The Boilermaker Road Race continues to grow more popular with each year. The 2012 edition featured a record number of runners, and just about every slot was accounted for on Sunday, thanks to the new bib exchange program. YNN's Andrew Sorensen spoke with runners, who all were happy to endure the grueling 15K run.

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UTICA, N.Y. -- There are thousands of different ways to approach the Boilermaker Road Race.

"I ran a race on Wednesday for the Fourth of July, a ten mile, but I was taking this more seriously," said Morgan Kelley, Boilermaker participant.

Elite runner Telahun Regassa won this year's Boilermaker with a casual wave at the crowd. Others have even more fun with the race.

"Towards the end of the race my face starts to hurt from smiling so much," said Matt Kochan, Boilermaker participant.

We first spoke to Kochan, who runs in a Matt's Beer Can, when he, and many others were closed out of the race because it filled up early. He was lucky to get in on the experimental bib transfer system.

"I was going to resort to doing a whole Facebook campaign, but I was able to get the bib pretty early on," explained Kochan.

The transfer system helped this to be one of the fullest and most fun Boilermakers, even for first time attendees like Chris Roth from New Jersey.

"I think it's fantastic, I think we'll be coming back every year because our daughter will probably run it every year," said Roth.

Tilahun Regassa, of Ethiopia, was the winner of the race finishing in 43:01. His countrywoman Mamitu Daska won the womens' title finishing with a time of 49:26.