Taking the plunge

THOMPSON FALLS-Tens of runners awoke Thursday morning to pit themselves against single digit numbers in a frigid race and polar bear plunge, despite the night before everyone was staying up late and celebrating the coming of 2015.

The Clark Fork Valley Running Club hosted its 16th annual New Years Day 2k and 5k races. Sign up was at 10:00 at the Elks Lodge just outside of downtown Thompson Falls.

“Clark Fork Valley Running Club, we support the cross country teams for Thompson Falls, Plains and Hot Springs, and we have a scholarship fund, a county scholarship.” Sarah Naegeli said before the race as she helped check contestants in. Naegeli started the event in 2000 and is one of the founders of the running club.

Naegeli then explained how it is a lot of returning participants and that a couple teams and groups were participating.

Lindsay Laws, speaking on behalf of the Thompson Falls Lady Hawks basketball team said, “Our team is doing it... It is great for our team. Well, I got some sleep. I think everyone did a good job of getting sleep.”

Contestants warmed up in the lodge, preparing and bracing themselves for a frigid race that circled around the roads behind the Elks Lodge and onward to the airport. The finish line was right back where it started, at the lodge.    

Two sisters, Molly and Ashley Thompson, were a little nervous before the race, but wanted to make it clear that they loved running in the cold. “Live everyday like it is your last!” They said in unison.

The race started approximately at 11:00 and within a couple minutes the first contestants came filing into the finish line in the parking lot, immediately going back into the lodge, where there was hot chocolate, coffee and fruit.

Runners of all ages participated. Olivia Burky and Sophia LaFrinler were the only two kindergardeners in the 2k race.

Logan Naegeli finished the 5k race in first. “I do both cross country and track... “I was just getting used to Oregon and now I am back in dry, cold Montana.” he explained. Naegeli runs for Pacific University.

Small plaques, shirts, socks, cup and neck warmers, were passed out as prizes for the top two runners for an age group. Along with the awards, door prizes were called out.

When the award ceremony was finished, anyone who wished to participate could jump in the Clark Fork River at the pier.

Only a small group chose to do it. A group from the Wood Creek Academy who ran in the race, all jumped in and with haste got back onto the dock to dry off.

As quickly as the plungers showed up, did the deed, they all got back into their vehicles to dry off and retreat into warmer temperatures.