Runner races for nephew

Gannon White's legs were running, but his mind and his heart was elsewhere.

The 31-year-old Greeley runner gave a valiant effort to even race on Wednesday at the annual Fourth of July Komen Race for the Cure, much less finish second overall in the race with a time of 15 minutes, 57 seconds.

Only two days before the race, White's 6-month-old nephew Zachary Typer died of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. White questioned whether he should even race, but decided to in honor of his nephew and because he wanted to help others in the community by participating in the event that raises funds to provide education, screening and treatments for those with breast cancer.

Still, his mind was on the death of his sister's child and not on the course where it usually is anytime he runs.

"I tried as hard as I could I just knew the entire time I just didn't have the desire," White said. "We were running slow the first two miles -- real slow. And I just didn't have the desire to push."

Even at his worst, the only runner who was able to surpass him was Sterling's Tyler Rasmussen, a sophomore on the cross country team this fall at Western State, who won the men's overall race in 15:54. University of Northern Colorado track standout Michael Trahan finished third in 16:11.

Last year, Rasmussen didn't make it in time to register for the Race for the Cure, so he just jumped into the race and ran for fun, ducking out before the finish line so his time wouldn't be recorded.

"It felt a lot better this year than last year," Rasmussen said. "I was kind of hurried last year in the morning."

University of Colorado senior Leah Larson was the overall women's winner. The 22-year-old Greeley native won the race in a time of 17:57, ahead of Greeley's Wendy Thomas (18:25) and Kendra Gerk (18:46).

Larson's father was a runner in college, so she grew up with the sport. The 22-year-old ran in her first-ever Race for the Cure when she was only 10, but was so intimidated by all the fanfare at the race that she didn't enjoy it. But as the years have gone by, she finds it more enjoyable each year.

"When I was younger, I used to get so nervous for races and I enjoyed it after I was done," Larson said. "But I was always afraid of the pain. Now I am used to the pain I feel when I race, so it becomes more fun."

Running with pain is something she is to. At Greeley West, injuries plagued her high school career, but she still managed to be part of the Spartans' state champion 3,200-meter relay team as a senior.

Now she does triathlons as a member of CU's 10-time national championship team.

Still, running is her main passion and she loves the Race for the Cure course.

"I like this course because it is so fast," Larson said. "You get to go downhill twice. The second mile is a challenge, but I really enjoy this course."

Note: Greeley's Jack Freese knows a lot about the annual Fourth of July run. The 75-year-old former University on Northern Colorado professor has been a participant in every race for the last 30 years, long before it was called the Race for the Cure.

"I like everybody and the comradeship -- that feeling and the spirit of the Fourth of July," Freese said.

5K RUN MALE OVERALL

1. TYLER RASMUSSEN, GREELEY, 15:54; 2. GANNON WHITE, GREELEY, 15:57; 3. MICHAEL TRAHAN, GREELEY, 16:11.

5K RUN FEMALE OVERALL

1. LEAH LARSON, GREELEY, 17:57; 2. WENDY THOMAS, GREELEY, 18:25; 3. KENDRA GERK, GREELEY, 18:46.

5K RUN MALE MASTER

1. DOUG BELL, GREELEY, 16:53; 2. RAUL CARRIZALEZ, EVANS, 17:04.

5K RUN FEMALE MASTER

1. PAM BOUDREAU, WINDSOR, 20:25; 2. ANN EUDEIKIS, 20:39

5K RUN MALE M,00-10 DIVISION AGE GROUP WINNERS

1. ADAM MARCUS, 22:53; 2. NOAH MCKENZIE, 24:33; 3. ANDREW LIND, 24:33; 4. ZACHARY HARTMAN, GREELEY, 24:45; 5. BROCK BUXMAN, 24:48.

5K RUN MALE M,11-14 DIVISION AGE GROUP WINNERS

1. DYLON KOEHN, GREELEY, 20:09; 2. DAVID ROWE, GREELEY, 20:49; 3. JEFF ROLAND, 22:49; 4. TRISTAN MORRIS, 23:27; 5. DAVEY LIND, 23:28.

5K RUN MALE M,15-19 DIVISION AGE GROUP WINNERS:

1. 1346 SPENCER CARTER, 16:18; 2. KODY LEACH, GREELEY, 17:04; 3. BEN CORCHADO, FT. COLLINS, 17:14; 4. INIGO MONTOYA, 17:18; 5. CAMERON CARTER, 17:35.

5K RUN MALE M,20-29 DIVISION AGE GROUP WINNERS:

1. SEAN RIVERA, GREELEY, 17:13; 2. RAUL ALEX CARRIZALE, EVANS, 17:17; 3. BRYAN DILLON, STERLING, 17:35; 4. MATT DAUGHERTY, GREELEY, 17:39; 5. DARREN BRUNGARDT, GREELEY, 17:44.

5K RUN MALE M,30-39 DIVISION AGE GROUP WINNERS

1. JOSE TREJO, 16:20; 2. JOHN GUTIERREZ, GREELEY, 17:19; 3. JOEY MACALUSO, 17:58; 4. JON BODDY, GREELEY, 18:14; 5. JOSE ARREOLA, GREELEY, 18:53.

5K RUN MALE M,40-49 DIVISION AGE GROUP WINNERS:

1. STEVE MONRONEY, 19:03; 2. SHAWN CROISSANT, GREELEY, 19:40; 3. JEFF ANGUS, GREELEY, 19:48; 4. MANUEL BARRIENTOS, 20:04; 5. GEROGE O'CLAIR, GREELEY, 20:07.

5K RUN MALE M,50-59 DIVISION AGE GROUP WINNERS:

1. KURT DALLOW, GREELEY, 19:34; 2. JIM FULLER, GREELEY, 19:40; 3. BOB CAILLOUETTE, MILLIKEN, 20:02; 4. ART STEWART, 21:01; 5. REED KOEHN, GREELEY, 21:03.

5K RUN MALE M,60-69 DIVISION AGE GROUP WINNERS:

1. MARK COLLINS, GREELEY, 24:14; 2. DAVID GUTIERREZ, GREELEY, 24:37; 3. JIM FERGUSON, 24:44; 4. BILL WOOD, FORT COLLINS, 26:07; 5. BILL GRADY, GREELEY, 26:51.

5K RUN MALE M,70-99 DIVISION AGE GROUP WINNERS:

1. LEN NEUMANN, GREELEY, 27:37; 2. ROBERT CREED, GREELEY, 31:31; 3. RICHARD BURNS, GREELEY, 34:15; 4. JIM WHITING, GREELEY, 43:51; 5. DAVID BAILEY, PLATTEVILLE, 44:15.

5K RUN FEMALE F,00-10 DIVISION AGE GROUP WINNERS:

1. NICOLE LARSON, 20:42; 2. SHANNA ROLES, EDMOND, OK., 25:59; 3. SYDNEY SCHUETTE, 33:06; 4. KATHRYN MELLIN, GREELEY, 33:42; 5. BREANNA ROBERTSON, 35:15.

5K RUN FEMALE F,11-14 DIVISION AGE GROUP WINNERS:

1. ALLIE PARKS, 21:03; 2. KAILIE HARTMAN, GREELEY, 22:06; 3. SARAH SWENSON, GREELEY, 22:18; 4. LEANDRA OLIVAS, GREELEY, 23:53; 5. ADDY NEIBAUER, GREELEY, 24:28.

5K RUN FEMALE F,15-19 DIVISION AGE GROUP WINNERS:

1. ASHLEE SMALLEY, GREELEY, 19:06; 2. ERICA HINCHCLIFFE, GREELEY, 19:21; 3. CHANAR NORDOFF, 20:51; 4. KRISTEN KUGLER, 21:38; 5. DANIELA SANCHEZ, 21:40.

5K RUN FEMALE F,20-29 DIVISION AGE GROUP WINNERS:

1. PAULA BRUZEWSKI, PLATTEVILLE, 19:31; 2. LINDSEY HECKEL, FORT COLLINS, 20:57; 3. BREANNA STUDENKA, 21:55; 4. DELORES TRONCO, 22:00; 5. NATALYN CUMINGS, GREELEY, 22:01.

5K RUN FEMALE F,30-39 DIVISION AGE GROUP WINNERS:

1. BOBBIE ERBES, GREELEY, 20:10; 2. ROXANE GEISLER, HIGHLANDS RANCH, 20:21; 3. JESSICA COONEY, GREELEY, 20:40; 4. MARY FRIELINGSDORF, FORT COLLINS, 20:59; 5. TANYA PERRY, FORT COLLINS, 21:02.

5K RUN FEMALE F,40-49 DIVISION AGE GROUP WINNERS:

1. KRIS AYERS, GREELEY, 22:10; 2. STEPHANIE LIND, 22:22; 3. SUZA AULT, GREELEY, 22:48; 4. BRENDA LYNCH, 23:02; 5. BEV VEALS, 23:44.

5K RUN FEMALE F,50-59 DIVISION AGE GROUP WINNERS:

1. JENNY WEBER, GREELEY, 22:20; 2. DEANNA BUTHERUS, 24:03; 3. MARCI ROSCHKE, 24:50; 4. LUCIE SHELOFSKY, GREELEY, 24:56; 5. DEBIE MCNAMARA, 26:08.

5K RUN FEMALE F,60-69 DIVISION AGE GROUP WINNERS:

1. BILL THOMAS, GREELEY, 27:17; 2. SUSIE RYAN, 29:07; 3. CAROL BLAIR BRENNAN, FORT COLLINS, 31:26; 4. EILEEN CROISSANT, 33:33; 5. KAREN EHRLICH, JOHNSTOWN, 33:44.

5K RUN FEMALE F,70-99 DIVISION AGE GROUP WINNERS:

1. JUDITH CREED, GREELEY, 42:17; 2. BETTY BAAL, BROOMFIELD, 46:30; 3. JULIA FREEMYER, GREELEY, 52:36; 4. JOAN TENNESSEN, GREELEY, 54:07; 5. TESS MALUMPHY, GREELEY, 59:53.