Fairfax is home to a number of races throughout the year. Saturday, the inaugural Fairfax CASA 10K got underway less than a mile from the sprawling George Mason University campus. Sunday morning it was time for the 33rd showing of the Patriot’s Cup Corporate Challenge 8K. The event is open to all but the main feature is the spirited competition among the corporations for bragging rights. With much construction on the campus only about half of Patriot’s Circle was open to runners. There are a handful of certified courses to choose from. The race is really very fast though runners are treated to three trips up the hill in front of the Center for the Arts. Gladly, the opening 150 meters is downhill to the Circle. Once on the circuit runners head generally uphill to the 1500 point of the race. They leave the campus and take a long, increasingly down hill road to bend back to the starting area. Hitting the Circle the second time is a little like whiplash as the hill rises up to meet the runners. The trick is to keep grinding away because from three to 4.5 miles is a return to the pleasure cruise section of the course. The third trip up the hill is the final two minutes of the race where adrenaline kicks in to help you hold place.
Last year top ranked sub master Aaron Church won it all in an easy 25:06. So, perhaps Hugh Toland was a little surprised that an opening 5:10 separated him from the field. He cruised home in 26:32 and after the race hardly seemed to have broken into a sweat. The cool morning was perfectly aligned to a runner’s needs, though the skies began to weep as the awards were being announced.