(Photo left is Aaron Church, the race winner) Don't know where the April showers might be? Maybe that is why the azaleas were not in full bloom. Mostly runners are ecstatic about the incredible weather we have been treated to these last ten days. With all the Cherry Blossoms and Shamrocks and the huge Sallie Mae and Pike's Pike 10Ks, the little race in University Park did well to draw nearly three hundred avid racers on a crisp Saturday morning. One of the area's top runners Aaron Church of South Riding, VA was given a strong test by of Kareem Lanier of Lincoln University, PA. Lanier has a twin brother Kyle. As with the Williams sisters in tennis, they are both often a threat to each other's chances of winning the race. Today, with bands playing on the course and kids waiting to run the fun run cheering loudly as the 5Kers came down the hill from the start, Church would be the champion in a swift 16:17. Lanier was seventeen seconds behind.

(Photo left shows close finish for the women winner)From there it was up to College Park to make its nearby presence felt. Patrick Reaves of College Park was third in 16:44. Still pre college Mathieu Abernethy (16) of the College Park Abernethy running dynasty is showing signs of taking over his father's place as the swiftest of the family, flying home in 16:57. Poppa Joe's last 5K was last October was 16:45. For the masters crown, Ted Poulos of McLean, VA was out leaned by Jean- Christophe Arcaz by one second in 17:14. Poulos might have been saving that extra second for Sallie Mae on Sunday. Still, you can bet he knew where Arcaz was the entire race. He is always a tough runner to compete against. Celebrity runner Jon Palks (55) of Bowie, MD and a 50 Plus Club member was on hand to finish his 38th 5K of the year in 22:07, good for third in his division.

For the women, the oh-so-close finish was not for masters but for the whole enchilada. Young Ainsley Gardner (18) had to really turn on the jets to outlast Beth Casey of Oak Hill, VA, twice her age at thirty-six by just two seconds. Third woman was Ann Kugel of Avondale, MD in 21:43 with top masters finisher Eleanor Kerr of University Park glued to her back. This race featured many young runners. The top twelve and under racers were Christopher Cantone (11) of University Park, MD in 23:50 and Amanda Hodgkinson (11) of Columbia, MD in 24:26. This speaks well for the future of running.

Award Winners (Men)

Place Num   Name                Ag City               Time    
===== ===== =================== == ================== ======= 
1    11 Aaron Church        29 South Riding VA      16:17 
2   182 Kareem Lanier       32 Lincoln Univers PA   16:34 
3   242 Patrick Reaves      20 College Park MD      16:44 
MALE AGE GROUP:  01 - 12
1    80 Christopher Cantone 11 University Park MD   23:50 
2   178 Bryan Parker        12 University Park MD   24:04 
3   134 Justin Ahalt        11 College Park MD      24:51 
MALE AGE GROUP:  13 - 19
1   200 Mathieu Abernethy   16 College Park MD      16:57 
2   229 George Brewer       15 Chillum MD           21:02 
3   276 Ian Wilson          14 University Park MD   21:33 
MALE AGE GROUP:  20 - 29
1   281 Alex Filides        29 Mclean VA            17:09 
2   243 Samy Muaddi         20 College Park MD      18:17 
3   240 Nick Fernandez      21 Columbia MD          19:01 
MALE AGE GROUP:  30 - 39
1   264 Ian Blair           33 Alexandria VA        17:31 
2   226 Scott Koenig        35 Columbia MD          19:39 
3   265 Geoff Nelson        31 Berwyn MD            20:45 
MALE AGE GROUP:  40 - 49
1     6 Jean-Christophe Arc 44 Rockville MD         17:13 
2     1 Ted Poulos          43 Mclean VA            17:14 
3   236 Gene Smith          40 Burke VA             17:32 
MALE AGE GROUP:  50 - 59
1   112 Richard Adams       54 Herndon VA           18:25 
2   254 Bruce Delaplaine    50 Glen Echo MD         19:29 
3    61 Jon Palks           55 Bowie MD             22:05 
MALE AGE GROUP:  60 - 69
1   215 Maynard Weyers      68 Alexandria VA        23:02 
2   274 Tom Eichbaum        60 University Park MD   29:35 
3   253 Rud Moe             60 Ardmore MD           29:40 
MALE AGE GROUP:  70 - 99
1    64 Richard Miller      70 Bowie MD             27:55 
2   124 George Moquin       71 Hyattsville MD       29:32 
3   248 Philip Zenchoff     77 Silver Spring MD     36:52 

Award Winners (Women)

Place Num   Name                Ag City               Time    
===== ===== =================== == ================== ======= 
1   244 Aisling Gardner     18  MD                  20:56 
2   180 Beth Casey          36 Oak Hill VA          20:58 
3   257 Ann Kugel           24 Avondale MD          21:43 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  01 - 12
1    90 Amanda Hodgkinson   11 Columbia MD          24:26 
2   245 Courtney Mathews    11 College Height MD    25:22 
3   259 Carol Nugent        10 Chillum MD           28:13 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  13 - 19
1   246 Maresa Mathews      16 College Heights MD   23:00 
2    21 Marian Kerr         13                      26:33 
3   126 Emily Schoendorf    13 University Park MD   29:42 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  20 - 29
1    39 Julie House         28 Silver Spring MD     23:04 
2    71 Amanda Ball         29 Laurel MD            24:26 
3   164 Julie Mclaren       29 University Park MD   24:28 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  30 - 39
1    85 Karen Young         36 Boyds MD             22:05 
2    93 Jennifer Lazio      36 Alexandria VA        22:27 
3    44 Karen Guilds        33 Gaithersburg MD      22:28 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  40 - 49
1    20 Eleanor Kerr        45 University Park MD   21:41 
2   233 Therese Griffin     43 Abingdon MD          27:42 
3   263 Pat Bailey          46 Washington DC        27:50 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  50 - 59
1   235 Debbie Melani       50 Forest Hill MD       27:39 
2   115 Ludmilla Kolokolova 53 College Park MD      33:41 
3   234 Cindy Pearson       50 University Park MD   36:14 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  60 - 69
1   149 Pam Diamond         60 University Park MD   26:44 
2   275 Sandra Eichbaum     60 University Park MD   29:42 
3   186 Eva Wattenmaker     62 University Park MD 1:00:32 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  70 - 99
1   116 Monna Kauppinen     70 Adelphi MD           51:21 
2   247 Lillian Wolf        71 Silver Spring MD     51:21 
3   249 Mary Zenchoff       73 Silver Spring MD   1:00:09 

For Race Results

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