NATCHEZ &045; With the absence of several recent winners at the 26th annual Natchez Community Hospital River City Classic held in downtown Natchez Saturday, new champions would emerge.

Rob Oates of Jackson was the first male 10K (6.2 mile) runner to cross the finish line and be the overall men’s winner with a time of 36 minutes, 14 seconds &045; the same time as last year’s male champion, Alan Gerstle.

&uot;It’s an excellent run course,&uot; Oates said. &uot;Excellent support. I appreciate all the fans for coming out. It’s a challenging course. I think I ran pretty well.&uot;

While the 36:13 time was a personal best for Oates on this course, he said he could’ve done a little better but was indeed satisfied finishing first.

David Hefley of Nashville, Tenn., finished second overall with a time of 36:33 and Miles Martin Jr. of Florence was third with a time of 39:27.

Mary Lohrenz, also from Jackson, was the 10K overall women’s winner as she crossed the finish line in 45 minutes, 41 seconds.

&uot;I just am very thankful to be running. It’s a gift I’ve been given. It’s a God-given gift,&uot; Lohrenz said. &uot;It’s the only run I know of where you can run by beautiful antebellum homes.&uot;

The 45:41 was a personal best for Lohrenz in the 10K run.

&uot;For any runner, whether you come in first or come in last, it’s just finishing the race and doing the best you can. The people here are so nice and the Mississippi Track Club is a wonderful organization.&uot;

Ashley Carrillo of Raymond, the overall women’s winner in 2002, finished second with a time of 48:02 &045; nearly five minutes slower than her winning time two years ago.

&uot;I didn’t really train because it was raining,&uot; Carrillo said. &uot;I had been training for one mile and two mile, but the six mile. But I have to train this week for the six-mile Run Through History in Vicksburg (which is next Saturday).&uot;

Suzy Seeber of West Monroe, La., finished third with a time of 48:08.

But was was also different about this year’s event was the new sponsor, Natchez Community Hospital, after Taco Bell had sponsored this event for many years.

Nearly 120 runners participated in the 10K, at least 55 walkers were in the 5K and close to 200 kids were in the one-mile run and were treated to sunny yet cool weather.

Debbie Cheney of Vicksburg was the women’s overall winner in the 5K (3.1 mile) walk for the third straight year, finishing first with a time of 26:42 minutes.

&uot;This is my personal record for this course,&uot; Cheney said. &uot;I am very surprised. I took three months off, not training as much. I am very happy.&uot;