Jayden Ramos had only gotten an hour of sleep the night before the run.

The 17-year-old is a cross country and track runner at Merrillville High School, and he had taken third place in his age group in last year’s 4-H 4 Mile Hustle at the Porter County Fair. This year, despite the lack of sleep, Ramos won it all.

“I just love racing,” Ramos said. “The training sucks, but I don’t like to lose.”

Ramos was one of 196 runners who took part in the 4-H 4 Mile Hustle and Family Fun Run Saturday morning at the Porter County Fair. The event served as a fundraiser for the 4-H junior leaders, a program which “allows 4-H members in grades 7-12 the opportunity to provide their Adult 4-H Volunteers with additional assistance in their 4-H Clubs and related activities,” according to their website.

People of all ages from all over Northwest Indiana, from little kids to competitive runners to families simply enjoying the day, participated in the run on the hot morning. The four-mile course was sprawled over the fairgrounds, and many runners said they enjoyed the country roads and the atmosphere of the route.

“(The race) is a good challenge, and a chance to compete against local runners,” Hammond resident Steven Bugarin said.

Bugarin is the head coach of the men and women’s cross country teams at Indiana University Northwest and he placed second overall in the race Saturday, finishing in just under 23 minutes. He entered the race because it is a part of the Calumet Region Striders Gold Cup, and he said he wanted to “recruit” Ramos, who finished the race more than a minute ahead of Bugarin.

Others, like Valparaiso resident Lori Staack, simply walked the course with her nephew and his family. She said she’s long been involved with 4-H, and said the best part of the race was that she got to enjoy the course with her family.

Everyone who participated got a medal for finishing the race. Porter County Fair Queen Shelby Whitaker, with a crown upon her head and sash across her yellow dress, handed out medals to all of the runners. A Valparaiso resident, Whitaker, in her role as Miss Porter County Fair, is on the grounds from sun up to sun down, serving as “ambassador” of the fair and volunteering at 4-H events.“To be selected (as fair queen) is extremely honoring,” Whitaker said. “And as someone who was a part of (4-H) junior leaders, being here now is a great way to give back.”

Crown Point resident Nicholas Perkins was running the 4-H 4 Mile Hustle for the second year in a row. Perkins is an avid runner and for him the race served as a training run for a 5K in August. He said he loves the views of the “well-marked” course, and while he’s a competitive person, Perkins was mostly focused on self-improvement.

“I enjoy being around other like-minded people who love running — it’s just a really positive day,” Perkins said. “Running is an openness to be humble. It’s a chance to receive feedback from better runners than yourself.”

Perkins said that running connects him with his spirituality and a “higher power.” Because of this connection, he “always comes in first” no matter how well he performs in a race.

Jared Quigg is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.