With the Klondike Road Relay on the horizon, more than 30 runners braved chilly temperatures to take part in a tune-up run Sunday morning.

The Claim Pre-Skagway 10 Miler saw 15 men and 16 women tackle a 16-kilometre route based out of Rotary Peace Park stretching out to the picturesque Miles Canyon and back.

And just like he has in every local race he’s run this year, Logan Roots was the first across the finish line in a brilliant 54:48. Following close behind were David Eikelboom (57:10) and Shane Carlos (59:48).

“It was actually the first race in quite a while that I’ve been happy with,” said Roots, 22. “Just being able to run at that pace over all those hills ... Victoria’s (marathon) looking good in six weeks.”

Lindsay Carson blew away the women’s field, finishing in 1:01:17, far ahead of Amelia Fraser (1:13:43) and Sue Bogle (1:14:33).

The annual race serves as a tune-up for the 176.5-km Klondike Trail of ’98 International Road Relay, which sees teams of 10 runners race overnight from Skagway, Alaska, to Whitehorse.

This year’s event is set for Sept. 11 and 12.

Sunday’s race was sponsored by The Claim, a local café previously known as the Chocolate Claim.

Carson, who could not be reached by the Star this morning, took home the race’s big prize – a gift certificate for a chocolate cake at the coffee shop.

Last year’s 10 Miler champs, Logan Boehmer and Anett Kralisch, did not participate Sunday.

Meanwhile, after four-time road relay champions Team Scarecrow was defeated last year, several of the team’s longtime runners have formed a new squad for the 2015 event.

Team Eikelboom Physiotherapy will take aim at the mixed crown a year after the much-hyped battle between Scarecrow and Team Raven: Take No Prisoners saw the Anchorage group cross the finish line 10 minutes ahead of their Yukon rivals.

The new-look mixed roster includes the top four finishers from Sunday’s 10 Miler event.

The full roster – in order according to the race’s 10 legs – includes: Fraser, Jody Eikelboom, Kathleen Hale, Roots, David Eikelboom, Luke Carlos, Kralisch, Rodney Hulstein, Carson and Shane Carlos.

“I don’t think it’s done for good,” Roots said of the Scarecrow all-star team.

“I think the best is yet to come. But I think it will be fun to try something new.”

The 2014 race featured a record 178 teams, including 1,661 participants in 11 different categories.

Inquiries to Sport Yukon regarding this year’s relay numbers went unreturned before press time today.

The event serves as Sport Yukon’s major fundraiser.