Komen Race For Cure Winners Announced
MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- Thousands of runners and walkers participated in the 16th annual Susan G. Komen Miami and Fort Lauderdale Race for the Cure, and two winners were named.
The Race for the Cure began at 8:30 a.m. in front of Bayfront Park in downtown Miami. The crowds of men, women, children and even dogs began arriving around sunrise. The race and walk began at Biscayne Boulevard at NE 3rd Street and loop around downtown Miami. The majority of the runners crossed the finish line by around 10:30 a.m. followed by entertainment and speeches.
In the end, 23-year-old Tommy Barton was named the winner of the men's race. He completed the race in 16 minutes and 20 seconds and was on Team Footworks.
Larissa Sidorovich, 27, was named the winner of the women's race, finishing in 20 minutes and three seconds.
Many survivors wept carrying roses and making their way to the stage, for the annual survivors walk.
Families cheered and cried for their loved ones who are winning the battle against breast cancer.
"My mom is a survivor and this is her tenth year we're celebrating," said Nicole Brown. "My grandmother died of breast cancer in 1988."
Survivors coming over the 5k finish line were greeted with hugs and pink ribbons.
Race participant Ginnie Dreyer said she was in perfect health until getting her diagnosis of breast cancer.
"I have no family history," she said. It put me to the wall, but I'm doing well."
CBS4 also had its own team walking and running in the 5K Komen race.
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and every year the Komen Foundation hosts the race to raise funds for breast cancer research. Participants race to raise cancer research funds, honor survivors and remember the people who didn't survive.
The race also included a 5K walk and run, a one-mile fun run and a tot run for kids ages two to seven-years-old.
The South Florida leg of the national movement had 21,000 participants last year who helped raise $1.6 million for breast cancer research. But this year, more than 25,000 people were expected to participate.
Slideshow: Behind the Scenes of Komen Race for the Cure
To view the race, including CBS4 Komen reports, click here.
Click here to see the Course Map.
Street closures began at 6 a.m.
Since 1996, the Miami/Ft. Lauderdale Komen affiliate has raised more than $11 million for breast cancer screening, treatment and research programs.
Those who were unable to make it to the race were able to watch it during a three-hour live special the morning of the race from 7 to 10 a.m. on CBS4 or via live stream on CBSMIAMI.COM.
Click here for a gallery of Celebrity Breast Cancer Survivors.
