Sun, fun and inspiration
<p>Rhonda Smith and Jill Smith wear their Spring Dash T-shirts as they join the start of the Dash on Sunday in downtown Coeur dÕAlene.</p>
<p>Bryan Tevis of Coeur dÕAlene charges along the course, about a quarter mile from the finish line of the Spring Dash. He completed the 5-mile race in 26:08.</p>
<p>Alyssa Shaw of Coeur dÕAlene sprints toward the finish line of the Dash. She topped the womenÕs field with a time of 30 minutes, 11 seconds.</p>
<p>Emily Smedley, joined by daughter Aslynn Smedley, congratulates son Caden Smedley at the finish line of the Spring Dash.</p>
COEUR d’ALENE — Finally, finished with the Spring Dash, Evan Sims could relax.
But it would be a bit before he would cool down.
“Kind of hot,” said Sims, sweat literally dripping off his face.
The Spokane Valley man overcame morning temperatures in the mid-70s to top a field of about 1,400 and win the 30th annual race on Sunday.
It was Sims’ second Dash victory, having won here in 2010.
The 34-year-old took the lead from the opening gun by sprinting the first hundred yards or so, and never gave it up — which he said might not have been his best idea.
“I went out too hard,” Sims said, chuckling.
The 5-mile course started and ended at Fifth and Front, and wound through the Sanders Beach neighborhood. Sims covered it in 25 minutes, 19 seconds. Ben Poffenroth was a close second in 25:27. Bryan Tevis of Coeur d’Alene placed fourth overall in 26:08.
Alyssa Shaw of Coeur d’Alene led the women with a time of 30:11, holding off Megan Woodard in 30:17.
“I felt strong the whole way. This is what I’ve been praying for,” Shaw said.
The 34-year-old doctor, who also won the Dash in 2010, took the lead early on.
“I train a lot on this course, so I love it,” she said.
The Spring Dash, which fell on Earth Day, was enjoyed by families, moms and dads pushing strollers, and plenty of locals tuning up for Bloomsday in Spokane on May 6.
Emily Smedley was joined on the course by 11-year-old son Caden.
“He beat me,” Emily said, smiling. “This is his first year he ran it by himself.”
Caden, whose time was 41:08, said he ran well, adding “it was fun” to defeat his mom, who finished in 58:04.
“That felt good,” he said.
Eli Bourgard, a 26-year-old teacher from Pinehurst, finished in 30:04. He hit the 4-mile mark in about 24 minutes, and figured he could ease up a bit and still beat the 31-minute mark to earn second seeding at Bloomsday.
“I felt better than how I looked coming in,” he said, laughing.
Coeur d’Alene’s Terry Mack, who just ran the Boston Marathon last Monday, finished the Dash in 40:37.
The 63-year-old said that despite running 26.2-miles just six days ago, his legs had some bounce left. He registered Sunday morning and enjoyed the gorgeous day.
“I felt great,” he said.
The Dash is a fundraiser for United Way of Kootenai County.