LeFrancois wins Shiprock Marathon in debut, Diné runner takes 2nd

SHIPROCK

The Shiprock Marathon crowned a first-time winner.

Paul LeFrancois covered the 26.2-mile course in 2:47.42.25 on Saturday.

Diné runner Timberlin Henderson came in second at 3:00:54.7 and Stanford Conners finished third at 3:12:34.28.

LeFrancois, who recently moved to Santa Fe from Gallup, said it was good to be running in northwest New Mexico again.

“I’m always grateful to have the chance to come out and race,” said LeFrancois, “but when you get to win the whole thing, it’s a really special feeling.”

He said it was a tough and challenging race, but he noted that it was worth it as his wife waited for him at the finish line.

Making his win even more special was the fact that this was his first time running at the Shiprock Marathon.

He said the sun got to him, weighing on him as he ran. But he felt some positive energy on the course from the spectators and the bands that were playing. Despite the difficulty, he said it was still a beautiful course.

LeFrancois has been running for about 18 years, saying he likes going for morning runs as it helps get him in the right mindset. He also enjoys doing races as it gives him new challenges and goals while sharing the feeling with other runners.

His goal that day was to do his best, find his rhythm and land in as one of top finishers. Coming out in first was unexpected.

He thanks the organizers for hosting the marathon, saying it was a wonderful race.

“Northwest New Mexico is a very beautiful place, there are wonderful people here and it’s really special to be able to come and run a race here in Shiprock and get to spend some time in this community,” he said.

Henderson led for most of the race, but he suffered an unknown ailment that sicken him, forcing him to stop and clear his head.

“It was pretty brutal, not going to lie,” he said. “I had a lot of complications towards the end of the race.”

Despite the pain, Henderson forced himself to continue, running at certain points when he felt it, but going slower than before. At the end, he forced himself to run the last hundred meters to finish the race.

“It was just survival, just grit your teeth and go on,” Henderson said. “There’s no way I was going to get pulled off that course.”

He saw a lot of people (half-marathoners) pass him on the course and he thought he didn’t finish that high. He was actually surprised that he got second.

Henderson was aiming to set a new Shiprock Marathon record, but the unexpected spasm put a dent in those plans. Still, he congratulated LeFrancois for the win while adding that he enjoyed the marathon.

He loves the Shiprock community and liked seeing a lot of runners coming to visit and the local youth actually looking up to them.

Henderson credited NavajoYes for keeping the Shiprock Marathon going as it reached its 40th anniversary.

He sees a lot of positives coming from the race.

This was Henderson’s second time running the Shiprock Marathon. He’s more of an ultra-marathoner who likes running on nature trails.

He always wanted to give Shiprock a try since he’s heard positive things about it. And with it being close to home in nearby Fruitland, New Mexico, Henderson came in first in his debut.

He has been running since he was five or six years old, seeing the activity as a form of medicine for his mind and body. It’s what gets him out of bed as he continues his life journey, and he hopes what he does inspires others in his community to run as well.

He encourages the community to keep staying positive. He said don’t be afraid to reach out if you need to talk with someone. He advised people to take care of their mental health.

Like a race, we can encourage and help one another, he said.

“We’re all crossing that finish line, we’re all gritting our teeth and getting it done and we do that as a community,” Henderson said. “I think we need to do that towards our mental health. If we apply that philosophy to our lifestyle, we can transcend ourselves.”

Women’s champion

This year’s women’s champion went to Molly Alexandra of Chinle.

She completed the race in 3:29:17.21 ahead of Aztec’s Karen Krob (3:38:02.42) and Durango’s Laura Westcott (3:52:41.58).

Krob was surprised to hear she came in second. She ran in an ultra-marathon not too long ago. She wanted to do a simple run and unwind. Coming in the top three for women’s race was not in her plans.

This was Krob’s second Shiprock Marathon race. Her first race was before the pandemic hit. That was also the very first time she ran in an actual marathon.

“I’m excited to be back to do it again,” Krob said. “It’s beautiful here.”

Krob has been running for many years, but only recently started competing in marathons and triathlon events. She was glad to run in Shiprock before the pandemic hit and as the restrictions were lifted, she heard it was going to celebrate its 40-year anniversary. With that, she knew she had to compete.

She was also pleased that the event was named the third best marathon in the U.S. by USA Today magazine, as she put her vote down for it earlier in spring.

The course was just as nice as she remembered it and she would be glad to run in it again next year.

She thanked the organizers, volunteers and supporters for making it an awesome event and adding she is grateful to have run in it on this historic year.

“I love it out here, you can’t beat the views, the crowds and the live music and all the support at the aid stations,” Krob said. “This is like one of the most beautiful places on earth, I love it.”

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