What’s the best way to gin up intra-governmental warm fuzzies? Why, getting sweaty and gross before work, of course. At this year’s annual ACLI Capital Challenge 3-miler, bipartisan competition hit the road as teams like the “eMail eRacers” and “The Fast and the Curious” raced to earn money for Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation, a charity that provides German shepherd guide dogs for the blind.

Sens. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) and Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.) beat out the title defenders, Sens. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Kay Hagan (D- N.C.), as the fastest male and female senators (last year Cotton was the fastest congressman). On the House side, the golden sneakers belonged to Reps. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Calif.).


Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker, right, with Olympian Dathan Ritzenhein, center, at the 34th Annual ACLI Capital Challenge race in Anacostia Park in Washington, D.C. on May 20. (Bob Burgess)

Olympian Dathan Ritzenhein and Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) at the 34th Annual ACLI Capital Challenge race in Anacostia Park in Washington, D.C. on May 20. (Bob Burgess)

Boyd Tomasetti running for the Army Inspector General’s team and No. 10 Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) at the 34th Annual ACLI Capital Challenge race in Anacostia Park in Washington, D.C., on May 20. (Bob Burgess)

Sen. Rob Portman (R- Ohio) at the 34th Annual ACLI Capital Challenge race in Anacostia Park in Washington, D.C., on May 20. (Bob Burgess)