BERNE — On a hot and humid July, 19 morning, 111 runners lined up for the 10^th annual Fox Creek 5K Road Race in Berne. Two ladies with strollers walked the course.

“It was very muggy. The runners did well with the heat. We had water stops every half mile,” said Jim Hamilton, the creator of the Fox Creek race.

Hamilton brought up the idea for this race 10 years ago. “The Berne Youth Council was looking for something else to add to summer events. I suggested the race and they liked the idea,” he said.

The race started at 8 a.m., to some disappointment. “A lot of people wanted it to begin later to allow for more preparation. However, it was actually better to start early because it was only going to get hotter,” said Hamilton.

The winner of the race was Anthony Giuliano of Albany. He claimed first place overall with an excellent time of 16:16.

Macky Lloyd of Voorheesville was a close second, with a time of 16:30. The first female finisher was Sarah Furman of West Berne, with a time of 19:21.

In an awards ceremony after the race, the top three male and female finishers received trophies. A total of 54 awards were handed out.

“This race has lasted 10 years because of the great volunteers and participants,” said Hamilton. “Some runners have been here every year. If they didn’t hear it from me this weekend, I would like to say thank you to everybody.”