Running on Faith
BCS community members gathered for the first in-person Running on Faith event since the start of the pandemic, racing with friends and family.
September 1, 2022
On the morning of September 11th, 2022, Billings Catholic Schools’ families gathered for yet another year of Running on Faith. Over 270 athletes gathered for the 4k race. This year, however, had a slightly different atmosphere. This was the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic hit that there has been a Running on Faith back in full motion.
Shel Hanser, principal of Billings Central Catholic High School, said, “The fact that we’re doing it again…really highlights the community of everything.” This felt like an overarching theme of the event as many repeated throughout the day that family spirit and camaraderie were really the core of Running on Faith.
Andrea Gieser, a senior at BCCHS, has been coming to Running on Faith for the past five years with the exception of the years taken off due to the pandemic. Like Hanser, Gieser also mentioned the importance of being able to gather with friends and family on this day. Gieser is on the BCCHS cheer team, and like the rest of the team, cheered on this year’s runners as they started and finished the course.
Not everyone was at Running on Faith just for the food, family, and friends, some were there to actually run. Mia Oneal, a 4th-grade student at St. Francis Catholic School, and her mom stated it was their first time at Running on Faith and they were most looking forward to finishing the race together. They were among many families running or walking the race together.
Greyson Piseno and Ollin Kulaga, 9th-grade students at BCCHS and members of the school’s cross country team, were all business from start to finish with Piseno taking first place overall with a time of 9:50 and Kulaga taking second with a time of 9:52. In the women’s division, Doreen Kenfield took first place with a time of 11:24 and Sara Spini, a 9th-grade student at BCCHS, took second clocking in at 11:32.
The day was rounded out with catering of hamburgers, hot dogs, chips, and cookies provided by Tiny’s Tavern. This year’s Running on Faith more than made up for the years lost due to the pandemic with good food, faith, family, and friends.
