Bar Association 5K Draws 1,000, Raises $105,000

By 7 a.m. May 17, the Philadelphia Bar Association 5k Charity Run/Walk benefiting the Support Center for Child Advocates was only an hour-and-a-half away from starting and the rain was still coming down steadily at the site of the 30th annual race. But by 8 a.m. the rain had stopped and 1,049 of the 1,371 registered runners and walkers appeared at the starting line.

Neill Clark was running for an unprecedented 11th consecutive bar association title. The Philadelphia Runner, a sponsor of the race, had offered $100 to any lawyer in the Philadelphia Bar Association who could beat Clark.

As the race started, Clark and many others jumped to the front of a close pack of runners. After 100 yards, Raymond Bordogna of Wynnewood, Pa., ran to the front of the pack, closely followed by Clark, Gary Owens of Swartz Campbell, Peter Kada of Philadelphia and Graham Alig of the Princeton office of Duane Morris. Owens continued to lead at three-eights of a mile followed by Kada, Alig, Nick Suter of Philadelphia and Clark. As they continued toward the first half mile, Clark and Alig made a move to pass Owens. Alig’s momentum pushed him into the lead as Clark moved next to Owens, who was followed by Kada.