Folmar, Sung cruise to Masters 5K victories

Daniel Folmar won a 5K footrace Wednesday night. That was a mere warm-up for what he'll confront Saturday when he competes in the Alaskaman Extreme Triathlon, which logs in at 142 miles.

Folmar, 41, clocked 18 minutes, 17.4 seconds to win his race in the Anchorage Running Club's 35th annual Masters 5K and 10K on East Anchorage bicycle trails.

Folmar, of Anchorage, had two goals coming into race: Keep a consistent pace and not "destroy" himself for Saturday. He won the 5K for the second straight year.

"I feel like a million bucks," Folmar said. "Can't beat that feeling. The runner's high really is a real deal."

He specifically chose the midweek event to loosen up his legs and lungs. Folmar has been focusing on Alaskaman for a year.

Sunshine Sung, 40, earned the women's 5K win in 23:51.9. Her fiance, Allen Frye, did not race Wednesday, but will also compete in the Alaskaman.

Nearly 40 runners raced Wednesday, when, coincidentally, the event was open only to runners 40 and older.

Race director Jake Moe, the 2017 Alaska Heart Run champion, enjoys giving older runners their time to shine.

"It's just another opportunity, and we have age groups for 40, 50, 60, 70, 80," Moe said. "It just gives a good opportunity to let other people in the Master age (division) to get the limelight."

Sung's win came on the heels of a full day of flying from Columbus, Ohio, four times zones away. She won an Ohio 5-K three weeks prior, besting both the men's and women's fields. Wednesday's race, in temperatures in the 70s, finished two hours past her bedtime. A wrong turn could not slow down Sung.

"It's lovely," said Sung. "This is a perfect summer day. Ohio right now, it's about 90 (degrees), 100 percent humidity everyday."

Frye, Sung's fiance, provided moral support at the finish. Roles will reverse Saturday when Sung serves on Frye's support crew for the Alaskaman. He will cover a 2.6-mile swim, 112-mile bike ride and a 27-mile run, which finishes with two laps up Mount Alyeska.

Frye, 47, feels prepared for Alaskaman because his fitness has come a long way.

"I'm just jacked," Frye said. "… I did one Ironman last year … I used to be over 300 pounds and I'm like 178 coming into this race."

And the biggest moment for Frye won't even come on Saturday. He and Sung will get married at Alyeska Resort on Sunday, with a helicopter ride to a nearby glacier to follow.

Scott Clemetson, 53, and Pam Barbeau, 67, won the 10K men's and women's division — both enjoyed not having to race younger runners Clemetson calls "the fasties."

"There are benefits to getting older," Barbeau said with a laugh. "Fewer and fewer people in your age group. If you keep running, you can medal."

Masters 5K and 10K results

5K men

1) Daniel Folmar 18:17.4; 2) John Barrett 20:26.3; 3) Chris Gregg 20:40.5; 4) Ron Downey 22:36.5; 5) Timothy Johnson 23:12.6; 6) Dan Baldwin 23:33.3; 7) Alan Parkinson 25:16; 8) Tom Downey 26:01.0; 9) Scott Yahr 28:08.3; 10) Larry Bigelour 29:53.5; 11) Ricard Hull 35:21.7; 12) Dennis Hanrahan 38:58.0.

5K women

1) Sunshine Sung 23:51.9; 2) Julie Michels 24:48.1; 3) Anna Marie Parkinson 30:01.5; 4) Kim Baldwin 31:44.5; 5) Cynthia McElroy 31:45.1; 6) Louanne Lum 34:19.8; 7) Teresa Hull 35:24.4; 8) Suzanne Hull 35:27.8; 9) Carrie Erickson 51:45.6; 10) Nora Shew 51:46.0.

10K men

1) Scott Clemetson 41:38.3; 2) Jason Hofacker 42:25.3; 3) Todd Jackson 43:51.5; 4) Toby Widdicombe 49:30.0; 5) Greg MacDonald 50:03.7; 6) Bob Ulbrich 51:08.3; 7) Keith Harvey 55:54.0; 8) Edward Hills 56:02.4.

10K women

1) Pam Barbeau 1:02:08.8; 2) Kim Lewis 1:02:26.3; 3) Julie Harvey 1:02:55.2; 4) Kelly Smith 1:14:04.5; 5) Darci Horner 1:14:05.8.