They came to help young adults with cancer, but the lure of jogging alongside Lance Armstrong certainly made the relentless rain a bit more bearable.
Hundreds of runners braved the wet weather Saturday to participate in the benefit for the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults.
“It?s for a wonderful cause, and I wanted to see Lance,” said Debbie Dudas, a home care physical therapist from Annapolis. “Cancer really has no boundary on age.”
Armstrong, the seven-time Tour de France champion and cancer survivor, headlined the fundraiser, kicking off the event and running the 5K from Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia.
Organizers canceled the bike rides because of treacherous conditions on the wet county roads, but hundreds of people stuck around to run with Armstrong.
“Be safe, run hard, and we?ll see you out there,” Armstrong said before leading a starstruck crowd down the muddy hill to the starting line. Runners and bystanders alike clamored to get a glimpse, a handshake, maybe even an autograph.
In brief remarks before the run, Armstrong told the crowd that cancer is the No. 1 killer in America.
Saturday?s event, dubbed 10-The Race, marked 10 years for the Columbia-based Ulman Cancer Fund, which Doug Ulman founded after he was diagnosed with cancer at 19 and found a dearth of programs for youngadults battling the disease.
Through his efforts, he befriended Armstrong, who became a strong supporter of the foundation.
“It?s hard to believe,” Ulman said, reflecting on the past decade.
Although awareness has increased in recent years, survival rates in young adults aren?t keeping pace with children and older adults, said Ulman, the brother of Howard County Executive Ken Ulman.
Many young adults are underinsured or diagnosed late, Doug Ulman said.
“It hasn?t had a visible campaign or spokesman,” he said.
Judging by the weekend fundraiser, that seems to be changing. The race and a benefit dinner Friday night raised more than $500,000, said Brock Yetso, the organization?s executive director. More than 1,000 people had registered for the race.
Armstrong finished the run in a little less than 18 minutes, outpaced by several runners, including 23-year-old Justin Fritzius, of Purcellville, Va., who came in first at 16 minutes and 30 seconds.
“I didn?t get to run with him at all; he was always behind me,” Fritzius said.
