EDWARDSVILLE - Maryville resident Tyler Hiserote, a native of Peoria, ran for the first time in the Downtown Dash footrace, a part of the Edwardsville Rotary Criterium Festival bike races since 2018, and came out on top, winning the two-lap, 1.4 race on the course used for the bike races, at 6:59 on Saturday evening in Downtown Edwardsville.

Hiserote watched the race during last year's festival and decided to try it out in 2022.

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"It was my first year of doing this," Hiserote said during a post-race interview. "I'm originally from Peoria, Ill., I moved down here after I graduated from (the University of Illinois-Springfield) in Springfield in 2021, so I've lived down here for about three years now with my girlfriend; we just got engaged actually last weekend, so it's my first year down here. I came to race last year and I found out they had a footrace here, so, actually being a runner, I wanted to try it out and it's my first year coming out and I enjoyed it. It's fun."

Hiserote's strategy going into the race was very simple.

"Well, my first year, I could actually be here and watch the running race and all that," Hiserote said, "so I was aware of the course, but I didn't know who was going to be here, because I'm not from here, so I wanted to feel out the first lap. and know what it was going to be like that first 100 meters or so. There was one guy out there, I think his name was Ethan. I met him, but the only challenge response, trying to push the first lap and I noticed I had (a big) lead going into the second lap, so I was trying to cruise until then, push up the last hill over there and sprint the finish. My goal was to go under seven minutes because I knew that was a pretty good time with the pace I was able to run. I ran 6:59, just managed to do that. So I think I executed my race perfectly."

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The Downtown Dash is more of a fun race for the runners and Hiserote did enjoy himself during the run.

"Yeah, it was super fun," Hiserote said. "A lot of the time, I try to be competitive and go for a (personal record) time. But today, it was about having fun and being out in the community, and becoming a part of it. I loved it, every minute of it."

As far as the remainder of 2022, Hiserote has some races he'll compete in, including a big race in St. Louis over the Halloween season.

"I took a little bit of time off," Hiserote said. "I was up in Peoria, my hometown. I ran the Steeple Four-Mile; it's a super fast, super flat race. It's known as the world's fastest four-mile, so I built up for training and worked for that for a few months back in June. I ran a 20:40 for that, I got fourth place. I felt good in that contact and took a little time off after that. Been running for about a month now, building up mileage, but haven't done any true workouts. So I came out here, to find out what I could do speed-wise. And I have the Go! St. Louis Halloween race in October coming up. So, going to build up for that and try to crack 1:10 in the half-marathon. That's it for the rest of the year for me pretty much, kind of take it easy, except for that one race."

Hiserote does intend to return for next year's race and enjoy himself once again.

"I'll definitely be back next year," Hiserote said. "It's a super fun event, a lot of people out here, good for the community. I'll definitely be back and try to defend my title, I guess," he said with a laugh. "I want to thank everybody for coming out and thank you to the people who put it on, all supporters that have been supportive for Edwardsville. It's really great to have and see many people come out. I know that Edwardsville is a very outgoing, athletic town and it really shows in events like this. So I'm happy to be part of it."

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