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from archives: Sports:

Village Fest runners finish in drizzling rain


(Created: Wednesday, August 8, 2007 10:27 PM CDT)
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On a cool, overcast morning, 151 people participated in the St. Anthony Village Fest 5K Run/Walk sponsored by Fitness Crossroad on Aug. 4.

An air horn by a St. Anthony Village Fire truck signaled the start of the race at 8 a.m. The start and finish lines were both located in the St. Anthony Shopping Center area and the course went through the residential

areas of St. Anthony Village.

Anthony Peter, 27, of Mounds View, was the first runner to cross through the yellow caution tape at the finish line just as a drizzling rain began to fall. He clocked in at a speedy 16:54. Second-place finisher Matt

Cavanaugh, 28, of Woodbury, trailed close behind Peter with a time of 17:07.

Both were first-time runners in the event and happy with their finishes.

"It felt good," Peter said, of coming in first. "It was a nice morning. I just wanted to have some fun."

Peter said he liked that this race came with a registration fee of only $15 before Saturday and $18 on Saturday morning. It's a different story when runs are for a cause, but a lot of 5K events charge a lot of money, Peter

said. Races can get pretty pricey when you're "a pretty avid runner," Peter said.

Cavanaugh is also no stranger to running. He is a runner for the National Guard. He even said that a 5K is much shorter than his average run. He is running in San Diego in a couple of weeks and wanted to find "a

nice, smaller, fun event." He also enjoyed the turns throughout the course.

"Lots of turns. Lots of turns," Cavanaugh said. "I like the turns. It makes it more enjoyable."

Blaine native Rachel Hanzal, 18, was the first female finisher with a time of 22:23 and coming in 15th place overall. Hanzal came to the race because this was the second race of the summer she could do with her brother, Mike Hanzal, who finished in 22nd place. She is also training for her freshman cross-country season at the University of Minnesota - Duluth this fall. Hanzal said she was pleased with her performance and top female finish, as well as with the course.

"It felt really, really good, actually," Hanzal said. "It was a good course. I like the hills."

Thirteen-year-old Erin Matthews was the second female finisher of the day. She finished in 24th place overall with a time of 23:43.

Trailing just one second behind Matthews was St. Anthony native Melissa

Seibel, 26. Both finished first in their respective age groups.

St. Anthony had a total of 44 residents come out and run the race. The first St. Anthony runner to finish was 36-year-old Dave

Matzoll. He ran at a pace of 6:56 and turned in a 21:29 time to finish 12th overall.

He also was third in his male 30-39 age group. Other St. Anthony residents David Johnson, 31, and Taylor Matzoll, 14, came in shortly

after Dave Matzoll. With a time of 22:12, Taylor Matzoll was second in his male 13-16 age group.

Participants were in high spirits at the end of the race, even as the drizzling rain seemed to pick up. They were happy to gulp some water

and munch on bananas and cereal after they crossed the finish line outside of Fitness Crossroad.

Peter, Hanzal and Cavanaugh all said they enjoyed the race and would definitely come back next year.

"I like the neighborhood around here," Cavanaugh said. "It's a nice place to run. Plus, I get all this free cereal."


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