Mountain Lake Pow Wow Road Race celebrates its 41st run
The Mountain Lake Pow Wow Road Race began its fifth decade in existence in fine style with the 41st run on Sunday afternoon, June 15. There was a total of 433 participants this year – the 2nd highest total in the race’s 41-year history.
Races included the one- and two-mile Fitness Walk; a pair of Half-Mile Runs for young runners nine-years-old and under and a second for those ages 10-13; the Mountain Lake Mile and the 4-Mile Run.
Here are some photos from the day’s races.
THE FITNESS WALK participants stretch west on up the hill on 6th Avenue, led by Dori Friesen on her scooter.
GRANDMOTHER AND GRANDDAUGHTER take a “little stroll” in the Fitness Walk. Front, Norma Loewen, left and her granddaughter, Ashley Watkins, right. Behind, Craig Faber, left and Deb Faber, right, “book it” to keep pace.
BLAISE FRIESEN, LEFT, of Mankato, “blazed” a trail on the course to win the Half-Mile Run for runners younger than nine-years-old. At right is John Boelke of St. James, who finished in second.
FORMER WOLVERINE CROSS country and track-and-field distance runner – as well as former South Dakota State University Jackrabbit harrier – Krystie (Ratzlaff) Haden, right, introduces her daughter, Madison, left, to running Mountain Lake roads and the Pow Wow Road Race, taking part in the Half-Mile Run. The Hadens hail from Huffman, Texas.
JASON WRIGHT IS intensely focused on his stride during the Half-Mile Run. The young man is from Mountain Lake.
WINNING THE HALF-Mile Run for young runners ages 10-13 was Brett Willaby of Mountain Lake.
TAKING THE 2014 title in the Mountain Lake Mile was Justin Cook of Lakefield with a time of 4:44.
STRIDING OUT ON the Mountain Lake Mile was this trio. From left, Carmen Syverson of Mountain Lake, Liana Blomgren of Butterfield and Lydia Hildebrandt of Mountain Lake. Hildebrandt squeezed past the two to become the first female finisher in the mile, coming in at 6:01. She is also this year’s Miss Mountain Lake Second Runner-Up.
THE HOMETOWN STREETS were once again a welcome four-mile race course for Mountain Lake native, currently of Glencoe, Josh Metcalf, who claimed championship honors in the run with 20:21. Cheyenne Bowers of St. James was the first female in with a time of 23:46.
ON THE HEELS of Bowers – to be the second female finisher in the four-mile – was Sierra Harder. Harder ran on the Wolverine cross country and track-and-field distance running teams while in high school, and just finished four years competing in the same for the Cougars of the University of Sioux Falls.
BOB JASS OF Mountain Lake grabs a class of water from one of the situated water aid sites along the four-mile route and dumps it on his head to cool off.
MOUNTAIN LAKE PUBLIC School Superintendent Bill Strom ran the 4-mile on Sunday while listening to his iPod. Wonder what tunes are his faves?
STACY TAUER OF Sleepy Eye, left, receives a well-appreciated spray of H2O from Melissa Lohrenz, center, at one of the water aid stations put in place for the four-mile run. Meanwhile, Josh Raabe, at left, is picking up used water cups.
BILL JANZEN OF Mountain Lake has only about 400 meters left to go to finish his four miles.
BUTTERFIELD’S ANDY PIERSON ran the four-mile . . .
