It's not often the 22nd-place runner gets more ink than the winner, but the Alaska Run for Women isn't a typical race.
And Mary Barrett isn't your typical runner.
On a Saturday when most of the 4,479 runners, walkers and strollers participated in the name of breast cancer, Barrett competed for the survivors.
After being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004, she has come back stronger and faster.
Barrett, 53, of Palmer, won the Masters survivor division (50-54 age group) for a second straight year. Better yet, she improved her five-mile time for a third straight year since undergoing radiation treatment and two lumpectomies.
"I'm amazed," she said of her effort shortly after the race ended at Anchorage Football Stadium. "This is one of my fastest times ever in this race."
In fact, her time of 33 minutes, 54 seconds was quicker than the 34:41 she ran in 2001 -- before her breast cancer.
How is she going faster now as opposed to then? Part of the reason is that Barrett trains with the Valley Women's Running Team. But the biggest reason is because of breast cancer.
"It's such a shock when you find out," she said. "Exercise is really important in preventing cancer from recurring."
Barrett was second among the 287 survivors who raced Saturday. Lisa Keller, 43, crossed in 33:50 to claim the honor as fastest survivor for the fourth time in five years.
Race winner Kikkan Randall finished in 29:54 for her second major title of the summer; she won the Heart Run in April.
The 24-year-old Olympic nordic skier from Anchorage beat fellow U.S. Ski Team member Tazlina Mannix of Talkeetna by 52 seconds. Past champion Esther Jurasek was third in 31:04.
But the Run for Women is more than a race. It's a fundraiser for awareness, education and outreach for breast cancer and other health issues.
This year's event raised $174,000, race officials said. That's about $19,000 more than last year, bringing the 15-year total to $2.2 million. Every dollar raised goes directly into free mammograms, research and awareness.
"Just to see all the courage and commitment of the women who go through it and come out of it," Randall said. "It's just great to see the spirit of surviving and challenging today."
Not even an early-morning threat of rain could dampen the enthusiasm.
Local musicians played guitar and sang. Kids munched on snow cones while adults scarfed free bread. Pink, purple and yellow balloons danced in the wind.
And there were plenty of smiles and hugs to go around.
"It's a fabulous event where a lot of women come out and support a fabulous cause," racer Debora Summers said.
"I am pretty lucky in the fact that I haven't had any family members that have had cancer. I'm here to support friends who have gone through it."
The biggest cheers on the race course and at the finish line went to the 287 survivors wearing pink hats. Each received a pink carnation rose as a symbol of the universal color in the fight against breast cancer.
"(People) seem to clap louder when the pink hats go by," Barrett said. "It was an unreal feeling because I ran before I had breast cancer. It's different when you're on the other side."
Daily News reporter Van Williams can be reached at vwilliams@adn.com or 257-4335.
Alaska Run for Women
Saturday's Results (five miles)
Top 250
1) Kikkan Randall, 29:54.0; 2) Tazlina Mannix, 30:46.8; 3) Esther Jurasek, 31:04.2; 4) Letitia Luch, 31:26.5; 5) Laura Carpenter, 31:42.7; 6) Erin Quinn-Hurst Hood, 31:52.1; 7) Kristi Laughlin-Hall, 32:11.0; 8) Marcelyn Luch, 32:14.2; 9) Delia Luch, 32:17.2; 10) Cindy Luann Jones, 32:26.4; 11) Debbie Cropper, 32:49.0; 12) Jenifer Kohout, 32:50.8; 13) Andrea Ward Neeser, 32:54.5; 14) Laura McDonough, 33:26.5; 15) Amanda Marie Vincent-Lang, 33:32.7; 16) Brandy Bland, 33:33.9; 17) Christine Cannard, 33:40.0; 18) Quinn Michie-Horner, 33:40.4; 19) Mary O'Grady, 33:40.5; 20) Lisa Keller, 33:50.9; 21) Ruth Ann Barndt, 33:53.0; 22) Mary Barrett, 33:54.0; 23) Megan Jackson, 33:55.6; 24) Jenny Kimball, 34:15.7; 25) Jane Senaga, 34:22.5;
26) Jacquie Lutz, 34:40.0; 27) Cathie Koss, 34:53.6; 28) Mona Cuthbert, 34:53.7; 29) Mariah Applegate, 34:57.5; 30) Shanna M Vetter, 35:25.7; 31) Kathleen Kenney, 35:34.5; 32) Jessica Yeaton, 35:34.6; 33) Dana Diehl, 35:35.6; 34) Rebecca McKee, 35:39.4; 35) Angie Meahan, 35:41.8; 36) Erin Jordan, 36:00.4; 37) Janelle Gomez, 36:01.9; 38) Julie Martyn, 36:11.8; 39) Heidi Martinson, 36:16.2; 40) Lauren Fritz, 36:17.9; 41) Paula L Hope, 36:19.3; 42) Karis Elizabeth Meier, 36:24.3; 43) Charissa Johnson, 36:27.1; 44) Nicki Jordan, 36:31.5; 45) Pamela Todd, 36:33.3; 46) Tia Sauvageau, 36:36.8; 47) Sarah Forbes, 36:38.9; 48) Michelle L. Richards, 36:40.9; 49) Guadalupe Marroquin, 36:41.4; 50) Erika Van Flein, 36:45.6;
51) Lynn Swanson, 36:51.0; 52) Jaime Locke, 36:52.2; 53) Melanie Sugita, 36:53.7; 54) Erika Klinger, 36:58.0; 55) Heather Durtschi, 37:02.4; 56) Naomi Prater, 37:03.6; 57) Cindy Kreis, 37:03.7; 58) Suzanna Caldwell, 37:06.1; 59) Jennifer Stuart, 37:14.8; 60) Polly Wheeler, 37:20.6; 61) Jennifer L Schrage, 37:29.1; 62) Ellyn Brown, 37:30.9; 63) Carolyn Ann Wilson, 37:32.0; 64) Janet Tune, 37:46.5; 65) Pam Richter, 37:46.7; 66) Cindy Freistone, 37:52.8; 67) Lesley Yamauchi, 37:55.4; 68) Christie Frederick, 38:00.4; 69) Gloria Hunteer, 38:04.0; 70) Cindy Cooper, 38:08.0; 71) Mychaela Bailey, 38:11.5; 72) Dana Witucki, 38:12.4; 73) Elizabeth Noran, 38:14.1; 74) Wendy Mitchell, 38:16.0; 75) Gretchen Lynette Chamberlain, 38:25.4;
76) Jenny Herzog, 38:26.1; 77) Alesia Thon, 38:27.3; 78) Mireya de la Pena, 38:28.8; 79) Victoria Clark, 38:29.8; 80) Karen Looney, 38:30.5; 81) Michele Peterson, 38:30.7; 82) Rachel Klein, 38:32.8; 83) Hannah M Summers, 38:34.5; 84) Tane Nichole Long, 38:36.0; 85) Karen Siegel, 38:36.1; 86) Kerry Lyons, 38:39.1; 87) Dara Lively, 38:39.8; 88) Renaun Hochstein, 38:40.9; 89) Kathryn Neilson, 38:42.4; 90) Julianna Sutherland, 38:43.6; 91) Brenda Applegate, 38:44.4; 92) Katie Dalton, 38:44.7; 93) Danielle LaDon Dalton, 38:44.8; 94) Sara Miller, 38:45.3; 95) Beth Boling, 38:50.3; 96) Lori Richter, 38:52.3; 97) Jana Cole, 38:55.0; 98) Nadine Price-Schruefer, 38:56.2; 99) Mary E. Diel, 38:58.7; 100) Teresa O'Connor, 39:04.7;
101) Susie Margaret Anderson, 39:04.8; 102) Sophie Wiepking-Brown, 39:06.7; 103) Polly Wiram, 39:09.5; 104) Beth Elliott, 39:10.4; 105) Celia M. Rozen, 39:13.1; 106) Cathy Duffy, 39:13.1; 107) Denise Deal, 39:17.4; 108) Carisa Verdoia, 39:24.0; 109) Karen Lea McIntyre, 39:24.1; 110) Shyla Dema, 39:24.3; 111) Karen Matthias, 39:27.4; 112) Amy Ruth Boyle, 39:29.7; 113) Linda Grover, 39:31.2; 114) Carol Sullivan, 39:32.7; 115) Ali Everson, 39:33.0; 116) Zoe Hickel, 39:34.8; 117) Valli Peterson, 39:35.0; 118) Kristen King, 39:35.0; 119) Sarah L. Hobart, 39:38.2; 120) Charlee Gribbon, 39:38.8; 121) Shirley K. Durtschi, 39:41.0; 122) Rachel Elizabeth Carey, 39:42.5; 123) Mauri Long, 39:43.4; 124) Julie Mulvaney-Kemp, 39:44.5; 125) Sarah Haltness, 39:45.2;
126) Tina Moronell, 39:46.6; 127) DeeAnn Perkuchin, 39:51.8; 128) Jennifer Lindsey, 39:52.2; 129) Kathryn L. Mayer, 39:54.5; 130) Lyra Joy Bochenek, 39:57.4; 131) Jane Bleuel, 39:58.2; 132) Lucy Huntley, 39:59.0; 133) Carly DaCosta, 39:59.6; 134) Jerica Nelson, 39:59.7; 135) Jane E. Buskirk, 40:00.9; 136) Claire Norton-Cruz, 40:01.7; 137) Katie Butler, 40:02.5; 138) Cyndie Freier, 40:03.5; 139) Kristin Malecha, 40:09.8; 140) Susan D. Windle Beam, 40:14.0; 141) Sharon Purdue, 40:23.5; 142) Diana Byerly, 40:27.0; 143) Nancy Downard, 40:29.7; 144) Monica Roth, 40:30.6; 145) Tina Sellers, 40:33.2; 146) Beth Balen, 40:34.0; 147) Mary Krysinski, 40:34.4; 148) Liz Butera, 40:37.9; 149) Karen McCreary, 40:39.7; 150) Colleen M. Peterson, 40:41.5;
151) Cindy Hendel, 40:41.6; 152) Elaine Tibbetts, 40:41.9; 153) Jeni Tibbetts, 40:42.5; 154) Kathy Kaiser, 40:45.8; 155) Tania Deisher, 40:47.5; 156) Chloe Miller, 40:47.5; 157) Susan L. Maas, 40:48.1; 158) Carlyn Nichols, 40:48.2; 159) Grace Marinucci, 40:48.3; 160) Cecilia M Jarvis, 40:48.6; 161) Esa K Wiegert, 40:48.8; 162) Megan Kemp, 40:49.5; 163) Elowyn Smith, 40:51.3; 164) Lisa Dale, 40:52.5; 165) Claudia Rivera, 40:53.2; 166) Elaine McCambridge, 40:53.6; 167) Polly Carr, 40:55.8; 168) Kim Bierbrauer, 40:56.1; 169) Lindsay Washek, 40:56.3; 170) Kathie Evingson, 40:59.9; 171) Jennifer Davis, 41:01.2; 172) Christina Lindh, 41:02.3; 173) Katharine Nash, 41:02.5; 174) Andrea Haltmann, 41:04.0; 175) Annie Zager, 41:06.6;
176) Lori Jansen, 41:10.8; 177) Angela DiBerardino, 41:11.4; 178) Jennifer Williams, 41:12.1; 179) Bonnie Lind, 41:12.6; 180) Lucca Criminale, 41:19.5; 181) Nancy Meade, 41:22.5; 182) Anne Fiedler, 41:22.9; 183) Sherri Lynn Gould, 41:24.7; 184) Maria Cobb, 41:25.3; 185) Alina Minnick, 41:29.4; 186) Kenda Garrett, 41:29.5; 187) Pam Barbeau, 41:30.4; 188) Patty Montague, 41:31.4; 189) Nancy Collins, 41:35.5; 190) Becky Butler, 41:37.0; 191) Katie Conway, 41:37.6; 192) Laurie Macchello, 41:38.4; 193) Crystal Rogers, 41:38.5; 194) Vera Hershey, 41:40.4; 195) Schawna Marie Thoma, 41:40.8; 196) Tori Hickel, 41:43.3; 197) Kristina Woolston, 41:44.5; 198) Ann Ibele, 41:47.2; 199) Vanessa Marie Bergstedt, 41:48.5; 200) Deann Denler, 41:48.9;
201) Kari Disbrow, 41:52.1; 202) Lela Marie Benson, 41:52.5; 203) Marta Marie Thrasher, 41:54.7; 204) Jo Ann Schnellbaecher, 42:01.9; 205) Norma Velarde, 42:04.4; 206) Robin Bronen, 42:06.0; 207) Jennifer Marie Miller, 42:07.0; 208) Christina Young, 42:08.5; 209) Una Sunderland, 42:08.9; 210) Veronica Vania, 42:09.9; 211) Laura Stewart, 42:12.0; 212) Mikki Smith, 42:12.2; 213) Kathy Jacobsen, 42:16.0; 214) Monica Jones, 42:16.1; 215) Cyndie Fox, 42:17.3; 216) Jenny Zimmerman, 42:18.4; 217) BC Kindred, 42:19.4; 218) Nikki Campbell, 42:23.3; 219) Yvonne Leutwyler, 42:24.3; 220) Kelli Archer, 42:28.0; 221) Jennifer Kenison, 42:28.9; 222) Rosemary Korish, 42:30.0; 223) Mary Flanigin, 42:31.7; 224) Rachel Dow, 42:32.0; 225) Jessica Kelley, 42:34.4;
226) Elizabeth Galiunas, 42:36.2; 227) Kathryn Wanat, 42:36.5; 228) Karla Ranta, 42:37.1; 229) Brette Winegarner, 42:37.4; 230) Jennifer Stroh, 42:38.0; 231) Mari Eaton, 42:40.8; 232) Anna Burke, 42:41.7; 233) Kelly Carson, 42:42.2; 234) Stephanie Dene Stewart, 42:44.5; 235) Aurora Agee, 42:44.7; 236) Lori Guyer, 42:49.9; 237) Jonda Lutz, 42:52.1; 238) Laurie Jean Dworian, 42:53.2; 239) Siri Moss, 42:57.6; 240) Ashlen Welch, 42:57.9; 241) Annie Whitters, 42:58.3; 242) Dawn Jones, 43:00.4; 243) Rachelle Ann Alger, 43:02.4; 244) Nancy Murphy, 43:05.9; 245) Astin Mary Mills, 43:08.5; 246) Cynthia Oistad, 43:08.7; 247) Carri A Fisher, 43:12.9; 248) Jodi Marcum, 43:15.3; 249) Donna Kenison, 43:18.9; 250) Mari Steinbach McGourn, 43:22.1.
