Clayton Sayen gives the thumbs up as the overall winner of the Thatcher Markham Memorial Run in Houghton on Friday. The Hubbell native finished the race with a record time of 14:42. (Eddie O’Neill/For the Gazette)

HOUGHTON — While it might have been a little chilly and windy at Ray Kestner Waterfront Park for BridgeFest vendors and entertainment, it was ideal conditions on the neighboring streets of Houghton and Hancock for the Thatcher Markham Memorial 5K Run. Just ask the nearly 200 participants who completed the fifth annual race Friday before the BridgeFest parade.

Clayton Sayen, of Hubbell, was the overall winner with a record time of 14:42. Nearly four minutes later, Erica Kazin came in as the first woman at 18:38.

Both noted that cool temps made this year’s race an enjoyable one.

“I feel good,” noted Sayen. “It is an awesome race, a good cause and a great environment. It is a good event.”

Kazin, a cross country runner and Nordic skier at Michigan Tech, echoed a similar sentiment.

“I love these hometown 5Ks. It was perfect running conditions,” said the Minnesota native and second-year chemistry major at Tech. “It is a nice course, because it is basically downhill, and so I was doing a lot of sprinting. I am very happy with my time. I didn’t think I could run that fast.”

This charitable run/walk began in 2019 and supports the Copper Country Junior Hockey Association and Pigs ‘N’ Heat (Copper Country Police and Fire Relief Fund) in their missions to promote youth sports and support local fire/crime victims in the Copper Country. It honors Thatcher Markham, who died tragically in the 2018 Father’s Day flood in the Houghton County area. Markham was 12 years old.

Sayen’s time was 30 seconds better than fellow Huskies assistant track and field coach Luke Moore. Michigan Tech director of athletic communications for football, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, cross country, track and field, and soccer, Matt Taylor, took fourth.

Kazin finished ahead of Alex Li of Springfield, Missouri, and Kate Abbott of Houghton.

This year’s run included participants under the age of 10 and as old as 76. Anna Hanson, of Hancock, was the top finisher among the girls ages 12 and under. She came in at 26.21 minutes.

The 10-year-old liked the downhill and the chance to run next to her dad, brother Matt and several cousins.

George Eakin, a member of the Jeffers High School Board, is no stranger to this run.

“I love running,” said the 50-something athlete who has been running for 20 plus years. “I am proud of my time (24:11). I love the course, and this goes to a good cause.”

Race organizer Ryan Towles chalked this year’s event as a huge success.

He said there were 218 registered runners and walker with 170 finishers.

“That is up 10 from around a year ago,” he noted. “It was perfect running conditions which led to some fast (race) finishes.”

His daughter, Rayna, finished fourth among women.

Erica Kazin makes her way across the finish line at the Thatcher Markham Memorial Run in Houghton on Friday. She was the top finisher for the women. (Eddie O’Neill/For the Gazette)