Racers speed through Drake Park in Bend just after the start of the Heaven Can Wait 5K Walk and Run in on Sunday morning. Walter Jones, front, led all finishers.

For most of the more than 3,300 participants in Sunday’s Heaven Can Wait 5K Walk/Run for Breast Cancer, the day was far more about the cause than the race.

But for the more competitive types taking part in the ninth annual Bend event, the race produced some fast times as well as winners in a number of competition divisions.

The fastest overall time of the day on the 5-kilometer course, which started and finished in Drake Park, was posted by wheelchair racer Walter Jones of Bend. Jones, racing in the male 20-24 age division, was timed in 17 minutes, 5 seconds.

Finishing second overall was Brian Gingerich of Bend with a time of 17:26. And third overall — first among women — was Lisa Nye, also of Bend. Nye’s time was 18:20.

The third male across the finish line was Bend’s Shane Cochran, with a time of 19:07.

Rounding out the top three females were Jill Gozdowski of Bend, second among the women and seventh overall in 19:45, and Mary Primrose of Bend, the third woman finisher and 11th overall in 20:22.

Among out-of-town entries, Jeannette Groesz of Redmond was the first woman finisher — and first in the female 55-59 age division — with a time of 20:53. And Ian Pihl of Sunriver was the first male finisher, placing fourth in the male 15-19 category with a time of 21:00.

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