Economy, Smith — both wearing shorts — win 31st FYGBR races

A year after reaching a near-record 43 degrees, the 31st Freeze Yer Gizzard Blizzard Run was back to freezing gizzards, featuring below-zero temperatures Saturday.

So why wouldn’t the winners of the 5K and 10K races be wearing shorts.

“I love cold weather and running,” said Kyle Smith, the 23-year-old winner of the 10K race.

No kidding?

“I wanted to take a shot at it,” said Smith, who finished second last year in the 10K. “It was a very tight race. Whenever you can see the shadow of the person behind you, it’s a scary race.”

That shadow was from defending champion Brian Davenport, who wiped out around the final turn at Rainy River Community College, leaving Smith uncontested for first. Smith finished in 35 minutes, 3 seconds, while Davenport’s time was 35:20. Matt Langen finished third in 37:30.

“It was going to be a good finish,” Davenport quipped. “You never like to be that close and end up on your butt in the driveway wondering where you are.”

Nevertheless, Davenport and the Minnesota R.E.D. Club from the Twin Cities — Running. Eating. Drinking. — plan to return next year.

“It’s a great party. It’s a great race,” he said.

The race-time temperature for the 5K, which started around 9:30 a.m., was minus 4 degrees, but it “felt like” minus 19, according to weather.com. The 10K started an hour later at minus 5 degrees and “felt like” minus 22. The wind was chilling bones at 9 miles per hour.

“Basically man up and do it. And we’re in Minnesota,” said 15-year-old Cameron Economy, who won the 5K with a time of 21:03. Ian Friesen, also 15, finished second in 21:12, while 16-year-old Bryan Hasbargen was third in 21:27.

This was Economy’s first career victory in a race. The Victoria, Minn., native and Chanhassen High School student also participated in the FYGBR when he was 11.

“It was a good feeling,” he said. “Just the feeling of being done and then it hit me that I’d won.”

Nearly 300 participants combined to finish the 5K and 10K races.

Some participated in both.

Hibbing’s Serena Sullivan, 30, was the top female finisher in both races. She clocked in at 21:59 in the 5K and at 43:38 in the 10K. Northfield’s Robert Aby, at 65, won his age group in both races. Fort Frances’ Bill Michl ran both because he missed last year’s events with a foot injury.

“Always try to support the local (races),” said the 55-year-old Michl, who once did a half marathon and marathon in back-to-back days. He plans to participate in an Ironman competition in August.

Bemidji’s Bob Conner was back in the 10K wearing No. 31, to honor his feat of participating in every FYGBR. The only difference this year was his 17-year-old son Nick Conner was participating for the first time.

“He’s probably heard too much about it,” Bob said before laughing when a good-natured heckler from a nearby crowd was wondering aloud why the 53-year-old was getting interviewed again about the FYGBR.

Kendra and Sarah Durst, two of the four identical quadruplets from Buffalo, Minn., finished the 5K in 27:48 and 32:51, respectively. Lifetime’s “Quad Squad,” a reality television show following the 17-year-old sisters is scheduled to premiere Feb. 9 — one day before their 18th birthday.

International Falls’ Seth Johnson took part in his first FYGBR, and the 31-year-old finished 24th in the 5K in 26:50. Running wasn’t a problem for the former member of the military, but the wind was brisk on Ninth Street and the ever-so-familiar smell of the mill made the race unique.

“I’m glad I did it,” Johnson said. “It was awesome. What a beautiful day, too. Glad it wasn’t 30 below.”