Champions repeat

PALMER — No matter the course, the Menard Run field continues to chase David Kiplagat.

The Kenya-born Kiplagat, a former University of Alaska Anchorage running star, ran away with his third Menard title during the Curtis C. Menard II Memorial Run at Colony High School on Saturday. Kiplagat posted a time of 15 minutes, 24.63 seconds to win another Menard championship and claim victory in the state’s 5-kilometer championship for the second straight year. Kiplagat also won in 2005.

“He’s just a fluid, light runner versus (third-place Mark Iverson) and I who are about 180 pounds wet. We were going on strength alone,” runner-up Brent Knight said after the race.

Knight, the 2009 Menard champ, and Iverson are both Nordic skiers first, members of the Alaska Pacific University Nordic ski team. The duo tried to test Kiplagat, but the former UAA All-American simply continued to dominate the Menard Run.

“About the first half-mile he put on a solid move. He went on a solid 400 (meter) pace for a while,” Knight said. “It’s not something I have any leg speed for.”

Knight crossed the finish line about 15 seconds after Kiplagat, recording a time of 15:39.66. Iverson was third at 15:43.

Christopher Ashland was the top Valley runner, placing fourth at 18:16.

The defending champion also repeated in the women’s class. Najeeby Quinn of Anchorage used her mark of 18:32.64 to win for the second straight year. Heidi Doner, a 2010 graduate of Colony High, was second in the women’s class with a time of 20:59.80. Palmer High graduate Jacqueline Lutz finished third at 21:15.25.

Race organizers debuted a new course for the 10th annual race. In the past, the Curtis D. Menard Memorial Sports Center has served as race central for the event, with participants bused to the starting line at the intersection of Lucille and Spruce roads. The logistics proved to be difficult. Transporting hundreds of participants to and from the Menard sports center proved to become too much and organizers sought an alternative, event spokesperson Linda Jo Klapperich said earlier this week. Greg Goodale, a longtime Menard Run organizer, wanted the race to start and finish in one location. Colony High School ended up being the choice.

The new course featured the starting line in the parking lot in front of the Colony schools and sent participants behind Colony High and through a residential subdivision via Queensboro Avenue. The route weaved through to the Palmer-Wasilla Highway and led participants toward Palmer to 49th State Street. At that intersection, the pack followed North 49th State Street to Colony High, where the finish line was stage near the CHS football field.

In addition to it being a logistical improvement, Knight said it was a nice course for the 5K.

“The course flows really nicely,” Knight said. “Not a lot of hard turns, and the downhill finish is really nice.”

The new course also helped reinforce the organizers’ commitment to make the 5K a family event.

“It is truly a family event,” Klapperich said earlier this week. “We have a lot of strollers, a lot of walkers. We want to promote it as a family run and walk.”

About 450 people participated in the 2011 Menard Run. While the likes of Kiplagat, Knight, Iverson and Quinn fired off the finish line, the field featured a number of different groups at different paces. There were the top runners, joggers and walkers, with a wide range in age. Dozens of participants were pushing strollers with young children.

The event is also a fundraiser for the Wasilla Rotary Club and a fundraiser set up in Dr. Curtis C. Menard II’s name. The race honors the memory of Menard, who died in a plane crash in August 2001. Menard, a local dentist, was very active in the community before his death. A father of four, Menard was president of the Wasilla Rotary Club and very active in the running community. To further honor Menard and the 10th annual race, the commemorative T-shirt features a picture of Menard.

Curtis C. Menard II

Memorial Run

Saturday, Colony High School

Boys 10-U

1. N. Krozel, 2:20.35; 2. A. Edwards, 23:21.37; 3. M. Escobedo, 23:32.21; 4. L. Hopkins, 24:27.13; 5. M. Evans, 25:16.3; 6. E. Krozel, 25:31.05; 7. A. Edwards, 26:19.15; 8. A. Hull, 27:16.0; 9. J. Hopkins, 27:53.68; 10. D. Matson, 28:27.39; 11. S. Menard, 29:01.38; 12. D. Rindlisbacker, 29:24.77; 13. I. Millard, 29:40.30; 14. W. Moss, 29:44.92; 15. R. Moss, 20:05.20; 16. J. Hogge, 31.44.09; 17. S. Heyano, 32:31.421; 18. C. Mitchell, 32:39.66; 19. K. Hull, 34:01.23; 20. C. Linden, 34:56.01; 21. M. Donithon, 36:16.74; 22. A. Yerbich, 39:55.06; 23. M. Foldenauer, 40:43.98; 24. P. McMahon, 45:16.73; 25. J. Moore, 46:23.41; 26. B. Hursh, 46:41.34; 27. J. Bowne, 50:33.98; 28. V. Bowen, 50:34.71; 29. D. Campbell, 51:35.59; 30. G. Hawk, 51:52.74; 31. M. Maffe, 51:57.16; 32. B. Root, 52:35.70; 33. B. Bowen, 53:42.85; 34. S. Wagner, 56:52.53.

Girls 10-U

1. G. Wakaliuk, 25:15.45; 2. B. Kopsack, 25:18.12; 3. E. Watson, 26:17.79; 4. C. Watson, 30:21.64; 5. S. Powers, 30:29.60; 6. D. Matson, 30:31.35; 7. S. Maffe, 30:56.81; 8. K. Walker, 37:02.50; 9. B. Rindlisbacker, 37:25.89; 10. M. Chin, 38:06.88; 11. H. Embree, 38:26.13; 12. E. Hopkins, 38:26.13. M. Matson, 38:37.25; 14. E. Edwards, 39:32.54; 15. K. Merrill, 41:48.91; 16. B. Cogburn, 44:19.25; 17. C. Mitchell, 45:15.30; 18. S. Lagg, 45:24.00; 19. T. Daugherty, 45:34.69; 20. A. Robbins, 45:35.77; 21. E. Erickson, 51:33.32; 22. H. Hawk, 51.37.19; 23. T. McMahon, 52:03.14; 24. K. Nispel, 52:19.00; 25. K. Daugherty, 52:19.53; 26. D. Kolberg, 52:35.20; 27. M. Root, 52:49.19; 28. B. Kamisnka, 52:55.0; 29. S. Kaminski, 52:59.28; 30. C. Bowen, 53:56.75.

Boys 11-15

1. L. Reed, 19:31.46; 2. B. Niver, 20:55.20; 3. A. Chamblee, 20:56.44; 4. T. Doak, 20:59.39; 5. Z. Lofgren, 21:20.86; 6. C. Danner, 21:27.03; 7. Hu. Andrist, 22:27.68; 8. J. Klina, 22:38.15; 9. T. Moss, 22:41.76; 10. H. Menard, 22:48.33; 11. M. Ellibee, 23:38.42; 12. D. Morse, 23:48.84; 13. N. McMullen, 23:49.15; 14. T. Jackson, 23:49.59; 15. B. Bowker, 23:58.91; 16. S. Adams, 24:11.36; 17. M. Erickson, 24:34.97; 18. K. Berbrich, 24:36.99; 19. J. Dewitt, 24.52.85; 20. J. Taylor, 24:54.49; 21. I. Taylor, 24:59.35; 22. C. Sant, 25:54.98; 23. W. Cogburn, 26:04.91; 24. F. Urbano, 26:13.65; 25. N. Debach, 26:15.97; 26. J. Narsavich, 26:16.32; 27. C. Hopkins, 26:24.81; 28. S. Maffe, 26:11.40; 29. S. Kolstad, 26:37.42; 30. N. Sandidge, 27:49.54; 31. B. Tunning, 28:10.08; 32. N. Bradford, 28:54.94; 33. H. Mostner, 28:59.60; 34. T. Erickson, 28?59.60; 35. C. Chamblee, 30:15.45; 36. B. Vrvilo, 31:24.65; 37. B. Craft, 31:28.24; 38. D. Moses, 32:25.74; 39. J. Bethel, 33:35.46; 40. J. Almeida, 33:55.97; 41. A. Erickson, 33:59.85; 42. T. Smith, 34:44.54; 43. B. Rindlisbacher, 35:15.40; 44. N. Mitchell, 35:21.84; 45. L. Dunham, 36:54.23; 46. C. Havel, 38:27.0; 47. H. Linden, 38:31.82; 48. B. Adams, 39:35.96; 49. D. Watson, 39:36.29; 50. G. Foldenauer, 40:43.38; 51. R. Maketa, 41:35.64; 52. L. Johnson, 41:47.03; 53. M. Merrill, 41:49.59; 54. J. Black, 42:28.08; 55. E. Lentes, 44:53.42; 56. E. Cave, 45:41.52; 57. C. Foster, 49:39.77; 58. A. Shaw, 50:26.47; 59. C. Granquist, 50:29.26; 60. A. Gilland, 50:36.54; 61. T. English, 53:12.12; 62. M. Haire, 56:24.96; 63. T. Raska, 56:33.53.

Girls 11-15

1. A. Kopsack, 23:48.43; 2. H. Hanson, 24:06.82; 3. S. Bruce, 24:35.56; 4. G. Green, 25:38.10; 5. L. Phillips, 25:51.72; 6. C. Matson, 26:02.86; 7. S. Dempsey, 26:05.99; 8. O. Matson, 26:08.24; 9. K. Kelly, 26:40.83; 10. H. Myers, 26:56.36; 11. S. Stone, 27:00.93; 12. E. Wright, 27:7.18; 13. C. Monroe, 2732.96; 14. C. Yerbich, 27:34.29; 15. E. Graham, 27:47.73; 16. C. Copson, 28:11.36; 17. D. DeWall, 29:06.20; 18. C. Monroe, 29:06.65; 19. K. King, 29:43.10; 20. A. Robertson, 30:00.69; 21. A. Edwards, 30:06.17; 22. K. Kondas, 30:17,99; 23. T. Bruce, 30:30.21; 24. S. Stigar, 30:56.45; 25. B. Copson, 32:19.49; 26. G. Simmons, 32.19.94; 27. R. Wakaliuk, 33:09.74; 28. E. Foldenauer, 33:35.83; 29. H. Edwards, 33:43.17; 30. L. Freeman, 33:46.34; 31. A. Cameron, 33:53.54; 32. H. Lugars, 35:12.91; 33. K. Mayer, 37:25.91; 34. C. Venzke, 37:37.47; 35. E. Donelson, 37:40.53; 36. S. Fourch, 38:10.07; 37. E. Croseclose, 38:38.21; 38. M. VanHole, 38:24.28; 39. A. Collins, 39:45.47; 40. G. Hanks, 40:24.41; 41. J. Yerbich, 40:27.22; 42. M. Swinhart, 40:29.84; 43. P. Shaw, 40:30.23; 44. D. Thomas, 40:30.74; 45. S. Corren, 40:35.34; 46. D. Hinds, 41:13.57; 47. M. Bradford, 41:16.73; 48. B. Neffendorf, 42:23.01; 49. N. Nixon, 42:30.00; 50. K. Krueger, 42:30.48; 51. A. Soliday, 44:15.08; 52. K. Sadler, 44:15.08; 53. G. Cogburn, 44:19.74; 54. M. McKittrick, 44:29.74; 55. A. Mitchell, 45:12.55; 56. K. Thompson, 45:44.76; 57. A. Smylie, 45:45.09; 58. A. Bruesh, 45:45.49; 59. K. Stewart, 46:07.25; 60. 49:00.25; 60. S. Eastham, 49:00.05; 61. N. Dillingham, 49:04.45; 62. R. Richardson, 49:10.12; 63. L. Mayer, 49:10.39; 64. A. Peltier, 49:11.10; 65. C. Stephens, 49:11.54; 66. C. Foster, 49:17.30; 67. B. Westcoff, 50:05.52; 68. A. Lundstrom, 49:17.30; 69. K. Bush, 50:45.06; 70. L. Wirtanen, 51:24.10; 71. S. Buresh, 51:10.24; 72. A. Buresh, 51:34.85; 73. S. Hale, 51:36.46; 74. E. Naulty, 51:52.15; 75. N. Skupa, 52:16.64; 76. T. Watson, 52:43.39; 77. C. Hebert, 53:20.38; 78. S. Hunter, 53:20.38; 79. C. McKeown, 54:28.29; 80. L. Hauptman, 54:30.16; 81. D. Moses, 54:321.08; 82. M. Allender, 54:33.08; 83. K. Oldham, 54:36.49; 84. T. Hulya, 54:37.06; 85. T. Buness, 54:39.91; 86. M. Maffe, 54:51.10; 87. C. Mulkins, 55:43.06; 88. T. Raska, 56:44.01.

Boys 16-19

1. Z. Kondas, 29:46.65; 2. S. Olson, 31:56.38; 3. L. Matson, 31:56.73; 4. M. Danner, 45:33.36; 5. D. Gilland, 57:47.09.

Girls 16-19

1. H. Doner, 20:59.80; 2. C. Colegrove, 31:35.20; 3. L. Andrist, 32:39.18; 4. H. Michaelson, 32:55.38; 5. K. Glashon, 42:46.92; 6. R. Stein, 43;34.91; 7. T. Peterson, 48:06.29; 58. K. Brayton, 52:45.07.

Men 20-29

1. D. Kiplagat, 15:24.63; 2. B. Knight, 15:39.66; 3. M. Iverson, 15:43.11; 4. K. Kosakowski, 20:17.36; 5. J. Ford, 20:28.30; 6. J. Ford, 20:28.30; 7. L. Crawford 23:30.04; 8. G. Niver, 23:25.86; 9. N. Hawk, 1:56.34; 11. N. Delany, 53:30.28.

Women 20-29

1. J. Lutz, 21:15.25; 2. . Duke, 25:39.95; 3. T. Nelson, 27:33.56; 4. B. Blackburn, 28:45.93; S. Lynch, 29:11.39; 6. T. Metcalf, 29:36.11; 7. R. Stephens, 30:17.69; 8. H. Clark, 30:20.17; 9. C. Wade, 30:25.71; 10. S. Goff, 32:34.81; 11. K. Pownall, 38:06.55; 12. S. Rusk, 39:45.82; 13. C. Davis, 44:31.50; 14. B. Rose, 45:03.45. 15. M. Murphy, 45:39.74; 16. S. Tuttle, 45:54.59; 17. A. Campbell, 51:35.22; 18. A. Hayes, 51:36.81; 19. S. Nisepl, 52:19.98; 20. J. Bolinder, 55:44.98.

Men 30-39

1. A. Mitchell, 19:47.16; 2. E. Mastny, 20:24.29; 3. P. Kaster, 20:35.80; 4. C. Power, 21:17.35; 5. A. Krozell, 22:07.07; 6. T. Minnick, 22L13.98; 7. A. Ost, 23:35.21; 8. W. Nash, 24:23.22; 9. K. Tunning, 28:09.11; 10. D. Fettes, 28:56.13; 11. N. Rindlisbacher, 29:28.65; 12. B. Albright, 32:24.26; 13. D. Murphy, 37:02.12; 14. M. Chin, 38:09.69; 15. M. Daugherty, 45:35.38; 16. B. Bowen, 50:30.09; 17. C. Hull, 52:05.03; 18. S. Gilland, 53:46.96.

Women 30-39

1. N. Quinn, 18:32.64; 2. C. Marsh, 25:24.04; 3. C. Mitchell, 26:01.58; 4. G. Green, 26:03.41; 5. A. Hervey, 26:34.49; 56 S. Kolstad, 26:35.64; 7. S. Ackles, 27:45.18; 8. A. Kelly, 28:24.20; 9. R. Millard, 29:40.60; 10. P. Smith, 29:58.11; 11. M. Rindlisbacher, 30:37.64; 12. G. Hale, 31:07.84; 13. K. Bruce, 31:17.44; 14. H. Hogge, 31:51.94; 15. W. Kolberg, 32:01.16; 16. R. Tucker, 32:01.53; 17. K. Sunderland, 32:34.48; 18. J. Sinn, 33:16.12; 19. S. Hull, 34:08.31; 20. M. Holler, 34:08.70; 21. R. Stone, 34:54.19; 22. B. Farrell, 37:56.81; 23. L. Clark-Maketa, 37:56.81; 24. T. Link, 42:06.42; 25. J. Woodside, 45:07.65; 26. A. Lagg, 45:24.42; 27. D. Bruesch, 45:53.75; 28. C. Williams, 46:18.98; 29. D. Dillingham, 48:20.32; 30. B. Beebe, 51:12.28; 31. N. Lundstrom, 51:20.61; 32. K. Merrill, 51:24.56; 33. H. Lindon, 51:31.51; 34. S. Bowen, 51:59.71; 35. M. McMahon, 52:02.51; 36. J. Taitano, 52:06.02; 37. D. Smith, 52:32.28; 38. L. Kaminska, 52:45.57; 39. C. Root, 53.01.49; 40. K. Moss, 53.11.44; 41. T. Sturdevant, 56.31.16.

Men 40-49

1. L. Kopsack, 20:44.78; 2. B. Diotte, 21:56.26; 3. C. Chambles, 23:17.28; 4. D. Richey, 24:11.66; 5. J. Hinds, 24:35.95; 6. J. Erickson, 24:50.47; 7. T. Smith, 26:38.93; 8. G. Adams, 27:43.26; 9. G. Lugers, 28:26.76; 10. S. Minnick, 29:42.36; 11. J. Kondas, 29:47.16; 12. D. Graham, 30:28.93; 13. J. Alcantra, 30:35.17; 14. R. Stone, 30:39.90; 15. M. Johnson, 30:56.98; 16. W. Wakaliuk, 33:10.40; 17. S. Menard, 33:25.65; 18. L. Chamblee, 22:37.89; 19. G. Danner, 34:30.42; 20. D. Molina, 42:05.94; 21. S. Kaster, 42:36.11; 22. S. Olson, 42:49.27; 23. T. Stein, 43:39.32; 24. C. Dillingham, 48:20.80; 25. M. Hursh, 49:40.76; 26. B. McMahon, 50:05.03; 27. G. English, 53.01.87; 28. H. Foster, 53:35.61.

Women 40-49

1. J. Aho, 23:32.81; 2. K. Mathews, 25:03.77; 3. L. Dewitt, 26:38.24; 4. R. Allen, 26:41.44; 5. M. Vollendorf, 27:04.78; 6. J. Hinds, 27:27.80’; 7. K. Carney, 27:31.97; 8. C. Hanson, 28:22.78; 9. R. Alcantra, 29:01.87; 10. C. Westcott, 29:05.48; 11. T. Bradford, 29:06.93; 12. K. Yerbich, 29:48.04; 13. R. Chrystal, 29:59.75; 14. S. Moistner, 30:33.50; 15. T. Edwards, 31:13.64; 16. J. Flaherty, 31:18.55; 17. K. Farrell, 31:20.69; 18. C. Richey, 31:21.01; 19. L. Feltz, 31:30.23; 20. H. Nelles, 31:59.88; 21. M. Keene, 32:00.31; 22. T. Martin, 32:25.03; 23. B. Morse, 33:11.88; 24. B. Reed, 33:18.43; 25. C. Menard, 33:33.89; 26. C. Weikel, 34:19.92; 27. J. Matson, 38:42.99; 28. S. Dunham, 38:49.67; 29. E. Edwards, 39:32.90; 30. A. Morgan, 39:48.01; 31. J. Molina, 42:00.66; 32. S. Escobedo, 42:50.68; 33. C. Hermon, 42:56.12; 34. J. Stein, 42:58.37; 35. J. Danner, 44:28.15; 36. B. Venzke, 44:54.20; 37. J. Bybee, 44:54.97; 38. R. Fitzpatrick, 44:58.32; 39. L. Foldenauer, 45:15.85; 40. K. Graham, 45:52.50; 41. K. Sandstrom, 45:54.90; 42. T. Hursh, 47:50.50; 43. C. Kula, 47:58.22; 44. S. Lentes, Moore, 48:15.03; 45. C. Clump, 48:26.33; 46. S. Beus, 50:35.10; 47. R. Kitchin, 51:59.32; 48. T. Brayton, 52:44.07; 49. G. Foster, 52:44.07; 50. S. Campbell, 55:54.31; 51. S. Schroeder, 56:12.82.

Men 50-59

1. B. Davis, 19:36.94; 2. D. Martin, 22:02.65; 3. L. Buskirk, 23:03.09; 4. E. Gravely, 23:43.62; 5. R. Rongstad, 24:43.64; 6. C. Thorn, 25:30.1; 7. A. Strann, 27:32.21; 8. C. Yoder, 28:07.85; 9. B. Frost, 29:04.72; 10. M. Niver, 29:04.72; 11. G. Stone, 30:26.27; 12. T. Jessen, 30:40.47; 13. S. Colegrove, 31:38.15; 14. R. Ackles, 33:45.69; 15. C. Jacobson, 35:59.46; 16. B. Gillespie, 42:55.76; 17. D. Kennedy, 46:22.03; 18. D. Bush, 50:41.14; 19. T. English, 53:15.53; 20. D. Hebert, 53:19.81.

Women 50-59

1. S. Stigar, 27:08.04; 2. S. Bauer, 28:53.09; 3. K. Higgins, 29:23.93; 4. R. Jones, 31:24.34; 5. D. Firmani, 32:00.79; 6. B. Andrist 33:1730; 7. D. Jacobson, 35,:45.30;’ 8 D. Walsh, 36:40.86; 9. A. Morgan, 39:50.33; 10. E. Menesses, 41:40.58; 11. C. Neffendorft 42:23.53; 12. A. Ayay-Dehart, 46:22.40; 13. J. Kennedy, 46:22.40; 14. D. Dewall, 46:25.79; 15. C. Curtis, 47:50.86; 16. M. Levesque, 48:43.69; 17. S. Kelley 50:40.73; 18. K. Erickson, 51:32.56; 19. S. Conducy 52:41.92; 20. S. Hebert, 53:16.06.

Men 60+

1. D. Ford 24:12.66; 2. B. Hogan, 25:17.64; 3. J. Cannon, 29:56.48; 4. D. Phipps 33:08.35; 5. M. Nelson, 36:40.50; 6. J. Soucek, 39:33.77; 7. P. Pevan 46:35.80; 8. J. Blackburn 48:50.09; 9. R. Peek, 56:54.21.

Women 60+

1. J. Nelson, 36:20.52; 2. P. Blackburn, 48:44.19; 3. S. Peek, 57:02.43.