For Chesterfield's Larry Comstock, a lot more than pride or a PR
will be at stake when he runs the Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10K
presented by POWERade on April 9. Instead, he'll be running for
$2,500 in the Clear Channel Dash for the Cash.Comstock was chosen at random from over 15,000 people who were
registered for the 10K as of the March 15 contest deadline and
will be given a head start when the race gets underway at 8:30
a.m. To win the cash, he will have to out-run the rest of the
field to the finish line.
Based on his predicted time he listed on his race entry form and
his past performances in the Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10K, he
will be given a 2-mile head start on the course and will attempt
to cross the finish line before any of the elite athletes, who
will be running the full 10K (6.2 miles). The first person to
cross the finish line wins the Dash for the Cash prize.
"When the gun goes off, Larry will take off from the 2-mile mark
near the I-195 overpass on Monument Avenue," said race director
Tracey Russell. "When he makes the turn at the halfway point
and heads down Monument Avenue toward Monroe Park, he'll get to
see the elite athletes on the other side of the road closing in
on him."
"This is such a unique and exciting opportunity for me," said
the 49-year-old Comstock, who is an internet coordinator for
Dominion Resources, Inc. "I've never run a race with so much at
stake. I'm hoping that the crowd of runners and spectators on
Monument Avenue will be pulling for me because I'll need to feed
off their energy to get me across the finish line first."
To help him prepare for the Dash for the Cash, Comstock will get
advice and guidance over the next two weeks from the contest's
honorary coach Bart Yasso, who is race and event promotion
director and contributing writer for Runner's World magazine.
Yasso will also be with Comstock at his designated starting line
on race morning to provide last minute support. Yasso has
extensive running experience, completing over 150 marathons
around the world including the Boston Marathon, NYC Marathon,
Antarctica Marathon, Mount Everest Marathon and the Mount
Kiliminjaro Marathon. He has also completed the Badwater 146
miler through Death Valley.
Race registration closes March 31. Registration for the
Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10k and First Market Mile Kids Run will
close on March 31 at 11:59 p.m. The fee is $35 for the 10k and
$20 for the Kids Run and online registrants save $3
(www.sportsbackers.org). Anyone wishing to mail in their
registration for either event may download an entry form off the
website or pick one up at any Ukrop's Super Market. As of March
23, over 15,700 have registered for the 10K and over 900 for the
Kids Run.