Being 22 weeks pregnant didn’t prevent Brandy Erholtz from setting the women’s course record and being the overall winner in Thursday’s Bronco 5K Run/Walk.
Erholtz, 35, formerly Griffith, a 1995 International Falls High School graduate who ran cross country and track in high school and now lives in Colorado, reached the finish line first in 19 minutes, 3 seconds — 9 seconds faster than the race’s top male runner, John Sobczynski, 20, of International Falls.
Sobczynski, who improved on his time in last year’s race by about 10 seconds when he placed seventh overall, held the lead before being passed up by Erholtz in the final stretch behind Falls High School as the two runners headed toward the track for one lap to finish.
“I really didn’t expect to catch (Sobczynski), but on the final stretch I caught him,” Erholtz said. “I thought he’d get me on the track, because I normally don’t have much leg speed, but it was a great race and a lot of fun.”
Erholtz, who has been involved with mountain trail running since moving to Colorado and as well as being a member of the U.S. Mountain Running Team, said she started Thursday’s race a little bit slower than she normally runs because of being pregnant, but then worked her way toward the front as the Bronco 5K progressed.
“It’s a little hotter than I would like,” Erholtz said. “The Freeze Yer Gizzard (Blizzard) Run, that type of weather, is the kind that I truly prefer, but (it was) a beautiful, sunny day.
“The heat was the only thing that was an inconvenience more than anything. It wasn’t bad. It’s only 3 miles, right?”
Though she believes she took advantage of running in the lower altitude in the Falls than what she has become accustomed to in Colorado, Erholtz said she has a harder time competing on flat courses.
“Sha Sha hills, that actually would be the kind of course that I would prefer, but since I’m pregnant I guess this is probably OK,” she said.
After giving birth, Erholtz said she would like to be part of a mountain running team next year.
Sobczynski, a distance runner who graduated in 2011 from Falls High School, said he pulled in front of this year’s Bronco 5K pack when he got to Kerry Park and held the lead until Erholtz passed him just before they arrived at the track for the final lap.
“This is the best I’ve finished (the Bronco 5K),” Sobczynski said. “I actually stayed in shape over the summer this time, and I decided to give it a good shot and see how I could do. It felt good to finally finish up front.”
Three other runners finished in under 20 minutes. Dan DeRoche, 35, placed third in 19:26. Andrew Hayes, 38, came in fourth in 19:28. Mary Strain, 18, was fifth in 19:33.
Last year’s overall runner-up, Dennis Ogilvie, 27, of Emo, Ontario, finished sixth this year in 20:09, more than a minute slower than his time in 2012.
This year’s 5-kilometer race, the seventh annual that was held as a fundraiser for the Bronco track and field teams, used the same route for the third year in a row by starting at the entrance to the track, before going along 11th Street to Kerry Park and looping back to Falls High School, ending with a lap on the track.
Grady Anderson of Grand Rapids set the overall and men’s course record of 16:28.02 in 2011.
Six women’s records set
Though no one came close Thursday to breaking the overall course record, a half-dozen records were set in the female age groups.
Erholtz now also holds the course record for women 30-39.
Strain set a new course record for girls 15-18.
Lexi Erickson, 14, who competes in cross country and track for the Broncos, placed seventh overall in 20:15 and set a new course record for girls 11-14.
Linda Belanger, 45, placed 17th overall in 22:31 and set a new course record for women 40-49.
Betty Tomerlin, 60, placed 51st overall in 25:17 and set a new course record for women 60-69.
The 70-plus women’s record was set by Gail Rognerud, 71, who placed 197th overall in 38:18.
Medals were awarded to the top three males and females in nine age categories.
Record number of entrants
This year’s Bronco 5K also set a record for the number of finishers with 266 runners/walkers ranging in age from 5-72 completing the course.
“We were a little worried the warm weather might keep people from showing up that morning, but the breeze did help with the heat and we ended up with a record turnout not only for the 5K but also for the kids races,” said race organizer and Falls High School girls track and field head coach Jen Erickson. “I was hoping we would pull in more participants than last year, but didn’t expect to hit 266!”
Following the Bronco 5K, a free Kids Fun Run was held with two 400-meter heats and one 800-meter run around the track with all the participants receiving a ribbon.
Though the majority of the Bronco 5K entrants had been from Minnesota and the Falls, Erickson said there were also people on hand from Hawaii, Florida, Tennessee, Maine, Kansas, Arizona, Colorado, Missouri, Wisconsin, North Carolina and New York.
“You never know who you’re going to see at the track that morning — you always end up talking with people you haven’t seen since high school, or it might be the only time during the year you get the chance to visit with people who reside somewhere other than the Falls,” she said. “We see a lot of families signing up for the event with people of all ages running or walking. Every year I hear several, ‘My sister/mom/friend talked me into running/walking,’ but it’s always followed by a smile and a laugh.
“When we started the Bronco 5K seven years ago, the goal was to make it a Fourth of July event for families or alumni in town celebrating a class reunion.”
With the number of participants exceeding 250, Erickson said, “we will be looking into online registration next year so it will be easier for people to preregister.”
