Stephanie Vavra wrote this article. Find race results at the end of the feature.
Impending rain and stormy weather had been on the minds of Morrison, IL, event planners for many days. Those who planned to attend the the Cheerleaders Pancake Breakfast, Paint the Town, and Harvest Hammer were uneasy, or uncertain at the least. Decisions about possible cancellations had to be made in advance of the weekend of September 21 and 22, 2019.
Paula Rodriguez had stated on Friday, September 20, “The [outdoor, downtown] pancake breakfast will be held rain or shine.”
That day, Paint the Town Committee member Barb Bees, said, “It looks like it will be a delayed start, but not a wash out. If there is lightning, we will cancel. People can paint until 10:00 p.m. Saturday and until 3:00 p.m. on Sunday.”
On Wednesday, September 18, 2019, Rotarian Dr. Brad Yaklich had reported, “The [Harvest Hammer] event will be held rain or shine. If lightning is in the area, we will cancel.” It turned out that he was correct on both counts.
Photos clearly display rain-laden, lowering, clouds on Saturday morning, September 21. Rotary International District 6420 ignored them and started the children’s races about 8:25 a.m., for the 32nd Annual Harvest Hammer. Don Beswick announced 323 preregistered entries, with more signing up in person. They came from four states; one entry was from Germany.
The actual race was to finish before the clouds unloaded. The Wee Run was first.
The Fun Run and Challenge Run age groups ran together, probably to speed things. Younger children wore white tags, older ones wore yellow. This required several finish line spotters to “capture” the first three boys and girls, from two age groups. Levi Milder, center in the gray shirt, was first out of the pack and first to finish with a strong lead.
Childrens’ race winners in three groups are listed, with boys first and girls second:
Wee Run, 1st Uryah Wright/Brinkley Trenogle; 2nd Haylen Patton/Kara Christin ; 3rd Colton Kuehl/ Charlie Phelps
Fun Run, 1st Rylan Alverado/Elaina Allen; 2nd Joshua McDearmon/Ollie Brewer; 3rd Jerry Mulderink/Kenadee Carrigan
Challenge Run, 1st Levi Milder/Joslynn James; 2nd Bryson Huizenga/Brooklyn Thoms; 3rd Zach Milder/Ellah Brooks.
Two bicycles were donated by Bryce Mead, owner of Mead’s Bike Shop, 414 Locust Street, Sterling, IL. They were awarded by drawing to Kara Christin (Wee Run) and Keagan Bruins, below, (Fun Run.)
Challenge Run competitor Ellah Brooks, shown at the awards display, won $25.
At 9:06 the 5K Walk/Run began; everyone had time to finish. This included participants who would complete the race as part of the Duathlon. Pastor Mike Selburg, Lyndon, IL, led the way for a ways.
The weather clock was ticking as Duathlon bikers took to the road.
Randy Nyboer, Morrison, stated, “A handful finished.” As he was beginning the second loop, those athletes passed him. “I was well under my time, but they were cranking it; they were flying [back to the start line]!” He estimated the fastest riders were racing at 30 miles per hour.
The first place winner, Bryce Mead, stated he “was averaging close to 30 miles per hour, but was close to 40 on one downhill.” This was his “10th Harvest Hammer Dualthlon as an individual.”
Other riders would not be allowed to complete the circuit, due to lightning strikes. Rotary members used trucks to transport riders and bikes back to Morrison High School.
Nyboer said, “I rode back. I was already wet.”
This is his third Harvest Hammer Duathlon. His 5K running mate was Denise Jensen of Clinton, IA.
Event results are listed.
5K (123 finishers: 46 females, 77 males) http://onlineraceresults.com/race/view_race.php?race_id=70096&relist_record_type=result&lower_bound=0&upper_bound=123&use_previous_sql=1&group_by=default#results
Duathlon (35 finishers: 8 females, 27 males) http://onlineraceresults.com/race/view_race.php?race_id=70095&submit_action=select_result&order_by=default&group_by=default#results
Duathlon Teams (9 finishers: 1 female, 1 male, and 7 coed teams) http://onlineraceresults.com/race/view_race.php?race_id=70097&submit_action=select_result&order_by=default&group_by=default#results.