Top Dog: Glenview's Jake Breen, 11, Wins 5K Race For Pet Rescue

GLENVIEW, IL — In a race that had fans cheering, and some even barking, Glenview's Jake Breen, 11, was the overall winner of the Run for the Dogs 5K Sunday at Blue Star Memorial Woods. The Willowbrook Elementary School fifth-grader finished with a time of 20 minutes, 34 seconds, to beat out a field of 309 participants.

"If I'm doing this now, imagine how I'll do in 10 years," Breen told Patch Monday.

"Jake has a gift for distance running," said Justin Breen, Jake's father. "He doesn't train. He just runs. It is fun to see a natural gift in real time."

Breen's brother, Chase, 9, who is a fourth-grader at Willowbrook, finished 20th overall with a time of 25:05.

Laura Shaw, of Rochelle, was the top female finisher in Sunday's race with a time of 23:30, which was good for 13th overall.

All proceeds from the race will support Wright-Way Rescue, a nonprofit Chicago animal adoption center based in Morton Grove. Wright-Way was founded by Christy Anderson in 2003. The organization's mission is "to reduce the number of homeless pet euthanized in the Midwest each year through an adoption program, community education, promotion of spaying and neutering, and a veterinary medicine program."

Below are the top 10 male and female finishers. For complete results, visit here.

TOP 10 MALE FINISHERS

1. Jake Breen, 11, of Glenview (Northbrook address), 20 minutes, 34 seconds
2. Nathan Doherty, 23, Chicago, 21:06
3. Joel Russ, 36, Oak Park, 21:11
4. Robbie Birse, 57, Naperville, 21:34
5. Zacharie Jombart, 32, Bristol, Wisconsin, 21:40
6. Shuman Chehade, 43, 21:43
7. D. Mucha, 11, Highland Park, 21:50
8. Vito Florio, 62, Arlington Heights, 22:00
9. Samuel Neal, 33, Chicago, 22:26
10. Andrew Lueck, Glenview, 22:38

TOP 10 FEMALE FINISHERS

1. Laura Shaw, 33, of Rochelle, 23 minutes, 30 seconds
2. Sarah Smith, 29, Libertyville, 24:51
3. Leslie Carter, 59, Libertyville, 26:06
4. Bridget Kropp, 38, Glenview, 26:21
5. Julie Maggio, 62, Morton Grove, 26:22
6. Charlotte Herbolsheimer, 24, Glenview, 26:41
7. Lia Abramovich, 13, Highland Park, 27:22
8. Angela Zarek, 34, Chicago, 28:05
9. Lorie Herrera, 34, Harwood Heights, 28:32
10. Nicole Weiss, 51, Northbrook, 28:44