Summer came early to Montana’s Capital as a record of nearly 1500 participants took to the South Hills last weekend for the Prickly Pear Land Trust’s 25th annual Don’t Fence Me In run.
By 9 a.m. Saturday, Pioneer Park buzzed with runners readying to race in the 5K, 12K, 25K, or, for the first time, 50K contest, coursing through the northern rim of Jefferson County. Clusters of participants stretched, chatted, and strolled between food trucks near the starting line.
As the start time neared, spectators lined the course, cameras poised to snap photos of their loved ones running past. With a gunshot blast and a puff of smoke, the runners were off. Prickly Pear Executive Director Mary Hollow said the event marked the environmental organization’s biggest turnout yet, with nearly 200 more than last year.
“We couldn’t have ordered better weather,” said Hollow, nodding to the clear, 65-degree weather and preparing to run the 5K with her daughter. “The flowers and the people are blossoming.”
The event drew runners from all over Montana and the U.S. “I’m nervous,” Angie Fadel, from Portland, said before competing in the 12K. “I’m from sea level!”
Kyla Peterson, Fadel’s friend from Helena, had participated for years, but decided to run the 12K for the first time. “It’s a fun trail, but it’s challenging,” she said. “I’m never in shape for it.”
Don’t Fence Me In also attracted world-class athletes. Bozeman’s Zach Perrin won the inaugural 50K race, finishing in 3 hours and 42 minutes. Perrin previously placed second in Idaho’s Scout Mountain 50K race, won four Montana state high school titles, and was named All-America Second Team for the indoor mile and the 5K at the University of Colorado.
Missoula’s Mitch Morris, who took 4th place at the 2024 Missoula Marathon and set the course record for the Rut Mountain 11k in Big Sky, came in second, about 10 minutes after Perrin. Helena’s Nate Wellington rounded out the top three, coming in at just over four hours. Wellington also competed at the national level in college and won the 2024 Mayor’s Marathon in Anchorage, Alaska.
Around 130 runners, aged 23 to 68, competed in the 50K, which featured a total elevation gain of nearly 6,200 feet. Bozeman’s Nate Marshall took the 25K race in just over two hours, while Michael Kaiser of Montana City won the 12K at 54:49. Helena’s Emory Kreissler finished strong, winning the 5K in under 24 minutes.
Joyce Johnson from Anaconda participated with her son for the 5th straight year, part of a Mother’s Day tradition. Johnson ran this year’s 5K event, while her daughter competed in the 25K.
As the start of the 5K race loomed, the more serious participants pushed toward the starting line. Dozens of dogs and their humans settled toward the back, ready to trot, sniff, and maybe race a little.
Eleven-year-old Vivian George Peretto from Helena walked the 5K with her mom Laura George and their 9-week-old puppy, Ollie. “He’s never been on that long of a walk before,” said Peretto, excited to take her dog out on the trail.
The end of the races kickstarted the after party. Local bands LARK and Copper Queen took to the stage to play live music and hundreds of participants enjoyed a well-earned beer and lunch.
“This event epitomizes everything about the community that supports Prickly Pear – volunteerism, people’s hard work, families,” said Hollow. This year’s Don’t Fence Me In raised nearly $100,000, a record take that will fund parks, trails, and open spaces across the region.
