Photo by Sam Yu An estimated 1,200 runners participated in The Gazette Twilight 5K race Saturday night at the Frederick Fairgrounds as the first event of the Frederick Running Festival. This was the scene at the start of the race.

The 18-year-old Thomas Johnson High School senior crossed the finish line at the Great Frederick Fairgrounds track to win the men's open division with a time of 17 minutes, 30.18 seconds.

Orellana, who runs cross country and track for the Patriots, said he felt good about winning the race, but wished there had been a course walk in advance of the start.

"I was kind of lost the whole time," he said. "I didn't know where I was. There were no mile markers, anything I could reference, but it was still a good course to run on."

Saturday's race was confined to the fairgrounds property. Today's main event, the Frederick Marathon, starts on the fairgrounds, heads out through the city and the county and returns to the fairgrounds for the finish.

Orellana said he owed some of his success to his pre-race meal Friday.

"I think I ate about half my weight in Chef Boyardee last night," he said.

The race attracted 1,500 runners.

He said the pasta meal gave him extra energy for the event, but had some other preparations as well.

"I also went swimming this morning and did a little jogging," Orellana said. "I sort of worked out in advance."

Jennifer Cannon, 31, of Alexandria, Va., won the women's open title (21:06.44).

Orellana said there was one small hill on the course, which he handled with ease. He took the lead at the halfway point of the race.

"We were heading back to the finish line and that's when I took the lead," Orellana said. "It was kind of boring when I opened up a big lead and I was out there by myself. I like being pushed and having someone with me."

Orellana was more than 30 seconds ahead of his challenger, Logan Jones (14), of Frederick , who finished in 18:12.18. Perry Rapp, of Lexington Park, finished third (18:12.22); Joshua Chand, of Union Bridge, got fourth (18:52.64); and Stephen Schuurman, of Clearbrook, Va., was fifth (19:11.07).

Cannon, who is in the Army, stationed at Fort McNair in Washington, said she heard about the Frederick race through her friends and thought she would give it a try.

"I belong to a running club in the Alexandria area," she said. "I run all the time and it looked like this race would be fun."

Cannon said she used her running expertise to plan her strategy.

"I kept an easy pace," she said. "I think I took the lead about 2 to 2 1/2 miles into the race."

Talia Ringer, of College Park, was second in the women's open division (21:29.12); Lauren McKee Spencer, of Sykesville, got third (21:44.03); Ruth Schluter, of Mount Airy , finished fourth (21:56.78); and Crissy Sharp, of Odenton, got fifth (22:06.55).