Run for Achievable Dream This Weekend

By Rick Platt


Last year’s Run for Achievable Dream race weekend was the largest running event ever held in Williamsburg, with about 4,500 entrants, another large crowd is expected for this weekend’s second annual extravaganza. Saturday morning’s Fit to Run, Fit to Dream 8K Run/Walk (8 a.m. start), will again have the USA Masters 8K Road Championship status by the USA Track & Field governing body. And Sunday morning’s Run for the Dream Half Marathon (7 a.m. start) is the larger race. Additionally there are three Kids Fun Runs (100 meters, 400 meters, mile run). The races benefit An Achievable Dream and the Armed Forces Wounded Warrior Programs,

Those still wanting to enter either race can register at the expo and packet pickup at the Williamsburg Woodlands Conference Center, 119 Visitor Center Drive, on Friday (noon to 9 p.m.) and Saturday (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.). For further info visit the race website at www.RunForAchievableDream.com, or call the Achievable Dream office at 757-599-9472.

Both races will start on Jamestown Road, near Phi Beta Kappa Hall on the campus of William and Mary, and include portions through the historic streets of Colonial Williamsburg, before finishing inside W&M’s Zable Stadium. The half marathon also traverses Lafayette Street, York Street, Quarterpath Road, Route 199, and the Colonial Parkway, before returning through the streets of Williamsburg to campus. Post-race festivities will be held at the Sunken Gardens. The race is managed by Dave McGillivray of DMSE Sports, the race director for many years of the Boston Marathon, and is organized by the Achievable Dream office of Newport News, two nationally-recognized K-12 schools.

The weekend starts off with a lecture Friday evening by legendary running coach Jack Daniels, who will speak at the Williamsburg Lodge from 7-8:30 p.m., after having a book signing Friday afternoon from 3-5 p.m. at the race expo. For information on this lecture, call 1-800-447-8679 or visit the website: http://www.colonialwilliamsburg.com/visit/spa/specials/index.cfm. Tickets can also be purchased at various Colonial Williamsburg ticketing offices.

The USATF Masters 8K Championships last year was won by Mbarak Hussein, 46, of Albuquerque, NM in 24:41, with Mark Andrews, 40, of Rochester, NY runner-up in 25:04. For the women, Chris Kimbrough, 41, of Austin, TX won in 28:18, with former William and Mary track star Sonja Friend-Uhl, 40, of Brentwood, TN, runner-up in 28:56. Laura Shannon, 48, of Williamsburg cracked the top ten with a ninth-place 33:09. The Colonial Road Runners dominated in the team categories, winning a total of $1,050 in team prize money, with nine teams and 33 athletes in the USATF team competition. There was a total of $10,100 in prize money to individuals and teams.

There were 1,512 finishers in the 8K Saturday morning and an additional 2,252 finishers in the half marathon Sunday morning, the total of 3,764 finishers making it the largest running event ever in Williamsburg. The top CRR finishers in the 8K were Steve Chantry (28:36 at age 56 for an 89.08% age grade) and Pete Gibson (28:39 at age 55 for an 88.15% age grade), who went 1-2 for men 55-59. Rose Crist, Carol Talley, Brenda Mitchell, Ann Hirn and Kenneth Mitchell also all placed in their USATF age-group top three for the CRR.

Last year’s half marathon races were won by Matt Krotech of Herndon (1:09:28) and Kristing Herring, 32, of Newport News (1:28:07). The top local runners were John Piggott (4th, 1:17:35) and Jennifer Quarles (3rd, 1:31:44). This year, two of the leading half marathon contenders for the women are defending champion Herring along with Quarles, although Quarles will also be part of the many Colonial Road Runners teams competing in the USATF National Masters Championship 8K Saturday morning. As of Tuesday morning, there were 3,600 entrants this year, with slightly more in the half marathon. Around 4,000 runners are expected total.