Middletown Man Wins Citizen Bank 5K for 2nd Year

Two hours before Middletown's annual downtown 5K race on Wednesday, powerful thunderstorms were pummeling the city and surrounding towns with torrential rain, damaging winds and even hail.

Still, there was never a doubt the would not go on — and by registration's start at 4:30 p.m., the Main Street tent was up and folks filtered downtown in the lessening showers to grab their numbers, lace up their shoes and enjoy the festivities.

performers juggled and unicyled among the crowds milling about on Main between College and Court streets — closed off to traffic — and the bluegrass trio played live on the city's showmobile.

For the second year in a row, and his eighth Citizens Bank 5K, graduate , 23, took first place, clocking in at 16:19 for the 3.1-mile race through city streets west of Main. His pace, 5:15, was the exact same as last year. One second later, Tom Day, 18, of Haddam crossed the finish line.

Weston, a senior at Central Connecticut State University in New Britain and distance runner on the track and field team, participated in cross country and track and field for four years at Middletown High and captained track and field and cross country as a senior. He holds the school record in 2,000-meter and 3,000-meter steeplechase.

Top 10 Citizens Bank 5K Finishers

• Weston, Rob, 23, of Middletown: 16:19; 5:15 (same pace as last year)
• Day, Tom, 18, of Haddam: 16:20, 5:16 
• Blake, Eric, 33, of New Britain, 16:35, 5:21 
• Mayer, Chris, 33, of Middletown, 17:07, 5:31 
• Ash, Garrett, 28, of Manchester, 17:17, 5:34 
• Weselcouch, Alexander, of East Haddam, 18, 17:18, 5:34
• Williams, Zachary, 16, of North Branford, 17:33, 5:39
• Strom, Peter, 16, of Portland, 17:33, 5:39
• Brown, Mitchell, 16, of Durham, 17:34, 5:40 
• Thornton, Lane, 23, of Brookfield, 17:37, 5:41 

Top 10 Children's Half-Mile Fun Run Finishers

• Reagan, Andrew, 12, 2:45
• Rodrigues, Kyle, 12, 2:45
• Kaiser, Aaron, 8, 3:00
• McLamey, Kai, 7, 3:02
• Bruzik, Fiona, 9, 3:03
• McMurray, Emma, 10, 3:12
• Reagan, Kevin, 11, 3:16
• Weeks, Nathan, 10, 3:18
• Saxton, Tyler, 7, 3:22
• Rumberger, Patrick, 8, 3:25

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