Duke of Gloucester Street Challenge to be held Saturday morning

By Rick Platt


For the third year, the Duke of Gloucester Street Challenge, the 5K race that first gave runners the opportunity to race through the historic streets of Colonial Williamsburg, will be back, following in the footsteps of Thomas Jefferson and other notables from our country’s past, with the largest pre-registration yet. As of Tuesday morning, there were 670 entrants in the popular race, with additional entries accepted up until Friday at 6 p.m.

The “Run the D.O.G.”, sponsored and organized by Colonial Sports, and benefiting Avalon, will take place on Saturday, April 14 with a one mile fun run starting things off at 7:00 a.m., followed by the main attraction, the 5K run/walk at 7:30 a.m. In its first two years, the Colonial Road Runners Grand Prix series race has already generated its own history. Williamsburg’s Olympic hopeful, Ed Moran, a four-time All-American while an undergrad at William and Mary, broke the Virginia state resident record for the 5K (3.1 miles) distance in 2010, a 14:13 that erased the previous mark of 14:18 by Mark Donahue at the 1996 Busch Gardens Drachen Fire 5K Run. Moran returned last year to successfully defend his title with a time of 14:38, with four runners breaking the 15:30 barrier (five-minute pace per mile).

To enter, runners and walkers can pick up entry forms from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and enter at Colonial Sports at 513 Prince George Street , or they can sign up on-line at Raceit.com until 11:59 p.m. Wednesday evening. The entry form can also be downloaded from www.thecolonialsports.com/events. Packet pickup and final registration will take place from 12 noon to 6:00 p.m. Friday, April 13th at Colonial Sports. There will be no race day registration this year for either the 5K or 1 mile.

For the men, last year’s third-place finisher (15:23), Alex Grout, 25, of Williamsburg, a third-year W&M law student, will be returning as one of the favorites. Grout has been running a lot on the track this year, after touring the roads last fall. On the roads he ran a 5K in 15:28, had a 24:58 for the Richmond 8K in November, and a 31:46 Thanksgiving Day 10K. Indoors in 2012 saw a 4:13 mile, 1:56 for the 800 meters, and 8:23 for the 3,000 meters. Former W&M assistant coach and former Colonial Sports employee Ryan Murphy, now living in Richmond, is also a race favorite, off his 32:22 at the recent Monument Avenue 10K.

The women’s favorite is Karen Terry of Newport News , the 2011 CRR Grand Prix women’s champion, who ran a PR 17:53 last year for the 5K. Lafayette High distance coach Steve Chantry highlights the Masters over-40 competition. There is a total of $700 in prize money, $200-100-50 for the top three men and women. Jennifer Quarles won last year in 19:19.

But the race is much more than just for the elite runners. Race director Jim Elder of Colonial Sports points out that all participants (including the fun run) will get a technical shirt, with women having the option of a female cut for their shirts. The fun run will be started by Bubbles the Clown. There will be loads of door prizes. There will be a large contingent of youth runners from area schools, and kids get their own race “goody bag.” All participants receive a finisher medallion.

There will also be a wedding theme this year, as Elisha Sivils is getting married in Williamsburg Saturday afternoon, and her wedding party is going to run the 5K race in the morning.

The certified 5K race course starts on Prince George Street, winds through the William and Mary campus (via James Blair Drive), and then up Scotland Streeet, around the Governor’s Palace, up Nicholson Street and around the Capitol Building, and then finishes the final half mile on Duke of Gloucester Street. The finish is at the intersection of Duke of Gloucester Street and Nassau Street . The one mile is held entirely on Duke of Gloucester Street, an ideal course for runners and walkers of all ages.