Nearly 3,000 run in Vancouver to defeat breast cancer

Nearly 3,000 women turned out in downtown Vancouver on Sunday morning for the Girlfriends Half Marathon, a fundraiser for Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

In its fifth year, the event raised an estimated $50,000 for the Komen foundation, said Sherri McMillan, owner of Northwest Personal Training and the run sponsor.

“This year, we grew by 1,000 women, and it was so smooth,” McMillan said Sunday afternoon.

She noted that firefighters at the finish line presented runners with necklaces and other treats included chocolate, massages and tea and cookies.

McMillan said she started the event to support her friend Joleen Skarberg of Vancouver, who was fighting breast cancer. Cancer-free for four years, Skarberg competed at Sunday’s race, as she has each year, along with family members.

The 13.1-mile race took runners to Wintler Park on the Columbia River and back to downtown via the Vancouver Land Bridge and Officers Row.

For more details on the run, see Tuesday’s Community Sports page.