About Kelly Watt

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Ask anyone who was ever blessed with the opportunity to watch Kelly Watt run, and he or she will likely tell you that he embodied the essence of the quotation above, each and every time he laced up his shoes. Whether it was a long training run over the rolling hills of Hawkshill Lane, or the final laps of a championship race, Kelly ran with conviction; always eager to test his personal limits. Kelly understood at a very young age that success in any endeavor rarely occurs without hard work and sacrifice, but he thrived on the satisfaction that he derived from working to improve himself day in and day out in preparation for the big race. If anything, Kelly believed that a distance race was the perfect metaphor for life in general. When the time came to find a fitting way to pay tribute to Kelly, it was clear that a race would be involved. Out of this philosophy, the Kelly Watt Memorial Race was born.

The Kelly Watt Memorial Race, occasionally referred to as simply "The Wattey", was organized in 2005 as a way to honor the life and accomplishments of Kelly, and to continue the legacy that he left behind. The obvious choice for the location of the race was Panorama Farms, Kelly’s home away from home where he logged thousands of miles during his high school running career, and captured his first major individual running championship. The scenic and challenging 2-mile course for the Kelly Watt Memorial Race has remained unchanged since the first running in 2005, and it is identical to the course that was used for the 2004 Ragged Mountain Cup where Kelly captured his first individual title, and emerged as the preeminent high school cross country runner in Central Virginia during his senior year. The race is held annually on the Saturday before Thanksgiving, and it is quickly becoming one of the most popular fall races in Central Virginia.

2005 Race Results

The first running of the Kelly Watt Memorial Race was held on November 19th, 2005 on a cold and sunny Saturday morning with temperatures barely approaching 40. The open race was won by Alec Lorenzoni in a time of 10:21, with Tyler Kirk and Chris Samley rounding out the top three. Beth Brown led the way overall for the women, with a time of 13:10. In a demonstration of brotherhood and appreciation for their captain, all six of the runners who toed the line with Kelly during his final team cross country race at Albemarle, returned to race in honor of their teammate. Kelly’s father Paul Watt made a special guest appearance in the traditional team strider, and brought the same energy and emotion into the pre-race huddle as his son had done for the Patriots so many times before. In total, 10 of Kelly’s teammates from the 2004 season showed up to race, and over 20 former and current AHS harriers returned to their home course to pay tribute to Kelly. The inaugural event also featured both a boys and girls individual race for current high school cross country athletes looking to benchmark the progress that they had made throughout the course of the fall season. Matt Satterwhite of Western Albemarle High School captured the Boy’s individual title with the fastest time of the day of 10:15, and Robin Vanneman captured the Girl’s individual title by cracking the 13 minute barrier with a time of 12:59. Altogether, 141 runners competed in the three races, and the solid turnout helped this annual race earn a prominent place on the Charlottesville racing calendar.

2006 Race Results

2007 Race Results

Support for the race continued to grow throughout 2007, and the third installment of the memorial run featured a record number of participants. Another chilly morning began with the first annual ½ mile race for children. In total, 28 children ranging in ages from five to twelve got their first taste of the thrill of a cross country race that Kelly grew to love so much. In the open race, former William and Mary cross country runner Charlie Hurt crossed the line first in a meet record time of 10:08. Kelly’s former teammate George Heeschen took 2nd overall, and was followed closely by current Albemarle cross country runner Nathan Rouse. A special point in the race came when Robin Vanneman and Kelly McElroy crossed the finish line together in a time of 13:20 to share the honor of top female. Vanneman and McElroy are both students at William and Mary, and run cross country and track for the Tribe. As members of the class of 2010, both girls would have been teammates with Kelly during his college career, and their presence at the race demonstrated the love and admiration that Kelly’s future teammates had for him even before he set foot on campus. 2007 was also a special year, as the Watts decided to make the race a family affair. Members of Kelly’s family traveled from all across the country to compete, and the final results show eight Watts completing the course that morning.

2008 Race Results

Another huge crowd showed up in 2008 for the fourth annual race. Although it was another cold November morning, the sun was shining and runners were able to keep warm with Starbucks coffee, Bodos Bagels and other refreshments that were generously donated by local vendors. Participation was strong yet again in the children’s ½ mile race, and the dynamic duo of Mitchell and Tyler Waters raced to the line to finish with times just above three minutes to lead the field. In the open race, first time participant Andrew Schroeder crossed the line first in a time of 10:53, and George Heeschen and Alec Lorenzoni rounded out the top three. Albemarle High School standout and current William and Mary cross country athlete Liz Barclay captured the women’s title with a time of 13:17. By this time, the classmates Kelly graduated from high school with had reached their senior year in college, yet over 15 members of the AHS class of 2005 returned home during a busy time in the year, to race in honor of their friend.

The Kelly Watt Memorial Race continues to grow every year, as first time participants discover just how special it is when runners and walkers gather to remember someone special. Some of these runners never knew Kelly, while others had the opportunity to watch him grow up into an outstanding young man. However, they all leave the race knowing why Kelly was so special to so many people, and why it is so important to never forget the lessons that he taught us all. Approximately 1.5 miles into the race, runners pass a single red maple tree that overlooks an open field at Panorama Farms. Beneath that tree is a small plaque in green and gold (William and Mary’s colors), engraved with the simple, yet profound phrase: "Run Fast and Never Look Back". That’s Kelly’s Tree. That is the way Kelly lived his life. That is why we run this race.

George Michael Heeschen
A.H.S. Class of 2005
Kelly’s best friend

2009 Race Results

Over 170 people toed the line for the fifth annual Kelly Watt Memorial Race on a crisp November morning at Panorama Farms. The "under twelve" set started the event with the third annual half mile run. Brandon Seagreaves and future Patriot Kathleen McPhillips were victorious. Kathleen, one of five McPhillips’ family members participated in the race with her older brothers Austin, Tyler, and Sean and her father Pat . In the open race, current Albemarle assistant coach Alec Lorenzoni got the win in 10:24 over Andrew Golden and former Louisa standout Thomas Baker, while Monticello sophomore Madeline Hermsmeier won the women’s title in 13:23.

All in all, it was another great edition of a race that brings together many different people for one special morning. The participants of this race, the fast and slow, young and old, intimate friends of Kelly or young children who never even met him, are hard to pigeonhole. They do, however, share one thing, and that is a mutual desire to honor Kelly’s memory by running over the hills of Panorama Farms that he called home. It is a testament to his legacy and the work of the race organizers that this event continues to grow, and that there were more participants in 2009 than there were in 2005!

I was lucky enough to know Kelly and to run against him for two years in high school, and looking back now, I’m sure he was an absolute dream to coach because he possessed the two qualities essential to a great cross country runner: a strong work ethic and guts. Kelly was successful because he squeezed every ounce of ability out of his body, and because, when he raced, he left everything on the course. Cross country was a perfect sport for him because it rewards hard work and dedication, attributes that he had in abundance. I have run this race several times over the past five years, and I will continue to do so every year that I am able, not only thinking of him with every step, but racing as he would: fast, tough, and with nothing held back.

-Alec Lorenzoni (WAHS class of 2003)

2010 Race Results

An unseasonably warm November morning greeted runners participating in the 2010 edition of the Kelly Watt Memorial run, as hundreds of race participants, spectators, and volunteers gathered at the scenic Panorama Farms for the 6th annual race. As the sun emerged over the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and burned away the morning dew covering the pristine 2-mile race course, runners paid their respects to the young runner who was known for his insistence on wearing running shorts even in the coldest of temperatures by peeling away their sweats and hoodies and exchanging them for shorts and singlets. The competition that morning heated up just as quickly as the temperatures did, and the action began once again, with the “Under 12” ½ mile race. A young Averi Witt sprinted away from the field at the gun, and stopped the clock in a remarkable time of 2:49 on a difficult course, putting over a minute on the rest of the field in the process.

In the open 2 mile race, Albemarle’s Assistant Cross Country, coach Alec Lorenzoni used a strong finishing kick to defend his 2009 title, and emerge victorious in yet another Kelly Watt Memorial Run, as he crossed the line first in a time of 10:23. With his 2010 victory, Lorenzoni has now placed 1st overall in 3 of the 6 memorial races that have been held. 2nd place finisher Barry Rodgers also dipped under the 10:30 mark with a time of 10:27, and George Heeschen rounded out the top 3, finishing in a time of 10:36. Although the top 2 men were separated at the finish by a mere 5 seconds, the race for the individual female title was even tighter, as Annie Taylor and Mattie Webb battled each other down to the wire. Annie Taylor eventually opened up a 2 second gap over Webb, to cross the line as the first female, in a swift time of 13:50, to Webb’s 13:52.

The 2010 edition of the race was a milestone year as the open race featured over 200 total finishers for the first time in history. The efforts of an incredibly dedicated race committee allow for this race to continue to grow in size, and race veterans always strive to make sure that the first time participants leave Panorama Farms with a strong sense of the incredible character and remarkable attitude that defined Kelly Watt during his life. It is my opinion that this race distinguishes itself from any other footrace that I run over the course of the calendar year, because the emphasis is not so much upon the finish line, but upon the journey that one takes in order to get there. I always admired Kelly because even though he ran every race to win, he would always walk away with his head held high if he fell short, because he found satisfaction in knowing that he had run as hard as he could, and had laid it on the line. The way he raced was the exact same way that he lived his life- with nothing held back and with no regrets. Kelly was courageous, driven, and relentless in his pursuit of greatness, and for one day in November, we gather to try to live up to the lofty example that he set for each and every one of us. It’s our day to lay it on the line.

George Michael Heeschen
A.H.S. Class of 2005
Kelly’s best friend