Cole family runs in annual event

Dodson Mayor Terri Cole and her daughters, as the family participated in the 2020 Montana Women's Run, keeping an 11-year tradition alive.

The event, typically held in Billings, was scheduled to be held in the Magic City, but due to COVID-19 restrictions, this year's event has been limited to a virtual run in which attendees ran the race from their own homes or other paths. The distances for the race were two-mile or five-mile. Cole runs the two-mile races yearly.

"This year was different because there are literally thousands of women in Billings when they have it," Cole said. "It's kind of surreal that you're all by yourself instead of being surrounded by thousands of women."

She also that the largest group she had seen was 9,000.

The race is a yearly event for Cole, age 77, and her seven daughters; Mary Cole, Kathy Coppedge, Patty Vaughan, Melinda Cummings, Shannon Nerchen, Colleen Lueck, and Kelly Radtke. The group typically runs the race together in Billings with the addition of a grandson or granddaughter.

"It's a great way for the girls in the family to get together and do something together," Cole said. "It's a way to honor women and raise money for women's projects."

This year the Cole family ran in three different locations. Cole ran in Dodson, Coppedge ran in Denton, and several members ran in Laurel. In the 2019 race, Cole took third in her age group with a time of 27:35.51. She said that this year, she posted a time of 28 minutes.

"When you are 77, that's pretty good, isn't it?" Cole asked. "Our son at Fort Drum in New York said that he has soldiers that can't run that fast."

Prior to the race, Cole had issues with her foot and had a quadruple bypass in February of 2019.

"I would've hated to miss this because we have done this race for 11 years," Cole said. "I have to be an example for the granddaughters and the grandsons."

She said the race draws donations from large cooperations including the Billings Clinic, KTVQ, and local banks in the Billings area. The event typically features a banquet with guest speakers.

Cole said that in past years, after the event, the Cole family went to breakfast together with over 60 family members.

The Montana Women's Run has donated over $1,150,000 to the Billings Community. Funding has been used toward's Children's Services, domestic violence programs, employment, a training center, sexual assualt services, and various funds and scholarships, according to the Montana Women's Run website.