Mother nature must have known there would be visitors in town over the weekend, because she pulled out all the stops and granted a clear, sunny day for participants in the annual Homer Spit Run race.

Hundreds of men, women and children from near and far descended on the Spit Saturday morning in the name of running. The Cosmic Hamlet Half Marathon portion of the event was added just last year by Kachemak Bay Running Club, which puts on the event, and proved popular enough to merit the extra coordination with 33 women competing and 14 men. The 10 kilometer run clocked in with a whopping 119 women competing and 50 men.

While two Alaskans took home the top place prize in the 10k run that went from Homer High School to Land’s End Resort, the half marathon was dominated by runners from the Lower 48 who happened to find themselves in Homer just in time to run a race.

Jesse Ross, of New Hampshire, is spending this summer across Kachemak Bay doing research for graduate school. He said he heard about the half marathon and, since he’s an avid runner, decided to join. He crossed the finish line ahead of all the other half marathon runners in one hour, 24 minutes and 53 seconds.

“It was a perfect day to run around on the Spit,” Ross said.

Though Ross said he hadn’t expected to win the half marathon, he’s been doing a lot of long distance running.

“I like the grind,” he said. “It’s fun. Especially in a place like this.”

The top female finisher also hails from Outside. Heidi Bock, of Texas, is here on vacation visiting her parents, who live in Homer. Though she and her children visit every two years, she said Saturday was the first time she strapped on her shoes to participate in the annual race.

Bock took first place for the women with a time of 01:27:39. Her children were waiting for her at the finish with a handful of freshly picked lupine.

“When in Alaska, you know, why not?” she said.

Bock also cited the fact that it’s much cooler in Homer than it is in Texas right now, which made the prospect of a half marathon more attractive. She said the race Saturday wasn’t exactly easy.

“Texas is flat, flat, flat,” she said. “And so compared to other races I’ve run down there, this was very challenging, but that makes it fun too.”

Homer’s own Autumn Daigle took first place for the women in the 1ok race in 42:50, while Jake Moe, of Anchorage, took first for the men and overall with a time of 34:06.

Homer Spit Run 10k

Men’s race:

1. Jake Moe, Anchorage, 34:06; 2. Pedro Ochoa, Homer 35:22; 3. Bill Rich, Homer 39:26; 4. Lance Williamson, Homer, 41:14; 5. Peter Syth, Homer, 42:50; 6. Neillan Alcantra, Palmer, 44:29; 7. Jonathan Rulison, Garden Grove, 44:34; 8. Silas Firth, Anchor Point, 45:52; 9. Jacob Davis, Homer, 47:06; 10. Kent Peterson, Soldotna, 47:40; 11. Albert Berk, Fairbanks, 48:00; 12. Curtis Beck, Fairbanks, 48:00; 13. Dean Ravin, Homer, 48:37; 14. Gregory Lincoln, Toksook Bay, 50:11; 15. Peter Courtnage, Eagle River, 50:31; 16. Rob Carson, Boulder, 51:22; 17. Mark Hemstreet, Homer, 51:30; 18. Larry Deboard, Seward, 52:09; 19. Ryan Tilbury, Fairbanks, 52:12; 20. Mark Restad, Homer, 53:13; 21. Ryan Marquis, Kenai, 56:52; 22. Matthew Eberhardt, Anchorage, 57:14; 23. (Stroller) Renn Marden, Homer, 57:31; 24. Dan Michael, Palmer, 58:28; 25. Eric Brunelle, Anchorage, 58:34; 26. Alexander Tilbury, Fairbanks, 59:07; 27. Ralph Broshes, Homer, 59:25; 28. Braeden Porter, Nikiski, 01:00:38; 29. Zach Porter, Nikiski, 01:00:38; 30. Tom Early, Homer, 01:01:47; 31. Alan Goins, Ninilchik, 01:10:31; 32. Huck Bishop, Homer, 01:10:34; 33. Dan Miller, Homer, 01:11:15; 34. Trevor Tew, Anchorage, 01:13:05; 35. Paul Knight, Homer, 01:13:14; 36. Geoff Coble, Homer, 01:15:37; 37. Byron Turner, Homer, 01:18:29; 38. Matthew Tosi, Pa, 01:19:39; 39. John Alcantra, Palmer, 01:22:23; 40. Elijah Williams, Homer, 01:24:28; 41. Dennis Mackulin, Homer, 01:28:52; 42. Eli Wouk, Palmer, 01:36:21; 43. Jan Spurkland, Homer, 01:36:31; 44. Parker Lowney, Homer, 01:41:37; 45. Liam Young, Homer, 01:44:42; 46. Louis Halpin, Homer, 01:47:27; 47. Clark Griffith, Littleton, 01:59:05; 48. Sean Michael, Palmer, 01:59:05; 49. Charles Michael, Palmer, 01:59:06; 50. Charles Ehrsam, Louisville, 02:00:11;

Women’s race:

1. Autumn Daigle, Homer, 42:50; 2. Bronsyn Ledgard, Garden Grove 45:17; 3. Talia Mccall, Wasilla 45:48; 4. Megan Pitzman, Homer, 46:18; 5. Melanie Weatherly, Anchor Point, 46:38; 6. Elizabeth Hardie, Soldotna, 48:06; 7. Brooke Miller, Homer, 48:27; 8. Lydia Ortiz 16, Palmer, 48:40; 9. Anna Williams 38, Homer, 49:25; 10. Amanda Cherok, Homer, 49:49; 11. Heather Johnson, Homer, 50:15; 12. Madeline Ortiz, Palmer, 50:52; 13. Tabea Shepler, Palmer, 51:37; 14. Amber Riggs, Anchorage, 51:51; 15. Jennifer Leary, Homer, 52:10; 16. Trophe Brandt, Anchorage, 52:22; 17. Catalina Dengel, Anchorage, 52:27; 18. Stephanie Bias, Soldotna, 53:12; 19. Audrey Russell, Homer, 53:14; 20. Marina Krysinski, Eagle River, 53:28; 21. Nina Kalytiak, Palmer, 54:05; 22. Rebecca Ravin, Homer, 54:25; 23. Michelle Cox, Anchorage, 54:28; 24. Alica Ogren, Sammamish, 54:40; 25. Stephanie Greer, Homer, 54:54; 26. Terri Mach, Homer, 55:11; 27. Desire´ Shepler, Palmer, 55:58; 28. Johanna Alvarez, Anchorage, 56:11; 29. Sarah Miller, Homer, 56:37; 30. Marlena McGraw, Lake Elmo, 56:46; 31. Joell Restad, Homer, 56:49; 32. Patrice Parker, Anchorage, 56:59; 33. Janelle Moerlein, Homer, 57:31; 34. Cristy Millington, Kenai, 58:13; 35. Robin Guillian, Burlington, 58:32; 36. Shilo Cederberg, Anchorage, 58:35; 37. Taylor Shelden, Kenai, 58:42; 38. Adrian Teegarden, Lexington, 58:45; 39. Pamela Obrien, Anchorage, 59:03; 40. Tara Schmidt, Homer, 059:26; 41. Kandi Barcus, Kenai, 59:41; 42. Kristin Oelschlegal, Homer, 01:00:04; 43. Torie Gutschow, Homer, 01:00:07; 44. Angie Nelson, Kenai, 01:00:25; 45. Ariel Turner, Anchorage, 01:00:26; 46. Darcy Mueller, Homer, 01:00:52; 47. Karen Carney, Wasilla, 01:01:04; 48. Christa Dalton, Anchorage, 01:01:56; 49. Whitney Schollenberg, Ninilchik, 01:02:27; 50. Molly Hart, Anchorage, 01:02:27; 51. Ellie Wells, Anchorage, 01:02:45; 52. Dalena McKay, Homer, 01:02:52; 53. Julie Deboard, Seward, 01:03:00; 54. Catriona Reynolds, Homer, 01:03:04; 55. Roberta Graham, Anchorage, 01:03:50; 56. Tracy Kalytiak 54, Palmer, 01:03:50; 57. Brenda Beesley, Anchorage, 01:04:09; 58. Lenka Suthard, Homer, 01:04:12; 59. Sharon Oyao, Kenai, 01:04:29; 60. Tracey Blain, Anchorage, 01:05:27; 61. Ashley Moore, Wasilla, 01:05:29; 62. Laura Peek, Homer, 01:05:32; 63. Nicole Knight, Anchorage, 01:06:57; 64. Amy Russell, Homer, 01:06:57; 65. Nicole Shelden, Kenai, 01:07:34; 66. Kelsey Haas,Homer, 01:07:56; 67. Jessica Goggia, Kenai, 01:08:54; 68. Rebecca Rampton, Soldotna, 01:08:54; 69. Kate Swaby, Soldotna, 01:09:58; 70. Marta Czarnezki, Soldotna, 01:11:17; 71. Rachelle Gruenberg, Kenai, 01:12:32; 72. Betsy McKitrick, Anchorage, 01:13:30; 73. Brittany Jones, Homer, 01:17:47; 74. Ally Rulison, Garden Grove, 01:19:13; 75. Mindy Rulison, Garden Grove, 01:19:54; 76. Brie Wallace, Ninilchik, 01:19:58; 77. Becky Hart 28, Soldotna, 01:20:07; 78. Laura Brooks, Homer, 01:21:12; 79. Almeria Alcantra, Palmer, 01:21:36; 80. Stacy Tronnier, Kenai, 01:22:03; 81. Denise Demetree-Trombley, Chugiak, 01:22:21; 82. Courtney Forbes, Anchorage, 01:22:39; 83. Katie Gatica, Homer, 01:24:00; 84. Ruth Dickerson, 01:25:13; 85. Bessie Norcross, Seward, 01:27:07; 86. Kelly Lincoln, Toksook Bay, 01:27:07; 87. Peggy Ostrom, Homer, 01:28:18; 88. Penny Furnish, Kenai, 01:29:20; 89. Hailey Nelson, Wasilla, 01:31:09; 90. Meagan Nelson, Wasilla, 01:31:10; 91. Rosetta Alcantra, Palmer, 01:32:03; 92. Kristin Wouk, Palmer, 01:36:22; 93. Katie Marden, Homer, 01:36:31; 94. Channing Lowney, Homer, 01:40:55; 95. Claire Kiesel, Homer, 01:41:30; 96. Sharlyn Young, Homer, 01:43:41; 97. Bailey Young, Homer, 01:43:42; 98. Suzanne Haines, Homer, 01:45:20; 99. Terri Spigelmyer, Homer, 01:45:20; 100. Lyn Maslow, Homer, 01:45:20; 101. Maria Cardoza, Homer, 01:47:39; 102. Sara Kastendieck, Homer, 01:47:40; 103. Shana Cardoza, Homer, 01:47:42; 104. Natalia Kientz, Homer, 01:48:26; 105. Kendall Groves, Homer, 01:48:26; 106. Jennifer Groves, Homer, 01:48:26; 107. Susan Trent, Waimanalo, 01:49:31; 108. Claire Waxman, Homer, 01:51:39; 109. Christy Martinez, Homer, 01:52:26; 110. Janet Paeth, Bainbridge Island ,01:53:13; 111. Louise Manley, Homer, 01:53:13; 112. Chelsea Palmer, Homer, 01:53:49; 113. Tabitha Piek, Homer, 01:53:49; 114. Violet Craig, Anchorage, 01:56:55; 115. Aunnie Steward, Anchorage, 01:56:55; 116. Misti Michael, Palmer, 01:59:07; 117. Jessica Monahan, Provo, 01:59:43; 118. Meredith Kiesel, Pittsford, 02:14:06; 119. Mardell Kiesel, Anchorage ,02:14:07.

Cosmic Hamlet Half Marathon

Men’s race:

1. Jesse Ross, Gilford, 01:24:53; 2. Denver Waclawski, Homer, 01:27:36; 3. Jacob Bera, Chugiak, 01:28:45; 4. Torrey Short, Homer, 01:28:58; 5. Kyle McNally, Soldotna, 01:35:47; 6. Brian Burns, Homer, 01:40:37; 7. Tony Horton, Anchorage, 01:44:32; 8. David Lambert, Anchorage, 01:52:02; 9. Rich Rulison, Garden Grove, 01:52:35; 10. Dereck Bynagle, Fritz Creek, 01:54:26; 11. Mike Ostrom, Homer, 01:57:41; 12. Aaron Bolton, Homer, 02:05:17; 13. Ron Nelson, Wasilla, 03:00:13; 14. Ricardo Delgado, Hialeah, 03:21:13.

Women’s race:

1. Heidi Bock, Texas, 01:27:39; 2. Lauren Kuhns, Homer, 01:29:53; 3. Alayne Tetor, Homer, 01:41:43; 4. Amanda Waggoner, Kenai, 01:41:57; 5. Kristen Buckwalter, Homer, 01:46:35; 6. Kamie Miller, Eagle River, 01:49:35; 7. Carly Reimer, Soldotna, 01:54:50; 8. Maria Dammeyer, Soldotna, 01:56:10; 9. Elizabeth Roedl, Homer, 01:57:39; 10. Kari Konrath-Bera, Chugiak, 01:58:46; 11. Ashley Davidson, Claekmas, 01:58:58; 12. Mallory Okuly, Homer, 02:01:58; 13. Saundra Hudson, Homer, 02:04:27; 14. Lauren Pilatti, Nikiski, 02:05:53; 15. Chisato Johnson, Kasilof, 02:09:45; 16. Michelle Decapria, Watkins Glen, 02:09:48; 17. Sarah Kleedehn, Anchorage, 02:10:00; 18. Mary Ann Renkert, Anchorage, 02:10:00; 19. Marina Polushkin, Homer, 02:11:55; 20. Angela Craft, Anchorage, 02:13:11; 21. Amy Baxter, Soldotna, 02:13:46; 22. Carrie Pulliam, Nashville, 02:13:53; 23. Yvonne Leutwyler, Homer, 02:16:10; 24. Erika Fitzgerald, Fritz Creek, 02:16:51; 25. Natalie Bickers, Palmer, 02:18:19; 26. Haley Morrissey, Anchorage, 02:20:01; 27. Aimie Chase, Anchorage, 02:20:40; 28. Danielle Meyers, Homer, 02:21:46; 29. Meghan Barker, Homer, 02:24:40; 30. Cary Griffith, Littleton, 02:25:06; 31. Melinda Erickson, Homer, 02:25:06; 32. Kathy Irwin, Homer, 02:31:23; 33. Joan Nelson, Wasilla, 03:00:13.

Reach Megan Pacer at mpacer@homernews.com.