Navigation
Some Wicked Good Times in Virginia Beach
By Brenda Barrera
Virginia Beach, VA
November 1, 2009
For the Washington Running Report
Jami Peterson finishes first among the women.
It is no exaggeration to say everyone was having a "wicked" good time at the inaugural Blue Moon Wicked 10K in Virginia Beach, VA on Saturday. With temperatures climbing to summer highs of 75 degrees, it was a little too warm for some runners in bulky costumes, but not for most of the nearly 4,000 finishers and top local standouts.
Taking yet another win, Ryan Carroll (27) from Portsmouth, VA (in photo) shot out from the start on Atlantic Avenue and ran unchallenged to win in 32:09. Finishing two minutes later was Paul Burton Snyder (50) from Williamsburg, VA who was aiming to break 34 minutes but had to settle for 34:07. Virginia Beach's Dai Roberts (48) finished third overall in 35:34.
Just as Carroll used the Rock ‘n' Roll Virginia Beach Half Marathon in September as a tune-up for the Philadelphia Marathon, this race also served to help prepare for his upcoming November race.
"My coach wanted me to do this," said Carroll at the post race finish along the scenic boardwalk. "It's a good way to assimilate a race atmosphere and gets the adrenaline going."
In the women's competition, Virginia Beach's Rachel Young must have felt like she was experiencing a Halloween "trick" when she crossed the finish line first among the women only to have her chip time results show 40:29 compared to Jami Peterson's 40:21. Peterson (28) from Williamsburg, VA appropriately dressed as Wonder Woman, zoomed in right behind Young with a faster time and thus took top honors.
"I was going to be a Minnesota Viking fan," said Peterson afterward, "but I knew it was going to be too warm for the costume so I came up with this [Wonder Woman] at the last minute." Next up for Peterson, who set a PR at the Yeungling Shamrock Marathon in 3:16:22, is the SunTrust Richmond Marathon.
Many runners competed in costumes that varied from witches and super heroes, to gang green to nerds and pirates and there were even a couple Richard Simmons lookalikes. Third place finisher Dai Roberts, who flew home the night before from Germany, decided to really provide runners and spectators with a true "blue moon" thanks to his cutout shorts showing blue underwear sporting a hole in it.
Diane Haupt (43) of Virginia Beach (left) was the 2nd masters finisher in 42:31 and charged across the finish line dressed as Wonder Woman. "The wig was a little hot so a few times I wanted to walk," she admitted, "but I thought, 'Wonder Woman wouldn't walk,' so I can't."
Running in just a skimpy pair of Halloween briefs was Joel Myers (37) of Virginia Beach. "I've never had so many people take my photo that didn't know me, who weren't friends or family," he noted. "They [photographers] were kind of like the paparazzi." Maybe it made him run faster; he won his age group in 36:53 and came in fifth overall.
The race, organized by J&A Racing (same folks who do the Yeungling Shamrock Sportsfest) was a sell-out, easily reaching full capacity. "We capped it at 5,000 because it was an inaugural event and we wanted it to be a good event," said race director Amy Frostick.
Â
Â
Â
Â
Top FinishersMen
1. Ryan Carroll, (27) Portsmouth VA - 32:09
2. Paul Burton Snyder (50) Williamsburg VA - 34:07
3. Dai Roberts (48) Virginia Beach VA - 35:24
Â
Women
1. Jami Peterson (28) Williamsburg VA - 40:21
2. Rachel Young (31) Virginia Beach VA - 40:29
3. Dare Frey (33) Virginia Beach VA - 40:40
Â
Top Masters
Paul Burton Snyder (50) Williamsburg VA - 34:07
Jill Mills (41) Chesapeake VA - 40:54
Â
Even speedsters Rayland O'Brien, Dai Roberts, and Joel Myers (l-r) decided to get into the spirit and run in costume.
Â
Comments