80-year-old participates in Oktoberfest 10K
Sidney resident Pat Francis isn’t even sure how many times she’s participated in the Minster Oktoberfest Classic 10K; she’s got that many shirts at home.
This year, the 80-year old Francis took part in the latest edition of the annual race paired with the Oktoberfest festivities that bring those from near and far to Minster, Ohio.
Years ago, at a past Oktoberfest 10K, Francis happened to be at the finish line as a spectator when she saw a friend of hers and was shocked.
Francis told The Community Post she didn’t know that her friend had planned to run in the race and that if her friend could do it, she could too. Francis took up running, her friend Victoria Gatewood got her into running races, and since the age of 42, she has competed in various 5Ks, Oktoberfest 10K Classics and even a couple half marathons.
When Francis was 70, she set a goal of completing the Oktoberfest Classic 10K in under an hour.
She did so and did so with many friends and relatives supporting her. With the number of friends and family that ended up running with her, shirts were made for all of them to wear that had ‘Pat’s Parade’ on them.
“(Pat) was going to run it for her 70th birthday,” said her sister Carol Huecker, a Minster resident. “Her children found out so then they became involved. When they became involved, well then we had to have t-shirts.”
“After I did it at 70 in less than an hour, I said I’ll never do this again,’”
said Francis. “But then I said, ‘I’ll do it when I’m 75,’ and I did. And then I said, ‘I’ll never do this again,’” “And my kids said, ‘you say that every year Mom,’” added Francis with a laugh. “I thought she would keep going,” said Huecker. “Maybe not running but keep going because of the personalities in the family. That’s part of our personality, we keep going, keep proving we can do it.”
Completing the 10K at the ages of 75 and 78, Francis was back this year after taking last year off.
“I said I wanted to do it when I’m 80,” said Francis. “I don’t run anymore, so we walked. My three daughters, a son-in-law, three grandchilden and two great grandchildren”
Francis’s daughters, Lynne Springer, Tara Adams and Tisha Huth are all Sidney residents and were there on Oct. 4. Her granddaughter, Stephanie Leddy, also walked with Francis and brought her two young children, Mary Patricia and John Thomas, along for the walk. Mary Patricia was pushed in a stroller and John Thomas was carried in a harness by Leddy.
In addition to her three daughters, granddaughter and two great grandchildren, Huecker, her son-inlaw Steve Springer, and family friends Angie and Jerry Vanderhorst also walked with Francis while her grandson Brian Adams and his wife, Maggie, ran competitively.
Huecker told the Community Post that some of them would have been running but once they found out Pat was going to walk, they decided to join her instead.
“Even though it was drizzling when it started out, raining by mile five and raining at the finish,” said Francis. “we had fun; it was just fun being together.”
Preparing for the 10K Classic this year consisted of a lot of walking with her daughters around Sidney, whether it was three or five miles at a time, just consistent walking.
“My goal was to finish it than less than two hours,” said Francis. “It’s not much of a goal but it worked. It’s so nice to do things with your family.”
The Pat’s Parade shirts made a return this year and they all wore pearl necklaces as well, something that Francis said is “her thing.”
“Pat always wears pearls,” said Huecker. “A number of years ago, one of her granddaughters gave her pearls and she started to wear them. She has regular good pearls but when she doesn’t wear those she wears the ones her granddaughter gave her.”
Francis said she hadn’t planned on telling anyone and was going to participate quietly, but the family found out, Leddy said she was coming from Findlay with her two young children and then more of the family soon followed suit.
Leddy is the daughter of Lynne, and with Mary Patricia and John Thomas along for the walk, that meant four generations of the family participated in the Oct. 4 walk.
“My three daughters live here in town, four grandsons live in town, and so do the great grandchildren,” said Francis when asked what it meant to have four generations of family walking with her this year. “Family is what it’s all about. It’s wonderful.”
Walking instead of running allowed for more of a leisurely pace but Francis admitted she did have to jog a couple of times just for old times’ sake.
“The thing about this Oktoberfest,” said Francis, in a year where Oktoberfest looked much different as a result of COVID-19, “The people stayed out the entire time, even though it took us so long to finish. The band was there, the cheerleaders were there, the guy was there with the beer, people were outside encouraging us. When we were out in the country, people were out on their porches playing music for us. Only in a small town. It was wonderful.”
“It’s like they always say,” added Huecker. “It’s just the feeling you have at Oktoberfest. It’s just that feeling.”
The family had planned to celebrate at Bud’s Pizza but with a rainy day and bustling business for the local favorite, they celebrated with warm showers and dry clothes at home instead.
Oh, and as far as finishing the race in under two hours? 1:53.31.