Malta hosts RUN for Heavens Sake

Last Sunday morning Billings held its annual RUN for Heaven's Sake 5k, 10k and half marathon races. But the Magic City wasn't the only town that held a race. Malta, a town three hours north also ran, walked and strollered to the finish line to support the voices that can't speak for themselves.

The race is a fundraiser that helps the Ramsey Keller Memorial, a non-profit organization pay for infant funerals in the state of Montana.

"The Ramsey Keller Memorial has helped a few families here locally," Valene Kielb said. "So there have been local families that have always been a part of it and this is the first year that they have offered a virtual run."

The run was always done in Billings and on the first year the benefit hosted a virtual option to run in another town, Malta was able to register fifty-nine names for the cause. Fifty-one athletes ran on Sunday and crossed the finish line.

The team represented in Malta was named One Step Closer Hannah, Olivia and Landon. It was a team rallied by the efforts of Mary Oxarart and Jill Hould. There were also other members from Malta that ran the race in Billings.

The Malta edition of the race started on the west side of Riverview Park at 8:45 a.m. last Sunday. The participants went southwest down the walking trail around the Hi-Line Dragstrip then to South 9th Street West, around Malta High School to South 6th Street West then back to Riverview Park for a total distance of 3.11 miles.

The first to cross the finish line was Malta High School teacher Kara Bates who ran the race in 26 minutes and 56 seconds.

She admitted that her time wasn't even close to her best.

"It was kind of slow," she said. "It was fun. It was nice because I've jogged the trail before. I love the trail."

The later stages of the 5k gave some suspense to Bates' run.

"It was kind of fun coming through here because I wasn't sure where it was going to go," Bates said.

Her favorite part of the run wasn't the run but the company in the race.

"I got to see some of the kids that I coach track with," Bates said talking about the Malta Middle School Track Team.

She heard about the 5k through Fallon Handley who also ran the race with some of her family, who is also a coach of MMS Track. Handley had a time of 39.35.

"She just told me what the cause was and it sounded really nice," Bates said. "I'm always trying to find new ways to meet people."

Bates ran cross country during her years at Plains High School but that's not all.

"I've done two half marathons and a few 10ks, so the 5ks just kind of get scattered in between."

One of Bates' track students was on her trail in the race. Seventh grader Kaleigh Crowder finished the race second with a time of 28.22.

Crowder ran the race in a peculiar but timely fashion – with a water bottle.

"It was fun," she said noting that it wasn't hard to run with a bottle. "I did okay."

Her favorite part of the run was competing against other people.

"My friend Lauren was doing it so I thought I would do it with her," Crowder said.

Her friend Lauren Doney finished with a time of 41.01.

Caitlyn Anderson placed third with a time of 28.56 with a stroller. Anderson wasn't alone as several strollers were seen throughout the race.

One of the more astonishing moments was seeing Jenny Tollefson cross the line at 43.38. She had just had a baby (Olivia) three and a half weeks prior to the run.

"I left the baby at home with RJ but pushed my three and a half year old (Jackson)," Tollefson said. "Cody and Mary Oxarart are our good friends so I wanted to make sure I was here in support of them. It's just a great cause for parents."

Her favorite part was simply getting outside.

"Just getting out in the sunshine," she said. "I love to be outside and it's such a beautiful day out. Just getting some exercise, it's just nice to feel like I can walk again after being nine months pregnant. I'm feeling good."

The toughest part for Tollefson was getting up hills with the stroller.

Jackson weighs about thirty-five pounds, while the stroller was close to fifty.

"It's pretty heavy," she said.

The top fifteen times were: 1. Kara Bates – 26.58, 2. Kaleigh Crowder 28.22, 3. Caitlyn Anderson w/ stroller – 28.56, 4. Denise Black – 29.13, 5. Jill Thompson – 29.52, 6. Jessica Pankratz – 30.01, 7. Steve Cole – 30.02, 8. Jace Tollefson – 32.39, 9. Ann Sauter – 32.40, 10. Jackie Sorlie – 32.40, 11. DoDee Oxarart – 36.17, 12. Alexandra White – 36.17, 13. Nellie Ereaux – 38.51, 14. Fallon Handley – 39.35, 15. Lauren Doney – 41.01.