As the race comes to a close it is clear who truly knew what they were getting into. In last year’s mini, out of the top sixteen places fifteen were claimed by runners with Kenyan heritage. As for the high school cross country runners, none of the top 500 places were taken. As for the peons, although it is hard to tell how this group’s best athlete did, it is undoubted that none of them claimed a top place in their respective age divisions. Overall the mini marathon is a paramount in the running world, although for many, the mini cannot be enjoyed to its fullest due to lack of preparation. "Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must outrun the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning in Africa, a lion wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the slowest gazelle, or it will starve. It doesn't matter whether you're a lion or gazelle - when the sun comes up, you'd better be running." (Author Unknown) Although for humans running does not necessarily determine their survival, it allows many to experience an extremely beneficial exercise that has been around since humans have been able to stand up and walk.