More Than 200 Take Part In Brewster In Bloom Run

BREWSTER – Approximately 210 people from Brewster and beyond took part in the Cape Cod 5 Brewster in Bloom 5K Run on Saturday.

Runners and walkers alike were met with perfect weather conditions as they navigated the 5-kilometer (3.1-mile) course that began at the Brewster Inn and Chowder House and finished at the Trinity Lutheran Church.

Dustin Baker, a 52-year-old from Kingston who has been a Cape Cod Athletic Club member for many decades, cruised to a first-place finish after completing his run in 18:13. He crossed the finish line more than a minute faster than runner-up Hussein Abdi, a 25-year-old from Springfield who finished in 19:34.

“It was a slow start to the winter, but I feel like the fitness is slowly starting to kick in,” said Baker, who was training for next weekend’s New England Season Opener Duathlon in Hopkinton. “I wish there were some more people up there to run with, but whatever, it was still a great day.”

Chris Crema, 48, of Brewster finished third in 19:52, and Jamie Veara, 56, of South Yarmouth took fourth in 20:44. Chris Ellis, a 42-year-old from Brewster, rounded out the top five after finishing in 20:56.

After a brief challenge at the start of the race, Baker instantly took the lead and never relented before reaching the Trinity Lutheran Church without a challenger in sight.

“There was a little guy that might have been 7 or 8 that was challenging me for the lead,” Baker said. “That lasted for about 100 yards and then I was by myself.”

Even Abdi was blown away by Baker’s pace.

“That guy was wicked fast,” Abdi said. “I couldn’t keep up. The guy behind me was catching up, so I was like, ‘All right, let me at least come in second’ and I did what I had to do to push at the end.”

Each participant had their own motivation for taking part in the race, but it carried some extra significance for the first female finisher, Madison Daley, a 23-year-old Brewster native who used Saturday’s jaunt as a training run for the Beach & Back Half Marathon taking place on May 18 in Marshfield.

“I just recently started running about four months ago,” said Daley, who finished in 21:03. “I’m training for my first half marathon for my family friend Shelly Stevens, who is battling leiomyosarcoma cancer. I’m training for that and my family comes every year for the parade and everything, so I just figured I’d do the race.”

Daley said she made her move and separated herself from the competition about 2.5 miles into the race.

“I started sprinting and pushing myself,” she said. “I’ve never really raced to place before, so this is definitely the first race that I pushed myself. I’m happy with the outcome.”

While the race may have served a different purpose for everyone in attendance, all were pleased to be on the course under sunny skies and perfect temperatures in the low 50s.

“This is, in my opinion, a fantastic, classic New England race,” Baker said. “Not a lot of hype, but very well organized and the spirit here is just fantastic. It’s an awesome race. I can’t find a flaw in it.”

Visit tinyurl.com/2s44fb3e for complete results from the Brewster in Bloom Run.