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Over the years, Altoona's A.J. Kelly has dominated the men's 15K (9.3-mile) competition in the Blair Regional YMCA's Angie Gioiosa Fourth of July Memorial Race.
Kelly, 39, has run the 15K event a total of 15 times since 2000, winning it seven times, placing second four times, third on two occasions, and fourth once.
Last year, Kelly finished second to Williamsburg's Loc O in the race, with O posting a winning time of 52 minutes, 47:56 seconds and Kelly finishing about two minutes behind in 54:52.97.
The two rivals will meet again when the 49th chapter of the event unfolds Sunday morning throughout the streets of Altoona, and Kelly will be looking to reclaim the 15K title that he last won in 2019.
"I'm really hoping to (win this year), that's what I've been training for,'' Kelly said. "Last year was a little disappointing for me, but Loc ran a great race.
"I did my best, and I give all the credit to him,'' Kelly added.
O, 44, was born in North Vietnam and moved with his family to Schuylkill Haven, Pa. in 1980 at the age of 3. He ran collegiately for Penn State in the mid-1970s, and is familiar with top-notch competition.
"My training was a key for me last year,'' O said. "I was in good shape. I'm excited about (running again Sunday). I think (winning again) is a possibility for me.''
Both Kelly and O adhere to demanding training regimens.
O customarily logs 60 to 80 miles of roadwork per week, while Kelly covers about 60 miles a week.
Sunday will mark the third event in the Blair Regional YMCA's 2021 Community Wellness Challenge Series.
Kelly won the men's 5K race in the first event of the series, the Challenge of Champions in March, and also captured the men's 6K title in the Diamond Dash through Hollidaysburg in May.
Loc ran two half-marathons (13.1 miles) earlier this year.
The heat wave that struck this area for several days has subsided, and the high temperature for Sunday's event - which will include a 5K (3.1-mile) men's and women's race as well as a 2-mile men's and women's walk to go along with the 15K men's and women's race - is expected to be much more tolerable.
That will mean relatively favorable running weather for all the contestants.
The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic drastically reduced numbers for last year's race, and prompted masking and social distancing restrictions, as well as nixing the post-event awards ceremony. But things have returned pretty much back to normal for this year's event, according to Blair Regional YMCA Senior Program Director Frank Kopriva.
"The mask mandate has been lifted by the state, and we're not enforcing our own mask mandate for this event,'' Kopriva said. "We're continuing to follow the state guidelines and restrictions, and right now, we're not requiring proof of vaccinations for any of the participants.''
Kopriva did point out that water will again be dispensed in bottles at water stops along the courses for the runners and walkers this year, rather than in cups.
Last year, awards were announced online only, and there was no awards ceremony held. This year, the awards ceremony will return near the finish line at the Heritage Plaza on 11th Avenue after the conclusion of all of the races.
"Last year, everybody was just grateful that we were able to do something,'' Kopriva said. "This year, I think that people are excited that it's starting to feel like we're getting back to normal to a degree.''