In photo above, Elizabeth Dolan (#65) rounds the corner of the first lap of the race.

With few races going on this weekend, the numbers were back up with 565 finishers. The race has always featured fast runners. Today was no different. The course was changed to a two-loop race, which used to be a figure eight. With a Colonial reenacter firing the musket, the runners were underway. The favorite had to be diminutive Gurmesa Kumsa of Oxon Hill, MD. Kumsa had eighteen overall victories in 2006 often dipping into the 29:00s.

Last year's winner Matt Barresi of Ashton, VA (in photo) had won in the slowest winning time this century but a two second barn burner in 31:33. This year he never made it into the lead pack settling for a credible 32:21 for ninth place. Only one other man from the top five returned from last year's race. Third place Dan McKenzie of Rockville, MD liked that spot. This year he provided the necessary jets to get there, running 31:14. Last year he ran 32:11.

The lead pack included Mega racer Michael Wardian of Arlington, VA and Stephen Crane of Alexandria, VA as well. These three runners towered over Kumsa and kept tightly packed through four miles. Normally, Kumsa is known for jetting off by himself. This year he settled into the back of the lead pack. Throughout the first half of the race, none of them looked tested.

The next five runners were separated until the very end when they coalesced. Fifth place Patrick McAdie of Washington, DC nearly caught a fading Wardian 31:35 to 31:38. Bert Rodriguez of Arlington, VA maintained his powerful stride to top teammates Jason Dwyer and Jake Klim by a couple meters. Klim and Dwyer, both of Bethesda, MD, even switched places in the chutes. That did not really matter too much as the awards only went top three with just top two in ten year age groups.

At the top, Kumsa crested the final hill with a quarter mile to go and put away the race. Crane was the only one to stay close at the end. Still, with runners of this caliber nine seconds is a gimme. Another shorter runner excelling today with a similar stride is Mark Stickley of Winchester, VA. Stickley (in photo) a former sub 29:00 10K racer owns four of the fifty fastest half marathons by an American with a PR of 62:19. Today, he handled the master field with an 11th place finish in 33:24.

Mike Hart of Washington, DC repeated as the grandmaster lowering, for the third year, his time to 36:01. George Buckheit (49) of Reston was the secon 40-49 finisher in 35:18 offering a serious threat for Hart's title next year. Hart nearly caught third master Jean Christophe Arcaz 35:47. Arcaz normally has epic duels with Ted Poulos. Poulos ran the other race in West Potomac Park, winning in 35:52.

Bill Taylor (58) of Woodridge, VA continues to show his high rankings are no fluke, winning second grandmaster in 38:29. With Patrick Griffith off to sunny Florida, the 60-69 division is wide open. Bob Hasee (61) held off Ted Baca (61) of Arlington, VA by six seconds in 44:42. Richard Williams of Alexandria, VA cruised to a 51:38 victory. Third in the division was Robert Gurtler (72) of the Plains, VA Gurtler (in photo) is another mega racer with 115 races run last year.

Erin Swain (24) of Clifton, VA is known for starting out quickly and she kept race winner Melissa Tanner (25) of Bethesda, MD (in photo) in sight throughout the race, finishing in 37:30. Tanner claimed she was concerned about the race coming down to a race ending sprint. However, her calm demeanor as she raced belied that. She cruised home in 37:05. That was way ahead of last year's winner Debby Hall (40) of Westfield, NJ with 40:59 but in other years would have left her out of the winner's circle.

Third place Feng Sun is known for her long distance prowess. She won her age group in the Frederick Marathon last year in 3:01:11. She also won all the marbles at the Annapolis 10 mile in 62:17. The last time for that top finish was when Susannah Kvasnicka won the 10K in 2005 with 35:39 and maxed into the victory circle at Annapolis in 59:23.

The next five women came in a bunch. Former race winner Hilary Cairns of Washington, DC holds off masters champion Lindy Foley of Oak Hill, VA in a virtual dead heat 38:48. Tara Fenske (30) of Washington, DC (in photo) flies home in 38:54. Second ranked master Ranked Runner of 2006 Kelly Dworak of Burke, VA is next in 39:02. It is clear Linda Foley, third ranked, wants her spot. With flying red hair, Victoria Lynch (33) of Washington, DC is the seventh runner in 39:10.

Deborah Gephardt (59) of Adelphi, MD ran away from a small field in the 50-59 women. Pat Welch (62) of Vienna, VA won her division in 54:57. Tami Graf (70) of Lusby, MD was the only one in her division. Still, the outcome, a win, was sure to be the same. She ran 59:17.

Awards

                                 MALE OPEN
    1   731 Gurmesa Kumsa              27 Oxon Hill MD              30:55 
    2   596 Steven Crane               25 Alexandria VA             31:04 
    3   407 Dan MacKenzie              24 Rockville MD              31:14 
                                FEMALE OPEN
    1    15 Melissa Tanner             25 Bethesda MD               37:05 
    2    14 Erin Swain                 24 Clifton VA                37:30 
    3   733 Feng Sun                   37 Columbia MD               38:08 
                         MALE AGE GROUP:  01 - 14
    1   448 David Murray               14 Alexandria VA             50:02 
    2   394 Peter Labovich             14 Alexandria VA             50:03 
                        FEMALE AGE GROUP:  01 - 14
    1   271 Elizabeth Cotter           14 Middleburg VA             55:14 
    2    60 Clare Curran               14 Alexandria VA             55:38 
                         MALE AGE GROUP:  15 - 19
    1   526 Adam Sierakowski           19 Perry Hall MD             35:13 
    2   272 James Cotter               16 Middleburg VA             44:26 
                        FEMALE AGE GROUP:  15 - 19
    1   387 Colleen Kramer             16 Lovettsville VA           50:40 
                         MALE AGE GROUP:  20 - 29
    1     9 Pat MacAdie                23 Washington DC             31:38 
    2    13 Bert Rodriguez             27 Arlington VA              32:08 
                        FEMALE AGE GROUP:  20 - 29
    1   173 Dawn Sell                  24 Fairfax VA                40:33 
    2   174 Jessica Short              26 Arlington VA              40:40 
                         MALE AGE GROUP:  30 - 39
    1    17 Michael Wardian            33 Arlington VA              31:35 
    2     4 Chris Farley               30 Arlington VA              33:12 
                        FEMALE AGE GROUP:  30 - 39
    1     1 Hilary Cairns              36 Washington DC             38:48 
    2   624 Tara Fenske                30 Washington DC             38:54 
                         MALE AGE GROUP:  40 - 49
    1   181 Mark Stickley              44 Winchester VA             33:24 
    2   584 George Buckheit            49 Reston VA                 35:18 
                        FEMALE AGE GROUP:  40 - 49
    1     5 Linda Foley                44 Oak Hill VA               38:48 
    2    70 Kelly B. Dworak            44 Burke VA                  39:02 
                         MALE AGE GROUP:  50 - 59
    1   341 Mike Hart                  51 Washington DC             36:01 
    2   657 Bill Taylor                58 Woodbridge VA             38:29 
                        FEMALE AGE GROUP:  50 - 59
    1    86 Deborah Gebhardt           59 Adelphi MD                47:53 
    2   157 Jane Poole                 59 Washington DC             51:45 
                         MALE AGE GROUP:  60 - 69
    1   686 Bob Hasee                  61                           44:42 
    2    26 Ted Baca                   61 Arlington VA              44:48 
                        FEMALE AGE GROUP:  60 - 69
    1   593 Pat Welch                  62 Vienna VA                 54:57 
    2   132 Sandra May                 61 Alexandria VA             56:31 
                         MALE AGE GROUP:  70 - 99
    1   198 Richard Williams           71 Alexandria VA             51:38 
    2   493 Alan Rider                 70 Reston VA                 55:22 
                        FEMALE AGE GROUP:  70 - 99
    1   685 Tami Graf                  70 Lusby MD                  59:17 

Full Race Day Results

Photo Gallery 2007
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Pacers of Alexandria.