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Charleston Distance Run facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

The Charleston Distance Run is an exciting road running event that happens every year in Charleston, West Virginia. This race is about 15 miles (24 km) long, which is quite a distance! It starts right in front of the beautiful West Virginia State Capitol building. Runners get to see many parts of Charleston as they follow the course. They run along the Kanawha Boulevard, cross a bridge, go up a challenging hill, and then finish near the Kanawha River at Laidley Field. It's a well-known race that brings many runners to the city.

History of the Race

The Charleston Distance Run began in 1973. It was started by a local eye doctor named Don Cohen. He wanted to create a fun running event for the city. Don Cohen worked with city leaders and the police to plan the best route.

The race ended up being 15 miles long by accident! Don Cohen's main goal was to make sure the race passed by famous places in Charleston. These included the State Capitol, the Kanawha riverbank, and different parts of the city like the East End, West Side, and South Hills. For many years, the race happened at the same time as the annual Sternwheel Regatta, a big festival. Even though the Regatta stopped in 2008, the Distance Run kept going. Today, it's special because it's the only 15-mile race in America!

The Race Course

The Charleston Distance Run course is a mix of flat sections and hills. It starts on the flat Kanawha Boulevard. Then, runners cross the South Side Bridge. After the bridge, there's a long, tough hill called Corridor G. This hill is nicknamed "Capital Hill Punishment" because it's almost 2 miles (3.2 km) long and goes uphill!

After the big climb, the course winds through Charleston's South Hills for about 3 miles (4.8 km). Then, runners cross back over the South Side Bridge. The last 7 miles (11.3 km) of the race are mostly flat. Runners go past the West Virginia State Capitol again and run along the Kanawha River. The race finishes at Laidley Field, where cheering crowds often wait.

Past Overall Winners

This table shows some of the amazing runners who have won the Charleston Distance Run over the years. It includes their name, where they were from, and their winning time.

Year Name Club/Hometown Time
1973 Jeff Galloway Florida Track Club 1:16:29
1974 Philip Ndoo Eastern New Mexico University 1:18:03
1975 John Vitale No data 1:17:02
1976 Frank Shorter Independent 1:14:37
1977 William R. Haviland Ohio 1:16:42
1978 William R. Haviland Athens, Ohio 1:14:26
1979 Robert V. Perkins Greensboro, North Carolina 1:17:37
1980 William R. Haviland Athens, Ohio 1:15:12
1981 Terry Baker No data 1:15:43
1982 Terry Baker No data 1:14:15
1983 Mark S. Stickley Blacksburg, Virginia 1:14:02
1984 Mark S. Stickley Blacksburg, Virginia 1:14:33
1985 Steve G. Taylor No data 1:16:25
1986 Don L. Norman No data 1:13:54
1987 Steve G. Taylor No data 1:14:31
1988 Don L. Norman No data 1:15:52
1989 Steve G. Taylor No data 1:15:27
1990 Mark L. Curp No data 1:13:47
1991 Mark L. Curp No data 1:16:50
1992 Mark L. Curp No data 1:15:40
1993 Ed Eyestone No data 1:14:52
1994 Gideon M. Mutisya No data 1:13:38
1995 Gideon M. Mutisya No data 1:12:55
1996 Gideon M. Mutisya New Milford, Connecticut 1:12:24
1997 Gideon M. Mutisya Incline Village, Nevada 1:16:34
1998 Andrew Musuva Farmington, Minnesota 1:14:01
1999 Simon Sawe Albuquerque, New Mexico 1:14:53
2000 Gideon M. Mutisya Hartford, Connecticut 1:15:30
2001 Wilson Onscare West Chester, Pennsylvania 1:14:47
2002 Zabloh Mokaya Kennesaw, Georgia 1:15:07
2003 Hillary Lelei Cary, North Carolina 1:16:06
2004 Douglas Momanyi West Chester, Pennsylvania 1:17:08
2005 Francis Bowen West Chester, Pennsylvania 1:15:31
2006 Jacob Yator Chapel Hill, North Carolina 1:15:21
2007 Tesfaye Girma West Chester, Pennsylvania 1:16:26
2008 Gideon M. Mutisya Hartford, Connecticut 1:22:48
2009 Kipyegon Kirui Chapel Hill, North Carolina 1:14:55
2010 Jason Pyles South Charleston, West Virginia 1:25:44
2011 Joe Moore Raleigh, North Carolina 1:20:12
2012 Jeff Weiss Ravenswood, West Virginia 1:21:14
2013 Kiprono Kurgat Chapel Hill, North Carolina 1:16:29
2014 Jeff Weiss Ravenswood, West Virginia 1:22:36
2015 Brian Moresman No data 1:22:13
2016 Juris Silenieks Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 1:21:42
2017 Jason Pyles Elkins, West Virginia 1:31:48
2018 Bryan Morseman Bath, New York 1:23:45
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