A light overnight rain gave way Saturday morning to a chilling combination of fog, mist and temperatures in the mid-40s.
“It’s great for running and not so great for standing around,” remarked David Moody, a volunteer for the 48th running of the Charlottesville 10 Miler.
It was an especially great run for University of Virginia chemical engineering graduate student Dean Yost and second-year UVa student Jenny Schilling, the fastest man and woman racer, respectively.
But for many out on Saturday morning, the race was more about community than competition.
Moody was controlling the corner of 17th Street and Grady Avenue, the highest point on the hilly course, and eagerly awaiting the moment when his wife, Melissa Moody, a popular DJ for 106.1 The Corner, would be running past him.
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“All our friends, all our acquaintances, everyone knows about this race,” said the volunteer. “It’s a community event, so it’s important to be involved.”
“Plus,” Moody playfully added, “if I want Beer Run breakfast tacos that’s the requirement.”
Nearby, Janet Herman was ringing a cowbell that she earned from running the race several years ago. On Saturday morning, however, Herman was in mentor mode. She told The Daily Progress that she became a coach for runners in the Charlottesville Women’s Four Miler after recovering from breast cancer treatment.
“There are a lot of people out here with different individual goals,” Herman said from her perch on a low wall on Rugby Road. “I can sit here and see my runners come by and then walk over to the Rotunda and see them again.”
The University of Virginia’s Rotunda was a backdrop for the spot along McCormick Road where 11-year-old Sam Buschi was brightening the gray morning with his five-finger greetings.
“I’ve given about 80 high-fives,” estimated Buschi.
“Thank you, sweetie,” exclaimed one runner as Buschi connected yet again.
As evidenced by the sight of participants clad in top hats, tutus, and at least one hot dog costume (with a swirl of mustard), many of the roughly 1,875 runners consider the 10 Miler a multi-block party.
Not that the competitive winners didn’t enjoy themselves.
“It was fun,” said Schilling, the 20-year-old from Leesburg who came in first among women. “I was surprised that it was not as hilly as I thought it would be, and the energy out there was great.”
Twenty-six-year-old software engineer Bret Greene led the pack most of the way. But he told The Daily Progress that he could feel lactic acid building in his legs around around the 8.5-mile mark. By mile nine, Greene said, he ceded the lead to eventual winner, the 26-year-old Yost.
“I heard you say, ‘Go for it,’” Yost said to Greene as the two caught their breath after the race.
“He kind of pushed me,” said Yost, “so we pushed together.”
The two agreed that the route’s final mile was confusing, so much so that Greene accidentally veered off course.
“I was in second until the very last turn, and then I went the wrong way,” said Greene, who ended up finishing third. “The same thing happened to me last year, only it happened early in the race.”
Other hiccups at the event included a clutch of parked cars amid the start-finish zone in the South Lot at Scott Stadium, a steady fall of rain about 50 minutes into the race and a public address system that deprived announcer James Downey of his voice at the finish line when the generator conked out.
“We ran out of gas,” explained Downey.
Within a few minutes, however, thanks to a scrounged-up megaphone, the 25-year veteran was back to his task of congratulating the finishers.
“It could have been better,” race director Karen Murray told The Daily Progress. “But in the end, the runners didn’t know about all the flaws. Everybody was safe, nobody got hurt and everyone in the crowds along the course were awesome. So I think we had a great event.”
According to race results, several Madison residents participated in the run including Mary Davis, Lori Bartczak, Katie Ignaszewski, Angel Eichelberger, Shannon Johnston, Madison Vogt and Madison Vest.
