Photo below: Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson holds the title of Fastest Woman in the Senate.

The annual ACLI Capital Challenge, perhaps better known for its irreverence and political humor than its athletic prowess, will return on Wednesday, May 5 at 8:00 am in Washington, DC's Anacostia Park.

The race, conducted on a riverfront course, is attracting the usual VIP cast. In the 2003 ACLI Capital Challenge, two dozen members of Congress led teams and completed the race along with scores of political appointees, including members of the Cabinet, television correspondents, print reporters, and other Washington VIP's. Teams are captained by U.S. Senators, Representatives, Cabinet Members, Sub-Cabinet appointees, Federal Judges, on-air personalities, and professional print journalists. Each captain has to finish for their team to count. This invitational team competition started in 1981 and continues to spotlight the fitness of many of the country's busiest leaders. Senate Foreign Relations Chair Richard Lugar has never missed one and will be leading his team for the 23rd time.

The race is sponsored by ACLI, a Washington D.C. based trade association made up of 383 member companies that offer life insurance, annuities, pensions, long-term care insurance, disability income insurance, and other retirement and financial protection products. The ACLI Capital Challenge annually settles the question of which branch of the federal government is the fittest. Or will the media end up on top?

Spirited competition is being waged in the battle for Best and Worst Named Team awards. Some early contenders and captains are listed below.

TEAMS					CAPTAINS
The Linc to Fast Rhodes			Senator Lincoln Chafee (R-RI)
The Pominators				Representative Earl Pomeroy (D-ND)	
Rogue Runners				Representative Peter DeFazio (D-OR)
FMCS is Hurtgen Again	                Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service
                                          Director, Peter Hurtgen
We All Run For A Yellow Magazine        Kevin Mulroy (National Geographic)
Chronicle Fatigue Syndrome	        Sara Hebel (The Chronicle of Higher Education)
Graham Crackers				David McGuire (washingtonpost.com)
Dick Clarke's American Run Stand	David Neilsen (Scripps Howard  News Service)
Baltimore Hons				Karen Hosler (Baltimore Sun)
Court Jesters	                        Judge Andrew Effrun, US Court of Appeals
                                          for the Armed Forces
CBSnooze				Bill Plante (CBS News)

The riverfront layout features an out and back course in Anacostia Park (just over the Souza Bridge - Pennsylvania Avenue). After the race, runners will have a catered continental breakfast, compliments of the Chubb Corporation. Sponsors in addition to ACLI include FannieMae, American Express Financial Advisors, Northwestern Mutual, Prudential Financial Inc., Swiss Re, Chubb, Saucony, Roll Call, and Running Times.

Qualified teams may obtain information from Jeff Darman, Director, ACLI Capital Challenge, 110 East State Street, Suite 15, Kennett Square, PA, 19348, (610) 925-1976 or from the official race Web site. Entries close April 19.