The 47th annual running of the Fitch Mountain Footrace, a 10-kilometer run around the Healdsburg landmark, raised about $8,000 for the Kiwanis Memorial Scholarship Fund. But for the local men and women, boys and girls who competed, the running is the best part.
There were about 250 registered runners in the race, including almost 130 finishers in the 10k race and another 120 or so in the shorter “family run” of 3 kilometers, in an in-town loop.
First place was taken by 40-year-old Grant Hotaling with a time of 37.20, just over six minutes a mile. Dante Godinez, 22, was last year’s winner, but came in second this time with a 39.35 time. Both men are from Healdsburg.
Top finisher among the women was 24-year-old Melanie Mathewson (45:03), with 58-year-old Catherine Dubay right behind her (45:10).
Hotaling is a life-long Healdsburg resident, though he usually runs ultra-marathons these days. He’s competed in the Footrace several times before however, usually finishing second. This time he got the gold.
“I always enjoy that race,” he said following the June 18 Healdsburg tradition. “My favorite part is the very beginning when all the little kids just run out as fast as they can. And then you’ve gotta try and weave through them and not trip anybody or fall over yourself.”
Hotaling, who competed in wrestling while at Healdsburg High, said the team used to run around Fitch Mountain as a conditioning exercise. “It seemed so hard back then; it just seemed like punishment,” he recalled.
This year he didn’t even bother training for the race because he’s turned his attention to much longer races. Next up for him is the High Lonesome, a 100-mile race in Colorado at the end of July.
Rob Dobley, race director and treasurer of the Kiwanis Memorial Scholarship Fund, said there were a total of 129 finishers in the 10k, and another 89 in the 3k race. “I’d estimate we raised $8,000, but there may be some lingering expenses—but they would amount to a couple hundred dollars or so,” said Dobley.
The Kiwanis have several other fundraisers over the year for the fund, and generally give about $15,000 a year to area graduates for their vocational, junior college or four-year college tuition. Dobley said the Footrace is generally their largest fundraiser for the fund.
The Kiwanis took over the race in 1995 from the City of Healdsburg. It was started in 1976 by the city’s Chamber of Commerce.
