The family that runs together, stays together

Gary Hudoba huffed and puffed through the finish line at the annual Ki-Chi-Saga Days 5K last weekend, and eight of his biggest fans were there cheering him on. Sweat was dripping down his brow as he was quickly searching for some water to drink on the cool morning August morning.

The 68-year-old finished the race in 40:11, but it was the finishers that came before him that he was so proud of. The Hudoba’s sent nine family members to the starting line on Saturday, Aug. 17, ranging from age seven to 68. Among the family members were Grandpa Gary; his children Bruce, Brian and Sara Hudoba and Bruce’s children; Jack and Charlie and Brian’s children; Rhett, Olivia and Beau. There was originally going to be just seven Hudoba’s running the course, but last minute decisions from two of the grandkids expanded that number to nine.

Brian, Bruce and Sara grew up on South Chisago Lake and attended Chisago Lakes High School and although they have moved away -- Brian lives in Braham, Bruce in Prior Lake and Sara in West St. Paul -- they decided to come back and run the Ki-Chi-Saga Days 5K with their father. Gary, who usually runs the 15K, also has Parkinson’s disease, which he’s had for the last 19 years, so no one quite knows how much longer he’ll be able to keep doing it. But, he was thrilled to be able to run with so many family members this year.

However, it was the kids who really showed everyone up when it came to the races. Rhett, Brian’s nine-year-old son, was the top finisher in the family. He completed the 5K in 24:11, which was 12th overall and first in his age division. Charlie, Bruce’s nine-year-old, was the next one in, finishing in 25:08 in 16th place, and second in his division. Bruce said when they first started that he told the kids he’d help pace them so they didn’t burn out early. That thought was quickly dashed when the kids zoomed out in front of him and left him in the dust, he said. Bruce, who along with Brian had run Grandma’s Marathon years ago, finished in 25:58 in 26th place. Twelve-year-old Jack finished in 51st place. Eleven-year-old Olivia and Brian finished in 74th and 75th and seven-year-old Beau, the youngest competitor in the race regardless of bloodline, was 77th. Sara came in 85th and Gary, like a shepherd watching over his flock, finish behind them in 110th place.

The Hudoba family said they were hoping to get their participation numbers into double digits next year. Gary and his wife Gloria have another son, but he wasn’t able to make it this year, and they have more grandkids, some too young to run quite yet. They hope to make their family run an annual event, and keep everyone fresh for it, even 68-year old Jack.