Brian Wardell was only a pace ahead of 15-year-old Matt Siegel when the pair crossed the finish line in front of Cascade View Elementary School ahead of all comers.

“He did all the dirty work,” said Wardell, a Mountlake Terrace man who runs competitively in the age 30-34 division.

Siegel, who attends Eastside Catholic High School, led up to the three-mile mark on Saturday’s third annual Snoqualmie Ridge Turkey Trot. He’s new to distance competition, but, like many of the participants at Saturday’s 5K footrace, he finds plenty of reasons to keep running, even in challenging conditions.

Frigid temperatures in the 30s greeted the 500 runners who came to Snoqualmie Ridge. Wardell brought five layers of clothing, but didn’t need them on account of the Trot’s hilly nature.

“It felt really good to finally cross it,” said father-of-two Israel Ginn, an Alaska man who ran alongside wife Ariel and pushed children Ezra, 5, and Zara, 1, in a double stroller. “There was a lot of hills.

Gail Hall, the women’s first-place finisher who hailed from the over-50 division, managed the five kilometers in 20:45. She loved watching the younger runners complete their 1K children’s race; the sport itself makes her feel good.

“I do not care for indoor, stationary machines,” Hall said. “It’s not about the sweat, the workout. It’s just the fresh air, being outside. I’ll run in all kinds of weather.”

“I want to keep running for the rest of my life,” said Mount Si High School senior Richard Carmichael, who finished sixth overall, a step behind fellow Wildcat Ben Houldridge. The two teens finished at 17:40 and 17:38 respectively.

“This is just the beginning,” said Carmichael, who just wrapped the fall cross country season and is now training for spring track.

The Snoqualmie Ridge Turkey Trot is a fundraiser for Snoqualmie Valley elementary schools. You can learn more about the race at http://www.runsnoqualmie.com/