Running is a cool thing for many to do, and a breeze for some. Running a race was both for everyone involved at the 48th Annual Rooster Run, at Fairfield Hills, on June 18. With temperatures unseasonably cool, in the 60s, and occasionally blustery conditions, participants did not have to beat the heat in a mid-June race for a change — only the competition.

Leading the way in the 5K race was Prospect’s Trevor Genthe, 13, who crossed the finish line in a time of 18:48. Southbury’s Charlotte Murphy, 15, was the top female, completing the course in 21:10; Murphy finished sixth overall.

This was the first race for Genthe, who said “it felt good” coming out on top.

“It was really fun. It was my first 5K in a long time,” Murphy said.

Newtown’s Philip Tisi, 40, won the 10K race in 40:11. Sandy Hook’s Samantha Hatcher, 16, was the top female, clocking in at 52:10, good for 22nd overall.

Tisi said he was striving to finish in under 40 minutes but was still pleased with the win.

“The weather was great — the cool day was amazing. The wind was a little tricky because you felt like it was always in your face,” Tisi said.

For Hatcher, the success was as much surprising as it was rewarding.

“I’m really excited. I wasn’t expecting to place,” she said.

It was a family event for the Hatchers with parents Rob (10K) and Christy (5K) and Samantha’s sibling Eli (5K) all running. In fact, their dog even got in on the action as Eli took Chandler on a leash for the course.

The husband-wife tandem of Bill and Pat Smith, of Sandy Hook, each won their 70 and over age division. Bill, 80, completed the course in 35:14 and Pat, 75, finished in 35:11. Pat Smith said the couple got involved with running road races a decade ago when they were looking for a way to commemorate Bill Smith’s 70th birthday.

The Rooster Run events, including the Little Chicks Dash for the youngest children, were hosted by Newtown Parks & Recreation and benefitted the Newtown Scholarship Association. This year the 10K course was modified to make it easier for participants to follow, and with less impact on Fairfield Hills campus activities; the new course kept runners on the trails, while in the past it had them on the roadways within the campus.

Cody Gotthardt, 28, of Newtown, was the second-fastest finisher in the 5K, completing the course in 20:19. Rounding out the top 10 in the 5K were Henry Prout, 15, of Newtown 21:02; Ryan Scelia, 13, Brookfield also in 21:02; Murphy in sixth; John Wlasuk, 29, Phoenix, Ariz., 21:23; Matthew Hoeken, 17, Sandy Hook, 21:29; Claudio Goncalves, 40, Monroe 22:12; and Robert Hughes, 46, Monroe 22:14.

For the 10K: Hadrian Gardner, 30, of Newtown was second in 42:27; Richard Fernandes, 43, of Waterbury was third in 42:37; Jeremy Titus, 52, of Durham, was fourth in 44:09; James Matheny, 57, of Stamford came in fifth in 44:43; Alejandro Lopez, 29, of Brookfield was sixth with a time of 45:11; Cooper Holbrook, 28, of Milford, was seventh in 46:06; Tim Connors, 56, of Hartland, Vermont, came in eighth in 46:23; Rob Hatcher, 52, of Sandy Hook was ninth in 46:39; and Matthew Praino, 28, of Sleepy Hollow, N.Y., was tenth in 46:50.

Those who finished the 10K in places 11 through 15 are all from Newtown/Sandy Hook, as follows: Jack Meade, 14, 46:50; John Gonski, 50, 46:54; Sean Prince, 39, 47:24; Bennett Leake, 39, 47:38; Jonathan Grauer, 44, 48:28.

For complete results, visit the Plattsys Timing Results webpage at http://www.plattsys.com/ptsrun.php.

Sports Editor Andy Hutchison can be reached at andyh@thebee.com.