16016 Total Finishers - 6911 Males / 9105 Females

Music, music everywhere and just like a rock concert, there were screaming cheering fans lining the entire route of the redesigned half marathon course. They listed twenty bands on the course but the course is a big loop so racers got to hear a reprise for the same band again on the return trip. You never took a step on the course when you were not in sight and hearing range of a band and a group of ultra enthusiastic cheerleaders.

With all the elite racers and street lined audience, it was if you were participating at the Olympics. Indeed, at one cheerleading section, one talented athlete was doing multiple back flips for her floor exercises as the runners passed. On the way back runners saw Barry Goldmeier, the Joggler, who could not resist and traveled south from the Washington, DC area to enjoy and entertain juggling as he ran the whole way.

This year the weekend began with rain but by Sunday morning all that was left was a humid haze. Rain might have been nice. As the elite women lined up to follow the wheelchairs in their start at 6:45 a.m., the sun rose over the beach as a red ball one mile due east. At 7:00 a.m., the first of 24 corrals unleashed the first wave of the small city of racers. This year women again outnumbered men 9 to 7; that is nine thousand to seven thousand, as this year's race nearly matched the record crowd of 17, 000 finishers from last year's race.

Haron Torotitich (30) of Kenya wore bib number one as a two- time winner, including last year in 1:02:20. That was would have almost been enough to win today under much worse (humid) conditions than last year. With 2006 winner James Kwambai (1:03:30) in the field it should have been a real battle. Instead Torotitich (bib #1 in photo), who hit the 5K in 14:28 faded and soon lost contact with the field. He finished a distant 17th male in lock step with Williamsburg's top master John Piggott in 1:14:35. Piggott (on left in photo) was a little slower than last year's 1:13:02 when he crushed the masters field. Kwambai made his move just past the 10K and only Tadesse Tola (21) off Ethiopia could stay close, earning $2,000 for his 1:02:33 runner-up spot. Maurice Pointer (52) of Baltimore, MD dominated the grandmaster field with a scintillating 1:19:38.

Colleen DeReuck of Boulder, CO (in photo) was always an elite athlete once holding the world record for ten miles. Now forty- four, she held her own staying with the leaders and finishing fifth overall in 1:14:46. Still, she settled for second master as Edith Masai (41) of Kenya held off all challengers to win in 1:12:54 and earn $3,500. Japan had another strong field to match well with the Africans of Kenya and Ethiopia. Yet, it was American Katie McGregor (31) who took the second spot in a spirited dash for $2,000 that finished in 1:13:04. Young Megumi Seike (21) of Japan rushed across the timing mats a stride later to earn $1,500.

Awards Half Marathon

Men
Place, Name, Age, Country, Time, Money
1. James Kwambai, 25, Kenya, 1:02:11, $3,500
2. Tadesse Tola, 21, Ethiopia, 1:02:33, $2,000
3. McDonald Ondara, 23, Kenya, 1:04:45, $1,500
4. Kazuyuki Maeda, 28, Japan, 1:05:18, $1,000
5. Samuel Ndereba, 23, Kenya, 1:05:38, $750
Women
1. Edith Masai, 41, Kenya, 1:12:54, $3,500
2. Katie McGregor, 31, USA, 1:13:04, $2,000
3. Megumi Seike, 21, Japan, 1:13:05, $1,500
4. Adanech Zekiros, 26, Ethiopia, 1:13:32, $1,000
5. Teyba Naser, 22, Ethiopia, 1:13:38, $750
Masters (40 and over)
Men
1. John Piggott, 43, Williamsburg VA, 1:14:35, $500
2. Darren De Revck, 40, Boulder, CO, 1:17:24, $250
Women
1. Edith Masai, 41, Kenya, 1:12:54, $3,500
2. Colleen De Reuck, 44, Boulder, CO, 1:14:46, $250
Local - Hampton Roads 
Men
1. Will Christian, 25, Norfolk, 1:09:00
Women
1. Renee High, 26, Virginia Beach, 1:24:07

The race was timed with the new Chrono Track timing system, a disposable device, which like the ChampionChip before it allows the race to accurately time each runner's individual race even when runners start many minutes after the gun sounds. The race gave informational and security timing points around the course. This year's points were at 5K, 10K, 10M, 11.3, 20K, and of course the finish on the boardwalk at Sixth Street.

With so many racers finishing, volunteers herded the tired finishers quickly along the boardwalk and out of the corral. With no chip to remove, there were fewer backups. The runners were hurried out onto the beach and back into the town. It would have better to have some refreshment outside the corral but with more than 16,000 finishers, once they were sure you were all right, they moved you along. On the beach, the bands continued the celebration and there was Michelob Ultra for those who were hydrated enough to go for it.

Even though racing is going through its second boom with millions of healthy people racing to stay fit and enjoy life, road running has a smaller group of heroes. One of the founding fathers of the eighth Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon and certainly a primary in the first running boom is Olympic Gold Medallist Frank Shorter. As with many of the great of running Shorter always seems surprised that he is such a celebrity. Always approachable, this ambassador of running easily remembered racing at the George Mason Masters Invitational in 1995, where this obscure author had the pleasure of racing. In photo, James Moreland (r) recalls racing history with the legendary Frank Shorter.

Rock 'n' Roll has led the way to the resurgence of running. Even more, it has helped to make running a family event and celebration of fitness and fun. Next year is the 20th anniversary of the Women's Distance Festival. When Frank Shorter was winning the marathon in the 70's, women had not yet had the opportunity for an Olympic Marathon. Now they have dashed quickly past that. They have passed the 5K and are testing the mid sixty minute range for the half marathon. Indeed, many races have more women entered than they do men. The Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10K, by far the largest 10K in the region and one of the few races to match Rock 'n' Roll with a field of more than twenty thousand, had more than 60% women in their 2008 event. And look at all the multi-generational families at the races. Never have there been so many youngsters joining their parents in a family event. Ah, the joy of running!

Elite Racing
All across the country big cities have been making the fast growing half marathon distance the destination race. Next month there is the world class Philadelphia Distance Run (half marathon). It has been a source of spectacular races since 1978. Next, start October with the Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon in San Jose, CA. On November 16, 2008 San Antonio join the Elite Racing's Rock 'n' Roll club with its inaugural race.

Skip the last six weeks of the year for the holidays and then gear up for 2009 with P.F. Chang's Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon on January 18 in Arizona. The spring is brightened by the Country Music Half Marathon in, where else, Nashville, TN in April. Then Memorial Day weekend scoot west to San Diego for double the pleasure for their Rock 'n' Roll Marathon.

These musical themed family events will rev you up, giving you a great opportunity to see this great country. After all, running and road races is all about joining up and being apart of a healthy, fit country. Everyone is welcomed regardless of his or her skill level or running experience. From beginners to world-class elite runners everyone will find a place for themselves in this growing core of destination racing events.

Many run to help support a charity or to remember and/or honor a loved one. All come for the joy and celebration it brings.

Full Race Day Results
Race Day Report for 2008
Photo Gallery 2008
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