The Father Time Invitational Road Race got a big-time commitment on Tuesday afternoon when Sammy Nyamongo, a native Kenyan and the assistant cross-country coach at Augusta State University, announced that he would be running in the inaugural New Year’s Eve 4K in Brooks.

Nyamongo, who ran two marathons within six days this month and is in training to run the Boston Marathon this spring, is excited to run in the Father Time Invitational with some of his running colleagues.

“Normally, I’m back in Kenya or just having fun on New Year’s Eve, but this is something interesting and I’m very excited,” said Nyamongo, a sub-four-minute miler and former National Junior College Athletic Association MVP with 15 individual crowns in the NAIA.

Prior to coaching at Augusta State, he was a counselor at the Mountain High Running Camp as well as the assistant track and cross-country coach at Life University in Marietta. During is tenure at Life University, the school went to the NAIA National Championships in consecutive years (2001-2002).

Earlier this month, Nyamongo ran in the St. Jude Memphis Marathon and placed second and then ran in the Rocket City Marathon in Huntsville, Ala., and placed first. While he is focused on running in longer distances now, it was not that long ago that he ran in events with shorter distances. His personal best in a 5K is 13:24 and in a 3,000 meter it is 7:40.

In 1995 and 1997, Nyamongo ran in the World University Games. In Japan in 1995, he finished fourth in the 5K with a time of 13:35 and in Italy in 1997 he placed fourth in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 8:32.

Nyamongo is looking forward to the Father Time Invitational Road Race being his last race of 2005 and his first race of 2006. The race begins and ends at the fire station in Brooks with the race starting around 11:45 p.m. and ending some time after midnight. The entry fee is $25 and race registration on the day of the race will start at 10:30 p.m. The course, which loops around Price Road, will be lit, thanks to support from Cooper Lighting. There will be 10 age groups for male and female runners high school aged and up and prizes and giveaways at the race total over $7,000.

For more information on the race, visit www.thecitizen.com.

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