History: 2000 - 2008
· 2008
The 2008 Tulsa Run had the second largest participation in the history of the Tulsa Run.
Over 10,000 runners enjoyed a new course, starting in front of the Tulsa World building on Boulder and finishing at the newly opened BOK Arena. What a great finish the runners experienced!!
In 2008, Tulsa Run went international!! To show our support for our troops, Tulsa Run held a joint run on a base in Iraq. After having to wait for a C30 plane to move across the course and a security gate to be opened, over 500 soldiers posted amazing times. Special thanks went to Race Director Major Rick Poplin, F16 pilot with the Tulsa Air National Guard for coordinating the Tulsa Run/Iraq race.
For the first year since 2000, prize money was awarded to the top three male and female finishers. Macdonard Ondara from Kenya, won the 31st Tulsa Run crossing the finish line with a time of 44:37. Second place went to Kenyan, Josphat Boit, who finished in 44:58 and third place was won by Haron Lagat in 51:24. Ron Parks took home 1st place in the Masters division with a time of 53:33.
Rose Kosgei of Kenya had the top female finish in 51:24 with second place Karolina Jarzynska right behind her with a time of 51:33. Sarah Shepard was third coming in at 54:23. Tulsan Terri Cassel, had the winning Master’s time, 1:00:43.
For the 30th straight year, 54 year old Malcolm McCollam of Tulsa completed the Tulsa Run in less than an hour, finishing in 59:22.
Andrew Maloney of Tulsa won the 5k with a time of 16:38 and Eric Hudgens placed second with a time of 16:46. Kaelyn Balch in 18:25 was the first female in the 5k with Madison Brown second with a time of 19:16.
Celebrity runners, Mayor Kathy Taylor and Steve Bradshaw, BOK, challenged their companies and both were winners as they crossed the finish line with their teammates!!
Family and Children’s Services was awarded $25,000 as the 2008 beneficiary. In support of our troops and our joint run, Tulsa Run donated $10,000 to Operation Homefront. Presenting sponsors were Alamo, BOK, ONEOK, Tulsa World, and Williams.
2007
2007 was a celebration!! Over 8,000 runners celebrated 30 years of running in Tulsa and recognized 27 runners and 3 volunteers who have participated in every Tulsa Run.
Mark Thompson, a 28 year old from Edmond won the 30th Tulsa Run after placing second last year and fourth in 2005. Thompson finished the race in a time of 46:04, 17 seconds ahead of Joe Gray of Stillwater. McKale Davis of Stillwater was the top female finisher with a time of 54:59. The second-place female finisher was 22-year-old Melissa O'Rourke of Tulsa. She finished in 57:15.
Tucker Weems, a 19-year-old from Stillwater, won the 5k race in 15:12. Blake Henry, 22, of Tulsa, placed second. Mary Grene, a 45-year-old from Andover, Kan., was the top female finisher in the 5k, crossing the finish line at 18:54. Regan Ward, 13, of Okmulgee, took second.
Chera Kimiko, a Fox 23 news anchor was the last celebrity running. Wearing the number 5, she finished with a time of 1:34:11. Clay Loney, her co-anchor, and Greg Wallace, Vice President and CFO of SemGroup dropped out with medical difficulties.
In observance of the 30th Anniversary, Street School, the 2007 beneficiary, was presented a check for $30,000. Presenting sponsors were Bank of Oklahoma, Tulsa World, SemGroup, and Alamo Car Rental.
2006
In 2006, Tulsa Run organizers moved the race to November to coincide with week-long centennial kick off events. To mark another centennial, the starting line was moved to the ONEOK headquarters, which was founded in Oklahoma in 1906.
Corey Duquette (right), 24, of Lawton, led the 15K race of the 29th annual Tulsa Run from start to finish. Duquette finished the race with a time of 46:49, 22 seconds ahead of Edmond's Mark Thompson. Jessica Tranchina of Tulsa was the first female with a time of 59:15. The second-place female finisher was 30-year-old Brooke Sramek, of Dallas. She finished with a time of 1:00:04.
In the 5k race, 20-year-old Brittany Mason of Stillwater won the female division with a time of 18:18. Terri Cassel, Tulsa, came in second at 19:04. The top male 5k finisher was 20-yearold Ryan Birkholz of Stillwater with a time of 15:41. Kendall Robbins came in second with 15:46.
The spectators cheered on this year's celebrity runners, Channel 6 morning news anchor Casey Norton, who finished in just under 1 hour, 12 minutes and Felicia Collins Correia, Executive director of Domestic Violence Intervention Services finishing in 1:43.
Glen Lafarlette -- an avid runner and owner of Glen's Road Race Service, which certified the Tulsa Run and many other race courses in the state and region – passed away six days earlier. A moment of silence in his honor was observed before the 15k. Hundreds of people wore special bibs printed with the message, "Thank you, Glen. Run in Peace."
River Parks received a check for $25,000 from the Presenting Sponsors, Bank of Oklahoma, Tulsa World, SemGroup, and ONEOK.
2005
What a beautiful day!!! The weather was perfect for over 8,000 runners taking part in the 28th Tulsa Run. Thirty runners were recognized for completing every Tulsa Run.
For the second year in a row, Fride Vullum, Tulsa, led the women in the 15k run with a time of 54:04. Vincent Topiwo, Shawnee Mission, Kansas finished first in the men’s 15k run with a time of 46:36. The 5k was won by Daniel Watts, Stillwater in 15:13 and Lizzy Pitcock, Tulsa in 20:36.
Hospice of Green Country, the 2005 beneficiary, was presented with a $25,000 check from the Presenting Sponsors, Tulsa World and Bank of Oklahoma.
2004
The 27th Tulsa Run proved to be another huge success. Once again nearly 8,000 runners took to the streets of downtown Tulsa for the fall classic.
Fride Vullum of Tulsa took home top honors in the female’s 15K with a final time of 54:45. In the male 15K Tommy Manning from Bozeman, MT, finished in first at 48:58. The 5K winners were Priscilla Godi of Broken Arrow with a time of 18:29 and Jack Tracy II from Noble, finishing in 16:08.
The beneficiary tradition was carried on with $25,000 being donated to the Children’s Abuse Network. The donation was given by the Tulsa Run and presenting sponsors Tulsa World, Bank of Oklahoma and ONEOK.
2003
It was another cold October day as about 8,000 runners filled the streets of Tulsa. Norman's Conner Holt was this year's 15km male winner with a time of 46:45, and 15km female winner Sari Espin of Perkins, Okla., crossed the finish line in 58:12. Priscilla Godi of Broken Arrow took home first place in the 5km race with a time of 20:38, and Oklahoma City resident Jimmy Martinez's 15:37 won the 5km male competition.
The Mental Health Association in Tulsa was the recipient of this year's $25,000 charitable donation from the Tulsa Run and presenting sponsors Bank of Oklahoma, ONEOK and Tulsa World. This marked the third year a donation was given to a local charity.
It was also the third year for the Finish Line Festival at Veteran's Park. This growing event had an added feature this year as the Sport's Illustrated 50th Anniversary Tour joined the festivities.
2002
The Silver Anniversary provided several changes for the Tulsa Run. The race was the largest in years, with 7,890 runners participating. A new 5k road race was added to the annual 15k run. The overall female winner was Farrell Burns of Charlotte, N.C., who finished in 56:40. Tulsan Gary Hamer won the overall male title when he finished in a time of 48:33.
Sponsorship also changed as ONEOK became a new presenting sponsor. For the second year, the race donated $25,000 to a local charity. This year's recipient was Resonance, an organization that provides support and guidance for women and their families during challenging times.
2001
The 2001 run was a year of firsts, and perhaps the most successful ever.
There was a new route that took runners through parts of Tulsa's historic neighborhoods, Cherry Street and Brookside, in addition to the traditional segments along Boulder Avenue downtown and Riverside Drive.
A morning-long party for runners and their families, RunFest, featuring refreshments and live music from two bands at Veterans Park at 18th Street and Boulder Avenue was also new.
2001 was also a year for charity. A first-ever Tulsa Run charitable contribution, $25,000 to Big Brothers & Sisters of Green Country, was testament to the run's long-term presence in the community.
40-year-old Eddy Hellebuyck (45:35) won by the largest margin in race history and became the first Masters runner to win the overall title. 46-year-old Tatyana Pozdnyakova, a Russian, led the women's finish with a time of 50:47. Bruce Cooper took the men's racewalker category in 1:33:39, while James Smith captured the wheelchair win in 43:01.
Overall, more than 7,000 runners competed in the 15k and the Fun Run.
2000
The Tulsa Run went state-of-the-art in 2000.
For the first time in the run's 23-year history, participants were timed electronically using an automatic timing, identification and registration system called ChampionChip. The system allowed for more accurate times and the elimination of long lines at the finish line.
For the second time, Simon Rono of Kenya crossed the finish line first. The 28-year-old Kenyan sprinted past Thomas Omwenga in the final 100 meters for a winning time of 43:42. In the women's race, Irina Suvorova broke through the finish line in 50:22. Sammy Ngatia (44:43) captured the crown for the men in the Master's competition. Jon Matthern (40:54) finished first in the wheelchair division.
