Trevor Frey/Daily News Runners await the starting cannon Saturday before the Medical Center 10K Classic on University Boulevard.

Nena Clubb ran on her wedding day, but not away from the altar.

The Bowling Green bride-to-be stood on University Boulevard, amidst a large group of participants in The Medical Center 5K at 7:30 a.m. Saturday, 11 hours before she was due to exchange vows with Nicholas Cook, also of Bowling Green.

&#8220I’m a runner and it de-stresses me,” Clubb said. &#8220I couldn’t sleep past 5 a.m. anyway because I’m too nervous.”

Clubb began the 5K surrounded by her mom, Denise Clubb, her aunt, Elaine Davis, bridesmaid and cousin Maureen Clubb and wedding assistant Keelie Lindsey. The ladies wore shirts bearing messages like, &#8220Get Outta My Way, I’m Getting Married Today!” and &#8220Runaway Bridesmaid.”

Davis, who drove from Salt Lake City, Utah, to attend the wedding, wore a shirt that read, &#8220I drove 1,700 miles and walked the last 3.1 miles to see my niece get married today.”

As she ran across the finish line right around the 30-minute mark, Clubb’s party of five was considerably reduced. She was accompanied only by Lindsey, who managed to keep up with her friend every step of the way.

&#8220That’s her wedding gift,” Lindsey said. &#8220That’s all she’s getting.”

The girls eventually reunited with the rest of the group before heading to an appointment at the hair salon.

Kris and Molly Sensenbrenner of Louisville, former Bellarmine University track and cross country runners, swept the female and male 5K winners list with times of 17 minutes and just under 21 minutes, respectively.

Molly Sensenbrenner also ran cross country and track while a student at Greenwood High School, then known as Molly Wallace. The Medical Center 10K Classic was a longtime tradition for her Bowling Green family, she said.

&#8220My dad used to run it back in the ’80s so we’ve all just run it over the years,” she said. &#8220It’s good to come back here and race.”

The Wallace family isn’t the only one making the 10K classic a family tradition.

William Natcher Elementary fourth-grader Olivia Callahan, 9, was preparing to run the Center Care Children’s Classic with her sister, Kathryn, 11, after the two cheered on their father, Zac Callahan, in the 10K race.

&#8220I want to come out here and run because it makes me healthy,” Olivia said. &#8220I feel great afterward.”

Twin sisters Jennifer and Jessica Smith, 7, were also planning to run the Children’s Classic together and end the day with a trip to Baskin-Robbins.

But even more than ice cream, &#8220running is my favorite thing,” Jessica said.

&#8220When I run a lot, sometimes my side hurts, but I just want to finish the race,” added Jennifer as the two sat together, watching runners pass in the 10K.

Franklin resident Rita Downey, an ATM operator at Harman-Becker, also stood in the crowd of spectators, cheering on relatives and co-workers in the 10K.

&#8220I haven’t ever seen the race before. I’ve enjoyed it,” Downey said. &#8220It’s amazing how enthusiastic they are, and how fit!”

In addition to physical fitness, there is a mental component to the race, said Matt Davis of Bowling Green, who placed second in the wheelchair race.

&#8220It’s all a mind game – ‘Just get up this next hill,’ ” said Davis, who works at Western Kentucky University, the site of the start and finish lines.

Davis competed in the Boston Marathon in April and will leave for Japan later this week to participate in the Oita International Wheelchair Marathon, but his fascination with competitive races began with The Medical Center’s annual event in Bowling Green. This was his eighth year participating.

&#8220I think a lot of people, especially with spinal cord injuries, who were maybe active before – now that they can see there is something out there that you can do after you get injured, it’s a good thing,” Davis said.

Overall participation was up this year by a few hundred competitors, according to Tommy Loving, race co-chairman and director of the Bowling Green-Warren County Drug Task Force.

Participants came from at least eight states, Washington, D.C., and New Zealand, added Joe Tinius, race co-chairman and acting superintendent of Bowling Green city schools.

&#8220It is regional in the sense that that’s where the majority of our runners come from, but we continue to draw people from a great distance,” Tinius said, adding that the course change implemented this year to direct competitors through downtown Bowling Green proved to be a popular decision.

&#8220We felt like it would be a nice, unique route with the older homes, the park and the Justice Center,” he said. &#8220We heard several people say they enjoyed seeing the sights of downtown.”

Another aspect of the annual event is the random drawing of the names of four race participants to win major cash prizes.

In the drawing on Saturday, Lynn Martin of Bowling Green won $2,000, Gary Warren of Louisville won $3,000, Courtney Collins of Bowling Green won $5,000 and Bob Nylin of Russellville won $10,000.