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VIRGINIA BEACH — Sumo wrestlers, the Statue of Liberty, a dinosaur and Dolly Parton laced up their running shoes Saturday morning for the Wicked 10k race at the Oceanfront.
The annual event, organized by J&A Racing, featured more than 6,800 costumed participants who trudged from the Convention Center on 19th Street to the Boardwalk, running north and south along the concrete path.
A cool breeze off the ocean was a welcome relief for runners who donned bulky, awkward festive duds. Most held nothing back, inspired by the event landing on Halloween this year.
Veteran runner and past costume winner Brian Cobb of Virginia Beach dressed as Yukon Cornelius, the red-bearded arctic prospector from “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” He wielded a homemade pickaxe, wore hiking boats and pushed an improvised wheeled sled.
His companion, Melanie Myers, stood near him at the starting line — describing herself as his support crew.
“She takes care of me when I fall apart,” Cobb said.
“It’s more the costume, not him,” Myers said.
Over the past 10 years, Wicked 10k has raised more than $50,000 for Spike’s K9 Fund, a local organization that supports working dogs across the ...