Heritagefest Run suffers some setbacks but finishes

By CHANCE PRIGGE

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- The Heritagefest Run was off to a fast start Wednesday when more than two hundred people took off from the New Ulm Medical Center, but it took a turn for the worse. Literally.

People finishing their runs at Washington Elementary came back saying runners were ending up in downtown, which was not part of the course.

A marker had not been set at the corner of Center and Summit, and those who didn't know to turn right there just kept running.

"30 of us went right into traffic," one runner said as he finished with a group.

At the finish line, coordinator Denis Berdan was getting the names of people who went off course to offer refunds.

"There was supposed to be a police officer at Summit and Center," he said.

Despite the setbacks and some people's skewed results, several first -, second- and third-place awards in various age groups for men and women were distributed to the runners.

The runs were divided into two categories: two miles and 10 kilometers, which had runners reaching the finish line anywhere from within 15 minutes to more than an hour after the race started.

Berdan said the race was mostly for fun.

"There's never been a profit," he said. "If there is a net loss, it's assumed by Abbott Northwestern and New Ulm Medical."

An early finisher in the 10K run, Quinn Dauer, made the turn out of habit.

"I ran the race two years ago," Dauer said. "I wasn't confused because I knew that's where you took the turn."

Dauer, 20, of Nicollet, is on the cross-country team at Minnesota State University, Mankato.

"The weather was nice and cool," he said. "You couldn't ask for a nicer Minnesota day."

The race had participants of all ages. A Kinderlauf was held for children. They ran between one mile and a half mile, depending on their ages.

Some people were pushing their babies and toddlers in strollers as they ran. One guy even had a dog join him.

Participants who preregistered for the run paid $9 to participate in the two-mile run and $11 for the 10K run. They also got one free Heritagefest ticket apiece and a Heritagefest Run T-shirt. Those who didn't preregister paid $2 more without the gifts.