Photo by Victah/www.photorun.net above: Finishers on the board walk at the 2004 Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon.

Shake, rattle, roll and run! Two nationally-recognized events end summer with a bang at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront. The 5th Annual Rock 'n' Roll Half-Marathon, benefiting the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, blazes through September 4. Groovy tunes from the 12th American Music Festival hit the shores September 2-5.

Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon Approximately 20,000 runners and walkers from around the world will participate in the 5th Annual Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon on September 4. The race, known as a premier athletic competition, consists of a 13.1-mile oceanfront course that starts adjacent to the Virginia Beach Convention Center on 19th Street, runs through the resort area, dashes through Camp Pendleton, rounds 37th Street and finishes on the breathtaking oceanfront boardwalk.

Thanks to a new wave start, the oceanfront can comfortably accommodate all 20,000 participants. Through a wave start, all runners are staged in corrals at the start based on projected finishing time, just as they have been in the past. When the gun fires, the first corral will be released. The rest of the participants will be held at the start line. At pre-determined intervals (approximately every 45-60 seconds) the next corral will be released. After the race, participants will revel during a post-race Finish Line Beach Party on the sand as well as a spectacular headliner evening concert featuring Vertical Horizon and Journey.

The half marathon starts at 7 a.m. and offers an invitational wheelchair and elite women's start at 6:40 a.m. and 6:45 a.m. Sixteen local cheerleading squads will be stationed at various locations to cheer on the participants. In addition, music from 40 bands explodes across 10 stages along the race route at the Virginia Beach oceanfront.

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team in Training program is the official charity and training program of the Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon. In past years, participants in the event have raised millions of dollars helping to fund blood-related cancer research and patient services. Team in Training provides participants with a fitness program, expert coaching, a support team of runners and walkers, entry into the half marathon and travel and accommodations in Virginia Beach. For more information, call 800/482-TEAM or visit www.teamintraining.com. For more information on the race, visit www.rnrhalf.com or call 800/311-1255.

Verizon Wireless American Music Festival For its 12th straight year, Virginia Beach will host the Verizon Wireless American Music Festival, presented by Verizon Communications the largest outdoor music concert on the East Coast from September 2-5. Featuring 40 national and regional bands, concert-goers of all ages can enjoy this four-day party of music. Headlining the event will be Hootie & the Blowfish, the Atlantic Fleet Show Band, LeAnn Rimes, Keith Anderson, Journey, Vertical Horizon, Ted Nugent and Dynamohum. Along nine other stages, artists such as Everclear, Off the Record, Morris Day & Quiet Riot, and Hot Apple Pie will be performing.

Although most concerts are free and open to the public, "passport pins" allow patrons access to all ticketed performances, including the headlining acts. Available for $25, pins can be purchased locally, beginning July 27, at the Virginia Beach Visitor Information Center, Virginia Beach Hotel & Motel Association, the Verizon Wireless Virginia Beach Amphitheater, David's Beach Shop, BeachStreetUSA's resort office or through Ticketmaster (service charge is included). Individual performance tickets are available in advance or at the gate. For Verizon Wireless American Music Festival information, call 757/491-SUNN or visit the Beach Events Web site at www.beacheventsfun.com.

Verizon Wireless American Music Festival Entertainment Lineup

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2005
5th Street Main Stage (7:15 pm - 11 pm)
6 p.m. Gates Open
7:15 p.m. Atlantic Fleet Show Band
9:30 p.m. Hootie & The Blowfish
7th Street Stage (6 pm - 10 pm)
6 p.m. Off the Record
17th Street Park/Beachstreet Starfish Pavilion (7 p.m - 11 p.m.)
7 p.m. Slapwater
10 p.m. Original "P"
24th Street Park/Beachstreet Seaside Palladium (7:30 p.m. - 11 p.m.)
7:30 p.m. Del Castilio
9:30 p.m. Little Feat
31st Street Stage (6 p.m. - 11 p.m.):
6 p.m. John Stone
7:30 p.m. Hot Apple Pie
9:30 p.m. Craig Morgan

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 3
5th Street Main Stage (6 pm - 9 pm)
6 p.m. Keith Anderson
7:30 p.m. LeAnn Rimes
7th Street Stage (6 p.m. - 10 p.m.)
6 p.m. Snackbar Jones
13th Street Stage (7 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.)
7 p.m. Christopher Jay & Co.
17th Street Park/Beachstreet Starfish Pavilion (7:30 p.m. - 11 p.m.)
7:30 p.m. Chemical X
9:30 p.m. Toto
20th Street Stage (5 p.m. - 11 p.m.)
5:00 p.m. Zion Wave
22nd Street Stage (8 p.m. - 11 p.m.)
8 p.m. Salsa Y Mas
24th Street Stage (5:45 p.m. - 11 p.m.)
5:45 p.m. Strictly Bizzness
9:30 p.m. Morris Day & The Tyme
29th Street Stage (7 p.m. - 8:45 p.m.)
7 p.m. Everclear

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 4
5th Street Main Stage (6:30 p.m. - 11 p.m.)
6:30 p.m. Vertical Horizon
7:30 p.m. Rock 'n' Roll Half-Marathon Awards Ceremony
8:30 p.m. Journey   presented by Rock 'n' Roll Half-Marathon
7th Street Stage (6 p.m. - 10 p.m.)
6 p.m. Butter
13th Street Stage (7 p.m. - 9:30p.m.)
7 p.m. Chasing Rhinos
17th Street Park/Beachstreet Starfish Pavilion (5:30 p.m. - 11 p.m.)
5:30 p.m. The Main Event
8:30 p.m. The Band of Oz
20th Street Stage (5:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.)
5 p.m. Lemondish
22nd Street Stage (8 p.m. - 11 p.m.)
8 p.m. Tumbao Salsero
24th Street Park/Beachstreet Seaside Palladium (7:30 p.m. - 11 p.m.)
7:30 p.m. Flying Svengs
9:30 p.m. Quiet Riot
29th Street Stage (7:30 p.m. - 11 p.m.)
7:30 p.m. The Knack
9:30 p.m. The Fixx

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 5
5th Street Main Stage (2 p.m. - 6 p.m.)
2 p.m. Dynamohum
4:30 p.m. Ted Nugent
7th Street Stage (6:00 p.m. - 10 p.m.)
6 p.m. Hot Cakes
Neptune Park at 31st Street (7:30 p.m. - 11 p.m.)
7:30 p.m. Right On

**ALL PERFORMANCES AND ARTISTS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE**

Photo: Shelley Brand (#3650), 26 of Virginia Beach, and Everett Harris (#1242), 32, near the 3 mile mark of the 2004 race. Brand finished in 1:33:24 and Harris recorded a final time of 1:40:01.