Greenville Race Draws Runners, Onlookers and Supporters of Special Olympics
http://www.pcwomensjournal.com/articles/7027/1/Greenville-Race-Draws-Runners-Onlookers-and-Supporters-of-Special-Olympics/Page1.html
Shay Quigley
By Shay Quigley
Published on 11/29/2011
Anxious family members and supporters stood silently beside the finish line, their exhales turning to mist in the frosty morning air. They craned their necks and shielded their eyes from the sparkling pavement in an attempt to see the runners in the distance. Some even set up chairs along the Greenville road, knowing their racer would be awhile yet. There was palpable tension as the red numbers on the large digital clock marked that 20 minutes had elapsed and still no runners had appeared.
The seconds ticked by as though through molasses, until finally a small cluster of runners appeared. They visibly picked up their pace, eyes on the race’s end, and sprinted the last few yards as even more runners began to appear behind them. A subtle beep sounded as each runner in the Emerald City Half Marathon and 5K crossed the finish line in the early morning hours on Sunday, Oct. 16.
Leah Long, 26, one of the first runners to finish the 5K portion of the race, paced along the sidewalk to cool down, her blonde ponytail bobbing against her sky blue tank top. After catching her breath and gulping down a bottle of water, Long explained that she had traveled about an hour to participate in the event.
“There isn’t anything like this in Scotland Neck,” she related, gesturing toward the general direction of her hometown with her hands, “so I searched on the internet for a good race.”
The location of the race hadn’t been the lure for Long, although she appreciated the hills in Greenville that her native area lacked.
“I always like to run races that go toward a cause that I’m familiar with and feel good supporting,” Long said. In this case, that cause was Special Olympics of North Carolina.
The Emerald City (a creative take on the city name of “Greenville”) race, which benefited the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics of North Carolina, began at 7:30 a.m. A chill in the air reminded the area that fall had also begun. Fortunately, the cool temperature didn’t deter over 150 runners from the half marathon and 5K. Their sneakers relentlessly pounded along Greenville’s pavement that morning in pursuit of the finish line and supporting a good cause.
In previous years, the race was called “Run for the Booty” and had no specific charitable organization associated with it. Instead, the race’s founder would divide the profit among multiple institutions.
Special Olympics’ Torch Runs take place in counties across the state in an effort to bring together law enforcement bureaus and corrections departments to raise money and awareness for Special Olympics of North Carolina.
“I approached [the race’s creator] with the idea of making Special Olympics of North Carolina the designated charity for the race,” said Capt. Robert Williams of the Greenville Police Department. The creator readily agreed and the name of the race changed along with its purpose.
In addition to Greenville’s race, the Torch Run has other fundraising efforts that include collecting corporate sponsorships, T-shirt and hat sales, and other unique events throughout the year.
“Pitt County is very active with the Special Olympics,” Williams said. “We have our own Special Olympics chapter that the area is very involved in, and there are lots of events throughout the year. The next benefit is in February at the Bellamy. After that, we’re organizing a Polar Plunge that I encourage everyone to come out to.”
A wintertime Polar Plunge may seem far into the future, but those who waited by the finish line the morning of the race were already feeling polar air creep down their coat collars.
The runners, however, crossed the line red-faced, shirts drenched in sweat, and smiles on their faces. And who wouldn’t smile if he or she knew that by running they had helped to positively impact children’s lives?
Student journalist Shay Quigley profiles the new direction taken for this year's Emerald City Half Marathon and 5K
Anxious family members and supporters stood silently beside the finish line, their exhales turning to mist in the frosty morning air. They craned their necks and shielded their eyes from the sparkling pavement in an attempt to see the runners in the distance. Some even set up chairs along the Greenville road, knowing their racer would be awhile yet. There was palpable tension as the red numbers on the large digital clock marked that 20 minutes had elapsed and still no runners had appeared.
The seconds ticked by as though through molasses, until finally a small cluster of runners appeared. They visibly picked up their pace, eyes on the race’s end, and sprinted the last few yards as even more runners began to appear behind them. A subtle beep sounded as each runner in the Emerald City Half Marathon and 5K crossed the finish line in the early morning hours on Sunday, Oct. 16.
Leah Long, 26, one of the first runners to finish the 5K portion of the race, paced along the sidewalk to cool down, her blonde ponytail bobbing against her sky blue tank top. After catching her breath and gulping down a bottle of water, Long explained that she had traveled about an hour to participate in the event.
“There isn’t anything like this in Scotland Neck,” she related, gesturing toward the general direction of her hometown with her hands, “so I searched on the internet for a good race.”
The location of the race hadn’t been the lure for Long, although she appreciated the hills in Greenville that her native area lacked.
“I always like to run races that go toward a cause that I’m familiar with and feel good supporting,” Long said. In this case, that cause was Special Olympics of North Carolina.
The Emerald City (a creative take on the city name of “Greenville”) race, which benefited the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics of North Carolina, began at 7:30 a.m. A chill in the air reminded the area that fall had also begun. Fortunately, the cool temperature didn’t deter over 150 runners from the half marathon and 5K. Their sneakers relentlessly pounded along Greenville’s pavement that morning in pursuit of the finish line and supporting a good cause.
In previous years, the race was called “Run for the Booty” and had no specific charitable organization associated with it. Instead, the race’s founder would divide the profit among multiple institutions.
Special Olympics’ Torch Runs take place in counties across the state in an effort to bring together law enforcement bureaus and corrections departments to raise money and awareness for Special Olympics of North Carolina.
“I approached [the race’s creator] with the idea of making Special Olympics of North Carolina the designated charity for the race,” said Capt. Robert Williams of the Greenville Police Department. The creator readily agreed and the name of the race changed along with its purpose.
In addition to Greenville’s race, the Torch Run has other fundraising efforts that include collecting corporate sponsorships, T-shirt and hat sales, and other unique events throughout the year.
“Pitt County is very active with the Special Olympics,” Williams said. “We have our own Special Olympics chapter that the area is very involved in, and there are lots of events throughout the year. The next benefit is in February at the Bellamy. After that, we’re organizing a Polar Plunge that I encourage everyone to come out to.”
A wintertime Polar Plunge may seem far into the future, but those who waited by the finish line the morning of the race were already feeling polar air creep down their coat collars.
The runners, however, crossed the line red-faced, shirts drenched in sweat, and smiles on their faces. And who wouldn’t smile if he or she knew that by running they had helped to positively impact children’s lives?