ATHOL — Clear blue skies greeted visitors in downtown Athol, where hundreds gathered Saturday morning to cheer for runners in the annual Big Cheese 5K road race, as well as participants in the River Rat Promenade.

The 5K was sponsored and organized by the Athol Area YMCA, and the parade is under the auspices of the North Quabbin Chamber of Commerce. People lined up along School and Main streets well before the race got underway at around 9:30 a.m. As runners awaited the start of the 5K, the various organizations taking part in the subsequent promenade lined up behind them.

Some of those awaiting the start of the race had stopped first at the Masonic Hall earlier in the morning for a pancake breakfast served up by members of the North Quabbin Lodge of Masons. Among those on hand was George Hamilton, grand master of the Grand Lodge of Masons of Massachusetts, who made the trip from Westborough.

“We’ve got the North Quabbin Lodge right here and they invited us to come, so we gathered everybody we could and came down for a nice day,” said Hamilton, who noted the pancake breakfast appeared to have been a success. “We love parades like this, and it’s a chance to be out in front of the community and support the local lodge. We have a great time, and we enjoy the fellowship.”

Among the runners warming up before the start of the race was Mike Hartjens of Orange. Asked if he runs on a regular basis, Hartjens said, “Not as much anymore. I’ve done a couple of marathons; I ran Boston when I was in college and ran indoor/outdoor and cross country when I was in college. I ran in high school, and I’ve run this every year that it’s existed. I just love running. I’m pretty passionate about it. My best place here is second, so far.”

Hartjens, 28, said he was running the Big Cheese 5K with his younger brother Matthew, who is on the indoor track, outdoor track and soccer teams at Ralph C. Mahar Regional School. Hartjens would end up finishing 30th overall with a time of 24 minutes and 38 seconds.

Athol Fire Chief Joseph Guarnera was also getting ready for the race and parade to begin. He said while the department was participating in the promenade, the community would still be covered in the event of emergencies. The chief added that his team likes being in the parade.

“Everybody does,” he said. “We get to get out there in front of the public and show them the equipment we have and our capabilities. It’s nice.”

While not among the official event organizers, one of those who was very busy before any of the day’s events got underway was Kellie McLaughlin, owner of Kellie’s, a popular local eatery at the corner of Main and School streets.

McLaughlin said, “It’s been a busy morning — always on Rat Day it’s a busy morning. We don’t really plan way ahead for it because we still seat people. I did this year because I did a grab-and-go sandwich so people could just come in and grab a coffee or a drink and a sandwich — they’re already pre-made — and then they’re on their way.”

As planned, the Big Cheese 5K got underway at 9:30, with runners sprinting downhill on School Street. The course took competitors down Main Street, then onto Exchange Street, where the Exchange Street hill presents a challenge to runners. After completing a lap around Silver Lake Park, the pack heads to Crescent Street, then back to Main Street to get to the finish line in front of Town Hall.

The overall winner this year was Nathaniel Belmont, 21, a Royalston native now living in Boston, who finished the race with a time of 21 minutes and 13 seconds.

“The easiest part of the race is right at the beginning,” said Belmont. “It’s a good downhill, then a good flat run right along for about a mile. The hardest part is about a mile and half, 2 miles in; it’s so, so steep. It’s the steepest hill I’ve ever done in a 5K, and it really slows everyone.”

The Big Cheese 5K wasn’t Belmont’s only race of the day. He was also one half of a team competing in the River Rat Race that afternoon.

Close on his heels at the finish line was Belmont’s brother Cyrus, 17, of Royalston, who finished with a time of 21 minutes, 15 seconds. Third place overall went to Andrew Maroni, 34, of Athol, who finished in 21 minutes, 35 seconds.

Finishing first in the women’s category was Athol resident Katie Babineau, 35, who recorded a time of 22 minutes, 23 seconds. She was followed by Caleigh Wall, 17, of Wilbraham, at 23 minutes, 42 seconds; and Ella Reeves, 14, of Athol, who finished in 23 minutes, 55 seconds.

In all, 264 runners took part in this year’s Big Cheese 5K. Full race results can be found at secondwindtiming.com.

Greg Vine can be reached at gvineadn@gmail.com.

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