Friends of Ryan Krug showed their heart as they donned “Remember Ryan” T-shirts to share an activity that the late high schooler had loved. On the back was one of Ryan’s favorite quotes: “All we have to decide is what to do with the time given to us.”
Complete results are available at www.billburbyrace.org.
— Glenna Mileson is a sports mom and Burby Board member.
