With summer weather threatening to descend upon Whitehorse, Athletics Yukon held its weekly 5 km run and walk on Tuesday evening.

The 29 competitors ran in temperatures in the mid-teens and almost windless conditions. For many of the participants, this was the last fast run before the knee knackering 10th annual Yukon River Trail Marathon on Sunday.

NCAA cross country skier John Parry made a rare, but memorable appearance. He almost lit the course on fire as he charged through the 5 km route setting the fastest time of the evening (17:58) and taking first place.

Just five seconds behind Parry, and claiming second place, was Nathan Doering (18:03), a former member of the Yukon Cross Country Ski Team.

Even though he is tapering for the Yukon River Trail Marathon, running zealot Keith Thaxter finished in third place and set a personal best for the season with a time of 18:51.

The next two runners to follow Thaxter both ran in the 19 minute range. Sebastien Markley finished in fourth spot with a symmetrical time (19:19). Fifth place honours was claimed by Tuesday night regular Fred Vandenot (19:46).

Triathlete Joel Macht, who completed the gruelling Canadian Ironman in 2006, cruised effortlessly to the finish line in a time of 20:14 to take sixth spot.

For the third time this season, Josie-Anne Markley was the fastest woman (21:04).

She ran at a 6:45 minute per mile pace, a speed that most runners will never achieve.

In spite of this, Markley found herself between the devil and the deep blue sea because another runner was gaining on her throughout the race.

That other runner was 18-year-old German exchange student Mascha Scheton who finished just nine seconds behind Markley in 21:13, a personal best for the season. Katherine Dingle of Ontario took third spot with a time of 23:12.

Behind Dingle were four runners in the 26 minute range enjoying a race within a race.

Storied athlete Christine Paradis won this mini-race (26:33) taking fourth spot, but less than a minute behind Paradis were three other runners. Jennifer Whipple finished fifth (26:44), Jean Plenderleith finished sixth (26:49) and Lena Nielsen slipped under the 26 minute mark (27:12) and finished seventh.

Story submitted by Tom Ullyett on behalf of Athletics Yukon