The 28th annual LeeShore Center Run for Women became a family affair Saturday morning in Kenai.
The Ostrander sister duo of Allie and Taylor ran away from the competition in the 10-kilometer race, Allie winning with a time of 39 minutes, 9 seconds, nearly 90 seconds ahead of her older sister, while mother Teri Ostrander finished fourth with a time of 25:13 in the 5K event.
“We were just out here to have a good time and run for a good cause,” Allie said. “We weren’t really going all out.”
The Ostranders have made it a family tradition to run the race, and Allie has led Taylor in a 1-2 finish every one of the last three years they have competed together — the 5K event in 2012 and the 10K race in 2014 and 2015.
“We grew up watching our mom do it, and we make an effort to do it every year,” Taylor said.
Michelle Mitchell, fresh off a win at the Celebrate Life! 5K a week prior, finished third in 43:08.
In the 5K race, it was Holly Nedens claiming victory with a time of 23:01, beating Susan Craig to the finish by 36 seconds. Nedens placed 30th out of 136 total runners at Wednesday’s Salmon Run Series 5K at the Tsalteshi Trails, where she was beaten by her 12-year-old daughter, Libby. Saturday in Kenai, Holly claimed the family crown for a day, leading Libby and 10-year-old Sophia Nedens across the line. Libby finished third and Sophia 15th.
“The hills were a little different for us, so it’s nice to run at zero elevation here,” Nedens said.
Making the trip from her home state of Minnesota, Nedens is visiting sister Shannon Dosko, whose husband, Vaughn, works as principal at Kenai Middle School. Nedens said she attempts to visit the 49th state every four years or so, but admitted it had been about six since the most recent tour.
“It’s usually much hotter down there, so we’ll take this weather,” she said with a laugh.
Since May 1977, the LeeShore Center has served as a 24-hour domestic violence and sexual assault shelter for Kenai and the central Peninsula, providing a safe place for women and children to go.
With proceeds from the race going to help that cause, it’s one of the reasons that runners return year after year to compete, as well as try to run a personal record time. Saturday morning, a crowd of 127 showed up ready to run.
“We always seem to have a good, gusty headwind to look forward to,” Taylor Ostrander said about the course.
“On the way out, we had a little headwind, so we were thinking we’d have a tailwind on the way back,” added Allie. “But nope, Kenai decides to switch the wind around.”
With both Ostrander sisters about to head off to college — Taylor will run the steeplechase at Willamette University one more year, and Allie will debut for Boise State — family time is quickly dwindling, so both have decided to make the most of it with hiking and biking adventures. The pair ran nine miles of the Resurrection Pass trail just days before, and plan to take on Lost Lake in the near future.
2015 Kenai Peninsula Run for Women
10K Female
1. Allie Ostrander, 39:09; 2. Taylor Ostrander, 40:36; 3. Michelle Mitchell, 43:08; 4. Jaycie Calvert, 45:40; 5. Rena Anderson, 51:16; 6. Amy Baxter, 55:37; 7. Joan Ryan, 56:32; 8. Heather Beauparlant, 57:11; 9. Kristin Morrow, 1:00:54; 10. Emily Aley, 1:01:04; 11. Madeline Lee, 1:01:48; 12. Nadia Anders, 1:02:18; 13. Caitlin Bradbury, 1:03:51; 14. Lindsey Burton, 1:04:30; 15. Misty Peterkin, 1:06:45; 16. Amy Hogue, 1:10:55; 17. Maria Sweppy, 1:11:42; 18. Rinna Carson, 1:12:40; 19. Rachel Maddy, 1:14:04; 20. Angela Macdonald, 1:14:04; 21. Peggy Leonard, 1:15:25; 22. Deverie Bergevin, 1:18:13; 23. Terry Mayo, 1:19:28; 24. Kathy Hammer, 1:20:02; 25. Penny Furnish, 1:26:41; 26. Kelly Hicks, 1:27:41; 27. Johna Beech, 1:27:50; 28. Claudette Hixon, 1:36:22; 29. Sandy Foger, 1:36:24.
10K Male
1. Samuel Anders, 1:02:07.
5K Female
1. Holly Nedens, 23:01; 2. Susan Craig, 23:37; 3. Libby Nedens, 23:53; 4. Teresa Ostrander, 25:13; 5. Kelsey Vershum, 26:06; 6. Madi Vershum, 26:08; 7. Jane Fuerstenau, 26:51; 8. Alejandra Arvizo, 26:56; 9. Jane Eveland, 27:33; 10. Julie English, 27:39; 11. Regina Theisen, 27:46; 12. Lauren Upson, 28:22; 13. Emilie Marshall, 28:22; 14. Terri Cowart, 28:45; 15. Sophia Nedens, 28:56; 16. Mary Lewis, 29:20; 17. Sheilah Margaret Pothast, 29:33; 18. Jennifer Jackson, 30:51; 19. Lacey Senese, 31:08; 20. Sonja Lynn, 31:09; 21. Melodie Epperheimer, 32:17; 22. Amelia Mueller, 32:30; 23. Kyaran Matturro, 32:34; 24. Meg Mueller, 32:40; 25. Laura Henkelman, 33:06; 26. Maria Calvert, 33:26; 27. Ashley Soares, 33:53; 28. Eileen Bryson, 34:54; 29. Jodi Vershum, 35:59; 30. Madison Mcdonald, 36:52; 31. Christine Morin, 37:04; 32. Patricia Montgomery, 38:33; 33. Rachel Bogard, 38:54; 34. Lindsey May, 38:54; 35. Camerin Bogard, 38:55; 36. Rachel Neuendorf, 38:57; 37. Tiffany Mccorison, 38:58 38. Barbara Mcninch, 38:59; 39. Jacynne Collver, 39:19; 40. Luthien Collver, 39:20; 41. Jennifer Tollackson, 39:55; 42. Mary Bodnar, 40:04; 43. Payton Matturro, 40:09; 44. Paula Standefer, 40:37; 45. Audrey Mcdonald, 41:06; 46. Dana Mcdonald, 41:27; 47. Mindee Morning, 42:10; 48. Katrina Cannava, 42:28; 49. Ariana Cannava, 42:32; 50. Shannon Dosko, 43:26; 51. Monique Spiers, 46:26; 52. Alexis Collins, 46:26; 53. Raelynne Murphy, 47:28; 54. Charlene Spiers, 48:44; 55. Alice Anderson, 48:51; 56. Yvonne Oren, 49:52; 57. Cassie Collins, 50:15; 58. Donna Bartman, 50:28; 59. Shannon Bird, 51:24; 60. Mary Starrs Armstrong, 51:25; 61. Louise Martin, 51:31; 62. Lori Peikert, 51:32; 63. Cassandra Winslow, 51:34; 64. Jennifer Heazlett, 51:34; 65. Dawn Murray, 51:35; 66. Kathy Bush, 51:44; 67. Judi Artman, 51:57; 68. Barbara Beeman, 52:26; 69. Sharon Isaak, 52:28; 70. Patricia Reilly, 54:29; 71. Janet Rauch, 55:53; 72. Holly Segura, 55:53; 73. Rebekah Pollard, 55:57; 74. Mickinzie Ticknor, 55:57; 75. Evelyn Boulette, 56:21; 76. Marsha Reiter, 57:26; 77. Beth Swaby, 57:27; 78. Farrah Collver, 57:29; 79. Emily Nicholson, 58:43; 80. Jadith Sheilds, 1:02:24; 81. Cindy Todd, 1:03:00; 82. Tracy Toombs, 1:04:42; 83. Carol Upchurch, 1:04:42; 84. Shelby Toombs, 1:04:45; 85. Sierra Millington, 1:04:45; 86. Karen Sowards, 1:04:46; 87. Courtney Parker, 1:04:46; 88. Joan Seaman, 1:09:54; 89. Michelle Teats, 1:09:57; 90. Denaya Devolld, 1:11:30; 91. Anna Bruce, 1:11:35; 92. Donna Anderson, 1:11:39; 93. Jennifer Ticknor, 1:11:40; 94. Terri Nettles, 1:14:01.
5K Male
1. Tucker Mueller, 30:16; 2. Luc Beauparlant, 32:10; 3. Shannon Murphy, 47:28.
