Open Women

Washington's Naoko Ishibe is the undisputed champion of the winter rankings, as the 31 year old not only won both races she entered, but also achieved the two fastest times run by women this winter. Ishibe's fastest race was a 17:06 at the Potomac 5K, results she backed up with a top finish at the George Washington Birthday Classic 10K in 36:22.

Our second place finisher this winter, and one of the group's youngest top runners, was Desiree Ficker of Potomac, who earns her spot by having the two fastest times after Ishibe. Ficker's fastest race was a 37:52 at the Jingle Bell Run for Arthritis 10K, where she won the women's division, and she also turned in a 1:03:12 to win the women's race at the Turkey Burnoff 10 Miler.

Right behind Ficker at the Jingle Bell race were Hilary Cairns and Liz Speegle, who have earned the third and fourth slots, respectively. Cairns beat Speegle to the line by 22 seconds, and so sneaks into the third slot, while Speegle, who had her best race at the Potter Homes Turkey Trot, where she ran 18:18, must settle for fourth place.

Pl Name Hometown
1 Naoko Ishibe Washington, DC
2 Desiree Ficker Potomac, MD
3 Hilary Cairns Washington, DC
4 Liz Speegle Woodbridge, VA
5 Amanda Gillam
6 Robin Oswald Washington, DC
7 Connie Buckwalter Lancaster, PA
8 Jenny Koster
9 Diane Haupt Virginia Beach, VA
10 Mary Davison Chesapeake, VA
11 Megan Brenner Richmond, VA
12 Kristin Black Arlington, VA
13 Kris Wilson
14 Aurora Scott
15 Marjan Huizing Rockville, MD
16 Deidre McCarthy-Gallagher Arlington, VA
17 Beth Purcell
18 Susan Rizzieri Arlington, VA

Women 35-39

We have a new number one runner in this division also, as Potomac's Jeanne Grillo has collected the crown in the women's submasters division. Grillo had two of group's fastest five times, including a 30:35 at the Turkey Trot Five Miler and a 1:28:47 at the Belle Haven Half Marathon.

Our second place finisher this winter is one of our southern Virginia runners--Elizabeth Andrews of Norfolk, who earns her spot with a fourth in division (first local) finish at the Pomoco Half Marathon, where she crossed the line in 1:26:34. Andrews was also on hand at the Tidewater Striders Run for Independence, where she finished behind our third ranked runner, Virginia Beach's Kendall Tata. While it was Tata's victory over Andrews that earned her the third slot, her fastest race of the season was actually a 19:16 at the Pomoco 5K where she easily won the division.

Grabbing the fourth slot was Laura Freix, who earns her spot for being the only woman not ranked above her to collect a 10K equivalent time under 40:00, a feat she accomplished at the Turkey Trot Five Miler, where she ran 31:11. Freix's other time was a second place finish at Rudolph's Red Nose 10K, where she ran 41:00.

Finally, Virginia Beach's Deb Kopecky sneaks in to capture the final slot among the top five women in this division. Kopecky's fastest race this winter was a 40:42 finish at the Virginia Beach Turkey Trot 10K. However, she was also very strong at one of the winter's biggest races, running a 1:30:25 at the Pomoco Half Marathon.

Pl Name Hometown

1 Jeanne Grillo Potomac, MD
2 Elizabeth Andrews Norfolk, VA
3 Kendall Tata Virginia Beach, VA
4 Laura Freix Centreville, VA
5 Debbie Kopecky Virginia Beach, VA
6 Andrea Wagner Richmond, VA
7 Lisa Buckman-Lewis Virginia Beach, VA
8 Laura Nelson Harrisonburg, VA
9 Ruth O'Hara Alexandria, VA
10 Robyn Humphrey Ellicott City, MD
11 Julie Deutschmann Columbia, MD
12 Marjorie Boyd Annapolis, MD
13 Julie Pape Timonium, MD
14 Michelle Hogge Williamsburg, VA
15 Beth Wik Virginia Beach, VA
16 Susanne Nearman Alexandria, VA
17 Kathleen Hall Richmond, VA

Women 40-44

Forty-one year old Lee DiPietro was on hand twice this winter and collects the top slot for earning the fastest time run by a woman ranked in this division, at one of the winter's biggest races. DiPietro ran 1:20:05 at the Pomoco Half Marathon, good enough for a top fifty overall finish and a division win by nearly eight minutes.

Grabbing the second slot is another lady from Maryland. Annapolis's Jill Hargis turned up at three races this winter and was, as always, a few steps ahead of the competition at all of them. She won the Washington's Birthday 5K in 18:31, but had a far faster race at the Turkey Trot 5 Miler, where she ran 29:49. Hargis was also the overall victor at Rudolph's Red Nose 10K, cruising to the title in 38:58.

Our third place runner, Virginia Beach's Sheri Segal, is consistently a force to be reckoned with in this division. Though a distant second, she was the division runner-up at the Pomoco Half Marathon in 1:28:08 for her fastest race of the season. She had several other qualifying times, including a 1:24:40 at the Tidewater Striders Tune Up 20K.

At the Turkey Trot 5 Miler, however, Monica Allard, who was having her best race that day, finishing in 40:50, beat her. Allard's other qualifying time, however, was a less impressive 20:39 at the Jennifer Braun Memorial 5K, but her performance over Segal was enough to plant her firmly in the fourth place spot.

Collecting the final spot in the top five in this division was Leisa Ensle, who did so on the strength of her performance at the Pomoco Half Marathon, where she raced in behind Segal in 1:32:50. Ensle's best race, however, was a 1:26:51 at the Tidewater Striders Tune Up 20K.

Pl Name Hometown

1 Lee DiPietro Ruxton, MD
2 Jill Hargis Annapolis, MD
3 Sheri Segal Virginia Beach, VA
4 Monica Allard
5 Leisa Ensle Virginia Beach, VA
6 Carole Rosasco Arnold, MD
7 Dorothy Beckett Columbia, MD
8 Robin Goodwin Timonium, MD
9 Ruth Riemenschneider Winchester, VA
10 Karen Koffler Severna Park, MD
11 Catherine Gallagher Chevy Chase, MD
12 Peggy Dickison Bowie, MD
13 Sarah Buckheit Reston, VA

Women 45-49

A lucky thirteen women earned rankings in this division during the winter period, and they were, once again, led by Falls Church's Betty Blank, who had six qualifying times--the six fastest qualifying times of any woman in this portion of the rankings. Her best race was a 32:41 at the Turkey Trot Five Miler where she ran 43:41. She also had one overall victory, which came at the Custis 12K. She was on hand at the Pomoco Half Marathon, where she completed the course in 1:34:29, where she won the division by just over two minutes.

In second at the Pomoco race was Christie Wamsley-Morris, who had her best race of the season when it counted, turning in a 1:36:38--good enough not only for second in the division at that race, but also good enough to grab the runner-up slot in these rankings. The Colonial Beach resident was also on hand at the Anheuser Busch Colonial Half Marathon, where she ran 1:45:51.

Renee West had a great race at the Jingle Bell Run for Arthritis, finishing in the top 20 overall and second in the division behind Blank in 44:32, a feat impressive enough to earn the Cabin John runner the third slot in these rankings.

Fourth place for the winter belongs to Evie Thomson Lakey, whose best of three races was a 45:37 at the Virginia Beach Turkey Trot 10K. Lakey backed up these results with solid performances at the Jennifer Braun Memorial 5K and the Tidewater Striders Tuneup 20K.

Finally, Molly Gerke, one of our runners who hails from the Richmond area, grabs the final berth in the top five, with a stellar performance at the Frostbite 15K, running in at 1:10:23. Gerke's other race was a 22:19 at the 2001 New Year's 5K.

Pl Name Hometown

1 Betty Blank Falls Church, VA
2 Christie Wamsley -Morris Colonial Heights, VA
3 Renee West Cabin John, MD
4 Evie Thomson Lakey
5 Molly Gerke
6 Diana Best Midlothian, VA
7 Maria Shields
8 Ellen Hoitsma
9 Stephanie Shipp Great Falls, VA
10 Mimi Fackler
11 BJ Samuel
12 Ellen Wilson Arlington, VA
13 Linda Moeser Sterling, VA

Women 50-54

As has become common practice, Sandra Adams of Winchester has earned herself the top slot in the women's 50-54 division. She managed one 5K under 20:00--a 19:37 at the FCPRD Turkey Day 5K for her fastest race. However, that certainly was not her only top time, as she had four of the five top times among the ranked runners in this group. Included in this was an incredible top ten finish at the Jingle Bell Run for Arthritis 10K, in 42:29.

Right behind Adams time-wise this winter was Barbara Matthewson of Virginia Beach, who had her fastest race at the Jennifer Braun Memorial 5K in 20:43, but also was on hand at the Colonial Half Marathon, where she raced across the line in 1:39:04.

Rose Malloy's finish just outside the top fifty overall runners at the Glen Burnie Jingle Bell 8K in 35:42 was an impressive enough result to earn the third place ranking this winter. Malloy was also on hand to win the division at the B&A Trail Half Marathon.

Gabbing the fourth slot this winter is Columbia's Judi Carbary, who earns her place on the strength of a second in division finish, behind Malloy at the B&A Trail Half Marathon. Carbary also had a 22:25 finish at the Carrabba's 5K.

Finally, the last slot in the top five women this winter belongs to Jeanne Kruger-Williams, who raced around the southern portion of our region three times, with her best time coming at the Virginia Beach Turkey Trot 10K, where she finished in 46:56.

Pl Name Hometown

1 Sandra Adams Winchester, VA
2 Barbara Matthewson Virginia Beach, VA
3 Rose Malloy Annapolis, MD
4 Judi Carbary Columbia, MD
5 Jeanne Kruger Williams Norfolk, VA
6 Deb Gebhardt Adelphi, MD
7 Mary Ellen Gonyea Alexandria, VA
8 Melissa McLeod Norfolk, VA
9 Jane Godfrey Takoma Park, MD
10 Patsy Tudor Richmond, VA
11 Jeanne Bowers Norfolk, VA
12 Christy St. Clair
13 Joan Tapocik Germantown, MD
14 Penny Bodine Cabin John, MD

Women 55-59

Once again, Gaithersburg's Sharon Dolan has captured the crown at the top of the women's 55-59 division. She was, once again this winter, far and away the fastest woman over 55. She had three qualifying times, and, with them, three top ten finishes, including an overall women's division win at the Carderock 12K, where she ran 53:59. Dolan's slowest race, a 37:12 at the MCRRC Cross Country Road Run 8K, was still nearly two minutes faster than the best time run by any other woman in this division.

That woman, Andrea Hess of Midlothian, has narrowly earned the second ranking on the strength of her 1:15:46 at the Frostbite 15K. She also ran 1:50:41 at the Pomoco Half Marathon. Close behind Hess in the winter rankings is Dee Nelson, also of Gaithersburg. Her 10K equivalent times were only slightly slower than those run by Hess, with her best race a third place finish at the Cranberry Crawl 5K, where she ran 23:59.

Lucia Davidson of Arlington collected a division win at the B&A Trail Half Marathon, in 1:51:41, and grabs the fourth place ranking this winter. Davidson also ran 51:29 at the George Washington Birthday Classic 10K.

Finally, rounding out the top five in this division is Silver Spring's Julie Trapp, who finished fourth, behind Nelson, at the Cranberry Crawl 5K in 25:35 for her best race of the season. She also had two other qualifying times, achieved at the JFK 5K and the B-CC YMCA Turkey Chase 10K.

Pl Name Hometown

1 Sharon Dolan Gaithersburg, MD
2 Andrea Hess Midlothian, VA
3 Dee Nelson Gaithersburg, MD
4 Lucia Davidson Arlington, VA
5 Julie Trapp Silver Spring, MD
6 Mary Kate Berglund

Women 60-64

Though there were more than twenty-five qualifying times run this winter in this division, only three women actually managed to make it onto the race course twice to earn the required times for a winter ranking. In the past, this division has been owned by Lusby's Tami Graf. However, this winter, Anna Berdahl, of Silver Spring, who had a 10K equivalent average more than a minute better, earned the top ranking.

Berdahl's best performance was a 54:32 at the Carderock 12K where she finished in fifteenth place overall.

Graf, who takes the second slot, had her best of five races at the Rudolph's Red Nose 10K, where she covered the course in a very respectable 55:41, good enough to win the division.

Finally, earning the third slot in this group is Betty Munden, who had four qualifying times, including a 55:33 at the Tidewater Striders Run for Independence 5K, where she ran 26:41. However, her 10K equivalent average was more than a minute slower than Graf's, so she must settle for third place this winter.

Pl Name Hometown

1 Anna Berdahl Silver Spring, MD
2 Tami Graf Lusby, MD
3 Betty Munden Norfolk, VA

Women 65-69

In the women's 65-69 division, four women braved the winter weather to turn up at area races and earn at least two qualifying times. Unfortunately, none of the women earning a ranking ran head-to-head, so the rankings had to be based largely on best times.

Keeping this in mind, we have awarded first place to Barbara Staley of Cambridge, who crossed the line at the Celtic Solstice 5 Miler in 46:11, for a 10K equivalent time of 58:14, considerably faster than any of her peers managed in other races.

Second and third place were very close, between Pat Ewell of Smithfield, and Yvonne Aasen both of who turned in 10K equivalent times close to an hour. In the end, we decided that Ewell should get second place in recognition of her division win in 2:13:37 at the Pomoco Half Marathon, despite her best time being a few seconds slower than Aasen's. Aasen had her best performance of the ranking period at the Glen Burnie Jingle Bell Run, where she ran 47:23.

Finally, Hiroko Hunt of Reston collects the fourth slot in the women's rankings with two qualifying times, including a 51:02 at the Jingle Bell Run for Arthritis 8K.

Pl Name Hometown

1 Barbara Staley Cambridge, MD
2 Pat Ewell Smithfield, VA
3 Yvonne Aasen
4 Hiroko Hunt Reston, VA

Women 70-74

Three women in this age division earned the minimum two qualifying times that were necessary to gain a Winter 2001 ranking. Potomac's Kay Morrison was the obvious division winner, posting three qualifying times, including a 54:28 at the Turkey Burnoff 5 Miler.

Second place belongs to Martha Trimmer of Grasonville, MD who had her best race at Baltimore's Jingle Bell Run for Arthritis. Finally, rounding out the age division is Terry Hamilton of Reston, who had two qualifying times, including a 1:04:21 at the Reston Jingle Bell Run for Arthritis 8K.

Pl Name Hometown

1 Kay Morrison Potomac, MD
2 Martha Trimmer Grasonville, MD
3 Terry Hamilton Reston, VA

Women 75 & Over

No women earned the two qualifying times necessary to earn a ranking.