Story and photos by Amy Eddings
Ten-year old Ella Bardertscher was the clear winner in the children's' fun run before the 7th annual Run For the Roses 5K race at Ohio Northern University's Kerscher Stadium on Sunday, May 3.
It was a fitting tribute to her cousin, Angela Bardertscher, in whose memory the race is held. Angie, a graduate of Ada High School and ONU, died of cystic fibrosis in 2008 at the age of 27. Her sister, Kim, has CF, too, and had a double lung transplant in 2011. The race is also in her honor.
Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disorder that most commonly affects the lungs, but can also affect the pancreas and other digestive organs. There is no cure. Symptoms often appear in infancy and childhood. Kids with CF have taken to calling the disease “65 roses,” because it’s much easier to pronounce.
Little Ella led the kiddie race from start to finish, getting an early lead over about 23 other children. She ran the quarter-mile loop of the stadium in 1:29. Asked if she had a strategy heading into the race, Ella just smiled and shrugged.
Every child in the fun run received a treat bag that included candy, fruit juice and a kazoo.
The overall victor of the much-longer 5K, a 3.1-mile course around ONU's campus on its "Green Monster" recreational track, was Lindsey Maus, 33, with a time of 19:42. Finishing one second behind her, in second place, was her husband, Jason Maus, 35. The pair also claimed the top spots in the men's and women's divisions of the race.
The weather for the race was mild, partly sunny with a light but persistent wind. Lindsey Maus said it didn’t mar her race at all. “Not for me, he blocked it,” she said, gesturing toward her husband and running partner.
"It was breezy out there,” Jason said.
This year’s race attracted about 96 participants, according to one of the race organizers, Michelle Wilson. “That’s a little lower than in past years, when we’ve had about 150 to 200 people,” she said. Money raised from the race goes to the Badertscher family’s choice of cystic fibrosis research groups. Wilson said in the past six years, the Run for the Roses has raised $46,000. Proceeds from this year’s race are still being calculated.
Here’s some background about the race:
On Aug. 17, 2008, Angela Badertscher lost her battle with Cystic Fibrosis. Angela was a 27-year old-graduate of Ohio Northern University. Two sisters, Michelle and Kim, and their parents and grandparents survive her.
Both surviving sisters are graduates of the Ohio Northern University Athletic Training program, and thus Angela was a part of ONU’s extended “Athletic Training Family.”
Shortly after the discovery of Angela’s condition, it was also discovered that her sister Kim had Cystic Fibrosis. Due to our close relationship with this challenging and ultimately devastating condition, the ONU Athletic Training program has organized a 5K Run/Walk and Kids Fun Run in honor of Kim’s current battle, and the battle that Angela fought courageously for so many years.
Kim worked for Ohio Northern University as a clinical outreach Athletic Trainer for a number of years prior to undergoing a successful double lung transplant in March of 2011 and she is doing great!
The event also celebrates Kim’s four years of successful lung transplant.
