Guy Alton and Jackie Kosakowski kicked off the McDonald's X- country Festival at Maymont with popular hometown victories in the men's and women's open 5K race that was contested by 276 male and female runners at Maymont Park tonight.

Alton (24) of Richmond, VA covered the 3.1-mile course in 15 minutes 42 seconds, 14 seconds ahead of Jason Spong (15:56), also of Richmond. Alex Addison (28) of Richmond was third in 17 minutes 11 seconds.

Kosakowski (24) of Richmond won handily in 19:11 over Heidi Peterson (13) of Williamsburg, VA, who was second in 19 minutes 42 seconds. Amirah Johnson, of Greenbelt, MD was third in 20 minutes, 36 seconds.

Kosakowski, an assistant cross country at Hanover High School who will be urging her runners to victory in the high school events at the McDonald's X-country Festival at Maymont tomorrow, was happy to have set a good example for her team. "The guys have been talking trash with me all week," she laughed. "But they should run faster than me."

More than 2,500 high school runners from up and down the East Coast and as far west as Colorado are entered in the high school cross country events tomorrow that begin at 9:30 a.m.

The McDonald's X-country Festival at Maymont half marathon, a 13.1-mile trail and road through Richmond's riverside trails in the James River Park is open to runners of all ages. Marcus Jones (25) of Richmond won the men's overall race with a time 1 hour 11 minutes, 47 seconds. Second place went to Ben Gaspar (25) of Chapel Hill, NC (1:14:23), while Paul Olivere (43) of Wilmington, DE took third place (1:19:17.)

Mina Thorsten (23) of Blacksburg, VA won the women's half marathon overall race with a time of 1 hour 27 minutes, 30 seconds. In second place was Mindy Reese (32) of Richmond (1:30:16), while Richmond's Kathy Gvozdas (37) was third (1:30:52).

"I had a lot of fun," said Reese, who liked the trial running challenge. "The volunteers at the water stops were very excited and you had Ronald McDonald at the finish! That was great."

Kids' Results

Kids 1-mile Run
Boys:  Colton Galley, 11, Crested Butte, CO, 6:16; Connor Rea, 
9, Midlothian, VA, 6:50; Matthew Pinson, 8, Richmond, VA, 6:58  

Girls: Tenaja Jennings, 10, Clinton, MD, 6:48; Jessica Molloy, 
10, Glen Allen, VA, 6:50; Samantha Hess, 10, Glen Allen, VA, 
6:58.

Middle School Boys 3K (1.86-miles): 1st, Matt Galley, 14, 
Crested Butte, CO, 10:39; 2nd, Alan Moore, 13, Dayton, VA, 
10:51; 3rd, Christopher Springer, 13, Gordonsville, VA, 10:54.

Middle School Girls 3K (1.86-miles): 1st, Adrian Newcomb, 13, 
Blacksburg, VA, 11:31; 2nd, Megan Moye, 13, Moseley, VA, 11:40; 
3rd, Hannah Brown, 13, Blacksburg, VA, 11:43.

Full Race Results