Bright and early on the Fourth of July, over 200 runners gathered at Herrmann Park for the 47th annual Rodeo Run 5K/10K. DJ Fowler, local retired Marine Raider and Belle Fourche Sheriff’s Office reserve member, was dressed in full-kit gear for the race. Undersheriff Clark O’Connell and Deputy Dwayne Bruce of Alzada, MT joined him. Running in full gear, Fowler represented the physical and emotional weight that first responders deal with on a daily basis.
At 7 a.m., contestants lined up by the bridge at Herrmann Park and were given route information and rules before they excitedly took off running. The oldest road race in western South Dakota, the Rodeo Run originated in 1978 as a last-minute plan to fill the void when the carnival could not make it to town for the annual Black Hills Roundup festivities in Belle Fourche. Originally a 10K race, the Rodeo Run now offers both 5K and 10K distances. Proceeds from the race are donated to youth sports and activities in Belle Fourche and the surrounding area.
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