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Marathon inspires hundreds of runners
Published 7:47am Sunday, June 6, 2010It turned out all right in the end, but for a little while it seemed like the 2010 Athletic Republic Half Marathon, 5K and one mile runs might not happen. Saturday dawned a cloudy day, with isolated thunderstorms possible. Jarrod Asmus, the race coordinator, was on the horn off and on with the National Weather Service before the races began, but the starting gun ended up sounding with no delay, and the city never received more that a light sprinkling during the runs.
All kinds of people were out to race, from young to old, from Fergus Falls residents to Twin Cities dwellers, from half marathon winner Eric Loeffler to 8-year-old Anna Rasmussen. Anna ran the 5K with her mom, Rachel. “We did the one mile (event) last year, and Anna said this year she wanted to do the 5K,” Rachel said. Anna is a very athletic 8-year-old, and she likes playing other sports too, like soccer. As far as their time was concerned, Rachel said that for the two of them, it was all about having fun together. “We just don’t want to get last,” she joked.
Tom Uvaas, the director of the local Athletic Republic and a self-described “just a helper” with the organization of the event, ran in with the middle of the pack for the 5K, stopping after he crossed the finish line to high-five coworker Asmus. “It was just fun,” he said happily, adding that it was great to see all of the runners and supporters out enjoying themselves. “It’s such a blessing. It’s a community event of wellness.”
He also praised Asmus’ dedication to making the race a reality. “Jarrod has done a fantastic job of organizing this,” he said. “It’s all about the preparation.”
Asmus himself was very happy with how the race turned out. There were 472 entrants in this year’s events, well up from last year’s total of 315 runners. “It’s a great response from the community,” Asmus said. He added that so many people work to make the races what they are. “We want to thank our … sponsors and everyone who has helped out in any way they can,” he said with a grin.
Fergus Falls resident Kayla LaPorte was the first female finisher in the half marathon, and she celebrated a personal best time of 1:32.27. “It’s a step up,” she said happily, adding that her success might inspire her to run some more local events this summer, like the Hoot Lake Triathlon. She decided to run the half marathon, she said, “For fun, and it goes toward a good cause.” That cause is the new Lake Region Cancer Care and Research Center, which received the proceeds generated by entry fees.
After the 5K race, Anna and Rachel Rasmussen sat down on the curb and unlaced their shoes before getting a drink of water. “We didn’t get last!” Rachel said with a laugh. Anna said she had a good time, but did she want to do it again?
She shook her head no. Her mom chuckled. “She’s got to recover first.”
