OKMULGEE – The MCN Festival held its annual 5k and Fun Run on June 27. Despite the early 7:30 a.m. start time, the race saw its largest number of participants. The 5k started at the MCN Food Distribution, circled the Okmulgee Regional Airport, and ended back at the MCN Food Distribution. Everyone was able to run and walk in the 5k and get their daily dose of exercise early in the morning.
MCN 5k Coordinator Kathryn Sunny (Mvskoke) spoke about this year’s event. She said that 419 out of 606 participants were Native American. Sunny said that 299 were repeat participants and 307 were new runners. 606 pre-registered, but only 438 attended the event. Sunny said this still broke records for participation.
Participants came from over 20 tribes: Absentee Shawnee, Apache, Arapaho, Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Comanche, Dine, Keetowah, Kiowa, Laguna Pueblo, Mississippi Band of Choctaw, Mvskoke, Navajo, Osage, Otoe-Missouria, Pawnee, Quapaw, Sac & Fox, Salt River Pima, Seminole of Oklahoma, Seminole of Florida, and Shawnee.
The age group ranged from under 20 to 81 and over. Most were from Oklahoma, and other participants came from different states, including California, Arizona, Texas, New Mexico, Kansas, New Jersey, Florida, North Carolina, Louisiana, and Missouri.
Sunny felt privileged to coordinate this year’s 5k and Fun Run; she took over this position after serving as an understudy for two years for Shawn Patridge and Tania Bardin. She said their guidance helped her prepare for this year’s opportunity, and she wants to continue building on the strong foundation they had created.
Sunny is grateful for every volunteer, participant, sponsor, and supporter who helped make this year’s race a success. She hopes this event continues to grow and becomes a tradition for generations to look forward to every year.
“I lean heavily on the volunteers who dedicate countless hours to making this event possible. This truly is a team effort, and I’ve been fortunate to work with the best Festival 5K and Fun Run crew. Knowing that 438 participants came out this year is incredibly rewarding and a testament to everyone’s hard work,” Sunny said.
“Seeing families, first-time participants, and seasoned runners enjoying the event together reminds me that this race is about more than crossing the finish line—it’s about bringing our community together.”
This year’s winners: in the women’s category, 20-year-old Carrington Hessen with a time of 18:56; and in the men’s category, 35-year-old Steven Baker (Seminole) with a time of 15:28.
This was Baker’s second year competing in the MCN Festival. He liked seeing everyone race in the morning, and to him, it felt like they were all really trying to achieve their running goals, whether it was to set a personal best or run their first 5k.
Baker graduated in 2009 and started running again in 2020, and it’s something he’s never stopped enjoying.
“This was my 2nd year doing the MCN 5k. I have been enjoying coming here to run this race. It felt good. I ran well. Just some parts of the course were a bit challenging, but I had to keep my pace. It’s a great event for the citizens, for all ages. I can see it being bigger and bigger each year,” Baker said.
