Fans eagerly looked on to see who would cross the finish line of this year’s 34th annual Fitger’s 5k. Most expected Duluth’s Scott Behling to snap the ribbon and he did just that.

Winning his fifth Fitger’s 5k on Saturday with a time of 15:56, marking his 12th ever 1st place finish in an event put on by Grandma’s Marathon.

“I like the Fitger’s 5K it’s a good rust buster this early in the year. Especially with the winter we’ve had it’s been tough to get out the door. Just trying to see where my fitness is. I was like a minute slower than what I would like, but still a good effort regardless, this early in the year,” stated Behling.

Alyssa Nash, a Minneapolis native was the first female to cross the finish line posting a time of 19:22 in her first ever Fitger’s 5k appearance.

“I started with my friend Jenny, and we just decided to kind of go all out. Her method was fast, faster, fastest for each mile. So we started together and just kind of tried to continue to go faster,” claimed Nash.

Nash is originally from Sioux City, Iowa, but arrived in Minnesota when she attended Hamline University in the Twin Cities. Running cross country as well as track and field for the Pipers.

While this is the second time Behling has won back-to-back Fitger’s 5ks, the last of which in 2016 and 2017.

“He’s the guy to beat and then to see a first time winner on the women’s side is fantastic as well. It’s fun to see that local type of competition, Grandmas Marathon is on a different kind of level where we bring in runners from all over the country and all over the world,” said Grandmas Marathon Public Relation Director Zach Schneider.

“So it’s fun to see people that we know competing for wins at something like the Fitger’s 5k, it’s something that’s always great to see,” concluded Schneider.