More than 200 people ignored the humidity and gnats Saturday morning to compete in the Sunrise 5K race around the Worldgate area. The top finishers were competing for prizes, including $150 for the first-place male and female finishers, but the real winners are underprivileged youth of Herndon and Reston.
The annual charity event sponsored by the Worldgate Sport and Health Club plans to use the $3,500 in proceeds to provide programs to local children who would not be able to pay for those programs on their own.
"We take the money and go back into the community. It's for the children in the area we know can't afford our programs," said Brian Crow, general manager of the club.
Chris Godesk, the assistant race director, said the money will be placed in a separate account and used for swimming lessons, summer camp and other youth programs.
The health club has been doing the race since 1994, when it was the Sunset 5K, but it was switched to Sunrise sometime around 1998. Each year, the race benefits a different charity, Crow said.
This year's winners were, in the women's category: Alisa Harvey, 37, of Manassas, with a time of 17 minutes and 54.18 seconds; Margaret Polcawich, 26, of Derwood, Md., 19:08.09; and Laura Friex, 42, of Centreville, 19:17.14. For the men: Jason Gish, 28, of Hagerstown, Md., 16:03.13; Ted Poulos, 41, of McLean, 16:35.23; and Richard Rapine, 31, residence not provided, 16:38.24.
In addition to the 5K, the morning kicked off with a 1-mile fun walk/run.