Runners in downtown Youngstown line up for the 2-mile leg of Sunday’s 49th annual Youngstown Peace Race.

YOUNGSTOWN — For Gabriella McDowell, the decision to be in a longtime race didn’t spring up organically, but was more of a step-by-step process.

“I started track last year,” Gabriella, 14, of Struthers, said. “This year, I’m running cross-country. I run 4 miles regularly.”

Her interest in running blossomed and grew over time, with the latest connection of feet to pavement having been the 49th annual Youngstown Peace Race on Sunday.

She was among the children, teens and adults in numerous age categories who participated in the event’s 2-mile Move our Mission walk and run that began and ended at Central Square, downtown. Others took part in a 10K run that started at Kirkmere Elementary School on Schenley Avenue on the West Side and followed a rapid point-by-point course through Mill Creek Park before ending downtown.

Also included was a 200-meter kids’ fun run on Central Square.

Gabriella perhaps barely caught her breath before running Sunday, because she also ran in a recent track meet in Cortland, where she posted a time of 14:00 — giving her a third-place finish among about 80 female competitors. Gabriella’s result Sunday in the 2-mile run wasn’t too far off her previous mark: 14:39.

Gabriella, who also listed attending church and playing volleyball as top interests, expressed gratitude to Jeff Geiss, her school’s track team coach, for working with her.

In addition, the Peace Race was something of a family affair for Gabriella, because her two brothers, Caleb, 10, and Lucas, 12, also ran in the same event.

“I’m so proud of him and his determination. It’s a good thing to start young,” Erica Seefried of Boardman said about her 10-year-old son, Jacob Seefried, a Boardman Center Intermediate School fourth-grader who ran 2 miles in 17:03 — which was good for a third-place finish in the age 10 and under category.

Another top finisher in his age category was Ty Reeher, 25, of Kinsman, who began running about 12 years ago and participated in the 10K portion of last year’s Peace Race.

Reeher’s foray into running began in middle school, when he also was on his school’s basketball team. The school’s cross country coach saw a connection between running and becoming a better, more attuned basketball player and encouraged Reeher to run cross country, he said.

Reeher, who works for a manufacturing plant in Niles, said he can’t recall the number of meets he’s taken part in since his teen years.

“She loves to run because her momma likes to run,” Dave Stillwagon of Boardman said, referring to his daughter, Lana Stillwagon, 7, who took home a first-place medal for having posted a time of 30:21 in the 2-mile run’s girls age 10 and under category.

For her part, Lana’s mother, JoAnna Stillwagon, ran in the 10K, her husband added.

Hundreds of runners filled Central Square on Sunday morning, despite windy conditions and temperatures in the mid-40s.

The overall first-place male and female finishers received $500. Second- and third-place overall finishers were given $300 and $100, respectively.