Type Non-Profit | Website Lawyers Have Heart DC | |
Founded 1991 in Washington, D.C. Founder Richard Frank and Alan Raul | ||
Lawyers Have Heart 10K Run, 5K Run and Fun Walk is an annual event that raises money for the research and community education programs of the greater Washington D.C. region affiliate of the American Heart Association (AHA). The event brings together law firms and their vendors as well as attorneys from both the government and private sectors, in addition to residents, parents, children and athletes of all levels of experience, to raise awareness and public consciousness regarding heart disease and stroke. Since its inception in 1991, Lawyers Have Heart has raised over $7.5 million to benefit the AHA and further its mission of building healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke. LHH is now one of the largest annual philanthropic endeavors supported by D.C. metropolitan law firms and legal vendors and has grown to become the area's largest 10K race. The 2014 Lawyers Have Heart 10K, 5K Run and Fun Walk will take place on Saturday, June 14, at 7:00 AM in Washington, D.C.
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History
LHH was founded over 20 years ago by two Washington lawyers: Richard Frank, Founder and Senior Principal of OFW Law and Alan Raul, Partner at Sidley Austin LLP. When John W. Sansing published a 1990 cover article in the Washingtonian (magazine) entitled "First, Kill All the Lawyers," Frank decided to take action to improve the public image of lawyers by creating LHH. Frank recruited Raul, then General Counsel to the United States Department of Agriculture, to assist him in the endeavor. As a longtime runner whose father was afflicted with heart disease, Frank saw the race as "a double good" – to raise money for the AHA and "show that the Washington legal community has some heart." In 1994, First National Bank of Maryland recognized Frank with the "Exceeding the Expected" award, given to one volunteer each year in the legal community who best exhibits “the willingness to give something back, to do more, to go beyond the expected.”
The first annual Lawyers Have Heart 10K Run and Fun Walk took place on May 19, 1991, and featured two Olympic marathon trials qualifiers in Darrell General and Jim Hage. After just one mile, General and Hage were in a head-to-head battle as they outpaced the trailing runners. The final decision was down to the wire with General taking the honors by 13 seconds, 30:45 to 30:58. Linda Portazikc, of Arlington, VA, was the first woman to cross the finish line that year, establishing a mark of 36:47.
The longest-standing record on the LHH books was set the following year, in 1992, by Charlotte Thomas, of Baltimore, MD, with a time of 34:42. Thomas is the only woman who has ever run the course in under 35 minutes.
Philippe Rolly is the only four-time winner of the LHH 10K. Beginning in 1999, when he moved from Lyon, France, to the Washington area, he was victorious in three consecutive races with times of 32:22, 31:34, and 30:49. Rolly also won in 2004 with a mark of 31:23. Donna Moore, of Silver Spring, MD, became the first woman to win twice after first-place finishes in 1999 (37:22) and 2001 (37:17).
During LHH's first two years, the race was held in West Potomac Park, Washington, DC. In 1993, however, the race shifted to a hilly area in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, where it would remain until 2002, when the direction of the course was reversed in order to avoid such hilly terrain.
The race has grown substantially over time, along with the proportion of female participants. In 1992, women accounted for 32% (333) of the 1,038 runners who crossed the finish line whereas, in 2009, women comprised 49% (1,711) of the 3,525 finishers. Last year, the 2010 event attracted over 5,500 participants.
Event
The original and largest LHH event is the annual Lawyers Have Heart 10K, 5K, and Fun Walk (3K) in Washington, D.C., with over 5,500 runners and walkers participating in 2010. Relatively flat and scenic, the race course begins and ends at the Washington Harbour, in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C., and follows the Potomac River past many historic sites. Walkers start at the same location as the race does, immediately following the runners. However, their course only follows the Potomac River to the Lincoln Memorial, before returning to the Washington Harbour. Baby joggers and strollers are welcome on the walking course, however, pets are not permitted. Following the race, there is a Finish Line Festival at the Washington Harbour, and participants and spectators can enjoy refreshments, music, giveaways and prizes provided by friends and sponsors of LHH.
Other LHH Races
The success of the Lawyers Have Heart 10K and Fun Walk has led to the launch of similar LHH races, some of which are affiliated with the AHA around the country, such as in Boston, MA, where the fourth annual Lawyers Have Heart 5K Road Race and Summer Celebration was held on Thursday, June 9, 2011, at the Bank of America Pavilion. Other cities that have held Lawyers Have Heart races include San Diego, CA, Fresno, CA, and West Palm Beach, FL.