Justin Grunewald has competed in races all over the United States in the past couple years as a member of the University of Minnesota cross country team.
But on Saturday, the 22-year-old participated in one of his favorite annual runs just a few miles from his Merrifield home. And he came out a winner with a record 15:00 finish in the 5k race for the 27th annual Crosslake Dam Run.
"I picked the 5k race because I made a deal with my dad (Bill) that if I finished in under 15 minutes then we would start running three days a week to train for next year's race," said Grunewald, who paced the field of 107 runners. "I finished in 15 minutes flat, but my dad started training the next day."
Grunewald's time broke his previous record set in winning last year's 5k in 15:10. The 2004 Brainerd High School graduate has won four of the past five 5k races and also has the 10k record with a 32:59 finish in 2003.
"I really like this race," said Grunewald. "It's nice to see my old coaches and people like (race organizer) Mick Justin."
Grunewald, who is home on vacation this week, has one year of eligibility for the indoor and outdoor track season for the U of M next spring. He plans to pick up a couple more degrees while finishing the application process for medical school.
"I'm done with cross country," he said about his career with the Gophers. "I was red-shirted last year, but they needed me to run in the Big Ten Conference and regional and national meets. We finished eighth at the nationals and that was (the Gophers') best finish in over 40 years."
In the Crosslake 5k race, Matthew Schadow of Minnetonka was second in 16:01 while Gabriele Anderson of Perham was the top female finisher, placing eighth in 17:24.
"Gabriele is my girlfriend and she broke her (women's) record from last year," Grunewald said. "So, it was a pretty exciting day."
Other top area finishers in the 5k were Luke Deleney of Baxter, third in 16:06; Clayton Foster of Pequot Lakes, fourth in 16:14; Thomas Ruttger of East Gull Lake, fifth in 16:44: and Silas Lydeen of Pequot Lakes, seventh in 17:23.
A total of 73 runners competed in the 10k race, won by Scott Niemela of Pillager in 36:45 while Brittany Breeny of Staples was the top female finisher, placing third in 37:06. The top area finishers were Mike Reponen of Baxter, fourth in 37:27; and Travis Miller of Nisswa, seventh in 40:31.
The races also started and finished at the Crosslake Town Square.
Crosslake Dam Run
10K area runners:
Ê
1 Scott Niemela Ê Pillager ÊÊÊÊÊÊÊ 36:45 Ê
2 Jorge Oconitrillo Ê Chanhassen ÊÊ 37:00 Ê
3 Brittany Brenny ÊÊ Staples ÊÊÊÊÊÊ 37:06 Ê
7 Travis Miller ÊÊÊÊÊ Nisswa ÊÊ 40:31ÊÊÊÊÊÊÊ
30 Kathy Peterson ÊÊÊOuting ÊÊÊÊÊ 48:24
46 Sydney Johnson ÊÊPequot Lakes ÊÊ53:11 Ê
47 Jordan Roy ÊÊÊ Crosslake ÊÊÊÊ 53:11 Ê
50 Laurie Smith ÊÊ Merrifield ÊÊÊÊÊ 53:40 Ê
56 Christine Roy Crosslake ÊÊÊÊÊ56:08 Ê
57 Tim Hidde Pequot Lakes Ê 56:17 Ê
59 Stacy Miller Crosslake ÊÊÊÊÊ 57:33 Ê
60 Joel Miller Crosslake ÊÊÊÊÊÊ57:33 Ê
61 Shelly Langer Pequot Lakes ÊÊ 57:37 Ê
62 Deb Roberts Nisswa ÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊ58:28 Ê
68 Cindy Hidde Pequot Lakes ÊÊ 1:01:21 Ê
ÊÊÊÊÊÊÊ
5K area runners:
1 Justin Grunewald Merrifield ÊÊ 15:00 Ê
2 Matthew Schadow Minntonka ÊÊÊÊ 16:01
4 Clayton Foster Pequot Lakes 16:14
5 Thomas Ruttger East Gull Lake Ê 16:44 Ê
7 Silas Lydeen Pequot Lakes ÊÊÊ 17:23 Ê
8 Gabriele Anderson Perham 17:24
14 Zean Baker ÊÊÊÊÊ Nisswa ÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊ 21:01 Ê
22 Cody Espesth ÊÊ Merrifield ÊÊÊÊÊ 22:29 Ê
23 Clint Baker ÊÊ Nisswa ÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊ 22:35 Ê
27 Rebecca Yeh ÊÊ Nisswa ÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊ 22:59 Ê
29 Dan Hensch ÊÊÊ Pequot Lakes Ê Ê 23:56 Ê
31 Janet Hennies ÊÊ Pequot Lakes ÊÊ 24:10 Ê
33 J.P. Wesp ÊÊÊÊ Pequot Lakes ÊÊÊ 24:37 Ê
34 Carica Braren ÊÊ Pine River ÊÊÊÊÊ 24:46 Ê
37 Jill Anderson Ê Emily ÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊ25:22 Ê
39 Lisa Woog ÊÊÊ Nisswa ÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊ25:29 Ê
43 Sean Davich ÊÊ Pequot Lakes ÊÊÊ 26:10 Ê
50 Bryn Yahn ÊÊÊÊ Pequot Lakes ÊÊÊ 26:51
52 Brian Glenz ÊÊ Emily ÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊ 27:03
53 Jim Birkelo Ê Crosslake ÊÊÊÊÊÊ 27:06 Ê
57 Stephanie Bright Crosslake ÊÊÊÊ 27:39 Ê
58 Denise Kaiser ÊÊÊ Pine River ÊÊÊÊ 27:44 Ê
66 Nicole Heino ÊÊÊÊ Pequot Lakes ÊÊ 28:54 Ê
70 Jolene Bengtson ÊPequot Lakes ÊÊ 30:06 Ê
71 Will Bright Ê Emily ÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊ 30:08 Ê
73 Roger Forcelle ÊÊ Pequot Lakes ÊÊÊ 30:30 Ê
75 Jacqueline Trott Nisswa ÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊ 30:38 Ê
80 Keri Wooden ÊÊÊÊNisswa ÊÊÊÊÊÊÊ 31:34
89 Abbey Linstad ÊÊ Pequot Lakes ÊÊÊ 33:22
90 Mindy Kuecher ÊÊ Breezy Point ÊÊÊ 33:56
99 Morgan Kertzmann Ê Crosslake ÊÊ 35:30
100 Debbie Shetka ÊÊ Crosslake ÊÊÊ 35:57
For more photos go to spotted.pineandlakes.com.
