Runners from across the Southeast showed up to the Pickens Star Lodge on Saturday morning for the Hot Biscuit 5K Road Race, serving as a chance to go up against some of the fastest runners in the area while doing so in a local location.The race began at 8:05 a.m. on Saturday and saw runners head down Old Federal Road in Jasper and head towards the city’s duck pond as part of a course that several of the veteran runners in the race deemed to be quite difficult.

It seemed as if the race had barely gotten underway before the leaders returned to the start/finish line to complete their time trial, as Geno Phillips became the first contestant to complete the 5K with a time of 17:33. Before too long the remaining runners started reaching the line in droves, successfully starting their weekend with an impressive 5K run under their belts.

This year’s annual Hot Biscuit 5K marks the seventeenth time the event has been held in Jasper, and judging by the turnout from Saturday’s competition, it will surely not be the last.