March Meltdown run preps forthcoming track season
EBANEZER DELANEY finishes the March Meltdown 5K with his daughter, Morgan. She is dressed for the pre-Easter run with plastic eggs attached to her headband. The 5K proceeds benefitted the Polson Running organization. (Photos courtesy of Lou Brenner)
QUENTIN BATEMAN helps his daughter Brinley walk part of the March Meltdown 5K course to search for Easter eggs.
JACKSON BONTADELLI finishes the March Meltdown 5A race with a bag of eggs collected along the course in Polson.
A rescheduled March Meltdown 5K run was held last Saturday, March 30 by local nonprofit Polson Running. The event was originally scheduled for March 9, but lingering snow was not conducive to solid footing — resulting in the event being pushed back to the end of March. All proceeds benefit the Polson High School track and field team.
Volunteers included head track coach Melinda (Owen) Withrow, assistant coach Matt Seeley and a half-dozen current high school athletes. The overall winner was Polson senior Beatrix Frissell, two-time state Class A cross country champion as well as multi-event track champion.
The male winner was versatile coach Mike Sitter. As added incentive to spur participants along the way, Easter eggs were sprinkled along the course for runners to collect.
A POETIC recap of the March Meltdown by Lou Brenner, who is co-president of Polson Running along with Lauren Arnold:
“Donations flowed like mountains of melting snow and spring’s shadows were sharp, the sun bright, with the hopes of an unfurled seed strong against the slight chill. March Meltdown reappeared and was reinvented this year.
Pushed back by inclement weather, determined to sprout, the day was joyous as legs sprang into action, muscles flexed and snapped, a 3.1-mile course awaited sun-craved Polsonites. The path laid with candy filled eggs, the hint of warmer days ahead teasing the skin, 55 runners crossed the finish. The winners taking home the Delaney’s house plants and one lucky egg hunter a gift-filled Easter basket. $799 was raised for the track team.”
2019 March Meltdown 5K
Polson, MT
Saturday, March 30
Individual results
1, Bea Frissell 20:28.9; 2, Mike Sitter 20:50.6; 3, Quentin Bateman 21:08; 4, Samantha Avery 22:39.4; 5, Karli Owens 22:43; 6, Brian Campbell 22:51; 7, Jackson Bontadelli 24:03.8; 8, Ryan Hardy 24:23.1; 9, Julie Alexander 24:39.3; 10, Michael Wright 25:03.9; 11, Katie Benz 25:37.1; 12, Pat Owen 25:37.6; 13, Brittany Simonich 26:21.8; 14, Aimee Gustafson 26:23.2; 15, Anthony Bontadelli 26:34.9; 16; Mariah Friedlander 27:47.3; 17, David Bjorge 27:57.8; 18, Kate Evans 28:02.4; 19, Ashley Morigeau 28:08.3; 20, Lucian Sawyer 28:12.2; 21, Charlene Delaney 28:33.3; 22, Christopher Miller 28:42; 23, Wanda King 29:08.1; 24, Morgan Delaney 29:37.6; 25, Tamara Birdsbill 29:43.8; 26, Sirraya Swank 30:19.1; 27, Roman Sawyer 30:29.7; 28, Bruce Genzel 30:36.6; 29, Tana Seeley 31:04.5; 30, Wendy Sitter 31:05.1; 31, Isabel Seeley 31:18.1; 32, Jaren Keene 31:51.4; 33, Sarah Teaff 31:54.1; 34, Riley Bontadelli 31:54.5; 35, Becca Bontadelli 31:54.8; 36, Katherine Wright 31:58; 37, Laura Miskimmins 31:58.3; 38, Grace Simonich 32:10.6; 39, Elizabeth Sawyer 32:40.6; 40, Tami Nail 33:08.9; 41, Rod Stedje 34:27; 42, Janene Love 41:03.6; 43, Aryal Love 41:03.9; 44, Alexandra Flerchiger 41:40; 45, Brook Wegner 43:13.6; 46, Kayla Grinsell 43:26.7; 47 Brent American Horse 44:04.2; 48 Quinn Delaney 45:37.7; 49, Paul Soukup 46:20.3; 50, Kim Mcmillie 46:21.6; 51, Katie Bateman 49:53.4; 52, Marguerite Brenner 50:00.9; 53, Jennifer Terry 53:39.1; 54, Michelle Hayes 53:39.4; 55, Mickey Powell 53:39.6.
unabridged results can be viewed at the following weblink:
< https://www.webscorer.com/race?raceid=174399 >