Race Recap: Buffalo Run

The weather on Sunday, September 8, was perfect for a PR at the 43rd annual Buffalo Run. More than four hundred runners showed up to race the challenging course that winds around a statue of a buffalo near Pioneers Park’s Coddington Avenue entrance all the way out past the herd near the park’s Nature Center.No matter how many times you run it, it’s still a tough race with hills and hills and hills. But people can still run fast on those hills, and Johnny Rutford proved it with a finish time of 24:52 (a 4:59 pace), which put him in the Top 10 of All-Time Performances. This is actually a pretty big deal in Buffalo Run history because no one has broken into the men’s top 10 since 1996 (when Rutford was five years old). And it’s been sixteen years since anyone has broken into the women’s top ten.The top male finishers following Rutford include Nolan Zimmer, 25, of Omaha, in 25:29; Eric Noel, 32, of Lincoln, in 26:42; and Matthew Cornell, 27, of Lincoln, in 26:56. Ryan Regnier of Lincoln won the master’s division with a time of 29:14. And Joe Dustin, 13, of Lincoln, ran a 29:22 (a 5:53 pace) and placed 14th overall!In the women’s division, Mary Noel, 25, of Lincoln, took first with a time of 30:21; Anna Dilley, 25, of Lincoln, was second, in 31:48; Joni Williamson, 43, of Lincoln, was third, in 33:45; and Lynette Ivanov, 45, of Lincoln, was fourth, in 33:51. Michelle Schmidt of Lincoln won the master’s division with a time of 33:26. An impressive fact: three of the five top finishers in the women’s race are masters.The cooler temperatures also played a part in a record number of veterans (those who have finished five or more Buffalo Runs) breaking their average time and winning the coveted Award Winner T-shirt. This year’s shirt sported a new design, which won a lot of praise from the winners. If you want one these, it’s never too early to start training on the hills in and around Lincoln. And if you want to break into the top 10, check out the time below so you know how fast you'll need to run!For complete results, click here. And be sure to scroll down to the bottom of the page for age-graded results.The next race on the schedule—and the final race in the 2019 LTC season—is the Holiday Run on Sunday, December 8, at 10:00 a.m. at Pioneers Park. This one is on the cross-country course and is just as hilly and fun as the Buffalo Run. Register here. All proceeds go to the Capital Humane Society!