PHOTOPHILE- Boom and bloom: Hundreds do 'good job' in marathon

Sweetbriar rocked the runners and spectators in front of the Ice Park following the race.
PHOTO BY CLAY CARICOFE

More than 500 runners turned out for the sixth annual Charlottesville Marathon and Half Marathon on Saturday, April 19, and the weather didn't disappoint– blue skies, temps in the 70s, spring finally in full, glorious bloom.

For downtown dweller Richard Berman, though, there was too much boom. Two days after the race, he stood before City Council to complain that the event disturbed his slumber– and kept disturbing him as runners crossed the finish line.

"They went on for seven hours screaming, 'Good job,'" Berman told Council.

Nonetheless, the 26.2-mile race has been named one of the Top 10 new marathons in the country by Runner's World magazine and one of the most scenic by Running Times.

It starts at the west end of the Downtown Mall by the sponsoring store Charlottesville Running Company, then takes runners past UVA and out into the rolling hills west of town before looping back and finishing at the Mall with a celebration featuring music and refreshments. Good job, indeed.

Race organizer, ultra-marathoner, and co-owner of the Charlottesville Running Company Francesca Conte addresses the crowd.

106.1 The Corner program director Brad Savage manned a booth and handed out goodies.

Runners recovered from their ordeal under sunny skies on the west end of the Downtown Mall following the race.

Twenty-five-year-old local runner Aaron Paul took first place in the marathon with a time of 2:36:39.

Missourian Kim Hart and Lachelle Kozma of Forest cross the finish line for the half-marathon.

Runners rested weary legs and enjoyed refreshments.

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