On a morning that was ideal for running, the fourth annual Butterflies and Bridges run went off without a hitch.

More than 100 runners of all ages showed up to pound the pavement in either a two-mile or eight-kilometer run.

“I was really happy with the run today,” Selma City Schools athletic director Patrick Evans said. “It was a really good turnout and the run went well.”

Laura Mott was the first runner to cross the finish line, making short work of the two-mile run, but the big surprise came when Justin Parker of Birmingham became the first runner to finish the 8K run. Parker finished with a time of 29:51, knocking off two-time defending champion Tony Johnson, who followed with a time of 31:16.

“That’s a surprise,” Butterflies and Bridges organizers Bill Potter. “He (Parker) ran a really good race today and deserved the win.”

Mayumi Matthews finished the women’s 8k first with a time of 40:53 seconds.

The race raised money for the Selma City Schools athletic department, as it has for the last four years.

“The money raised for this event is going to help us a lot over the summer,” Evans said. “But it is also key to have that money into next year with the fall sports.”

The system had good support from its own athletic department, as well as help from county schools as well.

This year, participants were given the chance to donate $1 to a Selma City School of their choice during registration, which Evans said, helped the numbers.