Race at Fairfax Corner to Honor Two Local 'Superheroes'

Six months after surgery for a stage III brain tumor—and after being told she would probably never run again—Beth Ann Telford, of Fairfax, completed the Marine Corps Marathon.

And Centreville resident Vanessa Spiller will run the Boston Marathon in April—less than one year after she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

It's that kind of resilience which has impressed Telford and Spiller's friends. About 1,200 people are expected to run at Fairfax Corner on Saturday, March 24, as the Rogue Racers running group holds a 5k in Spiller and Telford's honor. Proceeds from the race will go to benefit Life With Cancer and the National Brain Tumor Society (NBTS). The two women will be wearing superhero capes, marked with the words, "Beat Cancer," and little Mercury wings near their shoes. For anyone who passes them, a sponsor will donate $1 per participant to the race.

"I keep thinking to myself, 'what have I done?'" said Telford. "It's just overwhelming that we have such great friends that do this for you and step up."

Telford, 42, is a familiar sight each year at the , wearing a pink tutu and tiara to raise awareness for brain cancer. She was diagnosed with a stage III brain tumor in 2005, but the illness hasn't slowed her down. Telford has raised over a quarter of a million dollars for the NBTS, together with a group of friends who've dubbed themselves "Team BT." She's also competed in two Ironmans, and already twice ran the Boston Marathon.

This spring she'll run the Boston Marathon again with Spiller. It will be the first time that Spiller, 47, has run the marathon, but she's no stranger to fitness. A dietician by trade, Spiller leads the running team, is also involved with , and has participated in an adventure triathalon. A mother of two, Spiller has already gone through two surgeries, intensive chemotherapy and radiation since her diagnosis.

But Spiller and Telford won't be the only honorees on Saturday. Participants have posted tributes online for the past several months, which reflect a wide array of lives: a three-year-old, a grandmother, a priest/teacher and others. And on Saturday, the participants will have a space on their shirts where they can write the name of the person whom they are running to honor. There will also be special shirts for cancer survivors.

This is the first year for the 5k, but the organizers are hoping that it will only grow larger in coming years. "We're hoping to be the biggest 5k in the area within the next few years," said Mark Jahshan, of Fairfax, a friend of Spiller and Telford, who together with his wife Holly, has taken one of the lead roles in organizing the race.

As of Wednesday, the race had already raised $16,000. Local businesses have helped reduce the costs of the event through both direct donations and gestures like opening store bathrooms to runners, so the group doesn't have to spend money on portapotties. Ben and Jerry's will donate a free scoop to all the runners, for instance, and 18 massage students from NoVa Massage will set up tables for free. One business even donated $2,000, but requested that their name not be disclosed, said Jahsan.

Overall, the response has been overwhelming for a first-year 5k race. 

"Hopefully we'll be doing this for many years to come," said Jahshan.

When: The 5k begins at Fairfax Corner on Saturday at 8:30 a.m. A children's 1k fun run will be held at 8 a.m. Awards and raffle will be given out at 9:30 a.m.

Price: $35 walk-up registration for adults. $20 for the kids' 1k fun run.

Registration: Walk-up registration is available between 6:30 and 7:30 a.m. on Saturday. Or, sign up at Pacers Friday.