And they’re off! Racers young and old entered in the Cook County Community YMCA Ham Run 5k (3.1 miles) enthusiastically took off for the finish line. Wearing cool sunglasses and bib number 739, Jonathan Rova placed first overall in the 5k with a time of 22:15.8.
A couple of weeks before the Ham Run Half Marathon Jay Arrowsmith DeCoux said if he was going to have any chance of winning the race he had to get a lead on Jesse Baldwin, a friend and training partner.
“Jesse is fast. I need to go out hard early and see if I can get a big enough lead to hold him off,” Arrowsmith DeCoux said at the time.
Mission accomplished. Arrowsmith DeCoux won the eighth running of the race in 1:29:25.5, finishing almost half a minute ahead of Baldwin who crossed the line in 1:29:54.6. This is the second time Arrowsmith DeCoux, a perennial top five finisher, has won the race. He finished first in 2012 with a time of 1:22:46.
The next local male finishers were Adam Nelson, 16th in 1:59:56; Jeff Cadwell, 17th in 2:04:54; and Mark Abrahamson, who placed 21st in 2:17:16.5.
Megan Berhands of Duluth beat a deep field of women with a time of 1:36:06. Jackie Nelson of Grand Marais placed second in 1:39:25. Nelson was second last year but ran four minutes faster this year. Last year’s winner, Debra Hultman, age 54 of Ely, placed fourth in 1:40:15.
Jay Arrowsmith DeCoux (left) and Jesse Baldwin battled for the win in the Cook County YMCA Ham Run Half Marathon with Arrowsmith DeCoux narrowly taking the win over his friend in the 13.1-mile race.
Other local finishers and their times include: Kerrie Berg, 6th in 1:46:08; Sharon Dorr, 12th in 1:53:36; Theresa Oberg, 13th in 1:54:44; Stephanie Radloff, 19th in 1:59:51; Linden Figgie, 22nd in 2:00:59; Lynne Wiitala, 23rd in 2:02:48; and Jeanne Monson, who placed 30th in 2:08: 53.8.
Mens’ 5K
Jonathan Rova of Duluth and Grand Marais finished first in the 3.1- mile race in 22:15.8.
Ageless Chris Hegg, 64, placed second with a great time of 22:48.7. Up and coming long distance runner Weston Heeren, age 10, placed third with a great age group time of 24:35.3.
Finishing in fourth place was Weston’s father, Baiers Heeren, in 25:18.
Last year’s champ, Karl Olson has been battling back issues and placed sixth in 26:24.5.
Finishing seventh was John Oberholtzer, age 49, in 27:04.5; Raymond Dressely, age 10, was eighth in 28:23.6; Denny Fitzpatrick, age 70, finished ninth in 30:34.8. Isaak Lien, age 9, placed 10th in 32:07.6; Michael Garry, 47, placed 11th in 32:20.9; and Jacob Dorr, age 12, placed 12th in 32:29.9.
Women’s 5K
Casey Fitchett of Lutsen, age 26, placed first in the women’s 5K in 24:57. Lynn Swanson, age 49, placed third in 25:43.9; Ella Sporn, age 11, placed fifth in 30:08.7; Anna Heeren, age 12, finished sixth in 30:08.8; Emily Breaker, age 29, placed eighth in 32:08; Elsa Garry, age 12, placed ninth in 32:19.3; Krista Mixdorf, age 46, placed 13th in 35:22.4; Andrea Larsen, 14, finished 17th in 41:45.2; Ali Duclos, 9, placed 20th in 44:43.7; and right behind her was her mother, Silviya, 38, who ran 45:331. Finishing together in 23rd and 24th place was Sara Gale, 28, in 46:45.6 and Kathy Bernier, 45, in 46:55.7.
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