Temperatures hovered in the 50’s, and a light breeze billowed the Irish tri-color tacked to the front porch of the Endicott Estate. Runners basked and stretched in the sun. Boston actors read Joyce with Irish brogues. Kenyan runners sauntered unpretentiously before dominating the race.

The relocation of the 10K race from Barnes Memorial Field to the East Street mansion eliminated three hills this year and moved race times up by nearly a minute.

Kenyans Stephen Kiogora, Isaac Kariuki, Thomas Omwanga and Gabriel Muchiri all came in under the standing course record of 29 minutes 20 seconds. Kiogora, the winner, finished in 28:45. Kenyan Martha Komu’s 32:54 set a new course record for women.

Former Olympic runner Judi St. Hilaire of Somerset finished first in the women’s master’s (over age 40) division with 34:21.

The fastest male and female runners from each Neponset Valley town were George Doherty (35:11) and Louise Brooks (43:03) of Dedham, Michael McDonald (50:22) and Marie O’Sullivan (50:26) of Westwood, Sherri Lut (57:38) and Bill Coleman (58:38) of Norwood, and Paul Millette (63:08) and Stacey Stegman (66:52) of Walpole.

Ben Nephew (33:27) and Stephanie Tenuto (44:36) were the first to finish from Canton.

Jeffry Ferris, who operates the Ferris Bike Shop in Jamaica Plain, ran the 6.1 miles barefoot.

" It’s my secret weapon, " he said. " You go faster. When you run barefoot, you land on the balls of your feet, and your arches and ankles become shock absorbers. When you run with shoes, you land on your heels. "

Boston actor Kenneth MacDonald said most runners don’t catch a syllable of what he reads, but he fills the air " the spirit " of Joyce.

Cambridge residents Sheila Pietrzak and Geoff Pingree mocked the race’s literary aspirations by reading the Joyce novel " Ulysses " while running. They handed the book back and forth to each other and to passing runners before finishing near the end of the pack.

" This is a silly, silly race; and it makes you do the most obnoxious things, " said Pietrzak.

Race organizer Martin Hanley said he tries to elevate the race above mere competition and endow it with meaning.

Joshua Rubenstein, the New England director of Amnesty International called for petitions for the release of Middlebury College musicologist Ngawan Choephel. Chinese officials jailed Choephel in 1995 for espionage because he was making video recordings of traditional Tibetan dances. Rubenstein said traditional Tibetan dances reinforce Tibet’s identity at a time China is trying to gain control.

" The regime is very insecure about outsiders coming in and asking questions, " said Rubenstein.

To avoid any suggestion of violence, Ramble organizers start the race with a musical gong instead of a starter gun. And Hanley everywhere advertises the event as " an annual convergence of active minds and hearts. "

The competition issue took on some emotional vitality at the North Star Children’s Ramble when finish line judges overlooked Westwood runner Kevin Looney. Looney looked like a clear second-place finisher after breaking from a pack of 50 seven and eight year olds and crossing the line on the shirt-tail of Franklin resident Dana Pagliuca.

Looney shed tears of disappointment until North Star author Peter Reynolds promised to mail him an award. Reynolds said the North Star symbolizes achievement of personal potential.

" We’ll have to have this computer-organized next year, " said Reynolds. " A photo finish and instant replay. But that’s why we have the coloring contest - to remind them it’s not all about competition. Animators at Fablevision award the kids’ cartoons. It’s not the most perfect cartoon either. It’s the most creative. It’s OK to color outside the lines in the North Star Ramble. "

Fallon Ambulance EMT’s rode the race with bicycles with defibrillators lashed to the luggage racks. They helped a man who twisted his ankle coming off the starting line and a woman who fainted. They also assisted Dedham teenager Marissa Jones, a volunteer worker who dislocated her shoulder. Jones was running finishing times from the road to the tabulation room when she collided with a runner.