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Runners, walkers bundle up for events
The 2009 Jingle Bell 5K Run/Walk was held on Saturday, Dec. 5, in Huntington.
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HUNTINGTON -- In downtown Huntington, runners wearing Santa hats or dressed as Christmas presents or a Christmas tree could be seen running through the wet city streets. Others were simply bundled in their toboggans, scarves and gloves.
And over at Ritter Park, Santa led a crowd of bundled-up walkers around a snow-covered winter wonderland.
It was a perfect winter day for two "Jingle" events in Huntington -- the 2009 Jingle Bell 5K Run/Walk downtown and the City Mission's Second Annual Jingle Walk at the park.
More than 300 runners braved Saturday morning's snow for the 2009 Jingle Bell 5K Run/Walk, sponsored by the West Virginia 5K Championship Race Committee, Marshall University Chapter of the American Medical Student Association and United Way of the River Cities.
Saturday's festivities kicked off with the "Let's Get Moving" one-mile kid's race down 3rd Avenue, followed by the 5K.
The Jingle Bell Run was the first of three events in the first Huntington Winter Series presented by The Herald-Dispatch. The three-race series features a 5K, 5 Miler and 10K run. Each race is designed to be a progression to the 10K that will be conducted Feb. 28, 2010.
The races are a month apart, and the series "is designed to encourage people to double their mileage by the time spring comes," said race director Pat Riley.
Riley said he was a little concerned about the weather keeping people away Saturday morning, but that obviously wasn't the case, as more than 300 turned out to run in the snow and 30-something temperatures.
"It shows the motivation of the people in this area, after being called the fattest region in America," said Riley, also a business education teacher at Cabell Midland High School. He was referring to a 2008 Associated Press story that designated the Huntington-Ashland metropolitan area as the unhealthiest in America based on statistics from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.
Saturday's good turnout was "another example of the running boom in this area," he said.
There may be some new runners, but others who came out to the race Saturday have been doing it for years, like 63-year-old Larry Neff of South Webster, Ohio, who has been running for 33 years, and Theresa King of the Ironton area, who has been running 10 years. King enjoys both running and being able to eat a little more because of the exercise, she said.
And the snow wasn't bad at all, she said. "It's better than it being too hot -- a whole lot better," she said.
Diann Clark was dressed from head to foot in Christmas attire and said she showed up because she loves the event, loves running and wanted to support the medical students.
"It's snowing, and it's beautiful," she said just before the race Saturday.
Judy Walker, a volunteer for the Huntington City Mission, seconded that.
"The snow is a wonderful surprise. It makes it so festive," she said, before walkers set off for the Mission's Second Annual Jingle Bell Walk at Ritter Park. "And Santa looks better in the snow, doesn't he?"
About 100 people walked after raising money for the Mission. Girl Scout Troop 2179 raised $570, the VA Medical Center raised $431, and Beulah Ann Missionary Baptist Church in Ona raised $731.
"We did it all in one week," said member Mitzi Beckett. The project was taken on by the church's GOALS group, which stands for Giving Our All for the Lord's Service, she said.
"We have a home to go to when this is over," Beckett said. "We're going to warm home and warm dinner. These people need all the help they can get."
The contributions hadn't been added up Saturday morning, but last year's event raised $5,000, said Lynn Clagg, coordinator of community relations for the Mission.
"It's a great way to start the holiday season -- doing something for somebody else ," she said. "We just have a good time. It snowed for us last year, too. If you want to have a nice snow, ask us to have a Jingle Bell Walk."
