The earth is approaching its maximum tilt toward the sun and on June 21 Yukoners will be celebrating the summer solstice. The sun will be in its highest position in the sky and it will be the day with the most daylight.

To celebrate this upcoming astral event a group of dedicated runners met at the upper parking lot of Grey Mountain Road on Tuesday for the Sports Experts Grey Mountain Summer Solstice Fun Run/Walk.

The clouds rolled in over Grey Mountain and opened up as the rain began to pour down. It didn’t stop those who had already completed the run from waiting about at the end line to cheer on those who crossed the finish shortly after.

The runners and walkers had three options of distances on Tuesday. The first was a 10.4 kilometre run to the towers and then back to where the time clock was stationed.

The second option was five-kilometres and the athletes ran halfway to the towers before returning and the other a seven-kilometre distance.

The run tested the runners’ legs as the max elevation they travelled was 1,285 metres with a minimum of elevation of 857 metres. That translated into the runners and walkers having a total climb of 537 metres.

The runs which happen every Tuesday throughout the summer are just for fun but results are kept so the runners can compare their times throughout the summer to track their respective improvements.

Jeff Larsen was the fastest five-kilometre runner finishing in 24 minutes, 32 seconds. Larsen was followed by Lauren Whyte and Tyson Hickman.

The top seven kilometre runners were Rachel Edelman and Kate Davidson whom both completed the distance in one hour, nine minutes.

It was close at the top of the male 10.4 kilometre category. Shane Carlos needed 51 minutes and 50 seconds to reach the towers and return. Luke Carlos was hot on his heels coming completing the course in 52 minutes, 19 seconds.

Ehab Alhag Hussen rounded out the top three in 56 minutes, 37 seconds.

Anett Kralisch was the quickest 10.4 kilometre female. Her time was 57 minutes, eight seconds. Christine Harper came second in one hour, two minutes and 28 seconds. Harper finished just shy of a minute ahead of Hayley Henderson Thur.