The Weston Bluffs Trail 5K and 10K brought runners to the community for its seventh year, with proceeds benefiting local organizations.
Anthony Davidson, 40, of Missouri, won the men’s 5K in 19 minutes, 36 seconds. Angela Redfern, 49, of Kansas, won the women’s 5K in 23:32.
Jase Weigel, 13, of Missouri, won the men’s 10K in 45:05. Shana Meldrum, 51, of California, won the women’s 10K in 51:08.
Organizers Erin Kimsey and Kate Jones started the event in 2018 as the Bluff Road Boogie, a Halloween costume run. The friends planned the untimed event in about two months, then expanded it the following year into a chip-timed race with 5K and 10K distances.
The 2019 event drew about 430 participants, the largest turnout in the race’s history. No event was held in 2020, and participation has been about 250 runners annually since 2021, Kimsey said.
This year’s race had good weather and a supportive group of runners and volunteers, the organizers said. Runners often praise the friendly atmosphere and the beauty of the Weston Bluffs Trail, Kimsey said.
All event revenue benefits the Weston Masonic Lodge and the Weston Community Food Pantry. The race also offers volunteer opportunities for West Platte students and serves as the annual race for the West Platte Boys Running Club, whose members train for the event.
Jones said Davidson told her he had never visited Weston before finding the race online. He said he enjoyed the town and planned to return, she said.
Jones and Kimsey said they wait until after the holidays to begin planning the next race, which takes months of coordination. For now, Kimsey said, she is savoring the finish-line moments: families, friends and community members cheering one another on.
