On the Lee Bridge, a tall man sporting a three-horned Viking helmet cheered on runners in green T-shirts, running with them along the bridge, then doubling back to do it again. Sean Cusack, one of the Sports Backers’ marathon training coaches, has trained with them for half a year to prepare for the race. “Watching them finish is a great reward for me,“ he said.

One mile into the 13.1 miles of the McDonald’s Half Marathon, Nicholas Kurgat was certain of one thing. The pace was too slow. “I ran the first mile in 5:19,“ Kurgat said. “I wanted to be around 5:00.“ So Kurgat knew only one thing to do. He broke away from the crowd. Did he ever. Kurgat, 30, won his race in 1:06:02, setting a course record - this is only the second year of this course and Derese Deniboba’s winning time last year was 1:06:50 - and finished more than two minutes ahead of second-place Jared Abuya, who ran a 1:08:26.

Three men who collapsed and died while competing in a half-marathon were healthy and experienced runners, but to varying degrees, friends and family of the men said Monday.

On Saturday for the 10th anniversary of the race, more than 32,000 runners will be joined by an estimated 50,000 spectators, transforming Richmond’s most recognizable and revered street into a teeming party zone of music, fun and 20,000 bagels (cinnamon raisin, wheat and blueberry) for runners.

In 2005, Gary Hearn ran as the Tablecloth. His costume for March 28? Wait and see. You may recognize him as Gary Hearn, middle-aged business man. Or you may place him as The Banana; or The Tablecloth; or The Running Nose; or Bob the Builder; or Robin Hood. For 364 days a year, the 50-year-old University of Richmond graduate is a regular sort of guy - dress shirt, tie, pressed suit, shined shoes.

RESULTS RUNNING RICHMOND ROAD RUNNERS CLUB Turkey Trot 10K Male overall: 1. Alex Tatu 32:46, 2. Richard Morris 34:38, 3. Joel Wolpert 35:10; female overall: 1. Laura Taylor 40:54, 2. Bethany Patterson 42:04, 3. Michelle Mudge-Riley 42:37; male masters: William Trainor 35:25; female masters: Jeanie Trent 43:30; male 10-14: Heath Anderson 44:40; female 10-14: Courtney Burton 47:40; male 15-19: Silas Frantz 35:21; female 15-19: Anna Cole 48:44; male 20-24: Matthew Richardson 35:17; female 20-24: Julia Morton 44:21; male 25-29: Carter Bowen 37:13; female 25-29: Katie Danahy 45:08; male 30-34: Nathan Phelan 36:26; female 30-34: Lucy Berger 44:58; male 35-39: Kevin Burcham 38:56; female 35-39: Victoria Tiase 44:25; male 40-44: Jeff Dahl 38:01; female 40-44: Monica Peters 46:49; male 45-49: Doug Fernandez 38:43; female 45-49: Gretchen Stipe 44:47; male 50-54: Steven Lerner 42:19; female 50-54: Linda Fournier 43:56; male 55-59: Monte Evans 43:33; female 55-59: Terry Miffleton 1:01:28; male 60-64: Tommy Gammon 47:13; female 60-64: Julie Appleby 1:05:44; male 65-69: George Longley 59:26; male 70 and up: Ron Henry 1:05:41; female 70 and up: Barbara Guerrieri 1:30:33

When it comes to getting outdoors during the winter months, Larry Rohr, Terry Rea and their disc golf compatriots follow the mail carriers’ code. “Neither rain nor snow . . . nor gloom of night” shall keep them from their appointed rounds.

MARIA HOWARDFitness The arrival of fall brings out the runners in Richmond. The cooler air and drop in humidity provide incentive for runners to push it a little farther, a little faster. And this fall, for the first time in 11 years, local runners have the option of doing a half marathon during the city’s premier running event. The SunTrust Richmond Marathon, voted “America’s friendliest marathon” by Runner’s World magazine, is scheduled for Nov. 15. The last time the Richmond marathon was accompanied by a half marathon was in 1997.