LAKEWOOD — The annual Strawberry Festival Berry Run was a success on June 9, as more than 100 runners signed up for the one mile and 5-kilometer courses.
The turnout this year was a little bit smaller than in previous years, and although the decline was unexplained, cloudy and muggy weather on Saturday, June 9, may have been a factor.
People of every age and physical fitness level joined the race, for many different reasons.
“I first started doing 5K’s while trying to lose weight,” said Michelle Fancher of Marysville, who raced in the Seattle Marathon six years ago. “I’ve been doing it ever since.”
Fancher brought two of her friends with her to the Berry Run, who are glad to have a new physical fitness habit.
“She sucked us into it last year,” said Valencia McNair. “I love it. They’re addicting.” McNair said she uses race opportunities to challenge herself.
“It’s not a competition with everyone else. I keep all my numbers and write my times on them, so I can see how I’m doing,” she said.
The Berry Run was the second 5-kilometer race in one week for Cindee Lyons and her second race overall. “I love it,” she said. “After my first one I was already addicted.”
The women said that the location of the Berry Run, at the Plant Farm in Lakewood, was particularly appealing since they all live fairly close.
“It’s nice that it’s a local race,” said Fancher. “Most of these races are in the Seattle or Kirkland areas.”
“It always goes toward a good cause,” said McNair, who grew up in Marysville and was involved in previous Strawberry Festival events. “I like to do 5k’s that actually support something.”
The Berry Run is hosted by the Lakewood High School cross country team, and funds raised at the event help send their top runners on a yearly trip to Stanford, where they can learn a lot from collegiate level runners.
Preston Davis, a Lakewood junior, is hoping to be one of the top runners next fall so that he can have a shot of going on that trip.
“The top seven runners get to go. I’m about seventh or eighth right now so I am going to have to work really hard over the summer,” he said. Support for the trip is not the only reason Davis enjoys working the Berry Run.
“I like it because it helps support Lakewood and people get to come out and be active,” said Davis.
As the first event in the Strawberry Festival week, festival organizers view it as an important race.
“The Berry Run is the kickoff to our festival,” said Jodi Welch, vice president of Maryfest, the Strawberry Festival nonprofit.
Lynne Walker-Kramer, another Strawberry Festival organizer, agreed.
“It pumps them up and says, this is the start of the Strawberry Festival,” she said.
Lakewood cross country coach Jeff Sowards announced winners once the races were complete, and Strawberry Festival royalty handed out medals and ribbons to those who placed in the top three of their age division. He also announced winners for drawings of several prizes including memberships to Team Fitness, free admission to the Imagine Children’s museum and one-month unlimited tanning certificates.
The first place winner for the women’s 19 and under mile group was Sarah Flynn. First place for women’s 20-29 mile was Nikki Bristol. First place for women’s 40-49 mile was Marci Dehm. First place for the men’s 19 and under mile was Jessey Lian. Steven Brown placed first in the 40-49 men’s mile and Peter Thompson placed first in the 50-59 mile group.
First place in the women’s 5K age 19 and under is Veronica Hall. Casey Brown placed first in the 20-29 age group. Rene Guisti took first place in 30-39 and Kris Tebb placed first in 40-49. Nancy Patrick placed first in 50-59 and Angela Elgee placed first in 60 and up.
Kris Mugrage took first place in the men’s 5K age 19 and under. Taylor Guske was first in 20-29 and Jonathan Murry was first in 30-39. Patrick Phares placed first in the 40-49 group, Joe Sager placed first in the 50-59 group and Harold Freilinger was first in the 60 and up group.
A complete list of the Berry Run Results:
Women 19 and under 1 Mile Run:
1. Flynn, Sarrah 8:05.70
2. Dormaier, Amanda 12:39.96
3. Ralston, Madison 14:08.61
4. Newport, Mallory 14:16.75
5. Newport, Emily 14:22.66
Women 20-29 1 Mile Run:
1. Bristol, Nikki 13:41.29
Women 40-49 1 Mile Run:
1. Dehm, Marci 12:25.13
2. Dormaier, Melina12:40.58
Men 19 and under 1 Mile Run:
1. Lian, Jessey 5:47.34
2. Campbell, Samuel 6:10.52
3. Mushlit, Jason 9:55.03
4. Baker, Gavin 11:39.38
Men 40-49 1 Mile Run:
1. Brown, Steven 6:17.52
2. Townsend, Ray 9:27.88
3. Baker, Tyson 11:39.78
Men 50-59 1 Mile Run
1. Thompson, Peter 10:22.41
Women 19 and under 5000 Meter Run:
1. Hall, Veronica 18:58.63
2. VonCundy, Rachel 19:34.24
3. Northrop, Samantha 20:31.44
4. Baker, Sierra 25:56.85
5. Jensen, Ariel 26:37.54
6. Lew, Christine 27:21.91
7. Reeck, Ashley 28:20.36
8. Klinck, Nicole 28:21.85
9. Mushlit, Molly 32:30.39
10. Hartwell, Jenny 32:41.32
11. Smith, Emily 39:38.37
12. Hartwell, Lisa 41:17.93
Women 20-29 5000 Meter Run:
1. Brown, Casey 23:30.64
2. Kehler, Ashley 26:36.19
3. Lamb, Christina 29:40.87
4. O’Neil, Marie 32:14.13
5. Glenn, Brittany 32:51.51
6. Foster, Leslie 34:44.77
7. Coragiulo, Alicia 37:58.98
8. Dahl, Cari 40:34.90
9. Brugger, Marissa 49:38.91
Women 30-39 5000 Meter Run:
1. Guisti, Rene 26:09.58
2. Bunney, Cassandra 28:33.50
3. Townsend, Tasha 30:25.84
4. James, Rochelle 31:49.74
5. Currie, Tasha 34:25.76
6. Norman, Trisha 36:47.54
7. Hendry, Amy 36:47.97
8. Wood, Josy 36:57.12
9. Matthews, Sandra 38:16.02
10. Shellabarger, Catherine 38:47.31
11. Ralston, Jessica 44:05.28
12. Taylor, Kristy 48:03.21
Women 40-49 5000 Meter Run:
1. Tebb, Kris 22:31.42
2.Timm, Kristin 24:35.61
3. Baker, Nerissa 25:47.52
4. Northrop, Susan 26:05.87
5. Jensen, Jodi 26:37.86
6. Williamson, Denise 27:28.95
7. Saben, Kiffin 29:34.19
8. Anderson, Kathy 30:26.97
9. Klinck, Misty 33:14.78
10. Nielsen, Julie 37:45.58
11. Smith, Tawnya 39:37.13
12. Rel, Kara 39:45.12
13. Francher, Michelle 46:20.67
14. Lyons, Jacinda 46:22.98
15. Klementsen, Tory 49:25.32
16. McNair, Valencia 49:29.02
17. Williams, Brittney 58:35.77
Women 50-59 5000 Meter Run:
1. Patrick, Nancy 33:08.67
2. Colburn, Diana 36:22.26
3. Hartwell, Debbie 41:17.70
4. Tucker, Tina 49:23.46
5. Sellers, Susan 49:29.45
6. Fowler, Cathy 49:32.62
Women 60+ 5000 Meter Run:
1. Elgee, Angela34:02.09
2. Taylor, Pat35:58.79
3. Bell, Kathleen47:02.46
4. Lian, Diane58:36.86
5. Bartlett, Pamela58:37.22
6. Lundeberg, Linda58:45.03
Men 19 and under 5000 Meter Run:
1. Mugrage, Kris16:46.36
2. Sager, Kyler17:10.28
3. Northrop, Alec20:40.87
4. Sandquist, Jonathan24:10.53
5. Guisti, Austin24:45.68
6. Guisti, Ethan25:07.71
7. Olson, Tanner25:42.69
8. Skiles, Stephen26:49.90
9. Foster, Hunter 34:43.89
10. Flynn, Nathen53:02.04
Men 20-29 5000 Meter Run:
1. Guske, Taylor 15:51.83
2. Thompson, Michael 18:52.21
3. Kehler, Brian 26:35.29
4. Lee, Jeffrey 26:36.87
5. Adkins, Chris 26:46.83
Men 30-39 5000 Meter Run:
1. Murray, Jonathan 16:10.89
2. Gustafson, Eric 19:36.68
3. Bowman, Griffin 21:08.62
4. Combs, Arjin 22:06.25
5. Lundeberg, Kevin 23:54.72
6. Jelmberg, Lucas 24:46.83
7. Lubbers, Ben 25:26.77
8. Brugger, Mark 29:29.45
9. Taylor, Jeramie 32:18.02
Men 40-49 5000 Meter Run:
1. Phares, Patrick 21:59.41
2. Northrop, Dwayne 22:25.63
3. Kerney, Ken 26:13.29
4. Espinoza, Pete 26:26.45
5.Jensen, Greg 26:39.23
6.Skiles, Todd 26:53.91
7. Reeck, Gene 28:20.99
8. Dormaier, Thomas 30:04.28
9. Townsend, Ray 35:36.34
10. Klementsen, Roy 46:13.17
Men 50-59 5000 Meter Run:
1. Sager, Joe 20:36.20
2. Kopkowski, Jim 21:37.43
3. Lashua, Jim 22:11.92
4. Hawks, Robert 23:24.54
5. Gogert, Tom 24:49.49
6. Lamarca, Rafael 26:18.37
7. Tebb, John 34:45.95
Men 60+ 5000 Meter Run:
1. Freilinger, Harold 26:42.97
2. Baldwin, Dave 27:57.25
3. Schodorf, Bill 32:50.77
4. Ruck, Jim 34:52.01
5. Phillips, Myron 38:33.60
