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Running Weather

Rain, wind, cold don’t discourage Full Moon 5K participants

Press photo by John Burbridge Michael Pothast of Shell Rock was the first runner back during the Full Moon 5K held Friday at Wildwood Park and Golf Course.
Press photos by John Burbridge
Michael Pothast of Shell Rock was the first runner back during the Full Moon 5K held Friday at Wildwood Park and Golf Course.

By John Burbridge

sports@charlescitypress.com

CHARLES CITY — The unlucky-to-be-outdoors weather of last Friday the 13th didn’t cancel or postpone the fourth running for the Full Moon 5K Run/Walk at Wildwood Park and Golf Course. But it wasn’t for a lack of trying.

Despite the day’s persistent rain and wind-chill, there were only a handful of no-shows from the nearly 200 registered participants. Among the runners braving the elements was Rockford sophomore Sheridan LaCoste, fresh off of qualifying for the Class 1A Iowa Track and Field State Finals in the 1,500- and 3,000-meter runs at the Northwood-Kensett Regional the night before.

“I want a top-five finish down there, that’s why I’m pushing myself as hard as I can,” LaCoste said after pacing the entire Full Moon female field with a time of 21 minutes, 44 seconds.

This was first time LaCoste participated in the annual run/walk.

“My coach said this would be a good run to do to help me get ready for state,” LaCoste said of the meet which will run Thursday through Sunday at Drake Stadium in Des Moines.

Last year, LaCoste qualified for state as a 4-by-800 relay participant.

“I also run cross country, so I’m familiar with this distance and type of race,” LaCoste said.

LaCoste’s coach at Rockford is Ben Klapperich, who recently was hired by Charles City as the Comets’ new varsity boys basketball coach.

The overall winner was Michael Pothast, 46, of Shell Rock with a time of 20:35. Like LaCoste, this was Pothast’s first Full Moon run.

“I run every other day,” Pothast said. “It was something I started doing three years ago.”

Those he is a regular runner, Pothast said that he doesn’t often compete in road races.

“I just do one here or there,” he said.

The race started on time — 8 p.m. — a little after day’s rain had stopped. By the time the walkers completed the course, their adorned glow necklaces and bracelets given out before the start of the race color-illuminated the latter procession to the finish line.

The event was fundraiser organized by Caring Connections-Mentor a Child (MAC), a community-based mentoring program charged with matching trained and screened adult volunteer mentors with needful youth in the community.

Rockford sophomore and two-event state track qualifier Sheridan LaCoste was the overall female champion at the Full Moon 5K.
Rockford sophomore and two-event state track qualifier Sheridan LaCoste was the overall female champion at the Full Moon 5K.

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