The Baltimore Running Festival, now in its 24th year, returned to Charm City on Oct. 19. Directed by Corrigan Sports, the event had a distance for everyone, from 5K to a full marathon.
The weather for this year’s races was nearly perfect with low humidity and a cool morning giving way to full sunshine that was manageable. The volunteers and spectators were once again out in full force.
This race shows off some of the best parts of Baltimore City, including Camden Yards, the Maryland Zoo, Little Italy, Canton, Patterson Park and many more neighborhoods.
There is something quite special about taking a tour of Baltimore on foot. The runner gets an intimate experience with the citizens, topography and infrastructure of the city that just isn’t possible otherwise.
The Baltimore Running Festival is truly a special event for the City, local runners and those that come from out of town to experience one of the best athletic events around, that welcomes the professional and amateur, avid runner alike.
The Baltimore Running Festival are an economic boon for business and charities alike. Economic impact estimates that over $25 million dollars was infused into the local economy and close to a million dollars was raised by the over 2,000 charity group runners who participated this year.
The races this year saw 12,000 runners from 19 countries and 47 states participate, with Gaithersburg native Willy Fink taking the top spot in the full marathon, crossing the finish line with an impressive time of 2 hours, 21.36 minutes.
Post race, Fink looked as if he could go many more miles, with a strong running cadence and form even in the last few miles. Indeed, as the race progressed Fink got faster, with his first 5K at 5:32 a mile, 5:27 a mile at 20 miles and 5:24 a mile at the finish.
In the women’s division, Sara Kenefick from Charlotte, North Carolina, was first overall with a time of 3:03:36. Andrew Johnson of Chesapeake Beach was the first local finisher in the marathon division, taking 27th overall in 2:56:52, with Michael Johnson of Annapolis in 2:58:34 in 30th overall and Benjamin Gillen of Pasadena in 32nd place overall in 2:58:46.
In addition to the competitive races, the event’s Charity Chasers added an inspiring element of philanthropy. Two participants started their races from last place, earning $2 for each runner they passed thanks to a charitable contribution by Corrigan Sports Enterprises.
Sergeant Eberenna Anyanwu from the Baltimore City Police Department participated in the half marathon and passed 1,788 runners and raised $3,576 for the Signal 13 Foundation, an organization that supports Baltimore City Police officers and their families.
Dan Reeves of Mechanicsburg ran in the full marathon at age 61, passing 1,404 runners in his 3:52:1 finish, contributing $2,808 to Athletes Serving Athletes, a non-profit, empowering athletes living with disabilities.
“This year’s Baltimore Running Festival was not only about pushing physical limits but also about giving back to our community,” said Lee Corrigan, president of Corrigan Sports. “The Charity Chasers are a testament to the incredible spirit of our runners, and we’re honored to contribute to these important causes. Overall, the event was a big success for the city, many runners were impressed at the fan support throughout the city.”
Congratulations to the runners, volunteers, first responders, organizers and volunteers who all came together for an event that recognizes the professional and common runner alike, while raising money for great causes. There aren’t many events that can bring an entire community together positively for a singular purpose, but the Baltimore Running Festival continues its decades long tradition of being such an event.
Calendar
Nov. 2 (8 a.m.): Downs Park 5 Miler, Downs Park, Information: AnnapolisStriders.org
Nov. 2: Ocean City Marathon, Ocean City, MD, Information: corrigansports.com/event/ocean-city-marathon/
Nov. 9: Rosaryville 50K, Upper Marlboro, Information: AnnapolisStriders.org
Nov. 10: Bay Bridge Run, Stevensville. Information: runsignup.com/Race/MD/Annapolis/BayBridgeRun
Nov. 24: Girls of the Run 5K, UMBC Catonsville. Information: gotrchesapeake.org/5k
Dec. 8: Annapolis Striders Anniversary Run 15K, Quiet Waters Park. Information: annapolisstriders.org
Dec. 14: Celtic Solstice 5 Miler, Druid Hill Park, Baltimore. Information: corrigansports.com/event/celtic-solstice/
Send running news and calendar items to Bob Cawood at rhbc@cawoodlawfirm.com.