Saturday’s Bronco 5K Run/Walk wasn’t even close when it came to the top finisher amid a record number of participants in the fifth annual event.

Grady Anderson, 18, of Grand Rapids, who will be entering his sophomore year of distance running this fall at North Dakota State University, was all alone out in front when he arrived at the track to make the final lap and finish in 16 minutes, 28.02 seconds, more than 1:32 ahead of his nearest competitor, Jack Jessop, 45, of Auburn, Maine.

Anderson, whose running accolades at Grand Rapids High School include being a Minnesota all-state cross country selection in 2009, said he went out in front and stayed there shortly after the race began behind Falls High School and turned right onto 11th Street.

“I kind of let everybody take off right away, because everybody likes to run fast the first 100 meters, and then I kind of just went from there,” he said. “I just took the lead and kept going.”

Anderson, who noted the conditions were a bit on the warm side but not bad overall when the run/walk began shortly after 9 a.m., said the event served as a training run for him this summer, prior to his return to NDSU to compete in cross country.

“I’m running a half marathon in Stillwater in the middle of August, so right now that’s what I’m training for,” he said.

Anderson has run in college against last year’s Bronco 5K Run/Walk winner, Josh LaBlanc, an FHS alumnus who graduated this spring from the University of North Dakota and did not enter this year’s event.

LaBlanc had also set the course record in 2008, but this year the course was changed in anticipation of construction taking place along Keenan Drive.

The top female runner was Nicole Friend, 26, of International Falls, who finished ninth overall in 20:06. Julie Jensen, 38, was the next female to cross the finish line as she placed 13th in 20:35.13.

While the Bronco 5K Run/Walk is held as an annual fund-raiser for Falls’ track and field teams, several of the 213 finishers were on the boys and girls teams this past spring.

Reggie Gorden, 18, who competed in the 800-meter run as well as some relay races and other events prior to graduating this year, finished third overall in 18:58.49.

The third fastest female runner, Sydney Raboin, 15, who was a Section 7A qualifier as a freshman during 2011 in the 1600 and 3200 runs, placed 15th overall in 20:57.13.

Others who competed for the Broncos this spring and finished the 5K Run/Walk in the top 25 overall include, by name, age, place and time:

• Marco Griffith, 16, 10th, 20:23.09.

• Cade MacKay, 17, 11th, 20:26.40.

• John Sobczynski, 18, 17th, 21:08.55.

• Logan Veillieux, 16, 18th, 21:10.34.

The oldest runner to finish in the top 25 overall was Kevin Johnson, 51, who placed fifth in 19:39.68. The youngest was Lexi Erickson, 12, who finished 25th in 22:17.22.

The ages of the entrants varied from 5-73 with Parker Olson being the youngest and Marilyn Pelowski being the oldest.

Medals were awarded to the top three male and female finishers in each of the designated age categories.

A 400- and 800-meter Kids Fun Run was held on the track following the 5K event.