Gaskell Wins Inaugural Sawdust 5k

Wes Vork-NSO

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July 4

Wes Vork-NSO

CLOQUET – Most local businesspeople are huge believers in giving back to the community. The thing that makes Jeff Leno different is that he began planning a 5k race as a way to give back to the community before he moved back to the area or started his business. That planning culminated Saturday morning with a hugely successful 1st annual Sawdust 5k race.

Leno, a 2002 Cloquet High School grad moved back to the area in March and started Leno Chiropractic Clinic in the west end of Cloquet. Coming from a family of runners he thought about and planned a 5k race while he was studying and interning in Iowa. “Our big goal and desire was to be involved in the community, my wife and I are both from here and it was our way to give back.”

Sean Gaskell of Esko will forever have his name carved into the record books at the first ever winner of the event. Gaskell beat out a total of 220 other runners for the honor by posting a time of 17:10. Not far behind and topping the woman’s division was Marlo McGarver at 19:47.

The 221 total runners were way beyond Leno’s wildest dreams in the first year of the event. “We really didn’t know what to expect so we picked 100 participants as a goal mainly because it was a three digit number” Leno told Northland Sports Online as the race was beginning.

One week ago there were only 40 people registered for the event. That number swelled to 153 by Saturday evening and grew to a total of 221 when another 68 registered the morning of the race. “Although the numbers are way up, everything went smooth” stated Leno. “The only problems we had were good ones, like running out of t-shirts.”

One thing that contributed to the intrigue of this race was the hilly nature of the course. “There were a

couple of pretty good hills, especially the one near the end of the race,” said Gaskell. “The heat sure didn’t help either but I can’t complain; it was fun, a lot of fun.”

Cloquet High school was well represented in the 15-19 year old category with junior to be Aaron Peterson winning the category with a time of 18:58. 2011 CHS Graduate Halee Peterson who will run for Mankato State University in the fall topped the 15-19 girls, clocking in at 20 minutes flat.

Other winners included Rob Sobczak and Shelby Johnson in the 14 and under category; overall winner Gaskell and Katie Hughes representing the 20-29 year olds. The 30-39 category went to Andrew Chalberg and Joni Chacich while Robert Daiss and overall Woman’s winner McGarver topping the 40-49 group.

All proceeds from the race will go to support the Fourth of July fireworks display. “Right now it looks like we are going be able to contribute 2000 – 2500 dollars. But with the really, really nice turnout today, it may even exceed that” Stated Leno.

As a side benefit of starting and ending at Pinehurst Park, all runners were invited to jump into the pool to cool off following the race.

Northland Sports Online will post the results as soon as they become available.

Wes Vork can be reached at wes@northlandsportsonline.com