Last Saturday's fifth annual Governor's Land 5K Run for the Brain was an historic race as, for the first time in the 14 years of Colonial Road Runners road races, a female was the first runner across the finish line. There were a total of 245 finishers in the 5K run/walk.

But this was no ordinary female runner. Aurora Scott (16) of Chesapeake, VA is one of the most talented young runners in the U.S. What she did Saturday on the flat, fast, and certified Governor's Land course was amazing. She went through the first mile in 5:17 with the 2006 CRR men's overall Grand Prix champion Steve Chantry (51) of Williamsburg, VA. Whereas Chantry dropped off his hoped-for Virginia state men's 50-54 age-group-record pace (16:29 by Chuck Moeser of Sterling), Scott maintained her pace. She pulled away from Chantry for an 18-second winning margin, 16:37 to 16:55. Her time won the women's overall title by over three minutes over Pamela Lovett (44) of Newport News, VA (19:45) and Valerie Plyler (47) of Yorktown, VA (19:47).

Scott's 16:37 broke the all-time CRR women's 5K record of 16:42 by former William and Mary standout Sonja Friend-Uhl (32) of West Palm Beach, FL, a two-time Olympic Trials participant, who had run a 16:42 at the 2003 William and Mary Homecoming Run 5K. Scott's time also broke her own all-time CRR mark for the women's 15-19 age group, the previous best her winning 17:16 at this year's W&M Homecoming Run. It also broke the Governor's Land course record of 17:33 by Lori Robertson (33) of Fort Lee, VA in 1994, and the Governor's Land 15-19 age group record of 17:53 in 2002 by another former W&M runner, Nadia Baadj (19) of Williamsburg.

Finally, Scott came within just one second of the Virginia state record for women 15-19, a record held by a Kenyan runner based out of Chapel Hill, NC. Lyneth Chepkurui (17) ran a 16:36 at a 5K race Thanksgiving Day 2005. Virginia state records are currently all-comers records, not just for Virginia or U.S. residents, and with many international-caliber races in Virginia like the Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon, Shamrock Sportsfest races, and Richmond Sportsbackers races, many "Virginia state records" are held by international runners.

Besides Governor's Land and W&M in 2006, Scott had run two previous CRR races, an 18:35 at age 12 at the 2002 5K Run for Mental Health, and an all-time CRR women's 14 & under record 18:11 at the 2003 Queens Lake 5K. No other 14 & under female has run under 20 minutes in a CRR race.

Two female runners had previously placed second overall (to men) in CRR races, but Scott is the first to win a race outright. Kathy Newberry, herself an Olympic Trials participant (2004 in both the 5,000 and 10,000 meters) was second in 17:11 last August at the Estuary Days 5K at York River State Park. Newberry (27) of Williamsburg is the current W&M women's cross country and track coach. The other was Alison Holinka (22) of Williamsburg, who was second at the 2001 New Quarter Park 6K. Holinka, now of Elkin, NC, qualified for the 2008 Olympic Trials Marathon November 12 at the Outer Banks Marathon with a North Carolina state record 2:44:13, winning the race.

Although Scott just missed, there was one Virginia state record set at Governor's Land, as Joan Coven (65) of Williamsburg demolished the previous women's 65-69 age mark of 25:11 by almost two minutes with her 23:18. Coven broke her own CRR all- time women's 65-69 age group record of 23:49, set at the October 14 Heritage Humane Society 5K Run at Ford's Colony. The Virginia state record was slower than the all-time CRR age- group mark, as state records must be set on a certified course (according to USA Track & Field measurement standards). While all CRR race courses are measured to the exact distance, just three courses have been certified (Queens Lake 5K, Vineyards 5K and Governor's Land 5K) to USATF standards.

The previous Virginia state record for women 65-69 was by Tami Graf (65) of Lusby, MD, whose daughter Robin Moon of Yorktown is a top masters runner on the Peninsula, and both occasionally run CRR or Peninsula Track Club races.

There were a total of six Governor's Land age group marks set Saturday. Besides Scott and Coven, race records were broken by Rick Platt (men 55-59, 18:14), Andrew Polansky (men 75-79, 27:41), Heidi Peterson (women 14 & under, 20:29) and Nancy Patron (women 70 & over, 29:05).

Besides Scott, four other runners were close to Virginia state records--Chantry's 16:55 for men 50-54 (the record is 16:29), Platt's 18:14 for men 55-59 (the record is 17:45), Barbara Mathewson's 21:24 for women 55-59 (the record is 20:49) and Nancy Patron's 29:05 (the record, by Tami Graf in August 2006, is 28:31). Mathewson came within just five seconds of her own CRR all-time women's 55-59 mark (21:19 at the 2005 Governor's Land race).

After Chantry, second and third overall for the men were Rob Hinkle (42) of Yorktown (17:13) and Anthony Mann (15) of Hampton (17:53). Mann is a freshman at Bethel High School, and recently helped lead the Bruins to a second-place team finish in the Peninsula District cross country championships at Newport News Park, and was all-district at 15th place. He is the son of Michael Mann, a three-time CRR Grand Prix men's champion, who has been fighting lung cancer since June, 2005, but was able to run enough races in the first half of 2006 (before a second round of chemotherapy, along with radiation, this summer) to place second overall in the 2006 CRR Grand Prix. Chantry won that title with 87 points, and at age 51, is the oldest ever to win the overall crown. Michael Mann had 47 points, and Steve Menzies of Langley AFB had 42. For the women, Jennifer Quarles, despite skipping the final two races, won by one point, 95-94, over Valerie Plyler, with Laura Shannon third (78 points). Governor's Land is the final CRR race for 2006.

Full Race Day Results