A lot of fresh faces took home first-place finishes in Saturday’s Over the River Run — including one who wasn’t so fresh.

Armando Marquez, a 58-year-old from Belzoni, got his first overall win in the 5-mile run that goes over the Mississippi River into Louisiana and back. Marquez completed the race in 30 minutes and 34 seconds to become the oldest winner in the race’s 28-year history.

The old record was held by Jeff Hathorn, who was 46 when he won in 2003.

“I worked a long time for this race,” Marquez said. “I practiced everyday. It’s a good competition.”

Marquez beat Bo Smith — 53 years old himself — by a minute. Marquez said the run was tough, but he has been working hard to improve his times. A few years ago he was running a 39-minute pace, but this year he got it done nine minutes faster.

Marquez said after running with the pack for the first mile, he advanced into the lead and stayed in front the rest of the race. While Marquez has won races in Indianola, Belzoni and Rolling Fork, he was proud to get this win for the first time.

“It’s a nice race here,” he said.

Marquez decided to run in Saturday’s race because he knew the competition would be fierce. He has competed in the Over the River Run a couple of times, but was happy to finally win it.

“I (turned) 58 last week,” he said. “On Sept. 29 I was 58, and I’m still running.”

The women’s winner was also a first-timer. Vicksburg resident Ashley Mason, 37, said this was her sixth year to run over the river.

“This is my favorite race so we try to do this one every year,” Mason, who ran with her husband, said. “The weather is usually good. There is a lot of good crowd support and a fun after party.”

She said the weather was great for running. Even though there was a little wind, she went into it knowing to expect the gusts and said it didn’t impact her. Mason finished in 35:40 and said it was a good time for her.

Her two children ran in the 1-mile fun run. Her 9-year-old son Adler won that race in 6:31. Ashley Mason said he was convinced he was going to win it all this year, and he accomplished his goal for the first time. Last year he came in second.

Mari Miller Theobald, 11, was the first girl to finish the fun run, just after Adler in 6:40. Like the others before her, she had run in this race before but never won.

“I always used to get either third or second, but I’ve never gotten first overall,” Theobald said.

The sixth-grader is on the St. Aloysius cross-country team this year, and she said she felt really good on the course across the bridge.

“It went very smoothly. This year, for some reason, it felt easier,” Theobald said, adding it could have been because of her recent cross-country training.

Cross country typically doesn’t train on the weekends, so she came out Saturday to get in a little practice before the last two meets of the season. She started the race at a sprint, slowed down in the middle, and then sped up at the turn, she said. Theobald beat her best time and set a new personal record.

“The fastest time I had ever done was like 7 minutes,” she said.

The only repeat winner was Larry Robinson Jr., 47, of Forest who won his fourth 5-mile Over the River Run race walk in 47:42.

“It was tough. This was my best time ever,” Robinson said.

Robinson did not compete last year, but said the course was just like he remembered and the wind, like in years past, helped him out. He took the lead at the start and never looked back to see his competition.

“I feel comfortable once I get about 40 or 50 yards out,” he said.

Robinson said he typically competes in 5K races, or 3.1 miles, and this race challenges him because of the extra two miles. He competes in about 20 races a year, and recently found out he won the circuit slam and has a trophy waiting on him.

The Vicksburg Slam awards prizes to the top registered finishers in the Over the River Run, Chill in the Hills, and Run Thru History.

“I love Vicksburg,” he said. “Every time I come up here I just love it.”

The first-time women’s race walk winner was Becky Bryant, 59, of Crystal Springs. She finished with a time of 56:53.

“I broke my PR (personal record) for here. That’s the best I’ve ever done here,” Bryant said. “Usually it’s like 59.”

She said she was racing right alongside one of the top women’s competitors most of the way until they got to the turn.

“We were neck and neck and when we turned I got ahead of her and I stayed ahead of her the whole time,” Bryant said.

In 2010, Bryant said she was in a wheelchair. She decided to start walking on her own that year, and she started race-walking in May 2012. She said this was her third Over the River Run, and said she has been competing consistently over the past few years including at the World Senior Games.

“I loved it and kept doing it,” Bryant said. “In my first race I got grand masters so I decided I can do this and have stayed with it ever since.”

She is also a member of the Mississippi Track Club.

“They inspire me. That’s actually what keeps me going, all of my friends encouraging me and having something to look forward to every weekend,” Bryant said.

Southern Cultural Heritage Foundation executive director Stacey Massey estimated between 650 and 700 people from Mississippi, Louisiana, Montana, Arkansas, Texas, New Jersey, Florida, Missouri registered for the race. A total of 505 finished it.