There will be over 1,500 runners in the various events in Jefferson County tomorrow (Saturday 10/3). I know of 4 of us from the northern end of Pocahontas County that are going. I think 3 are running the half marathon (13.1 miles), and I am having a first attempt at a full marathon (26.2 miles). My goal is to come in somewhere between first and last. ;-)

More information here:

www.FreedomsRun.org

Should be fun. Wish us luck!

DF

Hi all,

Well, we finished! Three of us from Pocahontas County ran yesterday. Our times were:

Half-Marathon: 251/463 Peter Whiteis, Arbovale WV 02:08:15
Half-Marathon: 353/463 Jennifer Whiteis, Arbovale WV 02:24:39
Marathon: 232/256 David Fleming, Green Bank WV 05:27:48

There were over 1,800 runners for all events. This was the first year of Freedom's Run, and it was wonderful, very well organized, support crew were terrific. The course took us through Harpers Ferry, the Civil War battlefields of Antietam, and into Shepherdstown.

Of particular note was the very successful Kids Run, which had some 200 kids participate. See race organizer Mark Cucuzzella's follow-up below on this, and the effort to reduce obesity in WV from the "ground up." (We are #2 in the nation for obesity . )

DF

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Race Follow-up From Mark Cucuzzella, organizer

Inaugural Freedom's Run Marathoners,

First I want to congratulate each of you for an amazing achievement on running this challenging race and battling the hills of Antietam.

We are still waiting on the finish result of Major Beaty who was running [Beaty is a soldier in Iraq, running there with us in spirit on a "parallel" course].

We are designing a commemorative medal in the theme of John Brown for ALL finishers. We will also get you all some of the extra goodies- bags, bottles...you all deserve this and more. We also have some extra posters we will send. You all are the cornerstone of this event.

The most enjoyable thing of the day from my eyes as a race director was talking with you all after the run. wish I had more time to do this.

A close second was talking with local citizens who had never done anything like this, and next year want to do a longer event . YOU inspired them. Also watching 200 kids run a kids run was sweet. We have never had any run with 200 runners in our county, and we had 200 in a kids run yesterday. We are fighting Obesity in West Virginia from the ground up.

Come join us next year and spread the word.

Results on the website...need to add more later today for some of the later walkers.

All the best,

Mark Cucuzzella