The Downtown Mile in July 1994 was the first race managed by the Fredericksburg Area Running Club. The original director was Chris Campbell. For the first two years, the evening race started on Pitt Street and ran the entire length of Sophia Street to the City Dock.
The race has been held 27 times in-person from 1994 to 2021, with a virtual race in 2020. It has been held as a Saturday evening race in July or May and a few times as a Sunday morning race. From 2010 to 2012, the race was held as the Wild Mile in Celebrate Virginia South around Halloween.
Over the years, FARC, the Kiwanis, or the Mental Health Association managed the race. Since 2013, the race has been an evening race in July on the current course on George and Hanover Streets.
In 2019, FARC postponed the race to September due to extreme heat and an 82-degree dew point. Race directors liked the cooler night and decided to schedule the race in September permanently.
This year’s weather was 81 degrees with a 58-degree dew point. With a 6 pm start and 7:25 pm sunset, the clear skies were pleasant.
I started my day at 6:30 am when I headed to Charlottesville to watch the UVA versus Illinois football game. The game had an early 11 am start time. So, I felt confident I could get back in time to run the master’s heat or the open heat. I’m still wondering why the student section is continuing the “not gay” cheer during the Good Old Song. I thought the young were the enlightened ones looking for unity. That’s for a separate post.
After dropping my oldest grandson back in Richmond, I made it to the race at 5:45 pm. I was able to run a 10-minute warmup. Not great for such a short race; I would have preferred to run for 30 minutes.
I wore shorts over compression shorts, my new red FARC singlet, and my Saucony Endorphin Speed 2.
My goal for the race was to keep my Grand Prix age group competitors in my sight and out-kick them in the last 100 meters. I didn’t want to pull anything or reaggravate a current muscle strain.
I lined up in the back and went out easy. Keeping a leisurely pace, I passed my GP age group competitors.
I went through the first quarter-mile in 2:05. I didn’t remember the locations of the 1/2 and 3/4 mile splits.
Coming up the hill on Hanover Street toward Princess Edward Street, I increased my effort to pass a runner and drug him to the finish.
Within feet of the finish, I passed one more runner. I’m glad he didn’t want to run any faster as I didn’t want to risk a sprint.
Those two passes increased my GP point gap by four more points.
My finish time was 8:17. So, I ran even quarter splits. This finish was my 18th Downtown Mile and a CPR.
Post-race, I tried to run a 30-minute cooldown. After less than 10 minutes, I started feeling a muscle strain in my right leg and walked back to my car.
We’ve entered the fall racing season. Cooler weather will make our times faster. Next up is the Deuce Braswell 5km Run Against Teen Violence. I’m planning on the same goals for that race.