The Change Your Pace Challenge 2K Fun Run Saturday, July 16 brought more than 70 participants of all ages.
10K racers Loren Rose (right) and Jesse Wright (right middle) pass 5K racers Theresa Baker of Bozeman (left) and Sarah Zook (left middle) of Great Falls, Mont. Wright and Rose finished within a second of each other with Wright being 0.6 seconds faster. Wright said he won by default because the leaders missed the turn around at the Homestead Cabin.
Seeley Lake resident Laurie Page and her family participated in the Change Your Pace Challenge and came to Seeley Lake to enjoy the festival for the weekend. Front (L-R): Alex, Cara, and Valentina. Middle (L-R): Laurie, Natalie, Kyla and Karen. Back (L-R): Derek, Dave, Collin who ran 8.6 miles in the 10K, and Gary.
Seeley Lake senior Cera Strumpfer took second for women and fourth overall in the 5K with a time of 23:50.
SEELEY LAKE – The inaugural Change Your Pace Challenge 10 kilometer (K) and 5K races and 2K fun run attracted all ages and abilities Saturday, July 16. Racers, joggers and walkers had the opportunity to explore the roads of Seeley Lake and take in the beauty Seeley Lake offers.
The goal of the event was to continue to raise money for the Change Your Pace Challenge (Challenge). The Challenge is the Seeley Lake Community Foundation's (SLCF) new approach to financially supporting local organizations. It offers 14 local organizations the opportunity to raise up to $5,000 between May 20 - July 22. The funds raised will be matched by the SLCF for a total of $30,000 available match funding. Nearly $103,000 has been raised as of July 18.
The 10K and 5K race routes started at the Seeley Lake Elementary school and took runners around Morrell Creek Drive. The 5K racers turned around at Whitetail Drive while the 10K runners continued to the Homestead Cabin for their turn around. The Double Arrow Landowners Association Board of Directors approved the route this past spring.
While some racers were out to win the 10K, local knowledge proved to be the advantage because the sign to the Homestead Cabin fell off the tree. Five racers missed the turnabout putting Seeley Lake racer Loren Rose out front with Jesse Wright of Missoula, Mont. Rose crossed the finish line first but the chip timer recorded Wright finishing 0.66 seconds ahead of Rose. Rose won the 60+ age group.
Collin Page from Bothell, Wash. was one of the five front-runners in the 10K. According to his GPS he ran 8.6 miles instead of the 6.2-mile course. He finished in 11th place with a time of 1:01:04.
"It was a beautiful run," said Page. "It was worth the extra mileage."
Chris Kimbrough won the female 10K with a time of 48:23 even though she ran past the turnaround as well.
"I was getting a little thirsty," said Kimbrough who estimated she ran 7.7 miles.
Seeley Lake locals Cera Strumpfer, Lee Boman and Gene Schade participated in the 5K. Strumpfer, a senior at Seeley-Swan High School, finished second for the women and fourth overall with a time of 23:50.06.
Boman and Schade both used the run as training for their upcoming backpacking trips. Boman finished seventh with a time of 37:48.54. Schade speed walked the race in 43:32.28.
The top male and top female finishers for each age group each received a T-shirt and $10 to donate to the organization of their choice in the Challenge.
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