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The 2014 Mesquite Senior Games road races included runners from ages five to 81.  The races were held April 19 at the Mesquite Sports and Event Complex and included runs of 10 and 5 kilometers and another at one mile.  Runners competed by age groups, with the senior category starting at age 50.

Registrars Kathy Williams and Linda Faas signed up 30 runners for the road races while Charles Williams and Jutta Normoyle provided water and sports drinks as the competitors raced around the sports center track.

The youngest runner in the event was five-year-old Kalen Jensen who attends Virgin Valley Elementary School, and the oldest runner was 81 year-old Dale Perkins of St. George, Utah.

Kalen is coached by his mother Nicole Burton, who is a physical education teacher at Virgin Valley Elementary.

Perkins began competitive running in 2005 and said he has collected “Nearly 100 medals since then,” in various events. “This is my first time running in Mesquite and it has been great, I also ran in the 400-, 800- and 1,500-meter races,” Perkins added.

Kathy Williams and Faas also signed up participants for the free fitness walks on the trails around the sports complex. “This is the first year for the fitness walk and we are hoping to publicize the many trials in the area,” Williams said.

Mesquite has 53 miles of built trails and plans to develop another 87 miles.  There are several new natural surface trails in the vicinity of the Sports and Event Complex, starting at the trailhead on Lower Flat Top Drive.

Williams encourages hikers to meet with her on the first Monday of every month at the trailhead.  “Everyone is welcome, we meet at 8:15 a.m. and start hiking,” said Williams.