Photos by Lainey Bernstein

With the temperature dropping nearly as fast as the gasoline prices, the frost-coated windshields hinted at weather more like the coming winter. By the 8:30 AM race time for this fifth year event, the sun was full in the clear blue skies. Runners were treated to an ideal mid-forties autumn morning.

This race is a scenic one. After lunging out of the 200-meter uphill driveway of the church, runners turned the corner and dashed straight down Van Dorn Street for a full mile. What goes down must go up! The next mile was a gradual incline through a nearly new neighborhood.

Before the race, runners were advised that the hill, and it is steep, leading to the finish of this circular course was not the one to worry about. The third mile took runners off the road onto an undulating hiker/biker path that was determined to test the will of even the hardiest runner. After a third of a mile taster, runners moved back into the neighborhood for a gradual return back down to earth, setting up the final quartermile climb to mile three. The last tenth was a return to the base of the parking lot, passing the finish line clock and heading for the rows and rows of home-baked cookies.

Last year's champion Michael Wardian of Arlington, VA (16:19 in 2005) lined up dead center right on the starting line. He knew he had competition today. To his right was a former number one ranked runner Philippe Rolly of Fairfax, VA; to his immediate left was the tall lean lines of Ryan Mammen of Woodbridge, VA who he had dethroned at the Fair Lakes 8K just last month. Bert Rodriguez of Arlington, VA was standing close by as well. He was in the running at Fair Lakes this year and had been runner-up here last year.

The real threat was compact Ryan Deak of Glen Allen, VA [in photo left]. Since Labor Day he had two runner-up spots in 5Ks, running a sub 5:00 pace. Deak immediately blazed to the lead; by the mile he had moved off about thirty meters from a pack of about seven runners gunning for Wardian's time from last year. Six of them easily bested it, including Wardian, who has already raced fifty races this year, in 16:02. Deak held off the charge of relative unknown Steven Crane of Alexandria, VA by five seconds to win in 15:36. In 2003 Kyle Smits of Washington, DC had set the standard with 15:13. For the first time, four runners broke 16:00 on this tough course, Rodriguez in 15:52, and Mammen in 15:54, exacting a measure of payback for Wardian's previous triumphs.

Joe Abernethy of College Park, MD has the masters record from 2003 in 15:54. This year Robert Johnson (49) of Woodbridge, VA took on the talented masters field, winning in 17:35, putting the grandmasters on notice for next year.

With none of last year's top three women returning and course record holder (17:08 in 2003) Samia Akbar (24) of Herndon, VA in Boston placing fourth (33:56) in the USA Women's 10K Championship, the women's race was up for grabs. Victoria Lynch (32) of Washington, DC grabbed first in 19:03. Top master and second overall was Linda Foley of Oak Hill, VA (in a three way race with George Buckheit (l) and Jeff Holdaway) in 19:59. Four places later but only two seconds in this competitive field Liz Aquino (32) of Springfield, VA etched her name in bronze with 20:01. The old masters best was 20:29 set in 2003 by Ofelia Perotti of Alexandria, VA.

This race is already a special race for local runners with nearly four hundred runners. More runners from out of town such as fourth woman Amelia Ingersoll (43) of Columbia, MD [in photo left] are making the trip to experience this growing race. The race is well-marked and marshaled with lots of eats at the finish. Most of the random prizes are very nice, such as a year membership to the local gym or free food at Chipotle just for telling the organizers your opinion of the race. The big draw is the marvelous round trip airline tickets for two from both Air Tran and Southwest. Valued at $1200 each, it is a great draw for this already successful race.



If you missed it this year, put it on your calendar for next year.

Awards

MALE (OVERALL): 
    1     90 Ryan Deak                21 Glen Allen VA      15:36  
    2    416 Steven Crane             25 Alexandria VA      15:41  
    3    218 Bert Rodriguez           27 Arlington VA       15:52  
FEMALE (OVERALL): 
    1    323 Victoria Lynch           32 Washington DC      19:03  
    2    426 Linda Foley              44 Oak Hill VA        19:59  
    3    291 Liz Aquino               32 Springfield VA     20:01  
MALE AGE GROUP:  1 - 14
    1    250 Nathan Thatcher          14 Manassas Park VA   21:00  
    2     66 Tim Caudle               14 Alexandria VA      21:35  
    3    298 John Bozek               13 Alexandria VA      22:00  
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  1 - 14
    1    261 Emily Walker             12 Arlington VA       29:15  
    2    443 Jenna Gibson             13 Springfield VA     30:27  
    3    285 Emily Smith              14 Alexandria VA      31:03  
MALE AGE GROUP:  15 - 19
    1    245 Zach Sykes               19 Springfield VA     20:43  
    2    314 Chris Holdaway           15 Vienna VA          21:38  
    3     21 William Alewine          15 Alexandria VA      31:29  
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  15 - 19
    1     72 Joanna Collins           16 Alexandria VA      36:59  
    2    203 Amber Pratt              18 Woodbridge VA      41:42  
    3     45 Amanda Bonilla           17 Burke VA           44:48  
MALE AGE GROUP:  20 - 29
    1    311 Jason Lewis              24 Triangle VA        16:05  
    2    154 David Kessler            28 Manassas Park VA   17:30  
    3     63 Alexandro Cano           24 Springfield VA     18:58  
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  20 - 29
    1     67 Deanna Cekanski          23 Alexandria VA      23:13  
    2    434 Rachel Austin            29 Washington DC      23:26  
    3    272 Jessica Young            21 Alexandria VA      23:36  
MALE AGE GROUP:  30 - 39
    1    419 Ryan Mammen              30 Woodbridge VA      15:54  
    2    284 Michael Wardian          32 Arlington VA       16:02  
    3    421 Philippe Rolly           34 Fairfax VA         16:37  
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  30 - 39
    1    149 Sara Johnson             30 Alexandria VA      22:05  
    2    330 Karen Young              38 Boyds MD           22:24  
    3    231 Jan Sharkey              39 Springfield VA     22:36  
MALE AGE GROUP:  40 - 49
    1    310 Robert Johnson           49 Woodbridge VA      17:35  
    2    202 Ted Poulos               44 Mclean VA          17:50  
    3    422 Kyle Caudle              41 Annapolis MD       17:53  
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  40 - 49
    1    290 Amelia Ingersoll         43 Columbia MD        20:56  
    2     87 Debbie Daughtry          48 Clifton VA         23:01  
    3    302 Nancy Casares            46 Sterling VA        24:30  
MALE AGE GROUP:  50 - 59
    1     73 Norton Compton           51 Fairfax VA         18:19  
    2     12 Richard Adams            55 Herndon VA         18:48  
    3    428 Gary Grimsley            52 Springfield VA     19:05  
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  50 - 59
    1    126 Ingrid Grinde            50 Casanova VA        25:20  
    2     62 Patricia Canestra-Heenan 58 Arlington VA       36:58  
    3    162 Bonnie Larrabee          59 Alexandria VA      37:05  
MALE AGE GROUP:  60 - 99
    1    215 Krupakar Revanna         63 Falls Church VA    22:17  
    2    439 Lou Shapiro              65 Silver Spring MD   22:18  
    3    199 Richard Pane             63 Herndon VA         23:05  
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  60 - 99
    1    221 Rosemary Jellish         62 Alexandria VA      34:13  
    2     69 Jacqueline Chauviaux     66 Woodbridge VA      35:15  
    3    216 Teresa Revanna           60 Falls Church VA    41:59  

Photo below: (l-r) James Moreland (54), John Haubert (64), and Lou Shapiro (65,) 2nd in the 60-69 age group.

Race Day Report for 2006
Full Race Day Results
Photo Gallery 2006
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Page 3