It was a beautiful, sunny, Saturday morning as the runners of the Yukon Energy Haeckel Hill Run gathered at the wildlife viewing point off of Fish Lake Road, the starting point for the run which ended at the windmill.

In some prior years, snow could still be found at the top of the hill but that was not the case Saturday. It was hot and it was dry - there was only one puddle on the way up the hill.

The climb is give-or-take six kilometres and had the racers running on dirt road with some rocky sections.

This sports reporter considered himself lucky as he sat in the Star’s photographer’s four-wheel drive truck as we drove up the hill to meet the runners at the top. The road was gruelling and there didn’t appear to be many flat sections.

As a crowd of volunteers gathered at the top to prepare the timer and get the food and drinks ready, talk began that the front runner was making good time and should be at the top of the hill soon.

Around the final bend came the first runner, Logan Roots, who upon passing the finish line let out a loud gasp and put his hands onto his knees while one of the young volunteers brought him a drink.

“Ah man, your goal is every corner,” said Roots about running up the hill. “You see the corner, see a little bit of flat, and you’re like ‘all right, on to the next one’. And I think, after running this hill enough times you know how many more corners you have to go.”

Roots said he came close to breaking his pace a couple of times but he battled through.

“Basically the whole time I was thinking to myself ‘don’t walk, don’t walk, don’t, don’t walk,’” said Roots.

While dripping with sweat and chugging his drink between questions he talked about how his legs were feeling.

“My quads are pretty burnt and a little noodle-y but not too soar,” said Roots. “I’m glad it’s over, there are so many good snacks at the top and it makes it all worth it.”

The finish line was at the top of the road before it opens up for cars to park. In previous years, runners would have to touch the gate that closes off the road to the windmill.

Roots’ run time was 32 minutes, 33 seconds which for that finish location was a new record.

Ian Weir was hot on Roots’ tail, completing the hill climb in 34 minutes, 13 seconds.

As third-place runner Dominic Bradford approached the finish line a paraglider took off from the windmill and travelled over the runners to their landing spot.

Bradford said it was a good way to get the season started.

“It’s a really good way to start the season,” said Bradford between breaths. “It’s pretty much full on. You don’t have anywhere to hide.

“(My legs) are pretty wrecked. It’s a battle of don’t stop running. You go right down to the micro of one foot in front of the other. Then suddenly you see the finish and you think ‘oh, maybe I had a bit more than I thought.’”

The Reckless Raven 50 Mile Ultra and Relay will be held June 30 and Bradford said this is good preparation for that race.

“It’s a great way … a lot of people showed up today,” said Bradford. “I think people’s imagination are pretty charged up for getting ready for Reckless and this is a good way to do this.”

Bradford’s final time was 35 minutes, seven seconds. Hailey Digel was the tenth runner and the top female to reach the top of Haeckel Hill.

“It feels good,” said Digel about being the first woman to reach the top. “It’s a beautiful day, good crowd and good fun.”

Digel said her calves were a little tight after reaching the top but that she was fortunate she had people in front of her to push and pace her.

“I had lots of people to follow so I mostly focused on the folks in front of me and ignored the pain in my legs,” said Digel.

She said as you run up the hill you can see the windmill way in the distance and that it was intimidating.

“You see the windmill from a very far ways away at first, so at first there isn’t so much relief but intimidation,” said Digel. “You’re like ‘whoa, it’s way up there’ and then you round that last little steep section and you see it in an attainable distance.

“Then we actually finished before the windmill so that was a treat, I thought we were going straight up to it.”

As Digel rounded the last corner and became visible to those at the top she was walking thinking she had to conserve more energy for a sprint up to the windmill.

“I was like ‘I want to finish strong’ but it ended right here and I saw someone stop and I was like ‘I guess I better run to the finish line.’”

Like Bradford, Digel said the Haeckel Hill Run was a good precursor to the Reckless Raven.

“This is a good sort of like, ‘am I fit enough to make it up Haeckel Hill test?’”

Digel’s time was 41 minutes, 42 seconds. Laura Scott was the second fastest up the hill in a time of 44:37. Laura Wells was third with a time of 46:56.

There were 52 total runners testing their legs and their lungs on Haeckel Hill.

At the top, as more and more participants gathered they waited for everyone to reach the end, cheering on their fellow runners as they made their final push to the finish line.