Valley View 5-Miler Event Hosted at Hydaway Outdoor Center To Remember Mike Donahue

The Valley View Mike Donahue Memorial 5 Miler event, held Nov. 13 at the Hydaway Outdoor Center, was a five-mile race where students, friends and families celebrated and honored the men and women who are serving or have previously served in the United States military. 

The race, held from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., was a partnership with the Liberty University Military Affairs department and was held in honor and remembrance of veteran and former Liberty ROTC professor Army Major Mike Donahue. 

According to a Liberty Champion article written about a year after his death in 2014, Donahue “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.”

The race was the second run in the fall Liberty Mountain Trail series and consisted of a five-mile course that ran on single track trails and mountain roads along the Liberty Mountain Trail System. 

Liberty student Trey Voggenreiter participated in the race and explained how honored he was to be a part of it. 

“This race was definitely special since it was in memory of Mike Donahue … and it was a cool experience to see other veterans running knowing that I was running for someone that served our country and running besides others that did the same,” Voggenreiter said.

The race was open to everyone, from experienced runners from all over Virginia to Liberty students racing for the first time. Voggenreiter shared his preparations for his very first race. 

“I just ran at LaHaye a bunch of times and really watched my diet the week ahead to make sure I would be in my best shape to run,” Voggenreiter said. “The thing I enjoyed most was challenging myself since I am not really a runner and running the entire race next to one of my best friends.” 

The awards were given to the top three male and female overall winners, age group winners and master winners. According to the Valley View Mike Donahue Memorial 5 Miler website, the top three overall male winners were Tim Scott, 36, with a time of 35:51, Jacob Dryer, 19, with a time of 37:57 and Randall Purcell, 27, with a time of 39:04. The top three female overall winners were Hosannah Fisher, 19, with a time of 45:05, Heather Gollnick, 51, with a time of 46:23 and Grace Perry, 19, with a time of 47:46. 

For more information and to sign up for the next race in the Liberty Mountain Trail Series, students can visit https://runsignup.com/Race/VA/Lynchburg/ReindeerRun2Miler.

Wallace is a news reporter. Follow her on Twitter.

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