More than 450 runners participated in the Fourth Annual 1-Mile Thanksgiving Fox Trot hosted by the Fort Hunt Elementary PTA. The annual event held at Fort Hunt Park is a community event to promote family fitness as well as a fund-raiser for the PTA.
This year, the first runner to cross the finish line was Corey Gray, 15, of West Potomac High School, who ran the mile in 5:10. The first female finisher was Elizabeth Heath, 15, of West Potomac, who completed the mile in 5:40. Also of special note is 10-year-old Tommy Scott of Stratford Landing who ran the mile in 5:59. Fort Hunt dad Fred Voellm won the 20-and-over male category with a mile time of 5:20.
The 1-Mile Thanksgiving Fox Trot is spin-off event of Fleet Foxes, the Fort Hunt Elementary running club, which began in the spring of 2001 under the direction of Fort Hunt parent Kay Sargent. The Fox Trot was first held in November 2002 to help raise money for a new playground at Fort Hunt Elementary. The event was planned to follow the last meeting of the fall session of the running club. The event was so well-received by the Fort Hunt and greater Mount Vernon community that the PTA’s Fox Trot committee agreed to make the family fun run an annual event.
The initiation of Fleet Foxes and the 1-mile Fox Trot has led to the establishment of running clubs at other area elementary schools, including those at Washington Mill, Belleview, Stratford Landing, Woodley Hills, and Waynewood, as well as to another inter-elementary fitness event, the Running Is Elementary track meet, which has been hosted by West Potomac High School every spring since May 2003.
Both the Fox Trot and the Running Is Elementary Track Meet give elementary students an opportunity to represent their school in the greater community and to interact with athletes of all ages and with students from other schools in the area. The established running clubs also give elementary age students their first exposure to track and field. West Potomac coach Don Beeby and his athletes support the programs for the good of the community, but they also benefit these efforts: Several of West Potomac’s current high school athletes are alumni of the Fort Hunt and Stratford Landing running clubs.
The Fort Hunt PTA would like to thank the following businesses for sponsoring this event: Brown’s Alexandria Mazda, Pacers Running Store of Old Town, Lifetime Wealth Planning & Management, The Kidz Docs, Hughes Orthodontics, Village Hardware, and the Fort Hunt Sportsmen’s Association.
After the run, participants and families and friends enjoyed fruit, donuts, cookies, coffee, and hot chocolate. The post-run refreshments were provided by Trader Joe’s, Starbucks of Kingstowne, Krispy Kreme, and Hollin Hall Pastry. Prizes were donated by Pacers Running Store of Old Town, Ben & Jerry’s of Old Town, Chuck E. Cheese, Sundog Productions, Wal-Mart, 7-Eleven, Roseina’s Good Food to Go, and Safeway.