Billy Mills was at the finish line to acknowledge McKenzie Bordeaux with a medal and a hug. Bordeaux ran in the 2-mile event. Photo by Vi Waln
Billy Mills Participates in Rosebud Half Marathon
By Vi Waln
Lakota Country Times Correspondent
lakotacountrytimes.com HE DOG SCHOOL – Billy Mills, Oglala Lakota Olympic Gold Medalist, visited Rosebud to help with the 3rd Annual Half Marathon Run by greeting all finishers with a medal and a hug. Six men and two women completed the Half Marathon run. DJ Beckwith, Jace Burma, Gabe Red Kettle, Shilo Arthur, Emma Larvie, Joe Larvie, Sr., Willow Wright and Brian Dillion were each presented with a medal at the end of their run. Their race began in west Todd County on Highway 18 at the old He Dog junction near Elk Valley. A gravel road constituting the 13.1-mile course, led runners to He Dog School. This event was coordinated by The Strengthening & Wellness Running Club of Rosebud. Youth and adult categories included the half marathon (13.1 miles), 1 mile, 2 miles, 5K (3.1 miles) and 10K (6.2 miles) events. All ages and fitness levels were welcome to walk or run in the activity.
Pictured with Billy Mills are Jace Burma, left and DJ Beckwith who were the top 2 finishers in the Half Marathon run. Photo by Vi Waln
Walkers and runners were transported by bus to their starting points. Nearly 200 people participated in the events. Water stations were set up every 2 miles for those who braved the heat to participate. Sack lunches, water, Gatorade, snacks and fruit were available to all who attended. Blood sugar readings and heart screening was available to the public. The Sanford Mobile Heart Screening unit was onsite. They offered heart screenings to several local residents. The RST Diabetes Prevention program did blood sugar readings. Billy Mills, the only athlete from North America to ever win the 10,000 Olympic Race, offered opening remarks. He stood at the event finish line for several hours, placing medals over runners’ heads and offering encouragement. Mills signed many of the medals and posed for countless photos with participants.
Visit the Lakota Country Times and subscribe today
The event was sponsored by SFIS Face Program, RST Defending Childhood initiatives, St. Francis Mission, RST Business Office, RST Diabetes Prevention Program, RST Domestic Violence Prevention Initiative, RST Tokala Inajinyo Suicide Prevention, Health and Healing Center, Oyate Networking Project, RST Alcohol Program and the RST Piya Mani Otipi. Other sponsors included RST Education, Nike N7, Sicangu Owayawa Oti, Motor Fuel, Game, Fish & Parks, RST Solid Waste, NAHA, Sanford Heart Health Care, Sicangu Nation Employment & Training, RST Tribal Ranch, RST Head Start, Boys and Girls Club of Rosebud and the White Buffalo Calf Woman Society. Find the award-winning Lakota Country Times on the Internet, Facebook and Twitter and download the new Lakota Country Times app today.
Join the Conversation
