Fredericksburg welcomed the fifth Marine Corps Historic Half on Sunday morning, and the 13.1-mile event is growing in popularity.
Race officials said 5,973 runners finished the event, the most ever. That’s up from the 5,697 finishers in 2011 and the 3,826 finishers in the inaugural half in 2008.
Among the finishers on Sunday was 54-year-old Roger Hall of King George County.
Last May, Hall was in a hospital after suffering a heart attack. He set a goal of completing the next Historic Half.
He said he began training in March, but two days in he tore a tendon in his knee. That brought his training to a halt.
So instead of running in the Half on Sunday, he walked the majority of it because he still wanted to participate.
“I’m very thankful that I was able to be here and do this,” he said after the race.
Hall completed the Half in 3 hours and 20 minutes.
His wife and daughter and her friend cheered him on. He said he had a blast, and there was no way he was going to quit during the race.
“I was determined. I made that a goal when I was in the hospital,” Hall said.
Next year, he hopes to be able to run in it.
TRACKING GOAL ONLINE
This year’s Historic Half was the first such event for Marc Broklawski, 33, of Stafford County.
He said he started running in January to lose weight and become healthier. He trains six days a week and signed up for the Half “to give myself and my training a purpose.”
Broklawski used Facebook to track his progress. He said he had friends who wanted to see how he was doing.
“It was pretty easy,” he said. “I got a lot of comments from family in New York rooting for me.”
His wife and two sons attended the race. “It was great to see them out there,” he said. “They were standing near hhgregg and I got to see them near the end.”
Broklawski said his goal was simply to finish, and he was happy to get in before the two-hour mark, at 1 hour and 53 minutes. “I just didn’t want any of the ‘Biggest Loser’ contestants to finish before me,” he said.
HOSPITAL H[E]LL
Lauren Doamepeor, 29, and Sidney Anotawi, 32, of Maryland ran the Half together.
It was the first time either had completed the Half, but Anotawi had previously run two half marathons and one full marathon. Doamepeor had previously competed in short-distance track events.
The two trained together and used an application from Runners World to keep them going.
“It’s the only way I would have gotten it done,” Doamepeor said.
Since they do not live in the Fredericksburg area, Anotawi said, they were not prepared for Hospital Hill.
“Hospital Hill was hell,” he said. “If you get past that you’re almost done. I took a deep breath, put my head down and did it.”
A ‘LOVLEY’ FINISH
However, Spotsylvania County resident Rebecca Lovley, 41, wasn’t so sure that Hospital Hill was the hardest part of the Half.
“The Cowan hill was worse,” she said. “It was right after Hospital Hill.”
Lovley finished this, her fourth half marathon, after the three-hour mark.
“My goal was to do better, finish faster” she said. “That didn’t happen this time, but that’s okay.”
FAMILY AFFAIRS
Michelle Turner, 46, Roxanne Mercer, 47, and Al Mercer, 58, of Richmond ran the Half together and called crossing the finish line “exhilarating.”
This was their third half marathon but their first time at this particular one, and it was, said Turner, “better than we thought. We heard horror stories about Hospital Hill. But we were running, not doing heart surgery, so I think it’ll be fine.”
Turner said they were running for their brother Titus Turner, a Marine who lives in Missouri.
Maj. Robert Emminger of Spotsylvania, his sister, Theresa Endres of Fredericksburg, and his brother, Charlie Emminger of Cincinnati, Ohio, ran the race together.
Emminger has served in the Marines for 25 years.
“The people were awesome” he said, referring to the thousands of spectators who stood along the route cheering the runners on.
He said the trio stuck together the whole way and supported each other throughout the race.
Greg Imhof, 39, and his 13-year-old daughter, Annie, came from Great Hills, Md.
Greg is a more experienced runner, but it was the first time Annie had participated in a half marathon.
“I wanted to say I ran a half,” she said after completing the race.
The two stayed together the whole race and finished around the two-hour mark, which was their goal.
Annie said the first six miles were easy, and the last couple were harder to get through.
Greg said the support of the spectators was fantastic and the course was great.
He said he used to live in Fredericksburg, and it was nice to come back and run through downtown.
A GREAT ENDING TO AN EVEN BETTER MONTH
Brian Downing, 29, of Fredericksburg finished the Half with his sister Katie, 24, of Ashburn during what he called “a good month for getting things done.”
On May 12, Downing graduated from the University of Mary Washington.
“Me getting my college degree meant a lot,” Downing said. “I started it 12 years ago, then spent four years and eight months in the Army before returning to finish it.”
Downing was stationed in Iraq during 2003 and 2005.
“The Historic Half is a big deal,” Downing said. “It’s the longest I’ve ever run, and it felt really good when I finished.”
Downing said the city made an impression on him during the Half.
“I like Fredericksburg more after the race,” he said. “I saw a lot of people I know. It was great to see the community come out and support the race.”

JUST FOR FUN
Tammy Schneider, 47, of Mason Neck completed the Half in just under two hours.
She said she came to the event because she likes running in half marathons and supporting Marine Corps events.
She said she met her goal time and enjoyed the race.
“You just go out and run and train and have fun,” she said about participating in the Half.

PRESSURED INTO RUNNING
Nicholas Rodman, 25, of Washington said he didn’t plan to run in the Historic Half, but his running buddies pressured him into it.
He’s part of the Capitol Hill Running Club, and the group is training to run in the Marine Corps Marathon later this year.
He’s been training twice a week, and he said that the Half provided good preparation for the full marathon.
“Hospital Hill was the hardest part, definitely,” he said.
He said it was his first time in Fredericksburg, and it was beautiful—especially along the river—but Hospital Hill was not.
“I was happy there was a hospital nearby,” he said.

RUNNING FOR A FRIEND
Logan O’Baker, 20, of Spotsylvania and about 100 others ran for someone who could not: their friend and well-known former Mountain View High lacrosse player Heather Hartman.
Hartman was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma earlier this year.
The two were good friends in high school, and O’Baker, who had already planned to run in the Historic Half, decided to run it for Heather after she was diagnosed.
The disease is a rare form of cancer, and O’Baker said he wanted to raise money for research and finding a cure to help out his friend.
“It was something I wanted to do for her to show we all supported her and to raise awareness for Hodgkin’s,” he said.
O’Baker sold purple T–shirts and jersey-style running shirts with “Hartman” at the top and the number “1” (Hartman’s lacrosse number) on the back.
The front said “Run for a Cure.”
He’s still finalizing his total, but he thinks he raised about $1,600 for the cause.
LAST, BUT NOT LEAST
Willie Dunn Jr., 50, of Silver Spring, Md., was the last to finish during the official four hours of the Half.
“I got a late start around 7:30,” he said.
This year was Dunn’s second Historic Half. Dunn, who is retired from the Navy, said he runs every morning to train.
Dunn said that one of his fellow runners gave him inspiration during the race because she refused to quit. “She was the last of the last and gave me inspiration because I was really going to give up at one point,” he said.
Robyn Sidersky 540/374-5413
rsidersky@freelancestar.com

A three-letter acronym that has caused much consternation in Stafford County may be removed from the Comprehensive Plan.

UDAs, or Urban Development Areas, were state-mandated for counties with high growth projections, including Stafford.

The idea was that the high-density, mixed-use developments would help reduce suburban sprawl.
But this year, the General Assembly went back on its 2010 decision. As of July 1, UDAs will be optional.

Stafford Supervisor Paul Milde, originally a strong supporter of the “live, work, play” areas, said that redoing the Comprehensive Plan now would be a “nightmare.”

“It was a very bold move from the General Assembly, and I thought their retraction of it was less bold,” Milde said.

On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors discussed how to proceed with the development plans, which call for seven areas in Stafford to offer a mix of residential areas, retail, restaurants, offices and other businesses.

In February, the board had created an Urban Development zoning district, but asked the county Planning Commission to review possible maximum densities.

Now the commissioners need direction on whether the county intends to keep the designation.

“If we call it ‘UDA,’ we have to do the whole kit and caboodle that comes with UDA,” Supervisor Bob Thomas said. “If we could somehow keep some features of our Comprehensive Plan that were good things out of that, and maybe look at it from that perspective, I think that would be a worthwhile exercise.”

For the past year, the county has worked with Rhodeside & Harwell, a consultant hired by the Virginia Department of Transportation, to develop the Courthouse UDA as a pilot program.

Since density guidelines are not concrete requirements anymore, Planning Director Jeff Harvey said plans can be broader and “more realistic.”

No rezonings have been done for the UDAs, which had a 10-year time frame attached.

Harvey said that while the state’s growth projections should still be used, a longer timeline could be set.

“I think you can put in all your planning concepts and things like that and structure it without using the name ‘UDA,’” County Attorney Charles Shumate said. “I don’t think we’re stuck with having to use ‘UDAs’ anymore.”

Supervisors will send a formal referral to the Planning Commission on June 5.

Katie Thisdell: 540/735-1975
kthisdell@freelancestar.com

Geoffrey Aylor of Pullen Court in Culpeper died at the University of Virginia hospital in Charlottesville.

The accident was at the intersection of Ira Hoffman Lane and Burgandine Avenue. Police said a 2012 Toyota Camry turned left in front of Aylor, who was on a 2004 Yamaha motorcycle. Aylor struck the side of the car.

The Culpeper County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene.

—Robyn Sidersky

A recent survey of teen drivers showed they’re not much different from many experienced adult drivers and that today’s teenagers still suffer through the same age-old hurdles.

The survey’s key findings show that peer pressure and poor adult examples contribute to poor teen decisions.

According to the survey, commissioned by AT&T, 77 percent of the teens who took part said adults tell them not to text and drive, but the adults themselves do it “all the time.”

What the teens said specifically about their parents is a bit difficult to figure out (a real shocker, yes) because the figures don’t quite jibe. Forty-one percent of them said they’ve seen their parents send or read texts or emails while driving, but 89 percent said their parents are good role models when it comes to texting and driving.

Maybe some of those teens think it’s a good idea to text and drive. Or maybe they were just impressed at how adept their parents are at texting and driving.

That weird thinking is in line with this survey and others where respondents say texting and driving is a bad idea but admit that they do it anyway.

As with peer pressure, the expectations teens have are absurd (another shocker, yes).
Just about all teens, 89 percent, expect a response to an email or text within five minutes.
That is ludicrous, but something worth paying attention to because more and more teens are using smartphones and texting as their primary form of communication, according to a study by the Pew Research Center’s Internet and American Life Project.

And if they expect immediate answers, it means teen drivers won’t wait to get where they’re going to text a response.

And they text a lot.

On average, the study found, teens send 60 texts a day. That figure jumps to 100 daily texts for older teens (14–17).

There are some ways to keep teens, and adults, from texting and driving.

One option is an app that prevents texting while driving, something AT&T offers.

This is something 89 percent of the teens in the survey said would be effective. There was no question asking whether they would actually want to use that app.

The app is something that plenty of adults could use, too. If we can’t stop ourselves from texting or emailing while driving, maybe we can turn the tables and use technology to save us from ourselves.

On that note, could AT&T look at creating apps that stop drivers from running red lights, cutting people off or tailgating?

If so, sign me up.

Dear Scott: Heading south on Salem Church Road, there is Salem Elementary School. In the vicinity of Arby’s on the right side of the road is the 25-mph school-zone sign.
When this sign is flashing, drivers exiting General Semmes Road from both sides of Salem Church Road and turning south are already beyond the flashing sign, and many of them tailgate those who are still doing 25 until the End School Zone sign.

My suggestion to the school system would be to move the speed-limit sign to the south side of the intersection.

—Gene Barlow, Spotsylvania

The Virginia Department of Transportation will install an additional sign on Salem Church Road.
This one will be 200 feet south of General Semmes Road following the turn, so drivers will know they are nearing a school zone, VDOT’s Kelly Hannon said.

The current sign with flashing lights will stay where it is, she said, because school zones are determined based on “a specific number of feet surrounding school property.”

Scott Shenk: 540/374-5436
sshenk@freelancestar.com

Shortly after two doves peacefully spiraled toward the heavens from a stage at Spotsylvania High School, the silence was shattered by hundreds of motorcycles thundering to life Sunday for the sixth annual Some Gave All memorial motorcycle ride.

It started as a small gathering in honor of Marine Sgt. Joshua Frazier of Spotsylvania County and Army National Guard Sgt. Nicholas Mason of King George County, both killed in combat in Iraq.

It has now expanded to honor all service members, past and present, and to support area wounded veterans and their families.

As the riders made their way from Spotsylvania to King George High School, dozens of area residents lined the roadways, waving flags, taking pictures and offering encouragement.
On Sunday, the nonprofit foundation gave $5,000 for an outdoor gathering area at the new veteran’s clinic in Fredericksburg.

It also continued its support of the Veterans Wheelchair Games, giving $15,000 to become a bronze sponsor of the 32nd annual event, which will be held in Richmond this year, June 25–30. The first year, the Games had seven events and 74 participants, according to Jimmy May, who accepted the contribution. This year, 647 veterans already are registered.

SGA works with the McGuire VA Hospital in Richmond each year to bring patients to King George for the afternoon’s events.

As bikers rumbled into the parking lot, patient Raymond Kenney, 52, of Richmond, offered claps, waves and a thumbs up. A Marine from 1978 to 1982, Kenney was experiencing his first Some Gave All rally.

“This is a blast right here,” he said. “They got bikes for days!”

The Frazier and Mason families are both quick to honor the community for its support not just of SGA and the annual ride, but also its commitment to service members and their families.

“Six years ago, a couple of you got together and said, ‘We’re going to ride for the boys.’ And look what you’ve created,” said Jana Frazier, Joshua Frazier’s stepmother. “You created a foundation that is giving back to our wounded veterans. You vowed that we will stand next to our wounded. We will remember our fallen. And they will never be forgotten.”

Laura L. Hutchison:
lhutchison@freelancestar.com

It seemed fitting that Alan Jackson performed “Small-Town Southern Man” at Sunday night’s Music for Mineral Live concert.

You can break the back
But you can’t break the spirit
Of a small-town Southern man.

Of course, that should be “man, woman or child” in Mineral’s case.
The show drew a crowd of 6,000 and raised $152,500 for Louisa County High School, which was seriously damaged in last August’s earthquake. The money will go toward replacing the school’s auditorium, event organizers said. Half the tickets were given to Mineral residents free.

The concert was held 10 miles from the epicenter of a quake that shook much of the East Coast, but did the most serious damage in this small town. At first there was much media attention, but little in the way of help.
When FEMA initially passed on providing aid, the people of Louisa County began to take it upon themselves to raise millions to repair schools, churches and homes with events such as bake sales and hair cut-a-thons.
After some prodding, FEMA stepped up to help.
But Mineral got an even bigger boost when country music fans across the nation voted for the town in a contest to determine the locality that would win a free concert by Jackson.
“After the earthquake, when y’all suffered all this damage and heartache up here, a lot of people started to vote for this city that weren’t from here,” Jackson told the crowd during last night’s show. “And that’s how we ended up here, which I think was very sweet. It just shows you what kind of people we are in America. We take care of each other when we need to. We’re glad we got to come to Mineral.”
Cpl. Chuck Love of the Louisa Sheriff’s Office, who was working the event, took that idea further: “It shows what our nation thinks of small towns. It felt like the whole country came together behind us.”
Louisa Sheriff A.D. Fortune, who is still awaiting repairs for earthquake damage to his own home, called the event “really overwhelming.”
Smithfield Packing Co., lead sponsor for the event, and the United Food and Commercial Workers union donated 30,000 pounds of meat to FeedMore, the umbrella organization for the Central Virginia Food Bank.
Dennis R. Pittman, director of corporate communication and public affairs for Smithfield, said it was necessary because the quake depleted food banks across the region.
“When Smithfield got the call that this event needed a lead sponsor, it was an easy answer for us,” Pittman said Sunday night. “This is our home—Smithfield, Va. We gotta help our people here in our home state. We did it after Hurricane Katrina, It’s a chance to do something here at home.”
Teresa Jones–Smith, a Jackson fan from Spotsylvania County, said during the show that she wasn’t surprised he would be involved in a philanthropic effort like this.
“He’s not just a great musician, he’s a great human being,” she said. “It’s wonderful that someone with the means and the talent to do this took the time to help make it happen.”
As Mineral Mayor Pam Harlowe told the Lake Anna Breeze, “Alan Jackson coming to our little town for a concert has taken our minds off of ‘poor us’ and given everyone something to look forward to.”
Michael Zitz: 540/846-5163
mikez@freelancestar.com

Bert Jacoby wins the Marine Corps Historic Half Marathon with a time of 1:11:33 in Central Park on Sunday, May 20, 2012. / Peter Cihelka

More than 8,000 runners participated in this year’s event. Jacoby ran the 13.1-mile course for charity in 2011, but this time around, he was focused on coming out on top. He finished the race in 1 hour, 11 minutes.
Last spring, he started in last place and raised money for the Fredericksburg Area Food Bank with every runner he passed. With the help of contributions from other runners, including comedian Drew Carey, Jacoby raised more than $15,000.
Chapman is a 28 year-old medical student from Norfolk. She ran in honor of her mother, Sally Garen, who died of brain cancer on Nov. 30, 2010. Chapman, who finished the race in 1 hour, 22 minutes, began running competitively after her mother’s death.
“She’s with me,” Chapman said. “I couldn’t do this all on my own.”

Watch Jacoby and Chapman interviews below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8TzMu84Fnk&feature=youtube_gdata_player

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMsZ_X8NDU0&feature=youtube_gdata_player