Letter to the Editor - Best wishes on Bear Paw Marathon

Editor,

I am writing this letter to send best wishes for success to the participants and organizers of the upcoming Bear Paw Marathon.  

I would like to be there myself to lend support, but we have a family event that conflicts on that day.  

Having been a participant in many marathons, as well as having assisted in organizing marathons, I applaud the efforts of both the participants and organizers in making the Bear Paw Marathon happen. Just like the persistence needed to run a marathon, Havre has shown tremendous persistence in creating this event.

Having logged many miles on the backroads in the Havre area, I know the course is beautiful. I also know that hosting the marathon is a great way to share that beauty with runners from around the globe.  

If you cannot run in the event, I hope you come out to cheer the runners on.

Sincerely,

Tom Raunig

Note: 1977 Havre High graduate Tom Raunig and his sister, Deborah Raunig, HHS class of ‘73, had intended to speak during a Friday night pasta feed preceding the 2020 marathon. They had also hoped to participate in several other capacities during the festive weekend. That inaugural marathon, of course, was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Plans for a pasta feed never materialized this year, because the various runs were originally intended to be virtual. 

The pair became the first of only three brother-and-sister qualifiers for the U.S. Olympic marathon trials in 1984. Neither of the subsequent pairs — one in 2016 and the other in 2020 — has yet approached the successes of the Raunigs. Tom, a member of Nike’s elite Athletics West Track Club, eventually earned his master’s and doctoral degrees and spent eight years as head cross country coach at Montana State University and 12 years as head cross country and head track and field coach at the University of Montana. Deborah continued her professional career as a long distance runner, qualifying for three more Olympic marathon and 10,000 meter trials. She entered the 1988 trials as the No. 1-ranked American marathoner and the fourth fastest woman ever at that time. They continue to be ardent supporters of the Missoula and Bear Paw marathons and hope to be on hand next year.