Cold, what cold?

Sixteen-year-old William Kazery of Jackson had no problem running the first ever Chill In the Hills 10K run shirtless in 36-degree weather Saturday morning through the streets of downtown Vicksburg.

Kazery covered the course in 34 minutes, 12 seconds to win the inaugural race which was sponsored by the Vicksburg YMCA.

“I feel good,” Kazery said after finishing the race. “It was pretty hilly, but I liked the race.”

Vicksburg runner Kristy Hall won her second straight local race, winning the Chill in 43:47. In October, she came back after a year-long layoff to win the Over the River Run, a 5K run on the old Mississippi River Bridge.

For Hall, the Chill In The Hills, was not only longer, but tougher as well.

“It was hard. But it was also a beautiful run. I love that we were finally able to run through downtown Vicksburg. But the race also lived up to its name.

“If you were able to keep your head up, it wasn’t that difficult but on the way down, the wind hit my face and that made it a challenge,” Hall said.

Race organizer Dustin Blount did more than just put the inaugural run together. He also ran in it, placing 11th overall in 43:35.

“It was great to show off Vicksburg,” Blount said. “We had over 250 participants in the 10K and the 5K walk and another 71 kids in the fun run, so this was a very good turnout for a first run. We felt it was a great course.”

Blount said the Chill in the Hills will give Vicksburg a third major race for the Mississippi Track Club next year when it becomes a grand prix event. The city’s biggest race, the annual Run Through History in the Vicksburg National Military Park, will be run in April.

“It was a fun, first-time race,” said Gerry White, who finished second behind Kazery in 37:41. “It was hilly after the first turn, but we had a downhill on the last part.”

Tina Brannan, another local runner, won the 5K walk in 33:38.

“The first hill was tough and I’m not a fan of hills. My time was slow, but at least it wasn’t as cold as I was expecting it to be,” Brannan said.

Because the race went through much of downtown Vicksburg, Blount said it was important to have the support of the Vicksburg Police Department and a number of volunteers.

“The Vicksburg Police Department came through for us by monitoring the traffic and we had volunteers from St. Aloysius, Vicksburg Main Street and the Boy Scouts to hand out water and tell people where to turn,” Blount said. “With this race joining the Mississippi Track Club schedule next year, I expect our numbers to go up to 400 to 500 participants.”

*

Contact Jeff Byrd at jbyrd@vicksburgpost.com.