A good turnout for the inaugural running of the “Not Yo’ Momma’s Half Marathon and 5K” saw a brother and sister team win the 5K and a couple of experienced runners take the top spots in the Half Marathon.

The weather was about perfect for the participants that woke up early and got warmed up in the pre-dawn hours for Saturday’s races. A beautiful clear morning greeted the runners as they began their race preparations. With the start at 6:00 a.m. the not so traditional half marathon got started, and runners were able to beat the heat. The runners paced themselves through the course that wound its way around the streets of Smithfield, onto the East Bench, past Birch Creek Golf Course, Mack Park, and up into Smithfield Canyon.

According to Bryce King the name “Not Yo’ Momma’s Half Marathon” got its name from the more hilly terrain that was encompassed in the course, designed to take runners through the more beautiful and scenic areas of the city while adding in some hills designed to test the runners determination and stamina.

Shortly after the half marathon started the 5K participants lined up to get their race underway. Heading east past Sky View High School the 5K participants started their race heading up hill towards the East Bench of Smithfield.

The race was sponsored by Smithfield Recreation, and was organized and overseen by Bryce King, the Recreation and Special Events Coordinator. King was pleased with the turn out for the first year of the race that saw about 220 people sign up to participate. The race that was six months in the making was a huge success. King who also organizes races for the “Health Days” celebration and another race held each November hopes that this race will become an annual event. “We want it to be a thing where people put this on their calendar and say I’m going to run this half marathon each year. We want to make this a destination race.” King commented.

Several local businesses donated prizes for the event including t-shrits, running shoes, race related magazine subscriptions, and many more great prizes. Speaking of the sponsors for the race King said, “Our sponsors are kind of our liquid for the race, they keep everything flowing and moving. Without them we really wouldn’t have what we have today.” King was appreciative of each of the sponsors for the race saying that several had called up and volunteered their donations and he is hoping they will become lifelong supporters of this event.

Intermountain Healthcare provided medical support for the event and the Smithfield Police Department offered their support securing the race route with officers posted at key intersections and directing traffic to ensure a safe race route for the participants.

Many of the 5K participants were the first to cross the finish line. The shorter 5K (3.11 mile) race was won on the men’s side by 15 year old Henry Olsen, of Logan, with a time of 19:53:00. He was followed by Daniel Olsen and Justin Kartchner with times of 20:18:00, and 21:09:00 respectively.

Henry Olsen who runs both track and cross country events for Logan High School stated that he runs about 5-10 events like this each year. Speaking of his preparation for this race Olsen said, “I usually run six days per week, between four to six miles per day.” Olsen was pleased with his race saying his best time for a 5K was 18:15:00 in a cross country race last year.

The Olsen family shined in the 5K on Saturday as Henry’s younger sister 11 year old Bethany Olsen was the first female runner to cross the finish line with a time of 25:41:00. She was followed by female racers Jessie Golightly, and Elizabeth Judd who posted times of 26:01:00 and 27:18:00 respectively.
Bethany Olsen speaking of her 5K running experience said, “I do a lot of 5K’s, I think I started my first one when I was 7 or 8.” The Mount Logan Middle School student has aspirations of following in her brothers footsteps by participating in track and cross country in high school. As to how she felt at the end of this race Olsen said she was, “tired and thirsty!”

The half marathon men’s winner is no stranger to long distance running. Paul Petersen who finished today’s race in the top spot finished 17th in the Boston Marathon in April of this year with a time of 2:15:35, a time that qualified him for the 2012 Olympic trials in that will be held in Houston, Texas. Petersen began running track in the 6th grade in elementary school, and continued on into middle school and eventually on to high school track and cross country at Southmont High School in Crawfordsville, Indiana. Petersen was also a track standout at Calvin College.

When asked how early he got up for this race Petersen commented, “I actually got up around 4:30 to get a breakfast in and get some joe in me” and then he drove around putting up yard sale signs for a yard sale block party that his church (Valley Church) was having on Saturday. Peterson continued, “I love to run and a day like this summer day it’s easy to get out, it’s the winter days when it’s hard to get up early. Days like today when you get out and run with the community, meet some new people, especially something locally here in Smithfield, it’s really fun.”

Petersen’s time for the race was 1:09:28, he was followed by Conner Mantz of Smithfield with a time of 1:14:21, and Jacoby Dialesandro at 1:14:30.

The women’s finishers in the half marathon were Liz Boehme at 1:03:48, followed by Eliza Couch at 1:04:03, and Maika Carlsen with a time of 1:24:43.

When asked what possesses a person to get up at 4 or 5 in the morning on a pretty summer day to run 13 miles Maika Carlsen replied, “You know I asked myself that same question last night when I went to bed. But, I just am feeling really good right now racing, and I figured we live in Providence and it was an easy race to get to . . . this one was really close so I decided to do it earlier this week.” Regarding training for this race Carlsen said she runs every day and supplements with some biking and swimming. Carlsen said she generally runs one marathon a year and a half marathon each year, but this year this event was her sixth race. Having moved to Utah from Southern California Carlsen says the races are easier to get to which has facilitated the additional races.

For a complete list of the contestants and race results visit the Smithfield Recreation race results page.