| Gate River Run 2008 |
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| Saturday, 08 March 2008 | |
 The 31st Annual Gate River Run was held today here in Jacksonville. The Gate River Run is the USA 15k Championship and is now the largest 15k (9.3 miles) race in terms of participants. This year's participants numbered over 13,000. In addition, there were another 2,000 runners who ran the Times-Union 5k (3.1 mile) Race for Charity. There was also a 1-mile fun run for children.
15k finishers this year were privileged to a few changes from previous years. The first mile or so of this year's race ran north from the Jacksonville Fairgrounds into East Jacksonville. From there, the race course was much the same as previous years (winding into San Marco and St Nicholas and then up the Hart Bridge) until the finish. Finishers this year ran across the finish line inside of Jacksonville Municipal Stadium.
Weather Conditions Two words... harsh winds. While temperatures were ideal for a fast race this morning (mid-50s), the high winds were not. Gusts exceeded 50 mph with steady winds in the 30 mph range. It was so bad at mile 3 that waves from the St Johns River were crashing against the bulkheads in San Marco and drenching runners. Winners 25-year-old Andrew Carlson from Bloomington, MN took home the first place prize for the men, finishing in 44 minutes and 12 seconds. Deena Kasto from Colorado took home her second straight River Run win for the women, placing at 44 minutes and 35 seconds. Was this your first river run? How did you push through the high winds and the "Green Monster"? Scroll to the bottom of the images below and leave your thoughts on the 2008 Gate River Run! Videos Cannon blast starts the River Run.
Elite women start the race.
More runners start the race.
Winners cross the finish line.
Photos
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March 8, 2008, 4:49 pm
Re: Gate River Run 2008
As sponsor of the River Run, Gate would like to say: "Buy more of our gas!"
seriously though, good event today. the wind coming down the Hart bridge was monstrous.
March 9, 2008, 10:37 am
Re: Gate River Run 2008
What police patterns were set up to encourage downtown patronage during or after the event by race fans and participants? Was it the usual funnel em in, funnel em out?
Did any downtown businesses respond to participants and fans being in the area by being open on a Saturday?
March 9, 2008, 11:59 am
Re: Gate River Run 2008
Is it up to the police to encourage patronage or would that fall under DVI or a merchant association?
March 9, 2008, 3:18 pm
Re: Gate River Run 2008
I wouldn't say that things were set up to help downtown merchants, but there really wasn't much there to hurt them either. The roads that were close in the core of downtown were opened I'm sure by 10:00 am, and the roads were not blocked to get people out of downtown.
March 9, 2008, 4:38 pm
Re: Gate River Run 2008
The streets were open as soon as the runners went by. It was very different than a typical event at the stadium.
March 9, 2008, 7:58 pm
Re: Gate River Run 2008
I would say that downtown was self sufficient on Saturday - don't forget that the Gun's n Hoses boxing event was held in the evening to a nearly sold out crowd @ the arena....................I know that Chew was FULL & the Brick in Avondale was busier than usual.
March 10, 2008, 8:53 am
Re: Gate River Run 2008
I, alas, did not run or attend this year. Next year, next year. I did, however run the Sidney Lanier Bridge Run in Brunswick earlier this month. I think that's about all I'm doing until the Hammerhead Olympic Triathlon in August
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