Photo courtesy of Run! Geek! Run!
Get ready for this year's Run! Geek! Run! 5K
Run! Geek! Run! 5K is set for Sunday, Sept. 23 in Alexandria.
Love running 5Ks for a good cause or thinking about running in your first one? The Run! Geek! Run! 5k is coming up Sunday, Sept. 23 in Alexandria. Learn a little bit about the race in this Q&A with Alexandria Living Magazine and Rita L. Foss, president and CEO of Ironistic.com, organizer of the race.
How did the race get started?
RUN! GEEK! RUN! was created by our neighbor, Evan Weisel, co-founder of W2 Communications, a PR company serving the tech arena. Their intent was to bring together the tech world, be it the geeky runners, sponsors, or beneficiaries. After 8 years of managing the race, W2 handed over the reins to Ironistic and Hudson Studio in 2016.
How is this race different than other races?
One of the best draws to RUN! GEEK! RUN! is the geek bobbleheads trophies! Most 5K races only award the top overall runners, but RGR hands out 90 bobbleheads in order to congratulate the top 3 male and female runners in 5-year age groups. Other distinguishing characteristics: our course is USATF certified; we have a mascot, Eugene; team trophies and medals are also awarded; and we choose a different Alexandria non-profit beneficiary each year.
Where does the race begin and end?
RUN! GEEK! RUN! is a flat and fast, out and back, USATF-certified, 5K course which starts and finishes just north of the circle at the south end of Mail Line Boulevard. The circle is conveniently sandwiched between the Braddock metro stop and the George Washington Middle School (parking available to participants). The race runs north on Mail Line Boulevard, turns right onto Potomac Avenue and follows Potomac Avenue's northbound lanes to the turn-around point just south of the movie theater.
Who is the race geared to?
Past participants of RUN! GEEK! RUN! include elite runners and Sunday walkers, geeks and jocks, and the young and young at heart. It is truly a community event that welcomes everyone wanting to make a difference in their community.
How has the race changed since it started?
RUN! GEEK! RUN! has taken on many shapes and sizes. It has been as small as 200 runners and as large as 800. RGR was established as an 8K, with the course running though West Potomac Park in DC. After the furloughs postponed the event by two months in 2013, W2 pulled out of the National Park Service area and moved the race closer to their headquarters in Reston. Once Ironistic and Hudson Studio took over, RGR moved to a newly certified course in Alexandria.
How much money has the race raised for the Seaport Foundation?
Numbers are still coming in for this year's race, but we are hopeful of generating $20,000 for the Alexandria Seaport Foundation. Momentum increases each year, which in turn has generated increased profits. In 2016, we presented Capitol Post, a 501(c)(3) that teaches military veterans and their spouses how to think and act like entrepreneurs, with $10,000. Last year, the Alexandria Firefighters Helping Hands Relief Foundation, who help those who have dedicated their careers to helping others, received $15,000.
What does the Seaport Foundation do?
Taken straight from www.AlexandriaSeaport.org - The Alexandria Seaport Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization which was established in 1982 to honor the city’s maritime heritage and culture. In 1993, ASF shifted its focus to serving at-risk youth through adult mentoring, project based learning and the building of wooden boats.
Who are some of your biggest sponsors?
Since 2016, our consistently biggest donors are HudsonLake, Deltek, and Axis Research. We welcome TD Bank, this year, to the biggest donor list, as well as National Media and Purple Strategies, since both increased their level support for 2018. We would be remiss not to mention the wonderful support, of time/talent/treasure, from the rest of our sponsors as well - Advancing Inspiration, Blackwall Hitch, Buchanan Edwards, Collaborative for Student Success, Focus Data Solutions, Gov Geeks, Groundswell, InSite Wireless, the Janssen Family, Kinneman Insurance, KWC, Metis Six, On Message, Royal Jester, School of Rock, South Block Juice, Synergy Float Center, Shoe Hive, Tall Ship Foundation, Veatch Foundation, Virginia Paving, W2 Communications, and the Zebra.
Anything else you'd like to mention please do!
If you don't already have plans for the morning of the 23rd, you should join us. The event is full of energy and always for a great cause. RUN! GEEK! RUN!'s goal is to pay it forward. From a community that has given so much to our Alexandria businesses and our Alexandria neighborhoods, we could not think of a better use of our time and talents.
Online registrations are open through Sept. 19, then in-person registrations are open during packet pickup on Sept. 21 and 22, as well as at the race, starting at 7:30 a.m. For more details, check out www.RunGeekRun.com.
