First leg: Canalway Half Marathon kicks off 2024 Towpath Trilogy

Canalway kicked off its 2024 Towpath Trilogy race series with the Towpath Half and 5 Mile Race in the Cleveland Metroparks Ohio & Erie Canal Reservation in Cuyahoga Heights last Sunday, April 14.

More than 300 runners participated in the half marathon, and more than 200 runners took the five-mile challenge.

Mitchell Kozik, 25, of Wadsworth placed first overall, with a time 1:10: 45:05; Bryce Pulley, 33, of Cuyahoga Falls placed second with a time of 1:19:35:53; and Jack Burgeson, 32, of Cleveland placed third with a time of 1:23:58:34.

Natalie Hill, 29, of Broadview Heights led the women with a time of 1:31:42:73; Jennie Swires, 43, of Mantua place second with a time of 1:38:30:36; and Virginia Sanderson, 19, of Oberlin placed third with a time of 1:38:42:15.

Nicholas Murphy of Alliance, Jeff Chen of Northfield, and Michelle Hrehocik of North Royalton finished in the top three spots in the 5 Mile Race.

FreshWater managing photographer Bob Perkoski caught the runners in action and their supporters cheering them on and enjoying the day.

The next event in the Towpath Trilogy is the Towpath Twilight, with 5K, 10K, and 10 mile races on June 14, and the Towpath Marathon on Oct. 5.

Bob Perkoski
Bob Perkoski

About the Author: Bob Perkoski

Bob is managing photographer with FreshWater as well as a Cleveland freelance photographer. His photographic approach is rooted in the art of storytelling. Whether freezing the energy of an event, encapsulating the magic of a performance, or astutely anticipating the decisive moments, his work displays an innate ability to distill the essence of any scene or subject into a single frame or series of work. In addition, Bob is the official photographer for LAND studio and Holden Forest and Gardens and has worked with various Cleveland organizations. In 2019 he published a book of his photos Rust Belt Burlesque. He's had work published in other books like LGBTQ Cleveland by Ken Schneck, Rust Belt Chic: The Cleveland Anthology, Rust Belt Chic: The Pittsburgh Anthology and Moon Cleveland by Douglas Trattner. Previously he was co-founder/art director for Balanced Living Magazine. You can view his versatile portfolio of work, which includes news coverage, portraiture, architectural and fine art at Perkoski Photography. Originally from Conneaut, Ohio, Perkoski now lives close to the city in Parma. He has been Fresh Water's managing photographer since the publication's September 2010 inception.