The Capitol Hill Classic wants me back, or at least that’s what they wrote in an email to bolster registration. Alas, since I cannot make it to the 31st Annual Capitol Classic 10K, with its 3K and Fun Runs, popular with the school kids of the Hill, on Sunday, May 16th, I thought, “Well, I’ll just run it twice as fast next year.” I then heard multiple rumors that this was not to be. Not that I would double my speed, of course, but that there would be no 32nd Capitol Hill Classic — my favorite 10K in the world — despite that grueling ascent up Capitol Hill in the 5th interminable mile of the 6.2 mile (10K) race.
Well, runners and cheerers and fellow citizens — the rumors of the race’s demise are, to paraphrase Twain, greatly exaggerated. I told the race organizers I had heard this was the last CH Classic.
“No, that’s not necessarily true,” wrote back Don Montouri, VP of fundraising for the Capitol Hill Cluster PTA (Watkins Peabody, Stuart Hobson), the race’s beneficiary.
“The issue is the staggering cost of paying MPD for overtime,” stated Montouri, a past race organizer. “In the past we’ve been able to have that fee waived or reimbursed through city grants; it’s not certain that will happen this year and that threatens the viability of the race…This year the MPD bill is nearly $29,000.” Ouch.
The Classic averages $35,000 net from the race, with the MPD fees waived.
“As the economy has taken a hit, so too has our sponsorship. So, between the drop in sponsorship and the potential for having to pay the MPD fees (which have risen dramatically in the past eight years, from $8,000 to $29,000 now), the return from a fundraising perspective becomes questionable,” Montouri explained.
But, he reiterated, “no decision has been made NOT to have the race in the future, however.”
Like I said, twice as fast next year. Right? Remember, this is the race where local triathlete and Hill Mom of three, Hilary Cairns, 39, places in the top five for women, competing against athletes from all over — see 2009 ‘s race report for details.
Registration remains open at active.com .
The Classic is a great neighborhood tradition and very important source of funds for the Cluster School PTA. I hope we can find a way to keep the Classic alive. My daughter and her classmates are training for the 3K this year. The Classic is also an important inspiration for our kids to Keep Moving! Come on Hill friends, let’s put our heads together to figure out a way to deal with the MPD bill.
I really hope they’re able to keep this race going. Its one of the few where I can just walk from my front door to the start line.
Would it help for people to call the Mayor’s office and voice support? When do they have to make a final decision?
Seems like since this is a fundraiser for the school, it should be a reasonable trade-off for the city to pick up the bill for the police. I’ve definitely gone out to neighborhood restaurants with friends from VA and MD after we all did the race.
I’m in support of community events that bring everyone together. And there are few greater fundraiser needs than raising money for our schools. But as a Sunday church-goer, the street closures prevent DC residents and other church members from getting to their places of worship. And this has been an issue for years, not just with the Capitol Hill Classic, but with any race or event that closes down streets on Sundays.
This isn’t really a Capitol Hill Classic vs churches issue. But when events like the Classic (which are irregular and special events that are occasionally permitted to be organized) happen on Sundays, they are preventing individuals from freely accessing their places of worship, which should be an unrestricted right. Again, not against community events or races on the Hill. But when they close down streets, whether it prevents free access to traffic to and from the neighborhood on Saturdays, or prevents residents from getting to their places of worship on Sundays, the city council, ANC and other city officials need to not allow these events to take more importance over the needs of their residents.
Just learned that the MPD fees have been waived for this year, granting the 10K a reprieve-for now. Next year is still an open question, but this sort of acts as a stay of execution for now.
But when events like the Classic (which are irregular and special events that are occasionally permitted to be organized) happen on Sundays, they are preventing individuals from freely accessing their places of worship, which should be an unrestricted right.
Sorry, didn’t know the Constitution established a basic right of folks to park their SUVs (90% of whom have MD license plates) illegally outside the door of their churches so they wouldn’t have to walk a block or two.
Thanks for everyone who supported the Classic this year. We had a great turnout and resolving the MPD issue was a great relief, at least for this year. This is a great community event that draws support from all constituents on the Hill, who have celebrated this event for 31 years — even if it causes a slight inconvenience once a year.