DUMFRIES, Va. -- When the first place runner came up the hill toward the finish line, his face expressed nothing but determination.
David Burnham of Arlington, Va., who was “just looking for a good race to run,” took first place in the first Crossroads 17.75K June 12, and set the bar high for the runners in years to come, finishing in 1 hour, 3 minutes and 37 seconds.
About two minutes later, Jeff Poindexter of Stafford, Va., came in second with a time of 1:05:56. Third place went to William Mikolajczak of Triangle, Va., with a time of 1:07:08.
The first female to cross the finish line was Erin Moore of Springfield, Va., who completed the run in 1:15:56. Second place went to Judy Doldorf of Woodbridge, Va., finished in second place with a time of 1:21:05. David Burnham’s wife, Sarah, finished in third place with a time of 1:21:38.
The 11.03-mile mini-marathon began in Dumfries, Va., continued through Prince William Forest and ended at the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Triangle, Va.
More than 1,200 runners gave their all for the first Crossroads 17.75K race which honored the men and women of the Marine Corps, said Tami Faram, Marine Corps Marathon Community Relations Coordinator.
“The Crossroads 17.75K attracted runners from 39 states and Washington, D.C. It also served the Marine Corps Marathon’s mission to promote physical fitness, spread community goodwill and showcase the organizational skills of the U.S. Marines.” said Faram
The race is the newest event in the Marine Corps Marathon series, which holds events for all different kinds of runners, said Faram.
The Crossroads 17.75K, Run to Register 10K, Irish Sprint one mile, Run Amuck four mile and the Turkey Trot 10K all lead up to the final Marine Corps Marathon held annually in October.
Runners participate for different reasons. Some run to stay fit or prove a point. Others just enjoy running, said Faram.
Arlen Bates, a retired first sergeant from Laper, Mich., said he was in the area for a reunion when his wife saw an ad for the Crossroads race and suggested they stay in the area if he wanted to run it. Bates, who has run 18 Marine Corps Marathons, said he plans on running number 19 this year.
Navy Lt. James Hostetler, a runner from Millington, Tenn., said that this is one of the best races he has run because it was so organized.
“I will definitely be running this next year,” said Hostetler. Nonetheless, the importance of the marathon was to commemorate the birth of the Marine Corps, Nov. 10, 1775, hence the 17.75 kilometers ran, and to honor the Marines past and present.