Schnurbusch, Pazin, Luebbers, Green win top honors at City of Roses 5k

KBSI FOX23 News at 9 p.m.

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo., (KBSI) — The 45th annual City of Roses Half Marathon and 5K brought nearly 200 runners to Cape Girardeau on Saturday, with competitors representing 13 states, including Florida, Arizona, Maryland and Texas.

In the 5K, Benjamin Schnurbusch took first place overall with a time of 16:46. Mercy Green, 24, was the top female finisher, crossing the line in 24:49.

In the half marathon, Jack Pazin, 25, of Columbia, Tennessee, captured first place overall with a time of 1:14:00. Lindsey Luebbers, 31, of Cape Girardeau, was the top female finisher.

The race began at 7 a.m. at the Osage Center and was hosted by the Cape Girardeau Road Runners. This year marked the 45th anniversary of the event, which has featured multiple course variations over the years.

Runners celebrated with post-race pancakes and bacon served by “flipmaster” Levi Ambler, with timing services provided by Red Runner Racing. Organizers noted the event produced many personal bests as participants tackled the challenging course.