Anchorage Daily News

Nearly nine years ago, Howard Mozen began feeling an achy pain in his tooth more troubling than tormenting.

On the advice of his brother, an emergency room doctor at Marin General Hospital in Califorinia, Mozen decided to go to Providence Hospital here for a checkup.

"It kind of worried me," he said. "I had a premonition that something wasn't right."

Doctors put Mozen on a treadmill and hooked him up to a bank of monitors.

"Once on it, I thought I was wasting my time," he said.

Not exactly. He had huge blockage in one artery that required double- bypass surgery.

"You're not leaving my office," Mozen said the doctor told him. "You're lucky your still alive."

Still alive and still lively, Mozen, 50, on Saturday added another item to his list of feats following open-heart surgery, winning the Mended Heart Division of the Heart Run in 20 minutes, 15 seconds. Steven Petros was second, 42 seconds back.

"I'm amazed I get to keep being athletic," said Mozen, who lived in McCarthy several years and loves climbing mountains populated with Dall sheep. "I like to get close to the animals."

"We started this whole new diet," added Mozen, who teaches study skills for the Anchorage School District. "I did the 50-K Tour of Anchorage (ski race) for the first time (in March) and that felt fine. I'm fortunate to have the care and optimism of the doctors here."

Mozen wasn't the only Anchorage runner feeling fortunate Saturday. A year ago, Alaska's biggest footrace was wiped out when more than a foot of spring snow fell on race eve.

This year, runners' worst complaint was chilly temperatures in the 30s and a brisk breeze that kept the line at the Kaladi Brothers Coffee booth near the finish line nearly 50 runners deep.

A spring chill couldn't slow Michael Wisniewski and Kristi Waythomas. Wisniewski, 30, champion of the Alaska 10-K Classic last summer, won in 15:25, topping runner-up Brent Knight by more than 20 seconds.

Waythomas, meanwhile, posted her fourth Heart Run victory -- but her first in 11 years, representing the biggest gap between Heart Run victories in race history. The oldest finisher among the top 15 women, Waythomas, 40, won in 18:26, beating Katie Krehik by 44 seconds. Triathlon star Lori Deschamps was third.

The last time Waythomas took the Heart Run was 1998 when her 17:43 time topped the field. How many top 5-K runners can say they've only lost 43 seconds in more than a decade?

"It was clicking at the beginning, but it hurts a lot more now," she said afterward. "It takes a lot longer to recover now -- days instead of hours."

Beyond that, it takes good genes, dedication, organization and a giving husband.

Waythomas, mother of a 3-year-old and a 1-year-old, rises at 5 a.m. each morning to train before heading off to Central Middle School, where she teaches math.

"I couldn't do it without him," she said of husband Chris, a project chief at the U.S. Geological Survey and fellow runner.

Few athletes can summon Waythomas' level of motivation, but thousands had more than enough to get through Saturday's 5-K.

"I got up this morning and it was 30 degrees and I hesitated for a moment," said Bob Frost of Palmer, who missed his goal of 30 minutes by 15 seconds. "But I love this race."

"I wore too many layers," allowed Brittney Vincent, part of a contingent from Moose's Tooth pub and pizzeria.

"I was up at 5 a.m. stretching and drinking coffee," said Judy Basler, part of a trio of runner from Girdwood's Ice Cream Shop.

That contingent was dwarfed by an estimated 722 runners from Bayshore Elementary, where teacher Teisha Burke spent months rounding up youngsters.

Most Southcentral races would love to boast a field totaling 722. The Bayshore block was one of five groups that signed up at least 100 for the Heart Run -- Huffman Elementary, Alaska Children's Health Center, ConocoPhillips Alaska and Aquarian Charter School were the others.

Like Howard Mozen, those runners were happy just to be able to participate -- and thrilled if they exceeded expectations.

After logging about a dozen training runs, Mozen had predicted a time just over 22 minutes.

His friend Dan Myers, an Anchorage construction worker, knew better.

"He was a great runner -- he did a 2:40-something marathon before the heart attack, and I think he's still got it.

"I'm 10 years younger than him, and I remember running with him just days before he went into the hospital when his arteries were 90 percent closed he was giving me a drubbing.

"It really was tough on him. He's just so vigorous. He's all about his physical health, and he was really depressed at the time."

Those worries were gone Saturday.

"Against old farts who have heart conditions, I have a chance," Mozen joked.

Reporter Mike Campbell can be reached at mcampbell@adn.com or 257-4329.

30th Heart Run

5-Kilometers (3.1 miles)

Saturday's Results

Top 100 Men -- 1) Michael Wisniewski 15:25.5; 2) Brent Knight 15:46.2; 3) Jason Walker 15:54.4; 4) Eric Strabel 16:09.3; 5) Jeff Heuseveldt 16:17.7; 6) Dustin Hawes 17:01.0; 7) Jens Beck 17:05.8; 8) Nils Sandtroen 17:15.7; 9) James Crimp 17:26.4; 10) Paul Kendall 17:26.7; 11) Keith Weinhold 17:37.1; 12) Michael Wheatall 17:39.0; 13) Evan Hone 17:40.1; 14) Gordon Birdsall 17:42.0; 15) David Roosa 17:44.6; 16) John Collins 17:46.0; 17) Andrew Duenow 17:46.9; 18) Scott Clemetson 17:50.2; 19) Luke Kiskaddon 17:50.4; 20) Jon Kastar 17:53.2; 21) Michael Masuda 17:56.1; 22) Christopher Ashland 17:59.1; 23) Timothy Blake 18:00.0; 24) Jason Lamoreaux 18:05.4; 25) Ryan Beckett 18:10.5;

26) Jeremiah Hale 18:11.9; 27) Jason Potsander 18:13.7; 28) Hugh Nicholson 18:23.6; 29) Joseph Leman 18:25.8; 30) Erik Schoen 18:28.4; 31) Edward Frank 18:30.0; 32) John Hellen 18:32.4; 33) Jeff Johnson 18:40.8; 34) Stephen Beedle 18:42.3; 35) Anders Haugen 18:47.5; 36) Jamie Haines 19:00.1; 37) Fred West 19:01.4; 38) Tony Reishus 19:05.8; 39) Bob Davis 19:08.0; 40) Drew Galstetter 19:17.0; 41) Shannon Martin 19:17.8; 42) Beau Wood 19:33.3; 43) Brian Pekar 19:33.7; 44) Forrest Mahlen 19:35.9; 45) Lars Spurkland 19:37.9; 46) Taylor Turney 19:38.4; 47) Jack Parke 19:41.4; 48) Michael Montague 19:42.1; 49) Mike Wicker 19:42.9; 50) Bryan Forsyth 19:44.4;

51) John Farr 19:49.6; 52) Andrew Maisey 19:55.3; 53) Adam Lewis 20:02.7; 54) Noah Evermann 20:03.9; 55) Mark Carr 20:11.3; 56) Lyon Kopsack 20:13.2; 57) Mickey Kenny 20:14.3; 58) Howard Mozen 20:15.3; 59) Travis Peltier 20:19.0; 60) Quentin Reuer 20:19.2; 61) James Rodgers 20:20.5; 62) Lance Kopsack 20:21.3; 63) Chris Morton 20:22.2; 64) Eric Vilce 20:22.8; 65) Brandon King 20:22.9; 66) Joel Dupuis 20:30.4; 67) Allen Hansen 20:31.3; 68) Jeremy Guiley 20:31.5; 69) David Myhre 20:36.8; 70) Shawn Jeffrey 20:37.2; 71) Guy Schwartz 20:37.8; 72) Michael Carson 20:39.0; 73) Allen Jackson 20:40.6; 74) Jacob Bera 20:42.8; 75) Justin Beverlin 20:43.4;

76) Mark Dent 20:44.5; 77) Conor Deal 20:46.4; 78) Skyler Frank 20:51.5; 79) Philip Kastar 20:52.1; 80) Jonathan Schick 20:54.0; 81) Chuck Simmons 20:54.9; 82) Brian Stoecker 20:56.3; 83) Eric Skidmore 20:56.4; 84) Taylor Hall 20:57.0; 85) Steven Petros 20:57.3; 86) Mark Goodman 20:57.5; 87) Danny Maisey 20:59.3; 88) John Brewer 21:07.1; 89) Daniel Torgerson 21:13.1; 90) Cristian Marin 21:15.2; 91) Christopher Davis 21:20.5; 92) Peter Hewko 21:21.3; 93) Gary Aaron 21:22.0; 94) Christopher Scott 21:24.3; 95) Gillean Szweda Mitt 21:24.5; 96) Douglas Johnstone 21:25.4; 97) Crisanto Agtani 21:26.7; 98) Rocco Pergola 21:29.3; 99) Tim Davis 21.30.1; 100) Sebastian Szweda Mi 21:30.1.

Mended Heart Men -- 1) Howard Mozen 20:15.3; 2) Steven Petros 20:57.3; 3) Douglas Johnstone 21:25.4; 4) Stan Fischer 23:53.4; 5) Randell Waters 24:15.1; 6) Donovan Komakhuk 26:44.0; 7) Robert Owens 27:36.2; 8) Glenn Ruckhaus 28:36.7; 9) Rodney Kleedehn 29:41.5; 10) Wayne Pichon 30:29.1; 11) Brett Shepard 33:55.9; 12) John Smith 35:39.3; 13) John Haywood 36:56.8; 14) Phil Evans 38:28.5; 15) Dave Harbour 38:47.0; 16) Paul Mikels 41:53.4; 17) Michael Sutera 46:15.9; 18) Charles Brown 52:54.7; 19) Shawn Stockwell 1:15:54.2.

Top 100 Women -- 1) Kristi Waythomas 18:25.8; 2) Katie Krehlik 19:10.0; 3) Lori Deschamps 19:13.5; 4) Letitia Luch 19:25.1; 5) Larrell Lockard 19:34.8; 6) Jaime Bronga 19:41.4; 7) Marcelyn Luch 20:08.9; 8) Delia Luch 20:10.7; 9) Amanda Botway 20:18.9; 10) Amelia Henness 20:24.9; 11) Amber Stull 20:27.9; 12) Barbara Piromalli 20:32.0; 13) Eeva Latosuo 20:46.6; 14) Heidi Martinson 20:57.3; 15) Kaley Strachan 20:57.9; 16) Janel Radford 21:01.1; 17) Amy Reed 21:01.4; 18) Tasha Bergt 21:21.1; 19) Hannah Moderow 21:23.7; 20) Anna Price 21:31.0; 21) Jennifer Henderson 21:32.7; 22) Ellyn Brown 21:44.0; 23) Suzanne Wheatall 21:45.3; 24) Claire Norton-Cruz 21:46.5; 25) Janet Mamikunian 21:47.4;

26) Dana Diehl 21:52.4; 27) Shannon McLaughlin 21:57.5; 28) Jenette Northey 21:58.2; 29) Samantha Rink 21:58.5; 30) Karma Roth 22:07.1; 31) Tiffanie Novakovich 22:07.5; 32) Megan Merrihew 22:09.0; 33) Cindy Freistone 22:13.6; 34) Shanna Tadic 22:18.0; 35) Brandy Bland 22:23.9; 36) Jenny Kimball 22:25.4; 37) Sarah Freistone 22:37.2; 38) Sarah Tucker 22:42.3; 39) Victoria Clark 22:47.3; 40) Allison Abo 22:55.0; 41) Lesley Yamauchi 22:57.9; 42) Cheyenne Applegate 23:01.2; 43) Allison Lamb 23:08.1; 44) Sarah Haltness 23:09.1; 45) Megan Ewoldsen 23:13.0; 46) Hannah Briggs 23:13.7; 47) Chelsa Smith 23:15.1; 48) Troyce Allen 23:15.7; 49) Regina McDiffett 23:16.2; 50) Peggie Gallagher 23:17.1;

51) Alesia Thon 23:20.4; 52) Amy Connaker 23:23.6; 53) Mary Anne Rowen 23:25.1; 54) Amy Johns 23:25.9; 55) Michele Hugulet 23:26.0; 56) Erin Cockrerham 23:26.7; 57) Wendy Mitchell 23:27.5; 58) Brenda Applegate 23:28.1; 59) Rachel Casperson 23:29.5; 60) Catalina Myers 23:29.9; 61) Laura Johnston 23:31.1; 62) Suzi Jackson 23:33.0; 63) Aase Haugen 23:33.1; 64) Megan Neale 23:33.3; 65) Erin Stuart 23:33.5; 66) Lydia Larson 23:38.7; 67) Jaime Locke 23:42.5; 68) Darlene Cooper 23:42.9; 69) Jocelyn Kopsack 23:43.4; 70) Haley Hughes 23:48.0; 71) Nona Gunn 23:49.5; 72) Erica Colliander 23:50.2; 73) Tina Moronell 23:51.6; 74) Heidi Andrus 23:54.4; 75) Erika Klinger 23:54.5;

76) Tsaina Mahlen 23:56.8; 77) Cathy Duffy 24:00.6; 78) Ashtyn Evans 24:01.5; 79) Abigail Stahl 24:02.2; 80) Jody Stahl 24:05.9; 81) Chelsea Peterson 24:09.7; 82) Kathy Dawson 24:13.3; 83) Krystal Muller-Stub 24:15.9; 84) Kelly Van Hoek 24:20.6; 85) Misty Pekar 24:22.5; 86) Leona Scott 24:22.5; 87) Erica Heil 24:26.3; 88) Aimee Gasser 24:27.0; 89) Heather Klein 24:28.9; 90) Shawna Rider 24:31.5; 91) Jody Otto 24:32.2; 92) Jeanine Oakland 24:32.4; 93) Cynthia Cooper 24:33.3; 94) Shawn Tausz Meyers 24:35.3; 95) Danielle Severson 24:35.9; 96) Sarah Bartko 24:38.2; 97) Jamie Krediet 24:46.3; 98) Rebecca Boggs 24:48.1; 99) Nikole Boggs 24:48.3; 100) Joann Schnellbaeche 24:48.4.

Mended Heart Women -- 1) Kelly Smith 26:04.5; 2) Jennifer Ratchye 30:45.0; 3) Kayleen Hetrick 30:55.5; 4) Cindy Patrick 33:47.5; 5) Bonnie Moore 34:36.4; 6) Katie Millen 39:16.2; 7) Karron Weiss 44:22.9; 8) Vivian Dietz-Clark 53:33.9; 9) Katy Neher 58:38.2; 10) Lynn Reese 1:24:46.0.

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