Spring runners are in bloom
Devin Heilman | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 9 years, 6 months AGO
<p>Sarah Seibrecht, front left, and Heidi Kelly, right, dash ahead of Tammy Kelly while Clara Greensides cheers from the back during the 2015 Spring Dash in downtown Coeur d’Alene on Sunday. Sarah Seibrecht, front left, and Heidi Kelly, right, dash ahead of Tammy Kelly while Clara Greensides cheers from the back during the 2015 Spring Dash in downtown Coeur d’Alene on Sunday.</p>
<p>Aaron White of Athol prepares his music device before the Spring Dash race Sunday morning. Three generations of White’s family ran the race, including his wife, Jaime, sons Austin, 11, Skyler, 15 and Tayson, 13, and in-laws Tammy and Marc Rubino of Athol. Aaron White of Athol prepares his music device before the Spring Dash race Sunday morning. Three generations of White’s family ran the race, including his wife, Jaime, sons Austin, 11, Skyler, 15 and Tayson, 13, and in-laws Tammy and Marc Rubino of Athol.</p>
<p>Close to 900 people participated in the Spring Dash, which serves as a major fundraiser for United Way of Kootenai County. The course began in front of Bank of America on Front Avenue and looped 5 miles through downtown neighborhoods, along East Coeur d’Alene Lake Drive and back.</p>
COEUR d'ALENE - A merry chorus of voices carried over the crowd of walkers, chanting, "Hey you, we've got spirit, how 'bout you?"
It was the Outback Steakhouse team, rocking custom T-shirts, tutus, crazy sunglasses and bursting with Spring Dash enthusiasm.
Outback bartender Kayla Kelly of Coeur d'Alene held a sign while she cheered. She explained that her mom and team captain, Tammy, who is preparing to run in several races this year, was the mastermind behind the spectacle.
"She loves spirit things, and she loves to be No. 1, so she wanted to win the spirit competition," Kayla said with a laugh. "We just wanted lots of sparkles and pink and glitter and girly."
Nearly 900 people participated Sunday morning in the 33rd annual Spring Dash, which serves as a major fundraiser for United Way of Kootenai County. The 5-mile run began in front of Bank of America on Front Avenue, wound through Sanders Beach neighborhoods and along the Centennial Trail and looped back around at Potlatch Hill.
"I love it, it's great, it makes me feel like I need to exercise more," United Way Executive Director Mark Tucker said with a grin. "It's just fun to see so much support in the community for United Way."
He said the nonprofit primarily focuses on education, financial well-being and health, so the Spring Dash fits in perfectly because the active nature of the event involves exercise and physical fitness.
"Some of the things we focus on are childhood obesity, access to health care is a big one that we've been funding and helping with victims of domestic violence is another one that some of our funding goes to," Tucker said. "And then just making sure people are making healthy choices. In the past, that's kind of been a mix of mental stability, avoiding addiction issues by just healthy living, but it also has to do with healthy eating and making the right choices to avoid obesity. It all kind of interrelates."
Many friends, families, teams, individuals and children walked, wheeled or ran the Dash, which also serves as a Bloomsday qualifier. Aaron White of Athol, his wife, Jaime, three sons Skyler, 15, Tayson, 13, and Austin, 11, and in-laws Marc and Tammy Rubino of Hayden wore bright neon green shirts that read, "Rad spring pig" designed by Skyler to represent the races their three generations will be competing in this year: Color Me Rad, Spring Dash and the Muddy Miles.
"All three generations may not finish," Tammy joked before Sunday's event. This was her first Spring Dash in 20 years.
"I'm more excited for it this year than I was last year," Jaime said.
The top three overall finishers of the race were Carl Combs, 49, with a time of 26:02.45; Jeff Oswalt, 40, 26:15.82; and Bryan Tevis, 29, 26:56.74.
For more Spring Dash 2015 results, visit www.kootenaiunitedway.org