3 Weeks to Go!

Greetings, motivated marathoners, 10k runners, and supporters! We are short on time until the event, and long on information. Please read this event update in its entirety!

Data Sheet: Click on this spreadsheet and look closely at the headcount in your dinner party, the size and numbers of shirts you ordered, your mailing address for the shirts, and the column that denotes whether you want your packet picked up by us. T-shirt corrections (quantity or size) go to Dave Richardson @ dkrclub34@hotmail.com. Dinner and packet corrections come to this email, jeffrwebb@gmail.com. (If in doubt, respond to this email and your update will get to its destination). On the spreadsheet, participants are listed next to the person who registered them. These "Registrars" are listed alphabetically in column B.

Packet Reminder: Remember to send me an email with "packet" in the subject line if you would like us to pick up your race packet for you. Please also send your bib number and race confirmation number also. For those who have already requested that their packets picked up, please send another email to jeffrwebb@gmail.com with your bib and confirmation number to ensure a smooth pickup (sorry, we didn't know that info was part of the pickup when we put the last note out.) We will only pick up your packet if you ask us to.

Fundraising: Several people have asked how they can contribute to the memory of the six we are running to honor. You can find the info here. The organizers cannot accept any donations for these causes; you or your supporters must donate directly. We hope that you are able to do so.

Race Day Schedule: This will not be the last time you hear or see these instructions, but repetition is the key to retention, right?

The morning of the race, we ask all Marathon and 10k participants to meet in the south Pentagon parking lot at 6:30 a.m. Yes, the race starts at 8:00 a.m., but understand the method to the madness here. We want to have a quality group picture on race day and this will be the only reasonable opportunity to do so. With a race of this magnitude, getting through the port-a-john line and getting to your start area can take a good 45 minutes. And you want to be in your start area 15 minutes before the start.

Race Day Logistics: For budgetary reasons, we will NOT have a bus available on race day. The length of time we needed to keep the bus turned out to be cost prohibitive. Our apologies for anyone counting on this transportation.

There are places you can park within walking distance of the start/finish area if you know what you are doing. If that is the case, good luck to you. For everyone else, the use of the Metro is HIGHLY recommended. The closest Metro stop to the start area is the Pentagon City Stop. Following is from the metro website:

"Service begins at 5 a.m. for MCM runners and spectators on race morning. Marathon runners should use the Pentagon Station (blue or yellow line) to enter Runner's Village in the Pentagon North Parking lot and pre-race UPS Baggage Drop off. Metro one-day passes will be on sale at the MCM Health and Fitness Expo. Click here for a Metro map."

Once you get off the metro, walk North approximately one half mile to the South parking lot at the Pentagon. That is where the Run To Honor group will meet for a pre-race picture. That picture will be our gift to the families and the sponsors, so please be there promptly at 6:30 am. We will come up with some method to mark our whereabouts, but please see this map for our planned location.

Sponsors: The Staubach Company and SAIC have both generously agreed to sponsor this event. Their sponsorship funds will pay for things such as the post-race tent and food, the venue fee for the dinner, and all signs, banners, and printed materials. Our sincerest thanks go out to classmates Rob Vroman with The Staubach Company and Dan Morris with SAIC for making this wonderful support possible. Thank you also to John Fleet, Class of '95 President, for providing support on behalf of the Class of '95 for the memorial dinner. Through the support of the Class of '95, we are able to provide dinner at a substantially reduced rate. Please make the time to thank sponsor representatives and John personally at the pre-race dinner.

Shirts: We will begin mailing out shirts no later than 14 October to marathon runners and other participants who wish to receive their shirts in advance of the Run To Honor weekend. These will be sent out Priority Mail. Again, you can email Dave at dkrclub34@hotmail.com to change your mailing address, shirt sizes, and shirt quantities if needed. If you would prefer to pick up your shirt during the race weekend, we will have several opportunities before and during the dinner for you to do so. Race shirts are $15 each. Please mail a check made out to "Class of 1995 Run To Honor" to: Dave Richardson, 43314 Hollybank Place, South Riding, VA 20152

Dinner: The pre-race memorial dinner will be held at the N*Star room at the Navy Marine Corps stadium at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 26^th. The parking lot can be accessed from Taylor road and is at the southwest corner of the stadium. The dinner cost will be $20 per person. You would be doing us a great favor by paying in advance by check so that we don't have to worry about handling cash and collecting money the night of the dinner. Dinner dress is "Pre-Marathon Casual."

Please send the dinner check c/o Dave Richardson at the address mentioned above. You can put shirts and dinner payment on one check, just indicate what and who you are paying for in the memo.

Pictures: If you have any pictures of Erik, Doug, Megan, Rich, Bruce, or Brendan, please send them to Dave Richardson at dkrclub34@hotmail.com or respond to this email with them. We are putting together a slide show for the memorial dinner and would appreciate any contribution you can make to it.

Post-Race Tent: At the conclusion of the marathon, please find your way to the Run To Honor tent in the finish line area "tent city." All marathoners, 10k runners, and spectators are welcome and encouraged to convene there. Most importantly, we want to make sure all participants are accounted for. There will be fluids and food available at the tent. To find our tent, we'll go big to small for all you aviators: There are five lines of tents perpendicular to a road near the finish area. Our tent is in the center row, adjacent to the road, and is the closest charity tent to the massage tent (hooyah!)

Volunteers Needed:

• Speaking of tent food, we are seeking a volunteer to purchase and deliver the post-race food to the tent, as well as arrange the food on the tables provided. We can advance you the cash or reimburse immediately by check. The food will have to be delivered on Saturday afternoon.
• Post-race check-in: We would like one or more volunteers to help account for all of the race participants at the conclusion of the running events. To assist with this task, you would need to spend up to three hours at the post-race tent, beginning at 11 a.m. on race day.

If you actually made it this far in the email, tell your squad leader – good work. Thank you to the many people who are contributing to the organization of this event, and to all of you who are participating.

Semper Fi,

Dave and Jeff