Henderson wins Make a Wish event

Though he's been away for several years, Ray Henderson's win at the Make a Wish 10k on Saturday in Carson City was a quick reminder that he has always been a true competitor.

Henderson, who was a top local skateboarder in the 1990s, showed off his running abilities as he fought to hang on to his first place lead this morning during wet and windy road conditions.

"When the other guy passed me with about a mile to go," Henderson said, "I thought I might be congratulating him at the end. Then I thought again and realized I had been in the lead for almost five miles and wasn't about to give it away that easy." Race director Tim Tetz of Fleet Feet in Carson City said that Henderson had "won by a nose."

Ray was not the only Henderson putting in a strong effort today. Wife Claire Henderson took third place overall for the women.

The Hendersons said that when it started to hail a little during the race, they were glad they weren't in Texas anymore where the hail can be the size of baseballs.

The Hendersons are both triathletes and personal trainers who have recently relocated to Nevada from Fort Worth, Texas. They are also owners of Transitions Triathlon and Fitness, a growing multi-sport coaching business.

"We love helping people reach their goals whether they are beginners or elite athletes," said Claire. "We are definitely looking forward to becoming a part of the local community and contributing our best to the people we work with."

While they both left with awards today, neither was completely satisfied with their times.

"It's an early-season race," said Ray, "and I have a lot of work to do to improve my speed. Today's time was not my best, but I am happy that I finished well."

The couple will be headed north for Ironman Canada in August, so look for them to be participating in more local events as they prepare for the Ironman -- a grueling 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike, and 26.2-mile run.

The Hendersons said Saturday's race was a warm-up for what they have ahead of them.