Forty-nine finishers withstood a cold rain Saturday at the 35th Violence Free Community Run in Kenai.
The event, formerly known as the Run for Women, highlights The LeeShore Center’s mission to promote healthy families and a violence-free community. All funds raised above the cost of organizing the event go to services at the LeeShore Center, which provides safe housing for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.
According to Cheri Smith, the executive director at The LeeShore Center, the event did not happen in 2020 or 2021 due to the pandemic.
The event was virtual in 2022. In 2023, for the first time as a live event, the Violence Free Community Run allowed men over the age of 18 to enter.
Smith, who has been with The LeeShore Center for 30 years, said the center has always provided services for male victims.
During the pandemic, the center was able to add a few beds for men. Up until that point, men had to stay in hotels.
Smith said the run reflects that change.
“It’s a family issue,” she said. “We need everybody to be a part of this.
“For years, (the run) was really focused on violence against women. Well, we know there’s violence against men, and we want to make sure we’re as inclusive as can be.”
Despite the foul weather, with temperatures dipping into the low 50s, the race increased the number of men.
In 2023, the event had 59 finishers, with six men finishers. This year, the event had 49 finishers, with 21 men finishers.
Smith said there’s no question the forecast for a tough day of weather cut down on the numbers. She said all of the preregistered runners did not show up. Also, the race usually gets a lot of participants registering right before the race, but that also didn’t materialize.
“Stay in bed or get out in the rain, they’re going to stay in bed,” Smith said. “I know we all feel that way. But at least the wind’s not blowing like it did last night.”
She did have a lot of respect for those that did show up.
“I keep telling them when I’m making announcements, they’re like all stars, really,” Smith said. “It takes a lot. They’re very supportive and believe in the cause. They want to be a part of it. We’re very grateful.”
Smith said a communitywide effort to stop domestic violence is as important as ever. She said numbers went down at the shelter during the pandemic because victims couldn’t get to the shelter because the perpetrator was in the home.
“The last few years, the numbers are rising again,” Smith said.
Race victories went to Seward’s Safia Seavey and Soldotna’s Josiah Abel in the 5-kilometer run, and Angie Voight of Minneapolis and Nate Hibberd of Kenai in the 10-kilometer run.
Voight has been coming to the run and racking up victories for nearly as long as Smith has been with The LeeShore Center.
“I think the first year I ran was in 1996 when I was in college,” she said. “I came up when I was in college and it was a good training run for cross-country.
“Every time I come to visit my family in the summer, a lot of times I try to plan my visit around this race. I love doing it.”
Voight said her family is originally from Wisconsin, but her parents, Terry and Jan Voight, moved to Kenai. She said of the seven kids in the family, four live in Alaska.
Angie was happy her nieces, Natalie and Alice Voight, ran their first 5K on Saturday. Alice was fifth, while Natalee was 14th, in the women’s 5K.
As for Angie, she was the overall 10K winner in 42 minutes, 52 seconds. She tore her Achilles’ tendon a few years ago playing women’s tackle football.
“It’s getting a little slower over the years,” Angie said. “I had Achilles’ tendon surgery two years ago, so I’m coming back from that.”
Finishing second, and the first man, was Hibberd at 45:05.
He said the event was a great way to get his family out and running. Hibberd and his wife, Tamara, will do the Lost Lake Run outside of Seward on Aug. 24. Tamara was seventh in the women’s 10K.
Nate and Tamara’s son, Jackson Hibberd, will do cross-country at Kenai Middle School. He finished second in the 5K.
Nate said he couldn’t complain about Saturday’s rain. Last year, he did the Lost Lake Run for the first time and endured what Patrick Simpson, the race director, called the rainiest race in the event’s 32-year history.
“The Lost Lake race last year was horrendous,” Hibberd said. “So this is, like, not too bad.”
Seavey won in 27:31, while Abel was at 21:36. Abel is a student at Soldotna High School and planning to run cross-country. He said he came out with his parents, Courtney and David Abel, to raise money for the cause. David was eighth in the men’s 5K, while Courtney was fourth in the women’s 10K.
35th Violence Free Community Run
Saturday, Aug. 10, in Kenai
5 kilometers
Women — 1. Safia Seavey, Seward, 27:31; 2. Alyssa Wood, Soldotna, 30:10; 3. Amy Antommaria, Greeley, Colorado, 32:49; 4. Mary Chapman, Sterling, 32:51; 5. Alice Voight, Soldotna, 33:03; 6. Melissa Shnowske, Mosinee, Wisconsin, 34:17; 7. Cora Seavey, Seward, 36:06; 8. Aurora Shockley, Kenai, 37:34; 9. Terri Cowart, Kasilof, 38:05; 10. Esme Fair, Clam Gulch, 38:33; 11. Nancy Hammermeister, Nikiski, 38:36; 12. Melanie Hollon, Clam Gulch, 39:02; 13. Maria Sweppy, Soldotna, 39:39; 14. Natalee Voight, Soldotna, 41:27; 15. Julie Bunch, Kenai, 46:13; 16. Therese’ Frothingham, Kasilof, 50:57; 17. Paula Standefer, Kenai, 55:49; 18. Susie Smalley, Kenai, 55:49; 19. Vivian Rice-Smuin, Las Vegas, 56:09; 20. Patricia Reilly, Kenai, 56:43.
Men — 1. Josiah Abel, Soldotna, 21:36; 2. Jackson Hibberd, Kenai, 22:15; 3. Clayton Bowman, Soldotna, 23:20; 4. Quincy Fuller, Kenai, 23:21; 5. Caleb Abel, Soldotna, 24:01; 6. Dakoda Henhawk, Kenai, 25:48; 7. Ryan Peterson, Soldotna, 27:14; 8. David Abel, Soldotna, 27:29; 9. Kurt Shnowske, Mosinee, Wisconsin, 27:55; 10. Kent Peterson, Anchorage, 28:15; 11. Malachi Abel, Soldotna, 30:34; 12. Eric Parsons, Greeley, Colorado, 32:49; 13. Jessen Seavey, Seward, 36:20; 14. Daniel Seavey, Seward, 36:20; 15. Dave Hill, Salt Lake City, Utah, 38:28; 16. John Chapman, Sterling, 56:08.
10 kilometers
Women — 1. Angie Voight, Minneapolis, 42:52; 2. Sarah Pribbenow, Kenai, 51:52; 3. Viorica Thompson, Kenai, 51:58; 4. Courtney Abel, Soldotna, 1:02:41; 5. Linda Moll, Ninilchik, 1:02:45; 6. Cecilia Borries-Strigle, Kenai, 1:03:51; 7. Tamara Hibberd, Kenai, 1:05:20; 8. Mariah Ross, Soldotna, 1:11:31.
Men — 1. Nate Hibberd, Kenai, 45:05; 2. Mark Barbee, Ninilchik, 46:52; 3. Chris Shockley, Kenai, 51:45; 4. Reese Ross, Soldotna, 57:07; 5. Russell Halverson, Anchor Point, 57:39.
