PRR Twilight Festival Race Report

By James Moreland
Ashburn, VA
June 11, 2011
For the Washington Running Report

Virginia Pons moves past the starting line at the first loop.

The Potomac River Twilight 4 mile race has built a solid reputation as a family event. While providing some of most competitive races at this less than common distance, the well attended mile fun run and all the entertainment after the event keep the race high in recidivism. While the classic rock band Dolley Sodds was warming up, event director Ray Pugsley was scurrying around filling a kid’s pool with ice to cool off the many different kinds of liquid refreshment awaiting the returning road warriors. Everyone knows that in this region June is really summer no matter what the calendar says. Pugsley was smiling as he said, “We dodged a bullet.” Indeed, after two record setting days in the last week, this year’s temperature in the low 80s seemed almost kind.

Owning the fourth fastest time of 20:07 from his runner-up spot in 2009 made Aaron Church, 35, the favorite. Church (left takes the final strides) was coming off a top ranking in the winter in his division and he was feeling good. Still, nobody told the other racers that he would win. On the way back past the starting line at about 2K in the race Church was riding easily in the back of a pack of seven racers. They had cruised through the opening mile in 4:49, which would put them on pace to take on Steve Crane’s event record of 19:47 from 2008. The race announcer keep the finish line informed by radio as they pushed through the next mile still sub 5:00.

Though perhaps the kindest day of the first five years, the race was really heating up, in more ways than one. After the race was done Church noted that he did not have a real speed, [not] and he made his break about 2.5 miles into the event. He did not want to leave the race to a sprint at the end. As the pack broke up a couple of the racers called it quits and dropped. Kent Pecora was from North Carolina and an unknown, clinging to the pace. Hugh Toland had won three races in the spring including a 15:45 5K. Ryan Deak had two wins and a 15:44 5K. As the runners came in view for the final two hundred meters, it was clear that Church would prevail. Church’s only race in the spring was a third overall four mile race in 20:43. This time he improved his pace to take it all in an event age group record 20:25. Pecora was next in 20:38. Deak looked really tired for a man moving so fast and settled for third place cash at 20:46. Toland was fourth in 21:02.

Coming up form the south was Williamsburg’s John Piggott. Piggott, 46, (left) as always, is training for the half marathon where he seems to excel the best. He had run 14 miles in the morning but “no one was pushing” him. As it turned out, he ended up in no man’s land in the race with no one within sight of him on either side. He did not even feel the pressure to press at the end. Still, he slipped in past the former course record held by the formidable Ted Poulos (22:42 – 2007) with a fine 22:30. That is the second fastest master time behind Darrell General’s 21:28 set in 2007.

Elite grandmaster George Buckheit (below) had the third fastest 50 and older time and one of the best lifetime racing résumés in the region – PR of 13:43 for 5K and 28:39 for 10K. Still, he just laughed when asked if he was going to break the tape this time. New minted grandmaster Jean Christophe Arcaz is a prolific racer and he always seems to do his best when the competition is tough. During his forties he and Ted Poulos had scores of close battles. This time he took the top grandmaster spot in 23:42 for 13th overall. The grandmaster best was set by Chuck Moeser in 2009 with 23:15.

Former age group winner Richard Adams, 60, was too tired to look around to see that nobody was close as he won by nearly three minutes In 26:54. His daughter was out on the course racing as well. Meanwhile Jason Page, 66, an age group record holder was on hand to watch his daughter race as well. She sure looked good racing. Page was at the Cascades Firechase 10K to watch another daughter win it all last month. Page will be back on the roads in time to take a shot at returning his rankings crown this summer.

In the morning the Lawyers have Heart race was turned into a 5K because of the heat. That was okay for Bob Gurtler, 76, of the Plains, VA. He had already run 35 of them this year. Still, by evening he was already itching to put in some more miles, winning his age group.

When John Piggott heard the top woman coming in he perked up his ears. Did they say Williamsburg? He knew he would know all the top racers from his hometown. Darcy McDonald led a well spaced line of young runners to the finish line. She ran the event’s third fastest time, 23:07.  Laurel Jefferson followed in the sixth fastest time with 23:35. Third place went to Margie Shapiro with the seventh fastest time in 23:53. Only eight women have broken 24:00 on this course.

Shapiro is a =PR= owner. Her fine race was her first race in several years.

Master winner Linda Foley will soon be fifty. Finishing sixth in 25:49 she was not far off her overall winning time form the first year, 2007, when she ran 25:23. For the grandmasters, Liza Recto had just turned 55 and she thought she had a chance to medal. When the called her name as first in 32:02, she learned the she was top grandmaster as well, not far of the 55-59 record of 31:36.

On each runner’s bib was an F tag for food and a B tag for beer.  Beer of course only went to adults but the burritos from Moe’s Southwest Grill went to all the runners. There were all kinds of juices, water, and soda as well as doughnuts, cookie, chips. Nobody was going to leave hungry.  As the band started up, hundreds of runners mingled around the circus-like venue. There was a dunk tank and moon bounces, and the soft ice cream stand quickly formed a line.

When the awards were being announced, many of the runners were still eating and drinking. It sure is wonderful to get the awards so fast that everyone is still there to get them. While the race totals very with the temperatures over the years. This year’s 989 four mile finishers combined with the fun runners to more than 1100 participants which are very close to the most ever.

Overall Female 
                                                                          Over      Chip        Gun 
 Place    Name                            City             Bib No  Age   all      Time        Time      Pace
    1    Darcy McDonald                   Williamsburg  VA     479    24    10     23:06.2     23:06.9    5:47/M
    2    Laurel Jefferson                 Washington  DC       539    25    14     23:33.3     23:34.1    5:53/M
    3    Margaret Shapiro                 Herndon  VA          642    34    17     23:51.9     23:52.1    5:58/M
Female Masters 
                                                                          Over      Chip        Gun 
 Place    Name                              City             Bib No  Age   all      Time        Time      Pace
    1    Linda Foley                      Oak Hill  VA         204    49    33     25:47.0     25:48.2    6:27/M

Female  14 & Younger               
                                                                          Over      Chip        Gun 
 Place    Name                              City             Bib No  Age   all      Time        Time      Pace
    1    Adriana Rosas                    Silver Spring  MD    857    11   113     30:06.6     30:08.2    7:32/M
    2    Brenda Rosas                     Silver Spring  MD    859    12   151     31:28.0     31:28.8    7:52/M
    3    Emily Landeryou                  Reston  VA           863    11   256     34:59.7     35:09.0    8:45/M

Female 15 to 19               
                                                                          Over      Chip        Gun 
 Place    Name                              City             Bib No  Age   all      Time        Time      Pace
    1    Corey Bolyard                    Sterling  VA         544    16    98     29:41.5     29:46.5    7:25/M
    2    Kelly O'Toole                    Woodbridge  VA       506    18   101     29:47.0     29:55.0    7:27/M
    3    Alayna Bigalbal                  Leesburg  VA         607    15   132     30:44.1     30:45.0    7:41/M
Female 20 to 24               
                                                                          Over      Chip        Gun 
 Place    Name                              City             Bib No  Age   all      Time        Time      Pace
    1    Petra Cotes                      Annandale  VA        386    22    24     24:56.7     24:57.0    6:14/M
    2    Meagan Klein                     Arlington  VA        803    24   149     31:25.4     31:37.5    7:51/M
    3    Maddie Humphrey                  Reston  VA           279    23   159     31:40.1     32:12.0    7:55/M

Female 25 to 29               
                                                                          Over      Chip        Gun 
 Place    Name                              City             Bib No  Age   all      Time        Time      Pace
    1    Sarah Bard                       Leesburg  VA         382    26    31     25:40.8     25:41.5    6:25/M
    2    Kathryn Neeper                   Washington  DC       430    27    37     26:03.3     26:03.6    6:31/M
    3    Michelle Christine               Leesburg  VA         641    29   108     29:53.1     29:56.6    7:28/M
Female 30 to 34               
                                                                          Over      Chip        Gun 
 Place    Name                              City             Bib No  Age   all      Time        Time      Pace
    1    Jennifer Pantall                 Sterling  VA         414    32    76     28:26.1     28:30.8    7:07/M
    2    Mary Otto                        Centreville  VA      648    30   111     29:54.9     29:57.6    7:29/M
    3    Amanda Statz                     Alexandria  VA        69    32   118     30:17.4     30:20.6    7:34/M

Female 35 to 39               
                                                                          Over      Chip        Gun 
 Place    Name                              City             Bib No  Age   all      Time        Time      Pace
    1    Nancy Eiring                     Washington  DC       827    38    56     26:59.3     27:00.8    6:45/M
    2    Tatiana Sheptock                 South Riding  VA     563    35    67     28:03.4     28:05.8    7:01/M
    3    Alison Gittelman                 South Riding  VA      34    38    71     28:13.7     28:17.8    7:03/M

Female 40 to 44               
                                                                          Over      Chip        Gun 
 Place    Name                              City             Bib No  Age   all      Time        Time      Pace
    1    Mijiko Phelps                    Reston  VA           522    41    43     26:24.9     26:26.2    6:36/M
    2    Kim Isler                        Oakton  VA           404    43    59     27:16.9     27:17.8    6:49/M
    3    Sue Piergallini                  Ashburn  VA          493    44   106     29:51.2     30:03.0    7:28/M
Female 45 to 49               
                                                                          Over      Chip        Gun 
 Place    Name                              City             Bib No  Age   all      Time        Time      Pace
    1    Anita Freres                     Reston  VA           871    46    65     27:43.5     27:51.2    6:56/M
    2    Karen Ames                       Purcellville  VA     496    45   154     31:32.0     31:40.0    7:53/M
    3    Stephanie Cappello               Ashburn  VA          835    47   187     32:40.1     32:54.2    8:10/M
Female 50 to 54               
                                                                          Over      Chip        Gun 
 Place    Name                              City             Bib No  Age   all      Time        Time      Pace
    1    Cynthia Revesman                 Oak Hill  VA         504    50   188     32:44.2     32:58.6    8:11/M
    2    Paula Looney                     Ashburn  VA          371    50   221     34:05.8     34:11.0    8:31/M
    3    Shari Sturm                      McLean  VA           282    50   295     35:55.5     36:39.8    8:59/M
Female 55 to 59               
                                                                          Over      Chip        Gun 
 Place    Name                              City             Bib No  Age   all      Time        Time      Pace
    1    Lisa Recto                       Lexington Park  MD   707    55   167     31:57.5     32:02.1    7:59/M
    2    Carla Bourgeois                  Montclair  VA        840    58   345     36:56.8     37:16.4    9:14/M
    3    Liz Roberts                      Leesburg  VA         589    55   361     37:23.8     37:37.8    9:21/M
Female 60 to 64               
                                                                          Over      Chip        Gun 
 Place    Name                              City             Bib No  Age   all      Time        Time      Pace
    1    Lucille Walke                    Ashburn  VA          674    62    45     26:28.8     26:28.8    6:37/M
    2    Gayle Novig                      McLean  VA           378    60   564     42:52.0     43:14.9   10:43/M

Overall Male 
                                                                          Over      Chip        Gun 
 Place    Name                              City             Bib No  Age   all      Time        Time      Pace
    1    Aaron Church                     South Riding  VA     501    35     1     20:24.9     20:24.9    5:06/M
    2    Kent Pecora                      Chapel Hill  NO      524    22     2     20:37.7     20:37.7    5:09/M
    3    Ryan Deak                        Burke  VA            843    25     3     20:45.6     20:45.6    5:11/M
Male Masters
                                                                          Over      Chip        Gun 
 Place    Name                              City             Bib No  Age   all      Time        Time      Pace
    1    John Piggott                     Williamsburg  VA     554    46     8     22:29.9     22:29.9    5:37/M
Male  14 & Younger     
                                                                          Over      Chip        Gun 
 Place    Name                              City             Bib No  Age   all      Time        Time      Pace
    1    Nathan Vigil                     Ashburn  VA          786    13   102     29:48.0     29:50.7    7:27/M
    2    Adam Bolton                      Leesburg  VA         332    11   168     31:57.6     32:10.2    7:59/M
    3    Eli Lifland                      Fairfax  VA          869    12   210     33:46.1     33:52.6    8:27/M
Male 15 to 19                 
                                                                          Over      Chip        Gun 
 Place    Name                              City             Bib No  Age   all      Time        Time      Pace
    1    Logan Feierbach                  Leesburg  VA         396    16    22     24:22.3     24:22.6    6:06/M
    2    Samuel Rodgers                   Leesburg  VA         560    16    40     26:12.4     26:13.0    6:33/M
    3    Mark Newberry                    Ashburn  VA          537    16    51     26:48.8     26:49.3    6:42/M
Male 20 to 24                 
                                                                          Over      Chip        Gun 
 Place    Name                              City             Bib No  Age   all      Time        Time      Pace
    1    Ethan Rissell                    Shippensburg  PA     387    21     5     21:12.4     21:12.4    5:18/M
    2    Matt Weber                       Sterling  VA         626    20    23     24:30.2     24:30.2    6:08/M
    3    Darin Miller                     Arlington  VA        320    23    25     25:00.1     25:09.3    6:15/M
Male 25 to 29                 
                                                                          Over      Chip        Gun 
 Place    Name                              City             Bib No  Age   all      Time        Time      Pace
    1    Josh Peterson                    Minneapolis  MN      801    27     7     21:56.7     21:56.7    5:29/M
    2    Justin Fritzius                  Purcellville  VA     902    26     9     22:51.4     22:51.4    5:43/M
    3    Pat DeRocco                      Arlington  VA        571    27    12     23:26.6     23:27.1    5:52/M
Male 30 to 34                 
                                                                          Over      Chip        Gun 
 Place    Name                              City             Bib No  Age   all      Time        Time      Pace
    1    Hugh Toland                      Fairfax  VA          551    30     4     21:01.7     21:01.7    5:15/M
    2    Aaron Schwartzbard               Reston  VA           600    33     6     21:18.8     21:18.8    5:20/M
    3    Thomas Abbey                     Centreville  VA      211    30    50     26:46.0     26:49.6    6:42/M
Male 35 to 39                 
                                                                          Over      Chip        Gun 
 Place    Name                              City             Bib No  Age   all      Time        Time      Pace
    1    Marco Rosas                      Silver Spring  MD    858    36    16     23:45.5     23:46.1    5:56/M
    2    Rich Roberts                     Washington  DC       818    39    18     24:06.2     24:08.0    6:02/M
    3    Rob Meadows                      Landsdowne  VA       759    39    19     24:10.6     24:10.6    6:03/M
Male 40 to 44                 
                                                                          Over      Chip        Gun 
 Place    Name                              City             Bib No  Age   all      Time        Time      Pace
    1    Todd Jarman                      Potomac Falls  VA    375    41    11     23:24.0     23:24.1    5:51/M
    2    Kevin Bell                       Reston  VA           666    42    13     23:30.0     23:30.1    5:53/M
    3    Stephen Crago                    Vienna  VA           254    42    20     24:11.9     24:13.5    6:03/M
Male 45 to 49                 
                                                                          Over      Chip        Gun 
 Place    Name                              City             Bib No  Age   all      Time        Time      Pace
    1    George Lane                      Ashburn  VA          123    45    27     25:07.1     25:09.0    6:17/M
    2    Dan DiFonzo                      Rockville  MD        624    48    39     26:08.7     26:09.6    6:32/M
    3    Rich Harfst                      Annandale  VA        795    47    54     26:53.9     26:56.7    6:43/M
Male 50 to 54                 
                                                                          Over      Chip        Gun 
 Place    Name                              City             Bib No  Age   all      Time        Time      Pace
    1    Jean Christophe Arcaz            Rockville  MD        829    50    15     23:41.3     23:41.7    5:55/M
    2    George Buckheit                  Reston  VA           842    53    28     25:14.5     25:15.5    6:19/M
    3    David Pinnick                    Manassas  VA         650    54    47     26:33.1     26:35.9    6:38/M
Male 55 to 59                 
                                                                          Over      Chip        Gun 
 Place    Name                              City             Bib No  Age   all      Time        Time      Pace
    1    Chris Dettmar                    Reston  VA           408    57   103     29:48.0     29:57.7    7:27/M
    2    Stephen Nettl                    Reston  VA           526    58   268     35:12.2     35:52.2    8:48/M
    3    Ray Deegan                       Leesburg  VA         274    55   269     35:13.2     35:35.6    8:48/M
Male 60 to 64                 
                                                                          Over      Chip        Gun 
 Place    Name                              City             Bib No  Age   all      Time        Time      Pace
    1    Richard Adams                    Herndon  VA          660    60    55     26:54.1     26:54.5    6:44/M
    2    Jay Wind                         Arlington  VA        706    61    96     29:35.3     29:37.3    7:24/M
    3    Daniel Bentz                     Oak Hill  VA          88    60   510     41:29.1     42:06.0   10:22/M
Male 70 to 74                 
                                                                          Over      Chip        Gun 
 Place    Name                              City             Bib No  Age   all      Time        Time      Pace
    1    Tim Long                         Reston  VA           306    70   503     41:15.0     41:32.0   10:19/M
Male 75 and older              
                                                                          Over      Chip        Gun 
 Place    Name                              City             Bib No  Age   all      Time        Time      Pace
    1    Robert Gurtler                   The Plains  VA       272    76   600     44:38.5     44:45.2   11:10/M

 

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