Forget the sixes, Devil Woman goes for seven
Let’s hear it for Devil Woman.
It was one year ago that Doctor Amber got her nickname. Not because of a devilish smile. It was because she was No. 666 in last year’s Charlottesville 10-Miler.
This year, unencumbered by the Triple 6s, DW kicked up some dust. (I would have said butt, but our Devil Woman would never use a four-letter word.)
Anyway, DW put it in high gear, finishing an incredible seven minutes faster than she did last year.
Being so very un-Devil like, the Audio Doc credited her running buddies.
“With Nicole’s speed work and all you ladies cheering, it’s no wonder my time improved this year,” she said.
No one cheered for No. 666 last year. Most of her crew was in the race or off running Monument Avenue, which fortunately fell on a different date this year.
(More than 30,000 will toe the line for the Richmond 10K on Saturday morning.)
Those who line our 10-Miler course often encourage passing runners by calling out the numbers of the people they don’t know. No one cheers for 666.
This year, however, Amber had a support staff.
Fast Kathy was there with our pace dogs, Brook and Noah. Joanie was there with a cooler. Amy had her camera. You can see her video of Brook and Noah at http://youtube.com/watch?v=39XRnmdd0FI
Adelle with the “E” was there despite some painful dental work. Adell without the “E” also came out on the chilly morning.
Nicole and Caden were pacing the sidewalk by Bodos, coaching as each of us passed by. Megan was handing out water to runners heading up the Downtown Mall. Rocket was on the other end of the mall, making sure the competitors made the turn toward Water Street. Anne and Cindy were calling out splits at miles seven and eight. Easy Deb was on the Corner helping us make it up that nagging long uphill climb.
Yes. We have a very supportive running group.
Shoot, the whole town is pretty darn supportive. The Pep Band was in front of the UVa Chapel; an Irish band played on Rugby Road. There were rock bands on Second Street and on the Downtown Mall. Pink Ladies, adorned with feather boas and pink wigs, showed up on various locations along the route.
One of my favorite spots was near Evergreen, where neighbors draped a banner across the street indicating what path runners could take if they wanted to stop for donut holes.
Indeed, we had a lot to cheer about this year. Our speedster Eileen (a.k.a. 6.2) was the first of our rowdy bunch to cross the finish line. She ran a 1:36.30, despite some painful leg cramps. Trish (whose nickname is really not Cheese) was sick most of last week, but still shaved five minutes off her previous 10-Miler time. Heidi (who stole Devil Woman’s other nickname, Baby Pink) and Mimi conquered the hills of Charlottesville for the very first time. Maggie and Cathie B had strong showings as our veteran 10-Milers.
I was somewhere in there, too.
And there was a lot of cheering going on.
Unless you were 666.
With more than 2,000 people finishing the race, what are the odds that another one of our running buddies would get No. 666? Odd, but true. Judy E had to run with the upside-down nines.
And get this: Her time was 1:52.59.
Amber’s time last year - 1:52.56.
Now that’s devilishly fierce!
Posted by Mary Alice Blackwell at 02:00 PM. Filed under:
Mary Alice Blackwell was a sportswriter for 11 years before turning in her scorebook to cover cops and courts. The Virginia Tech Hokie joined the staff of The Daily Progress in 1987 and has spent the past dozen or so years writing about actors, musicians, artists, authors and, occasionally, her running buddies. 
