On  a rather balmy morning in the City of Becker Saturday, nearly 100 people from all over the state of Minnesota descended upon the community center to participate in the annual Chase the Leprechaun 5K Run/Walk.

 

In the category of age 19 and under, 16-year-old Luke Pappenfus from Clear Lake finished in 20:13.81 to capture first place. Fourteen-year-old Seth LeMieur of Deerwood finished just behind Pappenfus at 20:15.90 and 16-year-old Sidney Boros of Becker took third (22:25.25).

 

Other finishers in this category were 17-year-old Olsen Pancoast of Becker (23:10.30), 14-year-old Tyler Matvick of Becker (28:37.15), eight-year-old Aiden Jacobs of Becker (43:30.02), nine-year-old Gavin Weber of Becker (44:38.33), 10-year-old Joshua Evenson of Coon Rapids (52:26.78) and 13-year-old Morgan Weber of Becker (52:27.16).

 

For ages 20-29, Chris Caron (23) of Ham Lake crossed the finish line first for his category at 17:53.07. Twenty-year-old Cory Gease of Big Lake took second (25:48.49).

 

Becker’s Jesse Babler, 36-years-old, took first in the 30-39 category with a time of 19:05.42. He was followed by 32-year-old Thomas Hanzlik of Becker (30:53.94), 33-year-old Brian Johnson of Maple Lake (36:36.03), 36-year-old Raku Schmitt of Becker (38:03.80) and 34-year-old Matt Jacobs of Becker (43:31.02).

 

In the 40-49 category, 44-year-old Joe Otten of Big Lake captured first with a time of 19:19.35. He was followed by 42-year-old Dan Christoferson of Otsego (23:56.31), 45-year-old Cary Rauch of Becker (26:19.18), 46-year-old Jeff Bergsten of Becker (33:09.96), 48-year-old Andy Tabako of Becker (38:00.68) and 42-year-old Rob Hackler of Becker (40:21.25).

 

For ages 50-59, 58-year-old David Hartz of Cold Spring crossed the finish line first in his category with a time of 21:33.18. Following Hartz were 50-year-old James Abfalter of Big Lake (22:07.18), 57-year-old Dave Belisle of Sommerset, WI (23:49.52), 54-year-old Greg O’Brian of St. Cloud (23:59.06), 53-year-old Ed Stanek of Clear Lake (24:15.45), 59-year-old Bradley Thom of Clear Lake (24:43.08), 50-year-old Loren Finlayson of Sauk Rapids (24:47.94), 53-year-old Brian Gease of Big Lake (28:09.17) and 50-year-old Dan Ewald of Becker (29:30.88).

 

In the 60 and over category, just one runner took to the course and 64-year-old Stephen Halsey of Buffalo took first at 34:15.92.

 

In the 19 and under category for women, 13-year-old Elise Yeager of Clearwater finished first in a time of 22:07.17. She was followed by 17-year-old Alexa Yeager of Clearwater (23:46.43), 12-year-old Ashley Reed of Becker (26:51.66), 13-year-old Krista Paulson of Becker (27:22.63), nine-year-old Olivia Babler of Becker (28:51.31), 10-year-old Ava Ewald of Becker (29:27.63), 17-year-old Rachel Adams of Big Lake (29:32.71), 19-year-old Clare Adams of Big Lake (29:33.01), 15-year-old Amanda Bergsten of Becker (33:09.96), 12-year-old Anna Briggs of Clear Lake (34:35.21), seven-year-old Asyn Ashander of Becker (34:49.21), nine-year-old Alexa Voller of Becker (35:59.08), 19-year-old Ellie Tabako of Becker (38:00.79), 12-year-old Onna Derheim of Becker (39:07.03), 12-year-old Alyssa Krenz of Becker (39:07.16) and 15-year-old Karly Kowalsky of Becker (44:37.22).

 

In the 20-29 age category, 26-year-old Jenna Kourajlan of Harwood finished first in a time of 24:25.85. She was followed by 22-year-old Krista Kowalsky of Becker (33:52.44), 28-year-old Anne Ashander of Becker (35:11.45), 22-year-old Maddie Anderson of Big Lake (44:16.91) and 26-year-old Alisha Dudek of St. Cloud (45:33.96).

 

In the 30-39 age category 19 girls took to the course and 36-year-old Tracey Hodel of Becker captured first place in a time of 23:26.68. She was followed by 34-year-old Michelle Prokott of Clear Lake (28:04.33), 33-year-old Hanna Klimmek of Becker (28:29.43), 33-year-old Anna Babler of Becker (28:52.13), 34-year-old Stacey Baldry of Becker (31:01.91), 34-year-old Marla Weston of Clear Lake (34:32.54), 32-year-old Trista Paulson of Clear Lake (35:16.54), 39-year-old Kirsten Voller of Becker (36:01.83), 36-year-old Jennifer Dechaine of Maple Lake (36:45.36), 38-year-old Jessica Bring of Becker (38:02.08), 32-year-old Brea Rust of Becker (38:04.01), 39-year-old Shannon Reagan of Monticello (38:15.46), 32-year-old Abigail Hanzlik of Becker (39:51.40), 31-year-old Crystal Hackler of Becker (40:21.87), 37-year-old Christina Evenson of Coon Rapids (40:54.30), 34-year-old Joyce Jacobs of Becker (43:30.98), 31-year-old Kristi Wakefield of Big Lake (44:56.89), 38-year-old Angie Weber of Becker (44:58.45) and 30-year-old Brandy Wyant of St. Cloud (45:34.21).

 

Forty-five-year-old Tammy Boros of Becker took first in the 40-49 age category with a time of 26:21.50. She was followed by 49-year-old Jolene Krsiean of St. Cloud (28:08.43), 40-year-old Kristin Otten of Big Lake (28:27.20), 44-year-old Christy Laudenbach of Clear Lake (31:37.65), 46-year-old Karen Matvick of Becker (31:40.64), 40-year-old Christa Fitzpatrick of Coon Rapids (37:00.00), 43-year-old Tammy Dickinson of Becker (37:38.77), 48-year-old Kari Pancoast of Becker (38:08.92), 43-year-old JoDee Vanvoorhis of Becker (40:03.75), 45-year-old Connie Robinson of Becker (41:42.82), 46-year-old Melissa Scherber of Big Lake (44:20.60) and 47-year-old Michele Hagen of Bird Island (53:31.04).

 

Six people ran in the 50-59 age category with 55-year-old Sandy Roonzani of Sartell taking first place with a time of 36:12.30. She was followed by 57-year-old Tammy Miller-Hess of Clear Lake (36:58.17), 56-year-old Lynn Adams of Big Lake (37:56.40), 54-year-old Lori Zappa of Elk River (43:17.38), 57-year-old Rita Holland of Coon Rapids (47:15.76) and 52-year-old Kelly Miller of Willmar (1:01:08.28).

 

Sixty-nine-year-old Barbara Frank of Pillager was the only contestant in the 60 and over category and she finished with a time of 60:35.96.

 

Following the races, the BCC held a Shamrock Challenge for young kids (ages 2-12) who went through 10 tests of agility at Irish-themed stations. Thirty-eight youngsters took to the course and spent one minute at each station before moving on to the next challenge. Some of the contests were doing an Irish Jig, being a Celtic climber, pulling for a pot-of-gold and leaping over a Leprechaun.