Sub 40 degree weather was no hindrance to competitors in the third race of Fitness for Vitality race series, put on by personal trainer Annette Herrick on Nov. 21.

The race took place along the Alki Beach waterfront and marked the final race in Herrick’s annual series.

:”What happens is that people really do get faster and fitter, so if you do all three it really works and it’s fantastic,” Herrick said.

She said many of the runners had been competed in all three races (the other two took place mid-month in September and October).

Herrick described the Alki course as “flat and fun” on her website.

5k winners Seth O’Brien and Carrie Keith crossed the finish line with times of 20:25 and 21:48, respectively.

“It’s by far one of the easiest courses that I’ve run because I run for the University of Puget Sound, so I’m used to the 6k,” Keith said.

Keith was also impressed with the support of Herrick and the Fitness for Vitality crew.

“It’s really nice to run in one of these environments that is so supportive,” she said. “You know, to have the race director talk to you beforehand and be like, ‘OK guys, let’s just get faster!’ This is so uplifting, excellent.”

“I ran back in high school but since then I’ve just been playing ultimate Frisbee,” O’Brien said. “I haven’t run very many timed races so my goal here was to set a personal record and I did by over a minute.”

This is the third Fitness for Vitality race series Herrick has put on in 2010, and she has been organizing them since 2007. The races shift to a different park each time, including past sites Lincoln Park, Seward Park and Myrtle Edwards Park.

Full race results and times along with information on future races and other fitness services are posted on Herrick’s website, www.fitnessforvitality.com.