Video: 34th Annual July 4 Race

People from all over Ohio (runners, speed-walkers and those pushing baby strollers and walking dogs) participated in North Canton's 34th Annual July 4 Race Monday.

It's the oldest and largest in the county, with about 2,420 participating this year — a record for the race.

North Canton Patch stopped by to see the excitement as people ran in the two-mile and five-mile races and literally danced in the street before the July 4 parade kicked off about 10:30 that morning.

Winning the five-mile race was Navarre native Ridge Robinson, who just graduated with a communications degree from Ohio University. Robinson finished the race with a time of 24:14.

He plans to win a few more this summer, too. He's participating in an elite series within the Subway Challenge (which is what Monday's race was part of). He's ranked according to how well he does in six out of 10 races. So far, he's won two races with four more to go and has his eye on the grand prize of $2,000.

"They only count your best six, so as long as I win all six, I'm good," Robinson said.

And check out our photos of Nathaniel Allen, 15, from GlenOak High School, and Paul Feltes, 34, a graduate of GlenOak High School. Both were awarded with the Ron Russell Perseverance Award Monday morning. The two received the honor from Elaine Reolfi, daughter of Ron Russell, a member of the YMCA who exercised steadily into his 80s.

"He really pushed everyone around him to reach their potential," Reolfi said.

And we can't forget the , who has organized the race for 25 years now. (We've got a clip of her accepting a bouquet of flowers in the video.)