On Saturday, June 26th, the Town of West Point held our 13th Annual Chesty Puller Memorial Twin Bridge 10K. After moving the event from 2020 to 2021 due to the pandemic, it was even more wonderful to welcome nearly 200 participants from all over this great country to our little river town. From the patriotism to the joy on your faces as you crossed the finish line to the emotions experienced as you paid tribute to loved ones who have served, it was truly an amazing day that we will never forget.
The Town of West Point began hosting the Chesty Puller 10K thirteen years ago as a way to honor and celebrate the life of Lt. General Lewis B. “Chesty” Puller. Born June 26th, 1898 across from the York River on 1st Street in downtown West Point, Puller grew up hunting and listening to tales of the Civil War told by his relatives. He enjoyed reading countless books of military tales and history. “His military career began inauspiciously” [1] but led him to become the most decorated Marine in American history, and the only Marine to receive five Navy Crosses. For details about his impressive and legendary military career, visit his biography at Brittanica.com. We also encourage you to read the article 5 Reasons Why Chesty Puller is a Marine Corps Legend at Military.com. To this day, men and women of the armed forces name Lt. General Chesty Puller as one of the main reasons why they chose to enlist in the United States military.
We would like to take a moment to say thank you to a group of amazing people and organizations who ensured our event ran smoothly. Thank you to our wonderful volunteers for keeping our participants happy and hydrated; to our dedicated Town staff for organizing our event; to the Rotary Club of West Point and Dragon Run Brewing for providing the celebratory beverages; to the Knights of Columbus for providing your famous BBQ and mac-n-cheese; to our local law enforcement and emergency services agencies for keeping us all safe—West Point Police Department, West Point Volunteer Fire Department, King and Queen Sheriff’s Office, King William County Sheriff’s Office, and Kew Kent County Sheriff’s Office; to our race partner EnMotive for running and organizing our race and results; to Ashworth Awards for bringing our Finisher Medal and One More for Chesty Coin designs to life; and to all of our fantastic sponsors—WestRock, Divin’ Off the Dock, Smiles of West Point, Town of West Point, C&F Bank, Milby Oil Co., The Lazy Cow Ice Cream Parlor, Integrity Food Group, West Point Volunteer Fire Department, Valero of West Point, Sears Real Estate Appraisals, Xtra 99.1 FM, Historical Society of West Point, Thrift Insurance, State Farm—David Butler, West Point Police Department, 1420AM I 102.3FM Good Time Oldies, Pamunkey Regional Library, Greater West Point Family YMCA, and Colonial Farm Credit.
And finally, a huge and heartfelt thank you to our nearly 200 Chesty Puller 10K participants who chose to spend your day with us. We know you have many options when it comes to races around Virginia and beyond, and we are honored that you chose the 13th Annual Chesty Puller 10K.
In addition to Finish Line photos taken by our race partner, EnMotive, our town photographer captured these special moments for you. The smiles, hugs, high fives, and emotions on your faces tell the incredible story of the day, and we hope you enjoy these memories for years to come.
Make sure you save the date of Saturday, June 25th, 2022 for our 14th Annual Chesty Puller Memorial Twin Bridge 10K!