Leonardtown, MD – The 22nd annual Run/Walk for Hospice of St. Mary’s was blessed with beautiful weather, although the air was a bit chilly at the start. The 10 kilometer (K), 5 K race through Leonardtown Saturday, April 8 drew another huge crowd—all seeking to aid the local Hospice, some seeking athletic glory and even more hankering for some St. Mary’s-style food at the finish line.
For the third year in a row, Parker McDowell finished first in the 10K race. The Leonardtown teen only gets faster. In 2015 his winning time was 37 minutes and 10 seconds. In 2016 McDowell completed the race in 36 minutes and 11 seconds. On Saturday, McDowell, now 16, completed the course in 35 minutes and 15 seconds, almost three minutes ahead of second-place finisher Phil Longo of Falls Church, VA. Tom Burke of California logged a time of 41 minutes and 47 seconds. The top female finisher in the 10 K was Jen Longo of Falls Church, fourth overall with a time of 42 minutes flat.
In the 5K segment David Strickland of Lexington Park topped the field with a time of 17 minutes and 55 seconds. The second-place finisher was Raffaele Simpson of Upper Marlboro, who logged a time of 19 minutes and one second. Approximately one-and-a-half steps behind was the top female finisher, Parker O’Brien of Leonardtown, with a time of 19 minutes and three seconds.
In the Defenders’ Cup competition—a total of 10 teams competed in the 5K race. The SMAC Vets placed first with an average time of 20 minutes and 35 seconds. Finishing second was Smartronix 5K with an average time of 21 minutes and six seconds. The third-place team was Heron Systems Inc. with an average time of 21 minutes and 40 seconds. The fourth through tenth-place teams, respectively, were: Booz Allen 5k, Spaulding 5K, Amerwas 5K, Royal & Tiara Troopers Running Club, WM Davis, MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital and Chase Our Aces.
The proceeds from this year’s event will add more dollars to the $700,000-plus that the previous 21 races raised for Hospice of St. Mary’s County. According to event organizers, the run and fun walk began in 1996 and 100 percent of net proceeds benefit Hospice of St. Mary’s in providing comfort, care and support of the terminally ill.
The popular post-event brunch again featured barbecue, Southern Maryland stuffed ham, gourmet hot dogs, pasta salads and soups, as well as the traditional race fare of bananas, oranges, bagels, water and power drinks.
The 23rd annual race is already in the planning stages.
For more information about Hospice of St. Mary’s County, visit the organization’s web site.
For complete race results, click here
Contact Marty Madden at marty.madden@thebaynet.com
