Scott Birk has run the Shoes for Austin 5-K four or five times and each time the big man in black has come away empty-handed. That all changed on Saturday morning in chilly Round Rock.

In stark contrast to Birk, Danielle Hinson, a 26-year-old real estate agent from Round Rock, had never even run a single race prior to Saturday.

And yet, both came away from the 8th Annual Fox 7 Shoes for Austin 5-K with big victories.

Birk, the 45-year-old who runs just about every race in town, was an inviting target. Not just because he was clearly one of the top guns in the race, but at 6-5 Birk would provide a welcome draft from the stiff north winds that blew directly in the faces of the 500 or so competitors who began the 5-K on the Green at La Frontera.

"If you want to draft on me," Birk joked on the starting line, "you’re gonna have to catch me."

Sure enough. Only 41-year-old Chris Gunderson had the wheels to go after Birk who blew through the first mile (mostly downhill) in 5:17. Gunderson wasn’t far behind with 38-year-old Patrick Hall trailing by about 20 seconds.

"I had a great view of Gundy and Scott going at it," said Hall, a native of South Africa. "Just past the first mile marker, Gundy took the lead from Scott and they went back and forth. Finally, just after the two-mile mark {a 5:34 mile into the strong wind}, Birk took the lead back."

But looming in the final mile of this loop course is the intimidating presence of The Monster—a two-level, 500-meter climb back up to the plateau on which La Frontera is situated.

"That hill is deceiving," said Birk. "You hit an uphill and think, ‘This isn’t so bad.’ But then you make a turn and see the other long hill that just grinds you down."

Nevertheless, Birk powered up the final hill and cruised the short flat section back to the finish in 17:38 with Gunderson just four seconds back. Patrick Hall made up some ground on the final hill to cruise to third in 17:48 with Steve Schermerhorn fourth in 18:19, followed by Jesse Devlyn in 18:29.

"I really enjoy this race," said Birk. "It’s a hard course, but kind of fast with the ups and downs that offers a good challenge. The wind made it even tougher this morning, but I always have a good time here."

Dave Hoffman, 50, was first old guy in 19:29 with Wish, 57, trailing him in second in 20:02. Ed Kapeller, 52, of Round Rock was third in 21:32. The really old guys were led by 64-year-old Dick Wilkowski, a Shoes for Austin regular, who ran a fine 21:39 on the tough, windy morning.

But the surprise of the morning had to be Danielle Hinson. Originally from Montana, Hinson said, "I just thought it’d be fun to do a race."

Some fun.

Wearing an Ipod, Hinson went through the mile in 6:45 and though she slowed a bit on the final set of hills, was unchallenged by any other woman to win easily in 21:30. Paige Balius was second in 22:49 and Rebecca May of Round Rock was third in 23:02. First woman master was 43-year-old Kerry Raymond in 23:25 with Marilyn Fisher, 43, of Cedar Park second in 23:31.