AUBURN — Kaydence Gibson has lofty goals for herself as a runner.

After completing her third 5-kilometer race Sunday at the Lake Auburn Half Marathon and 5K, the 7-year old from Lewiston had big plans for her running future.

“I’m going to leave Mom in the dust,” Gibson said with a smile.

She almost did that Sunday, edging Julia Gibson by her little nose. Kaydence finished in  37:49.4, while Mom followed closely behind in 37:49.8.

“We did this last year, and it was the innaugural race and it was her first 5K,” Julia Gibson said. “Then we did the Spooky 5K in Freeport, and then we did this one.”

Kaydence Gibson was the youngest runner in a day that featured a number of younger racers that did well.

Sunday’s event at Lost Valley featured the 5K, the Half Marathon and a bike race, all around Lake Auburn. There was also a Fun Run.

Despite a driving rain at the early morning start, the event featured runners of all ages and ability. The LAHM raises money for the foundation Moving ME Forward. Proceeds go to create wellness opportunities in the community and raise money for youth programs. Last year, the event raised $7,500 for such programs in the community.

New Mexico’s Allen Sumrall is a sophomore at Bates College. He was unaware of the race until a friend mentioned it.

“I found out about it on Friday from a friend of mine at Bates,” Sumrall said. “He was like, ‘There’s a half marathon in Auburn.’ I was like, ‘I want to do a half marathon.’ So here I am. I signed up this morning.”

Sumrall went out and won the race despite it being his first try at a half marathon.

“I was hoping to get under 1:30,” Sumrall said. “I just ran, and I guess I won.”

Sumrall finished in 1:17:06.  In second was Auburn’s Dan Pontbriand in 1:19:11.5. Pontbriand was second in the 5K last year.

“(Pontbriand) was running with me until mile eight,” Sumrall said. “Then I pulled out in front of him a little bit. It was definitely thanks to him that I was going at that pace. I had no idea how fast to run. So he was pacing me the first half of the race. I just kept that pace the rest of the way.”

James Machowski of Sabattus was third in 1:22:50.2, while Wes Danforth took fourth in 1:24:11. Machowski was seventh last year, when Danforth finished sixth. 

Hope’s David MacMillan rounded out the top five Sunday in 1:24:48.1.

Sumrall is a recreational runner who had limited expectations as to what he might do Sunday. He had done some 5K’s previously and was interested in testing himself at a longer distance.

“I didn’t really have much of a strategy,” Sumrall said. “I just wanted to keep a six-minute mile or something like that. I had no idea how bad I might feel.”

The top female finisher in the half marathon was Buxton’s Jennifer Sawyer. She finished in 1:29:54.5. Augusta’s Amy Oliver was second in 1:30:30.4. Katie Fitzpatrick was third in 1:31:27.4, followed by Lewiston’s Kelly Brown in 1:33:08.3 and Melissa Hebert in 1:36:47.

In the 5K, Waldoboro’s Darren Winchenbach won the men’s race in 19:26.4. He finished fourth last year.

Lewiston’s Tyrone Fulgham was second in 20:22.7. Hebron’s Peter Rearick took third in 20:39.2 followed by Auburn’s Shane Campbell-Henning in 20:55.2 and Stephen Bennett at 21:12.

Christie Tabbi-Tebbets of Lisbon repeated in the women’s race. She finished in 20:56.7. Auburn’s Victoria Beliveau, 14, was second in 21:47. In third was Auburn’s Audrey Bennett in 21:47.2, followed by Gorham’s Lauren Nicholas in 21:54.2. Olivia Ouellette, an 11 year old from Poland, was fifth in 22:13.1.

Julia Gibson had her own personal pace-setter. When Julia suggested taking it easy and walking during a hilly part of the course, Kaydence pushed on.

“She was like, ‘Oh no, Mommy, let’s keep going,'” said Julia Gibson. “So we ran halfway up the hill.”

As a result, the Gibsons finished with better times than last year by about nine minutes.

“It keeps me healthy,” said Kaydence. “I just like to run.”

Though Kaydence hopes to continue to outrun her mother, she won’t leave her mom behind completely in the future.

“She said she’s going to come back and cheer me on,” Julia Gibson said.

kmills@sunjournal.com

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