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NEWS
Indian Path Medical Center & SunTrust Bank Crazy 8s 8K RunCrazy 8s Named Top Road Race The Indian Path Medical Center & SunTrust Bank Crazy 8s 8K Run in Kingsport, TN has been named the Top Road Race of 2008 by the readers and staff of Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine. The top ten road races, along with dozens of other outdoor awards, appeared in the November 2008 issue of Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine. The sixth annual Best of the Outdoors Awards highlight the greatest races, faces, and places from across the Southeast. “Readers mentioned the race's fast course, world-class runners, candle-lit streets, outstanding race support, and exciting stadium finish,” said Will Harlan, executive editor. The top ten races as selected by Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine are: “We’re extremely flattered to make the top of the list,” said co-event director Hank Brown. “It would be an honor just to be considered in that company, but to be named the best is just unbelievable. It really makes me feel proud to look up there and see Kingsport above places like Charleston, Atlanta, and Washington, DC. This is a testament to the people of Kingsport who come out and support Crazy 8s.” Blue Ridge Outdoors has a quarter-million readers across the Southeast from Maryland to Georgia. Crazy 8s is managed by We Run Events. Indian Path Medical Center & SunTrust Bank Crazy 8s 8K Run2009 Race Plans Unveiled 6-10-09 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. Indian Path Medical Center & SunTrust Bank Crazy 8s 8K RunZAP Reebok Athletes To Challenge for Crazy 8s Title 6-24-09 Just across the mountains, the tiny town of Blowing Rock, North Carolina plays host to one of the top distance running camps in the United States. ZAP Fitness, run by Zika and Pete Rea, will showcase their best athletes in Kingsport on Saturday night, July 11th at the Indian Path Medical Center & SunTrust Bank Crazy 8s 8K Run. “We have a long history with ZAP,” said Co-Event Director and Elite Athlete Recruiter Hank Brown. “They always bring some good runners to Crazy 8s, but this year they are really bringing some studs.” No less than 6 American men and 2 American women will wear the Reebok ZAP singlets on the candle-lit streets of Kingsport. The best of the men might be Thomas Morgan. The former University of Kentucky star has a 5000 meter PR of 13:27 and a sparkling 22:36 8K. Those credentials could put him right in the mix of things near the front of the pack. “I had to go back and look, but we haven’t had an American man win Crazy 8s since 1994,” said Brown. “Keith Brantley won it that year. I’d love to see a few Americans up front this year.” Morgan will be joined by teammates Nate Peck, David Nightingale, Ryan Warrenburg, Frank Tinney, and Nick Polk. All can run 5K in 14 minutes or better and should rub elbows with the top African runners who have dominated the sport of road racing in recent years. They will be gunning for the Gastroenterology Associates $5000 Dash For The Gold, and The Regional Eye Center $10,000 World Record Bonus. “Crazy 8s is one of the premier road races in the country,” said Pete Rea. “It has a super fast course and an environment second to none. This is the reason we not only bring our elite athlete team, but our summer adult campers to Kingsport.” Allison Grace and Jessica Minty will headline the ZAP women’s contingent. Both are on top of their games, each recently running track 5K PRs - Grace 15:50 and Minty 15:56. Morgan, Nightingale, Warrenburg, and Grace will all be competing in the USA Track & Field National Championships in Eugene, OR this weekend - Morgan and Nightingale in the 5000 meters, Warrenburg in the 3000 meter steeplechase, and Grace in the women’s 5000 and 10,000. 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. Indian Path Medical Center & SunTrust Bank Crazy 8s 8K RunTola Going For Record at Crazy 8s 7-2-09 Tadese Tola did it in Manhatten. Now he wants to do it again in Kingsport. Tola, the 21-year old Ethiopian took down the Central Park course record in impressive style earlier this year, running 27:48 at the Healthy Kidney 10K. He now has his eyes set on the 8K world record at the Indian Path Medical Center & SunTrust Bank Crazy 8s 8K Run in Kingsport on July 11th. “Tola is going after the record, and I think he is ready for it,” said his agent Hussein Makke in an email to Crazy 8s organizers. “He had a very good month of training. If the weather cooperates, and if the pacemakers do their job, his chances are better than 90%.” Tola, like so many before him, will be chasing Peter Githuka’s 22:03 world mark set in Kingsport in 1996. If he wins the race and breaks the record he will not only collect the Gastroenterology Associates $5000 Dash For The Gold, but also The Regional Eye Center $10,000 World Record Bonus. “It’s going to be exciting,” said Elite Athlete Recruiter Hank Brown. “If we can get some cool weather like we’ve had the past few days, I’d say the record will be in serious jeopardy.” Tola’s credentials would certainly suggest that he is well within range of Githuka’s record. In addition to his sparkling Central Park performance, he has run 27:04 on the track, and represented Ethiopia in the World Championships in Osaka, Japan. He won the very prestigious Falmouth Road Race in 2008, and finished 2nd at the Bolder Boulder 10K earlier this year. Challenging Tola is a familiar face to Kingsport. Karim Elmabchour of Morocco will be making his 4th straight appearance on the world famous figure-8 course. He finished 3rd in 2006, 2nd in 2007 (22:26), and 5th last year. He knows the course, and is always tough at the end. “Yeah, we never talk about Karim much,” said Brown. “But you look up, and there he is entering the stadium with the leaders. This might be his year.” For more information, or to sign up for one of the Crazy 8s events, visit www.crazy8s.org Crazy 8s events include the Crazy 8s 8K Run, Neil’s Walk, the Little 8s Youth Runs, the Crazy Mile, High School Mile, and the K-8s Dog Walk, 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.
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