Racing to remember
5 Miler honors a former Liberty ROTC professor, Army Major Mike Donahue
Liberty University celebrated Military Emphasis week to raise support and awareness for men and women who are serving or who have served in the United States military. As part of this week, Liberty remembered U.S. Army Major Mike Donahue in the Valley View/Mike Donahue 5 Miler.
Trailblazing — Runners traversed hilly terrain to complete the 5-mile race. Photo credit: Michela Diddle
Major Mike Donahue was part of Liberty’s ROTC program as an assistant professor of military science according to honorary plaque placed at the trail head. He served honorably, receiving numerous decorations including the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star Metal, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Korean Defense Service Medal, the Combat Action Badge and the Senior Parachutist Badge. He was killed in action in Afghanistan on Sept. 16, 2014.
Josh Yeoman, director of Outdoor Recreation for Student Activities, was a personal friend of Mike Donahue and coordinated the race Saturday, Nov. 14.
“When (Mike Donahue) passed away his family had mentioned that they would really like to have a trail … just named after him,” Yeoman said. “And so I got connected with one of his former students who is an LU alum … he was here last week to dedicate the trial, and (he) helped raise some funds together with Liberty to erect the monument and then we put the trail in place.”
The actual race, previously known as the Valley View Five Miler, was created by Mike Donahue in 2009. In 2012, it became part of Military Appreciation Week activities. Now the race is a memorial to the man who created it according to Liberty’s website.
“It is a hard course,” Yeoman said.
“… [Mike Donahue] liked to take people down hills and up hills and back down hills and back up hills.”
The course is five miles, starting and ending at the Snowflex Centre. The course was marked with arrows on the ground, streamers, arrows on the trees and trailblazers. There were two aid stations with water and Gatorade at the 1.3 miles and 3.5 miles. Dense leaves cover certain parts of the trail and runners were warned to take caution. The race even has an uphill finish.
“Honestly, that was way harder than the (half marathons) I’ve done,” Kirkland Gee, a Liberty student, said. “With all the hills, it was probably the hardest course I’ve ran. It was one of my favorites too though. It was so much fun.”
There were a wide variety of runners that ranged in age and experience.
“It’s all sorts of people,” Yeoman said. “We have 30 people that are registered as military members either past or present … and we have a little friendly competition between the different branches … we do a winner between the branches by taking the average of the top three.”
The results of the friendly competition ended up with the Navy in third place having an average of 57:23; second place was the Marine Core at 51:39. First place was Mike Donahue’s own branch, the Army, at 50:33.
Blatchford is a feature reporter.