Inaugural River & Bay 5K takes off on the right foot
The inaugural River & Bay 5K leapt off the starting line on Saturday, October 31, bringing more than 200 participants to the campus of William & Mary’s Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS).
Featuring beautiful autumn weather, a scenic waterfront racecourse and several costumed runners, the Halloween-morning event welcomed competitive runners and casual walkers with a 5K race, a 5K walk and a one-mile fun run. Proceeds from the River & Bay 5K supported the three-part mission of research, education and advisory services at VIMS & the Batten School of Coastal & Marine Sciences.
“Bringing the River & Bay 5K to life was incredibly rewarding, in part because of the community it brought together,” said Patrick McGettigan, the race’s primary organizer and former science communications manager at VIMS & the Batten School. “Seeing the participants running through campus with smiles on their faces — some dressed up as jellyfish, pirates and mermaids — is something I’ll never forget.”
With high praise for the unique course and post-race activities, including a booth for sampling fresh oysters, organizers and participants alike are already looking forward to next year’s event.
Racing by the river highlights critical research
Hosted by VIMS & the Batten School in partnership with the Williamsburg-based Colonial Road Runners club, the family-friendly event saw over 200 registrants in its first year, exceeding organizers’ expectations and generating excitement for what they hope will become an annual tradition.
“This run created a fantastic opportunity to bring people together on our Gloucester Point campus, allowing them to get to know us better while providing a unique way for us to support the local community,” said Derek Aday, director of VIMS and dean of the Batten School.
The River & Bay 5K offered a course unlike any other, taking participants from the VIMS campus down to Gloucester Point Beach, beneath the George P. Coleman Memorial Bridge and around the VIMS Boat Basin. From there, runners tackled a challenging uphill climb before winding through campus and a nearby neighborhood on their way to the finish line. The unique route allowed participants to explore the waterfront campus, observe VIMS’ fleet of research vessels and connect with coastal and marine science.
“It was amazing,” said overall race winner Cash Metherell, a senior at Bruton High School who finished the 5K in 17 minutes, 45 seconds. “The weather's beautiful and it's so pretty down by the water. It was a really good race and a lot of fun.”
Other participants appreciated the chance to experience VIMS & the Batten School from a new perspective. Bob Curtin Jr., a 73-year-old Colonial Road Runners member and veteran runner, had seen the research facilities countless times from the road, but never stopped to visit the campus.
“I've come over the Coleman Bridge a thousand times, looked over and thought, 'I'd like to go there sometime,'” Curtin said. “Now I’m here and it’s fabulous. It’s great to be at a new venue and meet a lot of new, interesting people.”
Fresh oysters and creative costumes create a fun atmosphere
The River & Bay 5K was not just about exercise. After crossing the finish line, participants browsed informational booths highlighting coastal and marine science and enjoyed a breakfast spread featuring a particularly fitting coastal delicacy: raw oysters, served with optional hot sauce.
Margaret Campbell, a Ph.D. student at the Batten School who volunteered as an oyster-shucker after running the 5K herself, estimated that more than 200 oysters were handed out during the festivities.
“Everyone seemed very excited about the race and, now that it's over, people are really enjoying the oysters,” she said. “It's a pretty great post-race snack.”
“The fresh oysters are something special,” Curtin agreed. “You don't see this in other races.”
Adding to the celebratory atmosphere, the awards ceremony recognized not only the fastest finishers across age and gender categories, but also the best costumes. Participants also received a specially designed t-shirt and a commemorative race medal.
Katie Philipp, an M.S. student, praised the combination of affordability, atmosphere and activities.
“This 5K was great,” she said. “It wasn't expensive to enter, I got an awesome shirt, a nice food spread at the end, a really cute medal. So yeah, it was a great day.”
Pausing to reflect before racing to next year’s 5K
The idea for the River & Bay 5K originated with Rebecca Latourell, senior director of communications, marketing & public engagement, who wanted to bring more people to campus and introduce them to the institution’s work in a new way. Envisioning an event that would complement Marine Science Day, the institution’s major spring open house, she saw an opportunity to give the community another reason to experience the waterfront campus and connect with coastal and marine sciences.
“We know that when people come to campus and see our work firsthand — meet our scientists, explore our facilities and experience the place where this research happens — it makes an impact,” Latourell said. “I wanted to create another occassion for people to connect with VIMS & the Batten School, and a 5K with a science expo at the finish felt like a fun way to do just that.”
The idea took shape through a partnership with Colonial Road Runners, whose president, Rick Platt ’72, embraced the opportunity to bring a race to the VIMS campus. McGettigan was instrumental in turning the concept into reality, coordinating the event and bringing together the partners and volunteers who made the inaugural race possible.
“I’m a proud William & Mary alum, so I jumped at the chance to do a race here,” Platt said of sponsoring a race at VIMS & the Batten School. “In a first-year race, we always have things we'll improve on, but it was great. To have over 200 entrants in the first year is excellent, so this has been a very successful race.”
Organizers are discussing a return for Halloween weekend in 2027, pending final scheduling and approval.
“I already want to register for next year,” said Curtin, expressing enthusiasm for the future of the event.
“People should definitely come next time,” said Campbell.
“One hundred percent, I’d recommend it,” agreed Metherell.
As McGettigan heard the feedback and reflected on the day’s events, he felt that the River & Bay 5K’s success was measured not merely by registrations and race times, but by the connections made along the way.
“This was a team effort,” he said. “I am so grateful to our partners at Colonial Road Runners and to the volunteers who stepped up and brought our vision to life.”
View all of the River & Bay 5K festivities on our Flickr page.