As the clouds rose over Albany, and a misty rain shower began, thousands of women gathered for the 45th annual Freihofer's Run for Women on Saturday. 

The excitement was palpable as the runners lined up at the starting line. 

“It's empowering,” runner Deb Goedeke said. “Everybody is supporting everyone."

The race was a celebration of women in sports, with elite and master athletes competing side by side. 

For Jay Ell Alexander, owner & CEO of Black Girls Run, the event was a chance to encourage and motivate Black women to practice a healthy lifestyle. 

"When you see a group of women unite, it's showing a unified front out on the pavement,” she said. “But they're also doing something healthy and active to show our community that we can be healthy.”

For some, like Bernadette LaMana, the Freihofer's Run for Women had become a tradition. This was her 45th time competing, and she had no plans to stop anytime soon. 

"It's amazing to me, I mean, none of us started out thinking we would be doing all of them,” LaMana said. “So we'll see. I'm rooting for 50.”

Among competitors was race winner Tristin Van Ord, who had decided last minute to fly in from North Carolina to compete in the 5k race. Van Ord said she was overwhelmed by the experience of running with more than 2,700 women. 

"The cheers coming down and seeing all the women running and like all the women supporting each other, it's like it's the greatest thing ever," she said. "And, you know, we talk a lot about what our why is and why we run. And like for me, a big part of that is empowering women and girls and I think today was just like the perfect day for that."

Van Ord's words echoed the sentiments of many of the runners who crossed the finish line; exhausted but exhilarated, with a feeling of accomplishment.