A Classic performance by Porcarelli

The Daily Inter Lake

The annual First Bank of Montana Summit Classic 5K road race is all about one thing - fitness.

It's the participation element, not the competition, the Summit Health Center likes to focus on by making this a family-type event. They want people in the Flathead Valley to be active and adopt a healthy lifestyle through exercise.

And nobody personafies that better than Sally Porcarelli.

The 72-year-old Whitefish resident completed another Classic on Saturday with a huge smile and enough energy to turn right around and do it again on a grey, damp morning that saw 559 runners, joggers and walkers of all shapes and sizes cross the finish line. Over 620 signed up.

"I've done all of them," said Porcarelli.

"Very little running (in this one), quite a bit of walking."

She finished with a time of 39 minutes, 25 seconds. That was good for 305th place.

Porcarelli began running when she was 40. That's when her fifth, and final child, left the house.

"I had to do something with all that energy it takes to raise a family," she said.

"I couldn't run a block (when I started)."

A year later, Porcarelli completed her first marathon - the Jerry Anderson Memorial Marathon - in Kalispell.

When she turned 50, she entered her first triathon in Coeur d'Alene.

"I was the first woman over 50 to do it," she said.

"And I won."

All total, Porcarelli has competed in 15 triathlons and run two marathons.

She's never missed a Whitefish Lake Run and ran in the first Lilac Bloomsday Run in Spokane in 1977, which drew 1,600 entrants. That event now attracts 50,000.

And there's more.

At the World Senior Games in St. George, Utah, she won a 5K race.

"A long time ago," said Porcarelli.

"Six or seven years ago."

Porcarelli, despite having a total knee replacement following a run-in with a skier on Big Mountain, shows no signs of slowing down.

She maintains an ambitious exercise schedule every day.

Her morning workout at North Valley Hospital consists of two miles on a treadmill, two miles on the elliptical machine, pedaling five miles on a stationary bike and finishing up in the weight room.

Later in the day she walks four miles.

And yes, she did her morning workout at the hospital before Saturday's Classic.

"It's very important for people to take care of themselves," she said.

"It's neat to see all the little kids (participating), until they start passing me."

One of those "passing" Porcarelli might have been 10-year-old Kimmerly Lyford of Columbia Falls. The 68-pound fourth grader at Trinity Lutheran School ran with her dad, Van, the entire way and finished with a time of 25.28. Her place - 86th overall.

She improved by almost four minutes from last year's race.

Van was timed in 25.58, good for 84th place.

"He does," said Kimmerly of her father, who sets the pace.

"I pull on his arm (if he goes to fast). My head started to hurt."

This mark the fifth time Kimmerly and Van competed in the Classic. Also running were Kimmerly's mom, Jill, her sister Kelsey, 13, and her grandparents, Gene and Lila Stahlberg of Kalispell.

"We're not very good at training," said Van, 43.

"But we like doing the races."

Van is a former member of the Flathead Velo bicycle racing team.

The Lyford's are also Summit members.

The overall winners were Kalispell's Michael Mancoske, 17:57, and Riata Booky, 21:41.

Booky finished 28th overall.

Mancoske and Scott Gaiser, last year's winner, were involved in a mad dash to the finish. Mancoske's kick prevailed in the end.

Mancoske and Gaiser were the lone runners to break the 18-minute barrier.

Gaiser's winning time a year ago was 17:34.