On Saturday night July 11th, at the witching hour of 9:58 pm, the streets of Kingsport will once again be lit with candles and swarming with runners for the 20th running of 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.
2008 was an award winning year for Crazy 8s. Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine named Crazy 8s the Top Road Race of 2008, finishing ahead of such mega-races as the Cooper River Bridge Run, the Peachtree Road Race, and Ukrop’s Monument 10k. Crazy 8s also received the Gold Award for Best Event within an Event at the 2008 Southeast Festival and Events Association Kaleidoscope Awards. Finally, Crazy 8s was honored to lend its name to the first ever Crazy 8s Iraq in Tikrit, Iraq; an 8K run hosted by the Tikrit Running Club.
We’re extremely flattered to be honored with so many awards and by so many organizations,” said co-event director Hank Brown. “We’re going to do all we can to live up to those high expectations.”
Brown will certainly do all he can to bring in some of the best runners in the world to Kingsport. Two-time defending women’s champion, Ogla Kimaiyo from Kenya, will return, as well as 2006 men’s champ, Julius Kiptoo from Kenya. Kimaiyo and Kiptoo will be gunning for the Gastroenterology Associates $5000 Dash For The Gold, given to the men’s and women’s winners of the 8K. They will also no doubt have their eyes on The Regional Eye Center $10,008 World Record Bonus.
Crazy 8s earned its label as the “World’s Fastest” in 1996 when Peter Githuka of Kenya stunned the world with a record-breaking 22:03 performance on the figure-8 course. 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.
For the first time, Crazy 8s will give unique “8-Man” medals to the first 2000 finishers in the 8K, courtesy of The Regional Eye Center.
“We think people will run the race just to get these medals,” said John Williams from The Regional Eye Center. “We put our heads together and wanted to do something special this year. We’re very pleased with the medals.”
The menu of Crazy 8s activities actually kicks off on Friday evening, July 10, with the Lively State Farm Crazy Mile in downtown Kingsport. In addition to the Open Mile, the Crazy Mile features the Foot Rx High School Mile, open to all high-schoolers from incoming freshmen to graduating seniors. A new event to the Friday lineup is the Kingsport Veterinary Hospital K-8s Dog Walk, which will bring up the “tail” of the Crazy Mile. All mile events will take place just prior to the Fun Fest Parade in downtown Kingsport.
The McDonald’s of Greater Kingsport Little 8s Youth Field Day will kick things off on Saturday with fun field day activities for kids and families. The age group runs will feature races for toddlers to 12-years old 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, Holston Medical Group, and Eastman Credit Union, is one of the largest walks in the area with 1000 participants. Named for Neil Danehy, who died suddenly from a heart attack in 2005, the walk and the Neil Danehy Heart 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.
The United Way/REACH 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. Those who stick around after the WQUT-FM Awards Ceremony might be 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.
Crazy 8s is proud to welcome back Reebok as the Official Outfitter of Crazy 8s.
For more information, visit www.crazy8s.org
Sponsors are Indian Path Medical Center, SunTrust Bank, The Regional Eye Center, Cardiovascular Associates, Gastroenterology Associates, McDonald’s of Greater Kingsport, Holston Medical Group, Lively State Farm, Eastman Credit Union, Reebok, United Way of Greater Kingsport, REACH, Foot Rx, Bill Gatton Honda, Food City, Culligan, Charter Media, Charter Communications, Oak Hill Cemetery, Citadel Broadcasting, and Dashboard Audio.
VIP Sponsors are Kingsport Veterinary Hospital, Jon Mather Dentist, Mountain Region Family Medicine, UBS Financial Services, Hope Haven, and First Bank and Trust.
Crazy 8s is managed by We Run Events.