This year's photos by Rachael Goodwin.

For the sixth year of the race, the course was slightly different as close to five hundred runners lined up on the open field in Ida Lee Park. The banner above the ChronoTrack mats was like a toll booth in the middle of nowhere. As the day was unseasonably cool and very windy many runners got to the race a little later than normal. The race got under way just a little after 9:00 AM with last year's winner Justin Fritzius of Purcellville, MD lined up near the front. (Photo from last year's race.)

As always the youngsters love the chase of a cross country race and bolted across the field before race announcer Bob Moore could fully yell out GO! A hundred meters later the field of runners turned right between a fence and a stand of trees and the race was underway. The course was nearly entirely on grass hugging the tree line as it circled the open field. The ground was hard from the recent cold wave but the footing was mostly easy for a race through the countryside.

Like a colorful snake, the runners spread as the minutes went by. With about a half mile to go the runners returned back to the original path for about a quarter mile. Then it circled past the fence line before the final turn for home.

Cross country courses are not certified and every turn cut sharply makes the course a little quicker. Still, the times are usually slower than on a road course. Today's course was probably a little bit short of the full 5K. Some runners had much faster times though quite a few ran close to the same times as they ran last year. Fritzius easily defended his title running alone to the fastest time for the event with 15:38. Last year he ran 15:50.

In 2007, four lads from Leesburg also broke 17:00. Adam Crawford was the runner-up in 15:57. This year Chris Sheaffer (24) of Purcellville was second in a speedy 16:11. He was challenged by Stephen Harrison (20) of Sterling, VA who stayed close with 16:20.

Last year's master winner Mark Whalley (47) of Fairfax was sixth overall in 17:38. This year the competition was fierce but a little slower. The top five masters finished between 20:03 and 20:48. Don Schmidt (44) of Ashburn was the tops. Rob Schlegel was the next finisher in 20:15. The battle for the coveted third spot in the 40-49 division was won by Bill Horne (49) in 20:29 just one second ahead of David Haber (46), both from Leesburg. The fifth runner was a fading James Moreland (56) of Gaithersburg, MD who they had both passed in the final lap. Still, with a food prize incentive, he held on to win the grandmaster division.

For the women, last year's winner Hannah Scheren (18) of Lovettsville, VA boosted her time from 20:06 to a nice 19:38 but all it got her was fourth overall and second in her age group, which by the way was a large, delicious looking pecan pie. Her younger sister Hailey (16) was looking good for third in the teen division coming home in 20:25. Then Devin Nihill (13) of Vienna, VA came blasting over the hill in the final mile and edged her with 20:23 for fifth overall.

The two top runners raced the course in just over 6:00 per mile pace. Audrey Houghton of Purcellville won the race in a close finish with 18:39. Julie Strange of Leesburg was runner- up in 18:45. Michelle Cunningham (33) of Centreville, VA is a tiny young lady so the wind did not seem to slow her down even a little. She raced a fine 19:10 for third overall. Eighth place went to a masters runner. Brenda MacKintosh of Springfield won easily over last year's champion Sushila Nanda of Arlington with a fine 21:08. Nanda was only five seconds slower than last year at age 47. (21:59)

The weekend before the busiest race day of the year, Thanksgiving, has to be special to draw a crowd. This delightful event was just such a winner.

All of the age group winners won a nice ten pound turkey and second place got a large pie. All the runners got a nice long sleeve T-shirt. After the race there was bottled water and hot coffee as well as lots of bananas and box after box of delicious dessert cakes.

Many runners brought food donations to the race for Loudoun Interfaith Relief, the largest food pantry in Loudoun County, which included a 1 mile fun walk. In the photo, below the Justice family of Warrenton, VA poses. Jon Justice (35) ran a very credible 21:17. His wife Kelly walked the mile first with Nathan and Emily and then she ran the 5K as well.

Awards 5K

WINNER MALE 5K
       Bib  Name                 Age Hometown              Net   Gun   
    1  1515 Justin Fritzius       24 Purcellville VA       15:35 15:38 
WINNER FEMALE 5K
       Bib  Name                 Age Hometown              Net   Gun
    1  1704 Audrey Houghton       17 Purcellville VA       18:39 18:40 
MALE AGE GROUP:  1 - 19
   Pl  Bib  Name                 Age Hometown              Net   Gun    Pace
    1  1705 Thomas Curtin         15 Leesburg VA           17:32 17:26  5:37 
    2   196 Zach Deaton           16 Ashburn VA            17:31 17:29  5:38 
    3  1734 Josh Klug             17 Leesburg VA           18:15 18:12  5:52 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  1 - 19
    1  1751 Julie Strange         17 Leesburg VA           18:46 18:45  6:02 
    2  1496 Hannah Scheren        18 Lovettsville VA       19:38 19:37  6:19 
    3   327 Devin Nihill          13 Vienna VA             20:23 20:23  6:34 
MALE AGE GROUP:  20 - 29
    1  1508 Chris Sheaffer        24 Purcellville VA       16:11 16:08  5:12 
    2  1701 Stephen Harrison      20 Sterling VA           16:20 16:16  5:14 
    3  1493 Jason Edelin          27 Ashburn VA            20:32 20:30  6:36 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  20 - 29
    1   425 Whitney Spivey        25 Columbia MO           20:17 20:15  6:32 
    2  1710 Michelle Payne        26 Alexandria VA         22:31 22:29  7:14 
    3  1507 Kristen Gochnauer     24 Purcellville VA       22:32 22:31  7:15 
MALE AGE GROUP:  30 - 39
    1  1484 Harland Peelle        34 Leesburg VA           17:31 17:29  5:38 
    2   338 Brad Wedemeyer        32 Ashburn VA            17:59 17:57  5:47 
    3   251 Rory Duffield         31 Fairfax VA            18:17 18:15  5:53 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  30 - 39
    1   447 Michelle Cunningham   33 Centreville VA        19:12 19:10  6:10 
    2  1488 Lori Preston          38 Arlington VA          21:21 21:20  6:52 
    3   269 Jean Colsant          38 Arlington VA          22:22 22:17  7:11 
MALE AGE GROUP:  40 - 49
    1  1518 Don Schmidt           44 Ashburn VA            20:03 20:01  6:27 
    2  1530 Rob Schlegel          41 Clifton VA            20:15 20:15  6:31 
    3   363 Bill Horne            49 Leesburg VA           20:29 20:24  6:34 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  40 - 49
    1   376 Brenda MacKintosh     43 Springfield VA        21:08 21:08  6:49 
    2   260 Sushila Nanda         47 Arlington VA          21:59 21:57  7:04 
    3   143 Amy Perkins           44 Leesburg VA           23:19 23:12  7:28 
MALE AGE GROUP:  50 - 59
    1  1619 James Moreland        56 Gaithersburg MD       20:48 20:46  6:41 
    2  1539 Dave Ungrady          50 Leesburg VA           21:44 21:39  6:58 
    3   186 Karta Clark           50 Leesburg VA           22:08 22:08  7:08 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  50 - 59
    1  1603 Joan Woodis           50 Leesburg VA           25:44 25:38  8:15 
    2  1609 Leslie Kash           52 Round Hill VA         25:57 25:56  8:21 
    3   427 Julie Pastor          55 Leesburg VA           26:18 26:07  8:25 
MALE AGE GROUP:  60 - 99
    1  1480 Dick Conway           60 Springfield VA        22:38 22:34  7:16 
    2  1798 Duane Hartge          60 Fairfax VA            24:21 24:04  7:45 
    3   367 Sammy Knight          61 Alexandria VA         28:40 28:08  9:04 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  60 - 99
    1  1747 Punkin Lee            62 Middleburg VA         28:04 27:59  9:01 
    2   235 Dava Burke            61 Gainesville VA        36:06 35:33 11:27 
    3   360 Claire Knight         63 Alexandria VA         36:06 35:33 11:27 
MALE FIRST TIME RACER: NET TIME - NET PACE 1 - 99
    1   309 Anthony Lee           35 M Arlington VA        19:34 19:32  6:18 
FEMALE FIRST TIME RACER: NET TIME - NET PACE 1 - 99
    1   326 Samantha Lushinski    10 F Ashburn VA          26:25 26:22  8:30 

 

Full Race Day Results