<b>Run Mommy Run -</b> Claremore woman begins Thanksgiving with first 5K

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Kelly Quellar and his daughter, Jillian, cheer on his wife Barbie, who ran her first 5K on Thanksgiving at the Owasso YMCA Hog Jog. PROGRESS PHOTOS/Randy Cowling
Barbie Quellar waves a thumbs-up to her husband and daughter as she makes the final turn for the finish line on Thanksgiving at the Owasso YMCA Hog Jog.
Chad, from left, Mike and Christy Francisco and Barbie Quellar, all from Claremore completed Owasso YMCA Hog Jog on Thanksgiving. Quellar is holding her son, Harrison.
More than 500 runners participated in the 8th annual Owasso YMCA Hog Jog 5K on Thanksgiving Day. Clay J. Mayes III, far right, finished the course with a time of 16:16. Michelle Stevens of Owasso took first among women runners with a time of 19:34.

November 28, 2009

Randy Cowling, managing editor The Claremore Daily Progress Sat Nov 28, 2009, 02:09 PM CST

November 29, 2009 — OWASSO — Instead of preparing turkey and dressing, pecan pies and candied yams Barbie Quellar decided to do something she had never done before on Thanksgiving.

The water aerobics instructor made her running debut by participating in the annual Hog Jog 5K at the Owasso Family YMCA.

Her husband, Kelly, an avid runner, who recently competed in the Route 66 half marathon, was along the route with the couple’s daughter, Jillian, 5. They waited and watched as Barbie ran the course that started in front of the YMCA and followed a path through Old Town Owasso before looping back in front of the YMCA.

Kelly Quellar regularly runs with a group of Claremore residents at Claremore Lake.

“I’m real jealous of my wife right now,” he said once he heard that more than 500 runners were participating in the race.

As Barbie rounded the final turn 50 yards from the finish line, Kelly and Jillian raised their home made signs and shout encouraging words.

Mom remained in stride, waved, smiled and lifted a thumbs-up as she headed to the finish line.

“It was really good. It was my first one. I get an extra piece of pie since I ran today and a nap. I enjoyed it,” said Barbie Quellar, who only began running three weeks ago. “This was nice. It was a good event. I’ve come to so many with him (her husband).”

Teaching water aerobics helped prepared her run the race.

“What really helped me was Christy, she runs with me several times a week and works out with me everyday,” she said. Barbie finished with a time of 29:31, placing 58th out of 181 runners. She placed seventh in her age group.

Christy Francisco talked Barbie into running in the 5K. Francisco, her husband, Mike and son, Chad are veterans of the annual Thanksgiving race and ran with Quellar.

“We’ve done it before,” Christy Francisco said. The Franciscos finished behind the rookie runner with times of 32:10 for Christy, 32:58 for Mike and 32:59 for Chad.

Claremore’s Clay J. Mayes III was the first one across the finish line.

He completed the course in 16:16. Jakob Williams of Bartlesville was second with at time of 18:12. Eric McCrary of Catoosa finished third with at time of 18:12.

The University of Oklahoma junior cross country runner just returned from nationals, where the Sooners finished 12th overall.

Michelle Stevens of Owasso took first place in the women’s open with a time of 19:34. Elise Base of Norman finished second with a time of 20:27 and Amy Leach of Collinsville was third with at time of 20:58.

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