Weather No Deterrent For Deck The Hull’s Event
Not discouraged by cold temperatures and winter weather last week, 108 runners and walkers took on the Deck the Hull’s Jingle Bell 5-kilometer, 10K and 1.5-mile running and walking races on Saturday, Dec. 6 Following the races, there were several children taking part in the short tot trot.
This was the 11th year for the Jingle Bell races, but the previous 10 were organized by and supported Main Street Lexington (MSL), which passed the reins of the event to Hull’s Drive-in this year because of the large number of events MSL puts on in December, said Rhianna Schlief, executive director of Hull’s Angels, Inc. “We were very thankful for this fundraising opportunity since Hull’s Drive-in isn’t operating during the winter, and therefore there isn’t any income, and we rely on sponsorships and donations to keep us running,” said Schlief.
Hull’s Drive-in organized the race and made sure it went smoothly, with the help of sponsors and Run Roanoke, which provided timing services.
The Jingle Bell races raised about $3,800 for Hull’s, and it will be used to pay for a projector bulb that was purchased in May, among other expenses. Schlief, who made announcements, coordinated with volunteers, and took photos at the races, noted that Hull’s had a pipe freeze a few weeks ago, and that bill was expensive to pay during the offseason, in addition to upkeep of equipment.
On the morning of the races, runners, walkers, volunteers and spectators endured foggy air temperatures in the low 30s and views of snow, but the road conditions were in good shape just a day after a snowstorm, thanks to work by local road crews.
There were 147 registered participants, with some choosing not to take on the cold weather on race day. Many of the runners and walkers wore festive costumes to take on the moderately hilly courses on the streets of Lexington. Volunteers were helpful by pointing the way and encouraging the racers. All three races started at 9 a.m., going on the streets of Lexington, starting at the corner of Main and Nelson streets and ending at the Nelson Street bridge.
There were 82 participants in the 5K, five in the 10K and 21 in the 1.5mile run/walk. Leif Guse, 16, a Rockbridge County High School sophomore cross country runner, won the 5K in 19 minutes, 18.4 seconds. Sam Allen, 49, placed second in 19:50.9, and Viseth Meng, 18, finished third in 20:31.87.
The top female finisher in the 5K was Maggie Baumgartner, placing 11th overall in 24:50.77. Laura Pearson, 52, was the second female finisher, placing 16th overall in 27:45.8. Placing third among females and 21st overall was Haley Jonas, 12.
Winning the 10K, which consisted of two loops of the 5K course, was Joshua Cranston, 35, in 46:32.02. Riley Ewen, 35, pushed his two kids in a stroller and placed second in 49:05.14. The top female finisher was Sloane Mayberry, 58, placing third overall in 50:12.33. Placing second among females and fourth overall was Colleen Carrington, 23, in 1:00:04.53. The third female finisher was Zanita Akinkugbe, 20, placing sixth in 1:06:56.83.
The winner of the 1.5-mile run/walk was T. Buenafe, 10, in 10:30.74. Martha Ewen, 7, was the top female finisher, placing second overall in 15:06.28. Placing second among females and third overall was B. Buenafe, 6, in 15:07.46. The third female finisher was Kara Buenafe, placing fourth overall in 15:08.76. Placing second among males and fifth overall was Leland Crance, 11, in 16:30.66. The third male finisher was Jeff Talbot, 63, placing ninth overall in 21:41.75.
Winning the costume contest were members of the Lexington chapter of Team Red, White and Blue, joined by several friends. They were dressed as red and green M&M’s. Team RWB, a national organization, has a mission of enriching the lives of America’s veterans by connecting them to their community through physical and social activity.
Pleased by how the event went, Schlief said, “For our first year hosting, we really enjoyed it, had most of our board members volunteer to be at the corners, showing runners the way, and helping people get checked in.”
For full results from the races, visit www.runroanoke.com. For more information on Hull’s Drive-in, visit www.hullsdrivein.com.
