Again, Cotton fastest legislator in D.C. race

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton has been called a "young man in a hurry," and he lived up to the billing last week.

The Dardanelle native can call himself the fastest lawmaker on Capitol Hill once again after completing the 36th annual American Council of Life Insurers Capital Challenge in 18 minutes, 35 seconds. A website for the event said the course for the race is 3 miles.

It's the fourth-straight year that Cotton has won the contest, held in Anacostia Park, southeast of downtown.

As a newly elected House freshman in 2013, Cotton ran the course in 17:55. He crossed the finish line in 18:29 in 2014 and in 19:12 in 2015.

Asked Thursday about this year's improved time, Cotton noted that his son, Gabriel, is a toddler now instead of a newborn. "It's a little easier to run with a 13-month-old than a 1-month old," he said.

The Arkansas Republican, who turned 39 on May 13, fell short of the Senate record. Sen. Max Baucus, a Montana Democrat, finished the race in 18 minutes, 15 seconds in 1981. U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon, a Tennessee Democrat, completed the course in 16:59 to set the House record in 1995.

The Senate record is attainable, Cotton said Thursday.

"If I'd known I was that close I would've beaten it yesterday, he said, adding, "I'll beat it next year."

Cotton wore a Smackover Oil Run T-shirt from start to finish. Meb Keflezighi, the 2014 Boston Marathon winner, placed the winner's medal around the senator's neck.

Eight senators and 16 U.S. representatives completed the race, a race official said.

The event raised more than $23,000 for the Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation, which trains German shepherds to assist the blind and visually impaired. Including a donation from the race sponsor, the foundation will receive a total of $45,000.

In the group competition, first place went to a Navy squad and second place to a White House crew. In all, 110 teams competed.

Team Cotton finished first among all House and Senate entrants and fifth overall. Besides the senator, it included four of his staff members: deputy legislative director Brian Colas (17:59); legislative assistant Alex Hanson (18:16); Military Fellow Beau Diers (19:47) and legislative correspondent Abigail Welborn (22:47).

Metro on 05/22/2016

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