All except one blond curly-haired little girl – who’s yawning.

OK. So 9 o’clock on a Sunday morning is awfully early to be awake – with your shoes tied, no less – and ready to race through the streets of downtown Tacoma. It’s awfully early, even if it is the start of the Bank to Bay Kids’ Run.

But the curly-haired girl’s fatigue disappears as the countdown to the 1K run begins: “10-9-8-7-...” the kids count together in unison.

The yawning girl – along with the rest of the field – kicks into high gear and takes off down Pacific Avenue.

Running in a race for the first time on Sunday was 2-year-old Ryan Carlton of Tacoma. It was also his mom’s first race.

“Mommy does not run,” said Tiffany Carlton, as she trotted along next to Ryan, urging him to keep up with her. Her brother, Andrew Roberts of Spanaway, a 10K runner and Ryan’s godfather, had encouraged them both to participate.

Ryan nearly ran out of gas as he approached the finish line, until Uncle Andrew came to the rescue, running alongside him. Still, it was the sight of grandma – Janet Roberts of Tacoma – standing under the finish line banner that brought a smile to Ryan’s face and coaxed a final burst of speed from his little feet.

Sam Bortel, a 5-year-old from Gig Harbor, got so excited about the race that he ran right past the finish line and his waiting family. He got lost, briefly, in the crowd of kids. But in the end, there was a happy reunion with Sam’s dad, Peter Bortel.

Many proud parents snapped pictures of their young athletes at the end of the race, while others soothed crying tots who appeared a little overwhelmed by the crowd.

Ryan Carlton wasn’t the only first-time Bank to Bay racer who turned out Sunday.

As the short race for the 10-and-under crowd wound down, grown-ups and older kids lined up for the 5K and 10K races, which took runners and walkers through downtown and along Schuster Parkway and Ruston Way.

Some running partners leaned on each other for support.

Shelly Hays of Puyallup and her friend Cheryl Moyd of Spanaway – both running the 10K Sunday – get up three mornings a week at 4:30 a.m. to train together.

“She’s the motivator,” said Moyd. “I tag along.”

Their first race was the Northeast Tacoma Turkey Trot last November. They’ve done the Haunted Hustle run together in Puyallup, along with Tacoma’s Sound to Narrows.

“The Bank-to-Bay hopefully will be on our ticket for an annual race,” said Moyd.

Jen Moser of Tacoma ran her first 5K Sunday at the urging of her boyfriend, Ryan Fahey. He signed her up for the event, and had planned to run with her until he injured his foot.

So Moser strapped on both her own electronic ankle bracelet – used by race officials to record a runner’s finish time – and Fahey’s. She finished in just under 31 minutes.

“It was pretty tough,” she said. “Harder than I thought it would be.”

So which ankle bracelet crossed the finish line first? Moser thinks hers did.

Debra Casparian of Tacoma had a running partner, too: her baby boy, who’s due to be born soon. At 37 weeks of pregnancy, she ran part of the 5K but walked most of the route. Her time?

“I have no idea,” she said. “I just wanted to finish. It feels good, now that it’s over.”

The Bank to Bay, sponsored by KeyBank and the City of Tacoma, benefits Tacoma Public Schools’ Help-A-Student Fund. Since 2000, the event has raised an estimated $80,000 for clothing, shoes and school supplies for needy children. Organizers expected to add another $10,000 after Sunday’s event.

Debbie Cafazzo: 253-597-8635

Bank to Bay Top Finishers

Official race results will be posted on the Bank to Bay Web site, www.banktobay.com, and at AccustatSportsTiming.com after 10 a.m. today.

Men’s 5K

1. Blake Cowan, 15:58

2. Winslow Tandler, 16:26

3. Matt Ellis, 16:46

Women’s 5K

1. Kristi Houk, 18:14

2. Danita Erickson, 18:34

3. Andrea Boitano, 19:37

Men’s 10K

1. Michael Lynes, 33:38

2. Jesse Stevics, 34:00

3. Kevin McGinnis, 34:07

Women’s 10K

1. Vanessa Hunter, 36:02

2. Nancy Ellis, 37:39

3. Lisa Taylor, 40:20