Alki Beach 5K: Feet to the street to help breast-cancer patients

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(Video of everyone as they started the 5K, first through last person across the line)
FIRST REPORT, 9:35 AM: Half an hour after they began, the runners and walkers are continuing to cross the line at the Alki Beach 5K, raising money for Northwest Hope and Healing, the West Seattleite-led nonprofit that helps breast-cancer patients.

Unofficial first results: Kelly Spady (photo above) was first male runner across the line, Karra Whitmire the first female:

Spectacular morning to run and/or walk along the beach. Video, more photos, and more results to come.

9:45 AM UPDATE: And now the official info on the top two F and top two M, from the timing booth:
*Females: 34-year-old Karra Whitmire of Bothell in 20:34 (chip time), 30-year-old Rebecca Martin of Seattle (21:09)
*Males: 25-year-old Kelly Spady of Mukilteo in 17:12, 17-year-old Jack Griffing of Mountlake Terrace (18:13)

Jack is #838, right in front in this photo shared by Alki’s David Hutchinson:

Almost 1,000 people were signed up as of just before race time – we’ll check back with NWHH. We’ll also be adding video from the start of the race (our traditional “all participants as they head out” clip), including what the special inspirational guest speaker, survivor Tami Hyldahl-Haan, told the runners/walkers just before the start. (Photo added) Here’s Tami, with, at left, race emcee Eric Radovich:

(video added) Tami spoke of the help she received from NWHH after she was diagnosed shortly after she was widowed:

Note: There were two medical calls before the end of the race – one in the 2800 block of Alki, one in the 1700 block. Police told us the person in the 1700 block collapsed with a possible heart attack; race organizers confirm they got word it’s someone who was registered as a walker. We don’t have any condition information so far.

ADDED 12:25 PM: Yet more scenes, as we go through our photos – Before the race, its eventual winner, Kelly Spady, was up atop the Statue of Liberty Plaza steps leading the stretch with West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor) proprietors Lori and Tim McConnell (for whom Kelly works, we noted when he won the West Seattle 5K in May):

Here’s the crowd they were leading:

Once all of today’s results are available online, looks like this will be the link.

5:07 PM UPDATE: They’re up now.

Bonnie August 26, 2012 (11:46 am)

I wasn’t able to play the video. It said it was blocked in my country. Anyway, something must be wrong with my browser.

WSB August 26, 2012 (12:05 pm)

Again? I had some uploading trouble but it worked the third time. Will investigate. Probably the music playing in the background … argh.

Tim August 26, 2012 (12:40 pm)

Any chance of covering the man who collapsed? 74 yrs at the 2 mile marker, was resuscitated for 35+ mins, not breathing on his own or conscious when ambulanced to Harborview. Is he ok?

WSB August 26, 2012 (1:06 pm)

Tim – because of privacy laws, without a name, there is never any way to get information beyond the fire department telling us they transported an x-year-old person … and I won’t even be able to doublecheck that till tomorrow … Even if we did have the gentleman’s name, the hospital is under no obligation to share information publicly. I would not publish his name here at this point anyway but if anyone knows it and can e-mail it to us, we can check with the hospital … editor@westseattleblog.com … Hoping that he makes it. We could not get to the scene to check it out since the road was closed; the other medical incident, which was apparently minor, was just a block away from where we were. – TR

WSB August 26, 2012 (12:55 pm)

Update, seems YouTube censored the clip in 200-plus countries because of one of the songs the DJ played as we rolled video. I have disputed it with them – if a news organization is recording video of a news event, we have no control over the ambient sound – but in the meantime uploaded it elsewhere for playback – TR

Mark August 26, 2012 (4:16 pm)

Just curious if anyone else that ran thought this race was a bit longer than a 5K? My watch said 3.33 miles (almost .25 miles too long). Everyone else I ran with had the same result…

Bonnie August 26, 2012 (4:58 pm)

Mine said 3.25 but mine is usually off a little bit. GPS watches are not 100% accurate.

WSB August 26, 2012 (5:06 pm)

Results are up now, if anyone hasn’t checked lately.

Rascal August 26, 2012 (6:46 pm)

Best wishes to the man who collapsed – and his family. Thanks to all who parcticipated in the run, and for those who helped sustain the victim’s vitals until help arrived

Michelle August 26, 2012 (7:30 pm)

Agree with Bonnie and Mark – this is my 3rd year, and the course has always turned at Anchor Park. We drove it tonight, and it was close to 3.3.

Erik August 26, 2012 (8:59 pm)

Yes, either today’s race was longer than 5k, or the previous races were shorter than 5k.

evergreen August 26, 2012 (10:56 pm)

Kelly Spady’s socks rock!

David August 27, 2012 (2:33 am)

Yes, this was most certainly longer than 5k. My RunKeeper app showed 3.4 miles from start to finish.

RunHappyRunHard August 27, 2012 (7:13 am)

As a regional race director, I often hear that a course is longer or shorter than what it was publicized to be. GPS information is usually thought accurate, in reality are not. Driving the course in a car is also not accurate. To end up with the correct distance on one’s GPS, one would need to follow the path the course was measured. Foot by foot. It’s easy to add distance by swinging wide on a curve, as an example. Dodging other runners adds to the distance as well. If the course was advertised that is was a “Certified Course” then you can trust that the distance is extremely accurate. Bottom line is to not worry about the distance and have fun with the run!

Sur August 27, 2012 (8:04 am)

The course WAS longer. I understand the GPS and the measuring stick differences but this course was NOT accurate. It was 3.33 miles, like most of the fast runners can testify. I run 7:15 min/mile. My second mile running as hard as I could was 9:15. This is simply impossible. Great to support cancer runs but we appreciate accurate courses. Certified but wrong. You got to accept that fact.

Sur August 27, 2012 (8:11 am)

9:15 per the mile marker

MegJunction August 27, 2012 (8:24 am)

I also had my GPS going while I walked…showed at 3.36 miles (I started it when we left, and I was about mid-pack, probably explains the extra .03). Interesting. I’m not super concerned – was mostly trying to gauge how much more out of shape I am than during the last one :D

Racer August 27, 2012 (9:32 am)

Great race, well-run, definitely was longer than a 5k (3.33).

Thoughts are with the walker who collapsed, hope he is ok.

Mark August 27, 2012 (10:20 am)

I didn’t mean to diminish the health of the person. I do hope he is ok as well.

lizzie August 27, 2012 (4:16 pm)

The Director of NW Hope & Healing Foundation organization that benefits from the race informed me that indeed they had a problem with the course. The turn around was not in the correct location. When the route was measured, pins were placed in the concrete; the pin for the start/finish was in place, but the pin at the T/A was gone. They are taking steps to make sure the route is completely accurate in the future.

The final distance was between 3.32 and 3.4

WSB August 27, 2012 (4:56 pm)

I’ve been working on a followup all day. Harborview tells me that unfortunately the gentleman died. I’m waiting for a bit more possible information before publishing a separate report. Our condolences to his family … I have heard multiple accounts about the fast action of bystanders and medics trying as hard as they could to save him – TR

lizzie August 27, 2012 (6:08 pm)

I am so sorry to hear. My condolences to his family.

Bonnie J. August 28, 2012 (8:21 pm)

Just wanted to let his family know…The man who collapsed from an apparent heart attack wasn’t alone. He had help from the runners, then the 5k Red Cross volunteers, and police right from the start. I did my best to comfort him for a little while as did others. The medical response all worked hard for 30 minuets at the race before transfering him. They moved swiftly and I know they gave their best.
My thoughts and prayers are with his wife and family. He was helping our community and a great cause that day.