At exactly 9:58 pm on Saturday night, July 12th, runners will once again
hold their own version of a late night party on the candle-lit streets
of Kingsport at the Indian Path Medical Center & SunTrust Bank Crazy 8s
8K Run. Crazy 8s - the World's Fastest 8K, is the largest road race in
Northeast Tennessee, and one of the most popular events in Kingsport's
Fun Fest.
Last year race organizers introduced the Gastroenterology Associates
$5000 Men's Dash For The Gold and the Seasons $5000 Women's Dash For The
Gold, with the hopes of attracting a talented group of elite athletes to
Kingsport. These incentives, along with the Regional Eye Center $10,008
World Record Bonus, had a dazzling effect. RSVP's were answered by
almost 70 elite runners, and the race once again lived up to billing.
Simon Ndirangu of Kenya blazed to the world's fastest 8k of 2007
(22:16), and Ogla Kimaiyo, also of Kenya, ran the second fastest in the
world with her 25:52 victory.
"We were literally overwhelmed," said co-event director and elite
athlete recruiter Hank Brown. "One of the runners told me last year
that Crazy 8s looked like the Kenyan Olympic Trials. Everybody was
here."
Crazy 8s earned its moniker as the "World's Fastest" in 1996 when Peter
Githuka of Kenya stunned the world with a record-breaking 22:03
performance. In 2002 Asmae Leghzaoui of Morocco matched that feat for
the ladies, shattering the existing world mark by 10 seconds (24:28).
Both records stand today.
Brown is off to an excellent start attracting the latest assemblage of
world-class runners to the world-renowned figure-8 course. Ogla Kimaiyo
will return to defend her women's title and Cooper River Bridge Run
champ Robert Letting will make his first trip to Kingsport. Including
Crazy 8s, Kimaiyo won 6 major races in 2007, racing mostly in Mexico and
South America. She recently returned to the U.S. and ran away with the
Cotton Row 10K in Huntsville, Al.
In addition to his victory at Cooper River earlier this year, Letting
ran an eye-popping 27:45 at the Crescent City 10K, and finished 2nd at
the Azalea Trail 10K.
Crazy 8s is one of the few races in the country with a stadium finish.
This year, the runners and walkers will get the extra thrill of
finishing on the brand new turf installed at J. Fred Johnson Stadium.
"We've already been down to the stadium and walked around on the turf,"
said co-event director Tyler Hobbs. "We're going to finish straight
down the middle of the field and run across the big Indian. Everyone,
especially the kids, will get a big kick out of that."
The menu of Crazy 8s activities actually kicks off on Friday evening,
July 11, with the Lively State Farm Crazy Mile in downtown Kingsport.
In addition to the Open Mile, the Crazy Mile features the Foot Rx
Invitational High School Mile, a new event for the top local and
regional high school runners. Both the high school mile and the open
mile will run just prior to the Fun Fest Parade.
The Edinburgh Little 8s Youth Field Day will take place inside the
stadium walls, and will include fun field day activities for kids and
families. The age group runs will feature races for toddlers to teens
with distances from 100 yards to 600 yards. Special 8s will return this
year with races for individuals with special needs.
Neil's Walk, presented by Cardiovascular Associates, Eastman Credit
Union, and Holston Medical Group, was renamed in 2006 in memory of Neil
Danehy, who died suddenly from a heart attack in 2005. Neil's Walk and
the Neil Danehy Heart Walk Foundation were created to raise awareness
and help combat coronary heart disease. This non-competitive 3k event
will start on Ft. Henry Drive and return to finish inside the stadium.
Crazy 8s is literally going to the dogs with the first-ever Kingsport
Veterinary Hospital K-8s Dog Walk. K-8s will walk concurrent with
Neil's Walk with a special dog-tired finish line outside the stadium for
dogs and their owners.
The United Way of Greater Kingsport Healthy Lifestyles Expo will feature
over 30 health and fitness related vendors and booths. It is free and
open to the public inside the stadium. There will be good food and
entertainment. Those who stick around until the stroke of midnight
might be the Cinderella of the evening, that is, if they are lucky
enough to win the $1000 Midnight Mad Money given away by Bill Gatton
Honda. Winner must be at least 18 and must be present to win.
As previously announced, Crazy 8s is proud to welcome Reebok to the
family as the Official Outfitter of Crazy 8s.
For more information, visit www.crazy8s.org
Sponsors are Indian Path Medical Center, SunTrust Bank, Regional Eye
Center, Edinburgh, Cardiovascular Associates, Gastroenterology
Associates, Seasons, Lively State Farm, Holston Medical Group, Eastman
Credit Union, Reebok, United Way of Greater Kingsport, Foot Rx, Bill
Gatton Honda, Dr. Enuf, Food City, Culligan, Charter Media, Oak Hill
Cemetery, Citadel Broadcasting, Kingsport YMCA, and Dashboard Audio.
VIP Sponsors are Kingsport Veterinary Hospital, Jon Mather Dentist,
Holston Medical Group, Mountain Region Family Medicine, Performance
Medicine, and UBS Financial Services.
Crazy 8's is managed by We Run Events.