The Niagara Falls Police detective who became a marathon runner just to prove she could do it will now be honored with a race of her own.
Organizers will hold the first-ever “Running With The Rapids” race on Sunday on what would have been Niagara Falls Police Detective Lt. Kristina “Tina” Zell’s 50th birthday. Proceeds from the race will benefit the Niagara Collaborative, an organization made up of more than 60 not-for-profits that have banded together to create “positive change in the community.”
Zell, a beloved and deeply respected 22-year veteran of the Falls Police force, died on Nov. 7, 2022, after a lengthy battle with what was described as “a COVID-19-related illness.”
A fiercely determined detective, frequently described as “a badass with a smile,” Zell was often remembered for her time at the Niagara County Law Enforcement Academy (NCLEA), where, as a recruit, she had struggled with the academy’s requirement to complete a one-mile run. Zell became so dedicated to overcoming the challenge that, years later, she became an accomplished marathon runner and returned to the academy as a physical training instructor.
It was that lead-by-example attitude that current Falls Police Detective Steve Kerfoot said helped convince him to organize a race in Zell’s honor.
“Setting up a race was something I always wanted to do,” Kerfoot said. “Tina helped me a lot in my career and I wanted to pay tribute to that.”
Kerfoot sees the race as “more than a one-and-done.”
“With the running community we have here, it’s a great fit,” he said.’
The race will offer two options, a 5K run and a 10K run. Kerfoot said he and other organizers had hoped to attract 50 runners for the event, but by Wednesday night, 167 had signed up and applications were still available.
“(Tina) had a talent for finding the best qualities in people and she took the effort to help them,” Kerfoot said. “We’re trying to pay forward some of what she gave us.”
Kerfoot said Zell was a supporter of community organizations in the Falls and that she was a “huge advocate” for the work of the Collaborative.
“I never knew about it until I heard about it from her,” he said. “Every year, (the Collaborative) does a fundraising walk and she would bring in applications for it. The year after she passed, a lot of (officers) did the walk.”
For more information on “Running With The Rapids”, go to www.runningwiththerapids.itsyourrace.com.