TERREBONNE — As the sun peeked over Gray Butte from the blue sky to kiss the tops of the brown spires at Smith Rock State Park, nearly 200 runners took off. Their challenge on this crisp, clear Saturday morning: the half-marathon portion of the 2013 Smith Rock Sunrise Summer Classic.

When they returned — 180 runners completed the 13.1-mile race — they found the park fully enveloped in sunshine. Jared Parmer was the first half-marathon runner to be greeted by the world-renowned towers that flanked the finish line.

“I know why it’s called the Sunrise (Summer) Classic now,” the 32-year-old Eagle Point resident said. “The sun comes out and hits the rocks — it’s just beautiful.”

Parmer finished the half-marathon course, which began and ended at Smith Rock State Park, in 1 hour, 18 minutes, 56 seconds, to take first place overall in just his third half marathon ever, and during his first visit to Smith Rock.

“I just sat back for the first couple of miles … so I set my eyes on the guy in the lead (Bend’s Monty Gregg),” Parmer said. “I think we ran 8 or 9 miles together. After that (at Mile 10 and with 3.1 miles left), I was still feeling good, so I just went for it. I cruised in.”

The 41-year-old Gregg, who took fourth overall in this race in 2012, finished second with a time of 1:20:33, followed by Bend’s J.J. Howard, 41, who came across the finish line in 1:22:08.

For the women, Jamie Hurd, of Madras, took top honors, logging a time of 1:36:50 to come in 12th overall.

“That was a beautiful course,” said Hurd, 30. “I just kept looking around. … It kind of takes a bit of the pain out. It’s like, ‘Oh, there’s a hill there, but oh, there’s Smith Rock.’ ”

Bend’s Natalia Martin, 37, finished second among the women with a time of 1:37:34, and Nicole Pearson, 32 and from Portland, took third in 1:38:17.

Portland’s Matt Gadbaw, 40, covered the 10-kilometer course in 42:50 to finish as the top overall and male finisher, and Betsy Kolberg, 22 and also from Portland, was the top female runner and was fourth overall among the 65 finishers with a time of 49:27.

Bend’s Andrew Young (17:09), 30, was the top overall finisher and male winner in the 5K, and Blodgett’s Quinn Damitio (22:31), 14, was the first female across and placed seventh overall in a field of 45 finishers.

In the half-marathon wheelchair division, Bend’s Danielle Watson, 30 and the lone finisher in the class, successfully defended her 2012 crown by finishing in 1:36:21.

For complete results of the half-marathon, 10K, 5K and half-marathon wheelchair divisions, see Scoreboard..