Melanie Megliore, of Lake Placid, crosses the finish line of the Lake Placid Classic on Saturday, Oct. 9.(News photo — Parker O’Brien)

LAKE PLACID — More than 300 people finished the 50th annual Lake Placid Classic Half Marathon and 10K race on Saturday, Oct. 9.

The race, which is essentially two races in one, saw many runners competing for the top spot, but only four were able to come away with the win.

The first person to reach the finish line was Seth Jackson, of Montpelier, Vermont. Jackson finished the 10K race with a time of 35 minutes, 0.7 seconds.

“It was a beautiful day and it’s hard not to be in a good mood,” Jackson said.

Finishing in first place is something Jackson has become accustomed to — he has won other races this summer. He said this was his first ever win in Lake Placid.

Thomas Gavin, of Lake Placid, runs by during the Lake Placid Classic on Saturday, Oct. 9.(News photo — Parker O’Brien)

“Quarantine got me back on track with training so I have been working through the summer for a couple of weeks,” Jackson said.

Though Jackson had trained all summer, some parts of the course were tricky. He said the hill that gave him some trouble was the one after the bridge on Cascade Road right before the finish line.

“The initial hill on the John Brown’s Farm road is definitely a tough way to start the race,” Jackson said. “But you get that beautiful view at the top, you get a little payback right at the end.”

Nearly four minutes after Jackson, Brian Lovett, of Allentown, Pennsylvania, finished, followed closely by was Jay’s Paul Ford.

Jill Zick was the first woman to cross the finish line in the 10K race with a time of 41:20.6. For Zick, it was her first ever 10K win. She said it was her first win of anything and she was super stoked.

Jill Zick, of Saratoga Springs, runs by during the Lake Placid Classic on Saturday, Oct. 9. (News photo — Parker O’Brien)

“The race was really great. I love running up here,” Zick said. “It’s the most beautiful place in the world for me.”

Zick, 21, is a college student at Saint Lawrence University. She is originally from Saratoga Springs, but her family has property in Lake Placid and she comes up to the area a couple of times a month.

“I consider myself more of a resident of here as opposed to downstate honestly,” Zick said.

Her result was good enough for the sixth place spot overall in the 10K race. Following behind her in the women’s category was Dana Hatton, of Lake Placid, and Syd Steger, of Brockport.

Around 9:30 a.m., Chris Kaplanis came running by to take the top spot in the Half Marathon. Kaplanis finished with a time of 1:24:13.

Kaplanis, of Ridgewood, New Jersey, said he was glad the weather was great.

“It’s a beautiful setting and there is nothing better than this race here in the fall,” Kaplanis said.

Kaplanis said he didn’t necessarily train to win the race, but instead he just always tries to work hard.

“Honestly, I didn’t come here to win. I just came here to have a good time and do my best,” Kaplanis said. “There is a lot of great athletes out there and it was a lot of fun.

“I think this is the first year with this sort of modified course and I thought it was amazing. Hopefully, they keep it. They always do an awesome job here and it’s just an awesome local race.”

Lake Placid’s Marc Galvin, who co-owns the Bookstore Plus and is a village trustee, finished a minute behind to take second. Duncan Stuard, of New York, took third.

Jacqueline Abbanat earned first place in the Women’s Half Marathon with a time of 1:31:46.7, Abbanat isn’t new to winning-she said she last won in 2019, but she doesn’t race that often.

“I just sort of run as a hobby so I kind of race when I feel like it,” Abbanat said. “Really, I just like to run. I don’t really do a lot of races.”

The Classic proved to be difficult. She said that the last couple miles of the race were difficult because of all the hills. She said she even felt sick at the end.

Closely behind Abbanat was Kristen Courcelle, of Colchester, Vermont, who finished about a minute after her. Tupper Lake resident Samantha Davies claimed the third-place spot.

The half-century old race benefits local youth organizations.