Course Record Shattered at 2011 Brian's Run

This Sunday, participants in the 34th annual Brian’s Run could not have enjoyed more ideal conditions. With temperatures in the low to mid-fifties and a sunny sky, runners were ushered along their downtown West Chester route by ample volunteers. These ideal conditions seemingly made their impact: course records were shattered in this year’s run, including the overall finish time of 24:29 obtained by Jordan Davis in 2009.

The first to finish, Abiyat Endale, age 26, finished in an astonishing 24 minutes, a 4:48 pace. Finishing first for the women was Malika Mejdoub, who at 29 years old finished in 27:46, running at a 5:32/mile pace. Purses for second through fifth place went to Derese Denioba, Temesgen Ilanso, Dan Lewis, and Phil Celona for the men who finished between 24:08-25:31. For the women, runners Marina Muncan,  Tezata Dengersa, Christine Ramsey, and Crystal Burnick all finished in under 29:00, finishing in the Top 20 overall.

Brian’s Run, a long-time West Chester racing tradition, draws crowds ranging from elite runners to local beginners, and raises money for “Homes for Our Troops”, a charity that supports our wounded veterans, making their homes handicap accessible. The race was originally founded to benefit Brian Bratcher, a West Chester Henderson High School football player who sustained a life-challenging spinal cord injury at the age of 15 during a scrimmage. After 1979 Brian felt he had benefited enough from the proceeds and asked to have others benefit from the annual event.

As one of Runner’s World magazine “100 Great Races”, Brian’s Run attracts not only local runners and nationals, but an international crowd. The race, originally a 10k, is now a 5-mile loop that begins and ends at Henderson High School after meandering through the Borough’s Northeastern neighborhoods. The children’s runs include a Diaper Dash for kids up to age 3 (100 meters) as well as a Fun Run (ages 3-8, 500 meters and ages 9+, 1 Mile)