After more than 100 runners took to the streets of Jamestown, it was Juma Khisa who took home first place in the 25th annual running of the event, which is part of the UPMC Chautauqua WCA Runner of the Year Series and is the Chautauqua Striders Track & Field Club championship. Khisa crossed the finish line with a time of 18:18 on a pace of just under six minutes per mile, beating out Runner of the Year points leader Stephen Matteson, who clocked a time of 18:37 after entering the event with 70 points on the season.

While conditions for the race were ideal, the Dan Feather Memorial course still offers runners a host of challenges.

“The course was fine, only it has some hills, and its like any other race, there are challenges,” said Khisa, a 43-year-old resident of Jamestown. “However I did not clock the time I wanted, that I expected. I was thinking of clocking at 17, 17-plus, but then somehow I went to 18. I would like to take this time to thank all the competitors and those who organized the event,” he added.

Two other runners along with Khisa and Matteson were able to beat the 19-minute mark, with Tony Vezina of Lakewood taking third in 18:50 and Owen Vincent of Adams Center finishing with a time of 18:56.

The top men’s finisher of the Dan Feather Memorial 5K was Juma Khisa of Jamestown. P-J photo by Jay Young

Leading the way in the women’s division was Brooke Adams of Randolph, who entered the race leading the women’s Runner of the Year Series with 68 points.

Like Khisa, Adams was well aware that just because the weather had improved from Sunday that did not mean this was going to be an easy race.

” I would have to say this is one of the harder 5Ks in the area,” said Adams

“Between the hills and the cobblestone bricks and trying not to fall, its pretty difficult,” she said.

In her years of experience running in the Chautauqua Striders Series, Adams has dealt with just about every kind of weather there is, but when she heard that lightning was in the mix on Sunday that changed things.

More than 100 runners take off from the start line in the 25th Dan Feather Memorial 5K, which was held Monday morning. P-J photo by Jay Young

“I feel like as runners, we’re really go-with-the-flow kind of people, so with it being postponed it was unusual because runners are known for running in absolutely anything, rain, sleet, snow,” she said. “But the one circumstance where runners do not run, and when races are delayed or canceled, is lightning. So it was probably a good call to do that, even though it threw some of us off. It is what it is, the Dan Feather is the 25th year, and from what I hear he was a great guy, so we’re just happy to be here.”

In addition to leading the way in the Chautauqua Striders Series, Adams is also training to take on the Tokyo Marathon, which will be held on Feb. 25, 2018.

Gregory Brink was able to take home first place in the 45-49 division with a time of 19:56, while Grant Vincent was victorious in the 50-54 division with a time of 20:37 and Roan Kelly grabbed the top spot in the 0-14 division in 21:18.