Sports Backers and Richmond Road Runners Club to partner on race

Sports Backers has announced the Patrick Henry Half Marathon, the area's newest running event, is set to be run in Hanover County and the town of Ashland, VA on August 25, 2007.

Organized in partnership with the Richmond Road Runners Club, the Patrick Henry Half Marathon is named after Hanover County's famous Colonial-era patriot, Patrick Henry, who proclaimed the Revolutionary War's rallying cry, "Give me liberty or give me death." The 13.1-mile race starts and finishes in Poor Farm Park in Hanover, traversing both rolling countryside and Ashland's scenic railroad district.

"Hanover County is thrilled to highlight our historic legacy by hosting the Patrick Henry Half Marathon," said Hanover County Administrator Cecil "Rhu" Harris. "With the support of the Sports Backers and the Richmond Road Runners Club, we expect this event will add to the economic vitality of our county, while also promoting the health of our residents."

The race, which replaces the Procrastinators and Battlefield Half Marathons that were traditionally held on Labor Day Weekend, will be a Champion Chip-timed event and managed by the Richmond Road Runners Club.

"We're excited to provide this great new half marathon opportunity," said Richmond Road Runners Club president Ed Carmines. "The local running community is growing so quickly and the demand is so high, that we expect more than 1,000 participants in the inaugural race."

"The Patrick Henry Half Marathon is a great event for us to be a partner," said Sports Backers executive director Jon Lugbill. "It allows us to help bring a significant sporting event to Ashland and Hanover County and to encourage and promote fitness in our community."

Sports Backers, named best sports commission in the country by the National Association of Sports Commissions (NASC), is a 501(c)(3) charitable non-profit organization founded in October 1991 to build a more vibrant community through sports. The mission of the organization is to "maximize the community benefits of sports tourism." This mission is accomplished by focusing on three main strategic objectives:

Creating, attracting and improving significant sporting events;
Serving as a catalyst in the development and utilization of sports facilities,
Aiding area youth through sports outreach programs.

These activities and programs strengthen the economy, provide health benefits to participants and make the region a more desirable place to live.

The Richmond Road Runners Club is a non-profit organization whose goal is to foster fitness and a healthy lifestyle through running in the metro Richmond, VA area. The club is affiliated with the Road Runners Club of America.

For online registration and more information about the Patrick Henry Half Marathon visit the Richmond Road Runners Club web site.