By Dickson Mercer
Washington, DC
November 13, 2011
For the Washington Running Report
Frank Devar and Serena Burla each won $500 for winning today’s Veterans Day 10K on a cool, blustery morning in Washington, D.C.’s West Potomac Park. Early on, though, the men’s winner was a tad confused.
“Where are the Ethiopians?” Pacers Racing Team member Bert Rodriguez said to his teammate, Devar, on the starting line of this always competitive race. The question set Devar to wondering: Was the 12th annual Veterans Day 10K – contested on an out-and-back, flat-and-fast course starting on Ohio Drive – not offering its generous 10-deep prize purse?
Event host Capital Running Company, as it turned out, indeed offered its usual prize purse. And for at least one Ethiopian runner, it was a marathon, not a lack of prize money, which kept him off the starting line.
Last year Abiyot Endale won his second straight Veterans Day 10K the day after racing the HCA 8K in Richmond. While Endale was back in Richmond yesterday, this time it was for the SunTrust Richmond Marathon, in which he placed fourth in 2:19:19. That was enough to keep Endale away from attempting a potential three-peat, and the door was thus left open for top locals such as Rodriguez and Devar.
Devar’s 7th place finish last year came in a personal best of 30:40. This year he took control of the race early to win in a new personal best of 30:23, a per-mile average of 4:53.
Rodriguez, who was 2nd in 30:53, stayed with the eventual winner “until I couldn’t keep up with [him] anymore,” he said laughing.
For Rodriguez, the time was just a second off his personal best, set here last year, in what might also be the 32-year-old Arlington resident’s last local race before he and his wife move to Charlotte, N.C. in February. (He did announce plans to return for April’s Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Miler.)
Look back at the Veterans Day results for 2005 and you will see that Rodriguez was 10th in 33:01. The next year he was 8thin 32:42. The year after that Rodriguez was training with Pacers and shaping up into a top local runner.
Devar graduated last year from the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, VA. The 23-year-old Arlington native is working part time for Pacers while making a go at improving upon college bests of 8:13 for 3,000 and 14:10 for 5,000.
Georgetown Running Company’s Sam Luff, 23, of Rockville was third in 31:00. His teammate, Ryan Witters, 23, of Washington, DC was fourth in 31:17. The master’s crown went to Ray Pugsley, 42, of Potomac Falls, VA. His time of 32:44 put him just outside the top 10 overall.
For the women, this was Burla’s race from the start. Having recently moved to Falls Church from Missouri, the 29-year-old Olympic Trials qualifier took out the opening mile right around 5 minutes en route to a near event record breaking time of 33:04, a per-mile average of 5:19. Svetlana Zakharova set the event standard in 2000 with 32:53.
Burla’s Riadha running club teammate, Kristin Anderson, who was second in 35:04, a time good enough to win some years, admitted that Burla’s quick early pace took her away from her race plan, or at least partially away from it.
Anderson’s plan was to run five seconds off Burla through the mile. Thing was, she was expecting Burla to go through in 5:30.
“I tried to not get overwhelmed by it, just work hard,” Anderson said of her 5:10 opening mile. “I just tried to take a deep breath, and keep working for it. It helped when some guys came around. Actually, I kept picturing every guy was a girl.”
This was the 28-year-old adjunct college professor’s first race since track season, she said. After some time off, Anderson, of Arlington, said she went into a base building phase that has been greatly aided by the arrival of Burla, her new training partner.
Burla, who ran 2:37:06 at the 2010 New York City Marathon, is preparing for January’s U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials. After today’s race she set out for another hour of running, up-tempo, making her unavailable for an interview. Riadha’s Alisa Harvey, 46, of Manassas, VA was the top female master in 38:13.
The third place female, Anna Holt-Gosselin of Georgetown Running Company, knew better than to get mixed up in the early pace set by Burla and Anderson. Still, the 23-year-old Vienna, VA resident said, after clocking 35:39, that she had run her best race this year.
Many of today’s participants ran in honor of men and women serving in the armed forces. Members of a Howard County, MD based group of women who met each through LiveNow Fitness ran in honor of Delma Johnson’s husband, Eric Johnson, who is overseas with the U.S. Army.
Johnson, along with Lesley Smith, Evelyn Cooper, Kendra Booth, Grace Bristol, and Aixa Flanders push each other through boot camp-style workouts during the week, they said. On the weekends, however, they head to the races, where it is every woman for herself.
“We go, ‘Go team!’” explained Johnson. “Then it’s, ‘See you at the finish!’”
The 12th Veterans Day 10K benefited Luke’s Wings. A member of the Wounded Warrior Transportation Assistance Program, Luke’s Wings provides travel planning and complimentary airline tickets to wounded warriors and their families during the service member’s hospitalization and rehabilitation. This enables families to be with their loved ones at such a difficult time.
At the conclusion of the awards ceremony, Linda Duyen Nguyen of Annandale, VA won the grand random prize of a 7-day resort stay for two.
MALE Open
1 48 Frank Devar 23 Alexandria VA 30:23
2 15 Bert Rodriguez 32 Arlington VA 30:53
3 20 Samuel Luff 24 Rockville MD 31:00
4 22 Ryan Witters 23 Washington DC 31:17
5 1854 Tristram Thomas 24 Baltimore MD 31:50
6 28 Ryan Hanson 23 Rockville MD 31:55
7 3 Wilson Komen 33 Washington DC 32:12
8 5 Christopher Sloane 28 Rockville MD 32:15
9 1706 Dennis Wolff 29 Hartford CT 32:17
10 45 Dickson Mercer 30 Washington DC 32:19
MALE Masters
1 13 Ray Pugsley 42 Potomac Falls VA 32:44
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME - NET PACE 1 - 19
1 John Morgan 18 M ANNAPOLIS MD 33:18 33:18 5:22
2 Alexander Waldt 18 M BALTIMORE MD 34:05 34:05 5:29
3 Noah Howard 16 M WASHINGTON DC 39:50 39:27 6:21
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME - NET PACE 20 - 24
1 Jerry Greenlaw 23 M ALEXANDRIA VA 32:58 32:58 5:19
2 Alexander Wepsala 24 M WASHINGTON DC 36:40 36:39 5:54
3 Cole Ashcraft 20 M WASHINGTON DC 37:17 36:42 5:55
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME - NET PACE 25 - 29
1 Paul Guevara 25 M ALEXANDRIA VA 33:00 33:00 5:19
2 Andrew Ciarfalia 29 M RESTON VA 33:37 33:37 5:25
3 Andy Sovonick 25 M GAITHERSBURG MD 33:45 33:45 5:26
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME - NET PACE 30 - 34
1 Ben Ingram 34 M WINCHESTER VA 34:08 34:08 5:30
2 Steven Staats 33 M WASHINGTON DC 35:29 35:26 5:43
3 Dwayne Bax 30 M WASHINGTON DC 37:17 37:17 6:00
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME - NET PACE 35 - 39
1 David Wertz 35 M ARLINGTON VA 32:38 32:38 5:16
2 Eric Lavigne 35 M PHILADELPHIA PA 32:40 32:40 5:16
3 Marcos Galicia 36 M SILVER SPRING MD 36:10 36:08 5:49
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME - NET PACE 40 - 44
1 Matthew Frank 44 M LOUISVILLE CO 36:42 36:40 5:54
2 Andrew Pugh 42 M WASHINGTON DC 37:28 37:23 6:01
3 Dave Cahill 40 M ARLINGTON VA 37:58 37:55 6:07
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME - NET PACE 45 - 49
1 Derik Thomas 45 M ALEXANDRIA VA 34:53 34:53 5:37
2 Poul Wisborg 48 M WASHINGTON DC 38:35 38:22 6:11
3 Warren Djuric 49 M SPRINGFIELD VA 38:46 38:46 6:15
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME - NET PACE 50 - 54
1 Jean-Christophe Arca 50 M ROCKVILLE MD 35:48 35:48 5:46
2 Kevin Dix 52 M MANASSAS VA 40:00 39:58 6:26
3 Terry Basham 52 M DUMFRIES VA 40:46 40:38 6:33
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME - NET PACE 55 - 59
1 Paul Serra 55 M LUSBY MD 41:28 41:20 6:39
2 Ken Krehbiel 58 M WASHINGTON DC 41:47 41:47 6:44
3 Rod Devar 58 M ALEXANDRIA VA 42:20 42:10 6:48
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME - NET PACE 60 - 64
1 Malcolm Senior 60 M NEW MARKET MD 40:43 40:41 6:33
2 Jim Wright 62 M GAITHERSBURG MD 41:46 41:42 6:43
3 Jay Jacob Wind 61 M ARLINGTON VA 44:17 44:17 7:08
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME - NET PACE 65 - 69
1 Jim Noone 67 M FAIRFAX VA 44:59 44:57 7:14
2 Bob Chase 66 M FALLS CHURCH VA 45:29 45:23 7:19
3 John Sullivan 66 M WASHINGTON DC 53:57 52:53 8:31
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME - NET PACE 70 - 74
1 Gerry Ives 72 M WASHINGTON DC 45:56 45:44 7:22
2 Malcolm O'Hagan 71 M CHEVY CHASE MD 48:20 48:12 7:46
3 Chan Robbins 74 M ARLINGTON VA 50:57 50:55 8:12
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME - NET PACE 75 - 79
1 Skip Grant 76 M CHEVY CHASE MD 50:06 49:54 8:02
2 Alan Rider 75 M RESTON VA 56:01 55:50 8:59
3 Robert Gurtler 76 M THE PLAINS VA 63:16 63:02 10:09
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME - NET PACE 80 - 99
1 George Yannakakis 80 M SPARKS GLENCOE MD 52:49 52:44 8:30
2 Jack McMahon 80 M SILVER SPRING MD 58:26 58:14 9:23
MALE FIRST TIME RACER: NET TIME - NET PACE 1 - 99
1 1378 Mike Cahill 33 M Washington DC 39:58 39:42 6:24
FEMALE Open
1 1708 Serena Burla 29 Falls Church VA 33:04
2 1709 Kristin Anderson 28 Arlington VA 35:04
3 17 Anna Holt-Gosselin 23 Vienna VA 35:39
4 1704 Jacqui Wentz 23 Baltimore MD 36:07
5 7 Wendi Robinson 24 Washington DC 36:46
6 27 Maura Carroll 22 Washington DC 37:05
7 6 Lisa Thomas 35 Alexandria VA 37:10
8 8 Lindsay Wilkins 33 Arlington VA 37:30
9 19 Susan Hendrick 25 Washington DC 37:34
10 44 Laura O'Hara 31 Alexandria VA 37:42
FEMALE Masters
1 4 Alisa Harvey 46 Manassas VA 38:13
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME - NET PACE 01 - 19
1 Maggie Wood 14 F WASHINGTON DC 46:54 46:18 7:27
2 Christina Glasener 16 F WASHINGTON DC 46:36 46:18 7:28
3 Maria Luisa Navarro 19 F BALTIMORE MD 49:58 49:43 8:00
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME - NET PACE 20 - 24
1 Samantha Lee 23 F NEW PROVIDENCE NJ 38:51 38:48 6:15
2 Elizabeth Laseter 23 F WASHINGTON DC 39:33 39:27 6:21
3 Heather Jelen 24 F FALLS CHURCH VA 39:36 39:36 6:23
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME - NET PACE 25 - 29
1 Erin Swain 29 F ARLINGTON VA 38:31 38:31 6:12
2 Kelly Swain 26 F ARLINGTON VA 38:32 38:32 6:12
3 Ashley Palmer 28 F LYNCHBURG VA 39:25 39:25 6:21
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME - NET PACE 30 - 34
1 Christina Vanucci 33 F WESTLAKE OH 39:48 39:35 6:23
2 Jessica McGuire 31 F ARLINGTON VA 41:29 41:25 6:40
3 Ingrid Peterson 33 F WASHINGTON DC 41:50 41:35 6:42
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME - NET PACE 35 - 39
1 Barb Fallon Wallace 37 F ALEXANDRIA VA 37:46 37:46 6:05
2 Jackie Gruendel 36 F CLIFTON VA 38:08 38:08 6:09
3 Kristie Connelly 36 F ALEXANDRIA VA 38:41 38:41 6:14
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME - NET PACE 40 - 44
1 Samantha Cole 43 F ARLINGTON VA 39:23 39:23 6:21
2 Lisa Chilcote 41 F N BETHESDA MD 40:02 40:02 6:27
3 Julie King 44 F ALEXANDRIA VA 43:24 43:21 6:59
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME - NET PACE 45 - 49
1 Valinda Nwadike 46 F LEONARDTOWN MD 47:08 46:58 7:34
2 Mery-Angela Katson 47 F MCLEAN VA 47:58 47:34 7:40
3 Ellen Willison 45 F STAFFORD VA 47:56 47:47 7:42
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME - NET PACE 50 - 54
1 Patti Galleher 54 F DENVER CO 42:10 42:03 6:46
2 Carole Jones 54 F ASHBURN VA 44:38 44:27 7:10
3 Carla Freyvogel 54 F MCLEAN VA 50:12 50:01 8:03
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME - NET PACE 55 - 59
1 Betty Blank 58 F FALLS CHURCH VA 44:59 44:58 7:15
2 Liza Recto 55 F LEXINGTON PARK MD 48:50 48:48 7:52
3 Carol Brockschmidt 55 F WASHINGTON DC 52:20 51:56 8:22
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME - NET PACE 60 - 64
1 Ginny Hughes 61 F WARRENTON VA 49:14 49:05 7:54
2 Alice Franks 63 F ROCKVILLE MD 49:42 49:33 7:59
3 Mary Pultz 61 F SPRINGFIELD VA 66:06 64:38 10:24
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME - NET PACE 65 - 69
1 Joanne Murphy 66 F BALTIMORE MD 52:50 51:57 8:22
2 Karen Kautz 68 F SILVER SPRING MD 56:24 55:57 9:01
3 Nancy Malan 65 F WASHINGTON DC 68:04 67:43 10:54
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME - NET PACE 70 - 74
1 Jamie Wollard 73 F N BETHESDA MD 89:45 87:53 14:09
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME - NET PACE 75 - 79
1 Tami Graf 75 F LUSBY MD 61:47 61:42 9:56
FEMALE FIRST TIME RACER: NET TIME - NET PACE 1 - 99
1 1100 Dominique Gale 29 F Chantilly VA 50:57 48:15 7:46
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