Guest commentary: It's a run and so much more

An avid runner, I have participated in a lot of 5K runs over the years. The Cloquet Sawdust 5K may be one of the hardest ones I have ever done, but it’s also one of the best. With its killer hills and hot humid conditions that always come on the Fourth of July, the Sawdust is the race that runners love to hate.

What is it about the Sawdust that brings more than 400 people to the starting line at 8 a.m. on a holiday? What is it that made me turn down an invitation to an out-of-town barbeque without even a second thought because I planned to run the Sawdust? This year, I consciously took everything in to pinpoint what makes me love this race.

I arrived at Pinehurst Park shortly after 7 a.m. on the Fourth. The park was already packed with runners, walkers and spectators. The music was playing, everyone was smiling, and there was a definite energy and excitement. Children were running around, excited to participate in their first 5K. Dogs, tails wagging, sported their patriotic bandanas. Volunteers were buzzing around trying to get everyone checked in before the race officially began. A large group of Cloquet student-athletes gathered together awaiting instructions on where to go to cheer the runners on.

At 8 a.m. we were called to the start line where announcements were made, followed by the national anthem. A countdown started the race, and we were off.

Less than a quarter-mile into the race, we hit our first big hill. Participants encouraged each other to get to the top, where we were greeted by Cloquet football players cheering us on. This continued throughout the race, with student-athletes from all sports holding signs and encouraging us at every intersection and turn. They also kept us safe, making sure no cars drove through the course, and passing out water, keeping everyone hydrated.

At the 1-mile mark, we had already run up a couple of pretty big hills and were happy to see a relatively flat stretch. The best part about this stretch is that it is out-and-back, meaning we run down the left side of the road for about a quarter-mile, make a U-turn and then head back on the opposite side. What I saw made me smile. Runners going both ways waved, yelled words of encouragement, and gave each other high-fives. There was an air of camaraderie.

The run continued through the neighborhood of Pinehurst Park. Families gathered at the end of their driveways, waving flags, spraying hoses and cheering us on. With less than a half-mile left, we turned onto Arch Street, and up the steepest hill I’ve ever seen in a 5K. I think everyone struggles with this hill. But the ones who ran up the hill shared words of encouragement as they passed those who slowed down and walked. At the top, we all felt a huge sense of accomplishment.

From there was the home stretch, a downhill run to a large crowd of cheering fans, music and the Sawdust arch. Runners and walkers heard their names announced over the loudspeaker as they crossed the finish line. New to the Sawdust this year was a wooden medal given to all finishers of the 5K. The medal was stamped with “I killed the hills!” giving us bragging rights for completing one of the most challenging 5K races around.

But the finish line wasn’t necessarily the end. Runners had the option to do the “Jimmer Challenge” — to run another 5 kilometers in the opposite direction. The Jimmer was added in 2018 to honor Jim Hagerl, a local runner who lost his battle with brain cancer last year. The slogan for the Jimmer is “Go the extra mile … or three.” This year, 75 people turned around at the finish and headed back up the hill to run the course again in the opposite direction. Jimmer runners shared words of encouragement to 5K runners and walkers who hadn’t finished yet. In turn, 5K runners praised the Jimmers for going the extra mile. Runners who finished the Jimmer received hats to celebrate the accomplishment.

The Sawdust isn’t just for runners. Plenty of walkers participated as well, some pushing strollers. It didn’t matter whether they were first, last, or in the middle — all participants received the same enthusiastic cheers from the volunteers and spectators.

What I discovered this year is that it isn’t the big things that make the Sawdust such a great race, it’s a million little small things. It’s a big race that attracts runners from all over the Northland, but still has that small-town feel. It’s running with family and friends, encouraging each other the whole way. It’s seeing your neighbors, your insurance agent, your favorite waitress, your former colleagues, all celebrating the Fourth. It’s the student-athletes, proudly wearing their jerseys, cheering runners on throughout the entire course. It’s that feeling of pride as you cross under the arch at the finish line knowing you conquered the hills. It’s the race director Jeff Leno, his family, and all the volunteers with huge smiles on their faces as they see their hard work over the past few months finally come together to pull off another great event. It’s the tired runners who challenge themselves to run another 3.1 miles to honor a fellow runner. It’s the feeling of inclusion, whether you are a spectator, runner or walker. It’s seeing the high school kid you have known since he was in elementary school fly past you and finish at the front of the race, and realizing you are seeing a future running star. It’s the race that runners come back to year after year, knowing it will be a well-

organized, fun event for the family.