On a sunny Saturday afternoon, promptly at noon, racers took their marks on the starting line, with their game faces on and leashes in hand. With a total of 150 participants, runners were from as close as the local Triangle area to as far as San Francisco and Newark, Delaware. The NC State College of Veterinary Medicine hosted the Dog Days Fun Run and Walk race, which took place at the NC State University Club.
Participants in the race could either run a 5K cross-country marathon, with or without a dog, or walk a two-mile route with a dog. Sixty participants chose to run the 5K, and 90 participants chose the walk. People of all ages, NC State students and non-NC State students, came out to the Dog Days Fun Run and Walk. The age range of those participating in the 5K was from 9 to 68.
NC State veterinary students who are members of the NC State SCAVMA, or Student Chapter of the American Veterinary Medicine Association, as well as volunteers with the animal rescue organization Saving Grace NC, organized the race. All the proceeds of the race benefit Saving Grace NC.
Christopher Bradshaw, a 40-year-old resident from Clayton, North Carolina, finished first place in the 5K in 21 minutes and 21 seconds. In second place was McCaide Wooten, a first-year graduate student attending the Vet School who finished 30 seconds behind Bradshaw. Then, in third place and the first contestant with a dog to cross the finish line was Paul McDowell, a 26-year-old resident of Charlotte, with his Jack Russell mix named Piper, four seconds after Wooten.
After the race, prizes were given out to the first- and second-place winners of the 5K, Bradshaw and Wooten; the top male and female vet students, Wooten and Annie Chavent; first female overall, Maddison Haller, 24 from Durham; and the top male and female under the age of 18, Jack D’Alonzo, 9 from Greenville, North Carolina and Savannah Hazle, 9 from Holly Springs, North Carolina.
Bradshaw won a $50 gift certificate to The Pit Authentic Barbecue and other prizes, including a coupon for the Defy Gravity trampoline park. Snacks, such as granola bars and tangerines, as well as biscuits and other treats for dogs, were given out as refreshments after completion of the race.
Zoie Randall, a doctorate student studying veterinary medicine, ran with her two dogs, Oaklie and Camden, a beagle and Jack Russell mix, respectively. Randall said she participated in the race to support SCAVMA, the organization of which she is a member.
A participant who is not from NC State, but a 15-year-old resident from Raleigh, Morgan Greene, said she wanted to participate in the run to support the animal shelter. Greene said what she liked about the organization was the fact that Saving Grace is a no-kill adoption center.
“I heard about Saving Grace, and I really like the organization,” Greene said. “So I came out to support them.”
Mickey Lackey, a Raleigh resident and participant in the dog walk, walked with his Chow-Chow named Ms. Mavis in his first time participating in the event. Lackey said they came out to support Ms. Mavis’ “big brother” Toby, a Newfoundland-Border Collie mix who ran with 5K participant and Raleigh resident Kari Richardson.
In addition to the race, attendees of the event got a chance to play with their dogs as well as a litter of currently unnamed Boxer mix puppies that will be available for adoption from Saving Grace this week.
Participants also had the opportunity to adopt other dogs to race with and keep for the day. One example was a Shepherd mix named Logan, who Bernie Lorichon, attendee from Wake Forest, described as a “hugger” because the dog gave his daughter hugs during the event.
Nikesh Patel, a doctorate student studying veterinary medicine and event volunteer, said the organization SCAVMA was pleased with how the event turned out and with the amount of participants.
“The SCAVMA organization at the NCSU College of Veterinary Medicine is grateful for all the support from our 5K runners and walkers in our effort to help raise funds for Saving Grace animal rescue,” Patel said. “It has been a privilege to make a contribution to the animal community beyond the walls of the veterinary school.”
Nikesh Patel, a first year graduate student attending the NC State College of Veterinary Medicine, pets a Chow Chow named Ms. Mavis owned by resident of Raleigh Mickey Lackey during the Dog Days 5K Fun Run held starting and finishing at the NC State Faculty Club on Hillsborough Street March 5, 2016. This was Lackey and Chou Chou's first time at the annually-held event and came out to support her "big brother" Toby, a Newfoundland border collie mix owned by Kari Richardson of Raleigh competing in the 5k. Participants could choose between the 2 mile dog walk with their dog or 5k cross-country run with or without their dog. Patel was one of three students at the vet school, along with second year Kaitlyn Ferguson and third year Jennifer Patterson in SCAVMA, or the Student Chapter of the American Veterinary Medicine Association, to help volunteer for the event. SCAVMA partnered with the Saving Grace animal rescue to help raise money for the rescue. "The SCAVMA organization at the NCSU College of Veterinary Medicine is grateful for all the support from our 5K runners and walkers in our effort to help raise funds for Saving Grace animal rescue. It has been a privilege to make a contribution to the animal community beyond the walls of the veterinary school" Patel said.
