It was mush-and-go Sunday afternoon as the very first "Critter Crawl" got geeing and hawing at the Lockhart field behind the Roy L. Schneider Hospital.
The event, a fund-raiser for the Humane Society, was the brainchild of Charlotte Morris and Chris Haigh of Island Bike Tours. "We wanted to do something, because the shelter has no money, and no government funding right now," said Morris, a runner herself.
About 30 dogs, several puppies and 70 people walked, trotted and ran around the two-mile course. The puppies were carried by the children, and the dogs, which ranged from a Great Dane to a Jack Russell Terrier, with just about everything in between, were walked by the adults. Adults fall in the 11-year-old and up category.
Though many participants brought their own dogs, the stars were the eight dogs from the shelter who abandoned their cages for the afternoon to strut their stuff. About five of the strutters got adopted, which, of course, was one of the run's goals. Everybody loves puppies, and almost all of the 10 or so present found homes.
Bobby Golub, who won the 30-39 age group men's category was very happy, and very surprised. "This is my first race – I don't quite believe it," he said. He recalled the United Way run two weeks ago which he found out about by accident as he prepared to go running on the waterfront, only to look up and find the area already covered with runners. "Then I decided next time, I'd go," he said.
His friend, Jodie Napolitan, who came in second in the women's age 30-39 age group, was equally surprised. "I haven't run competitively in years," she said.
Overall winner was Claire Ochoa at 12:48, with Dr. Gerald Wentworth second at 13:04, and Jude Woodcock, third, at 13:48. Winners in children under 10 (who did one lap only) were: Jada Schmidt, 10:28; Chelsea Laing, 11:14; and Ali Prazak, 12:34. Boys were: Johnny Lenahan, 10:08; Harry Len, 11:06; and Kadeem Hapsun, 11:56.
The youngest adult was Shane Brown, 12 years, 16:49, and Lucy Gunther, 60 plus, oldest winner, 27:30, (with dog).
Animal shelter employees, Nirmala Augustin and Ishmael Wilsha, and Hubert Brumant, shelter manager, brought all the dogs and offered their help getting things sorted out as walkers selected the right dog. In some cases, it was a contest of who was walking whom, but all dogs finished except one who developed a limp after one lap, but, apparently happy, watched the race afterwards.
All entrants got a week's pass at Gold's Gym just for finishing. A bevy of other prizes was raffled off, including seaplane and submarine rides, pizzas, lunches and leather necklaces. (Perhaps this last was a dog's prize.)
Morris and Haigh were pleased at the turnout, and the enthusiasm. "But, we didn't make as much money as we wanted," Morris said. Of course, she admitted, she was hoping for a couple thousand – probably not a realistic goal for a first time venture. Entrance fees were $10 for adults, and $5 for children, with an extra $10 to walk a dog. "We are planning for the next one already," Morris said. And that could even be this fall.
Other winners:
11-19 female
Katty Edwards 38:09 (only entrant)
20-29 female
Gina Fletcher 20:00
(no male entrant)
30-39 female
Jennie Wentworth 30:39
40-49 male
Joe Schmidt 18:09
50-59 female
Patty Varga 25:01
50-59 male
Jim Trilly 20:09
60 plus male
Matty Tuohy 35:47.
