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Kelly Watt Memorial Race
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Home Race Results 20052006 2007 2008 2009 |
Kelly Watt Memorial Race History
"Running to him was real, the way he did it the realest thing he knew.
It was all joy and woe, 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. 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. Another great crowd turned out in 2006 for the second running of the Kelly Watt Memorial Race, and Chris Samley emerged as the victor in the open heat with a time of 11:41. Andrea Wright and Nicola Ratcliffe battled down to the wire to compete for the honor of top female, with both runners cracking the 13 minute barrier. Wright eventually opened up a three second gap over Ratcliffe to become the first female to cross the line in a swift time of 12:56. Individual races for high school boys and girls were also held that morning for the second year in a row. In the boys section, Thomas Baker finished first with a time of 10:32, and Hannah Best captured the girl’s title with a time of 13:12. 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. 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 |
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