Alkin, Bush win Anthem 5K

So much for the good weather.

Lightning delayed the start of the third annual Anthem 5K Fitness Classic for 10 minutes this morning, and it rained heavily throughout most of the race in downtown Louisville. Those late-developing conditions likely convinced some of the 6,609 people who had entered to stay home.

But the Anthem 5K's strong turnout (5,171 finished the race) - and the competition - befitted its part as the first leg of the Louisville Triple Crown of Running, which is in its 23rd year as Kentuckiana’s premier running series.

Newcomer Westley Alkin pulled away from James Mutuse, a former Triple Crown champion from Richmond, Ky., and Paul Howarth, a first-timer from Indianapolis, to win the closely-contested men’s division. Alkin covered the five-kilometer course, which started and finished on Main Street in front of Slugger Field, in 14:51.

Alkin, a 24-year-old native of Ireland, ran at the University of Arkansas and now is a volunteer coach in the University of Louisville program.

Mutuse, 27, caught Howarth, 28, in the last 50 meters and leaned ahead for second place. Both were timed in 14:55.

Lexington, Ky., resident Susie Bush, another former Triple Crown champion, easily won the women’s division in 16:53. Bush, 27, finished 30 seconds ahead of Louisville’s Jen Alessandro, 25, who recently won the Polar Bear Grand Prix series title.

The Louisville Triple Crown of Running will continue with the Rodes City Run (10K) on March 25 and the Papa John’s 10 Miler/USATF Men’s National Ten Mile Championship on April 15.

Full race results can be found here. More information about the series can be found here.

And thanks to Fleet Feet Sports Louisville’s Camille Estes.