Nearly 600 people battled a 1,735-foot rise in elevation on Sunday above Brand Park during the second annual Verdugo Mountains 10K.
Marc Stirdivant, an analyst for the city of Glendale and an organizer for the run, said people came from as far south as San Diego and north as Modesto to participate.
Carl Kloos, a Pasadena resident who placed third in the 18 to 34 age category for men, said the steep incline can be just as grueling both ways.
“The downhill is a lot harder than the uphill,” said Kloos, 31. “It’s tough on your legs and quads and knees coming down.”
The first male runner to cross the finish line was 23-year-old Kwin Keuter of Eagle Rock, who secured the fastest overall time of 42:44. The first woman to finish was 24-year-old Liliana Hernandez, of Glendale, with a time of 49:34.