It was the third glorious weekend during a colder than average winter. The sixth annual Walnut Hill Ribbon Run 5K enjoyed great weather in the sixties with two dozen racers taking on the scenic and circular route through south Gaithersburg. The course features a dash through the same intersection five times, about once a kilometer. Each time through racers slow just long enough to grab a playing card. At the end of the race, each runner holds five cards and the runner with the best poker hand earns a free entry to the St. Patrick's Day 8K on March 15, 2009.

This year when the race started young Jason Horiatis (22) of Pittsford, NY (in photo) pulled steadily away from the crowd. Runners were six different states and as far away as Boston, MA. The course record was set in 2005 by the late Paris Caballero in 15:24. Horiatis won in 17:39 for the second fastest course time. Jonathan Catlett, also from New York ran a solid 18:24 for the runner-up spot.

The race is a fund raiser for the 50 Plus Club. The club is 103 runners who make their yearly goal running fifty or more races. Last year the members ran 3900 races. When Liz Jones of Falls Church, VA, a club member, showed up she was a favorite to take down the women's record (22:47). Then as the crew was putting up the cones and mile markers, Elena Orlova (39) of Gaithersburg, MD appeared. Like a shark circling a fishing boat, she tested the triple figure eight course before the 11:00 AM start.

Orlova (in photo)was ranked number nine in the Runner rankings for 2008, as well as the top submaster. Jones made a big time effort to stay close, especially in the first mile that features a tough quarter mile hill, But Orlova was too tough and pulled away to set the course record in 19:27 and third racer overall. Her time would have been the overall winner one of the years. Jones was fifth overall in 20:19. Indeed the third women, Kristin Roberts (28) of Washington, DC was under the old record with 22:07.

Masters winner John Way of Montgomery Village, MD continues to improve. He knifed past Jones to take the fourth spot overall in 20:19. Two runners have one the race twice for the men. Today, Karsten Brown (2007-08) had other fish to fry. Ted Poulos of Mclean, VA won in 2004 and 2006. Poulos has run 338 races in one year and won more than a thousand races and run in more than two thousand more. This year he had some serious surgery on his heel. He is still on the mend as he comes out for just his second race of the year. Who could miss such a day to be outside?

Nearly every runner was overdressed as temperatures soared to 65 degrees with sunny skies. One third of the racers were from the 50 Plus Club. John Winkert (52) of South Riding, VA came north with his son Jack. When no one had a bigger pair than the two Aces of Elena Orlova's poker hand, Jack Winkert asked, "What about two pair?" He had six and eights which looked good until his dad trumped him with a heart flush and won the coveted entry to the St. Patrick's Day 8K on March 15, 2009.

Even with a small race there were prizes valued at $25 for the winners, open and master as well as a few random prizes. There was plenty of food and bottled water, which went fast on the unseasonably warm weather day.

Event Records

Overall	Name	          Age	Hometown	        Time	Year
Men	Paris Cabellero	  22	Gaithersburg, MD	15:24	2005
Women	Elena Orlova	  39	Gaithersburg, MD	19:27	2009
					
					
0-19 	Name	          Age	Hometown	        Time	Year
Men	Jack Winkert	  10	South Riding, VA	30:39	2009
Women					
					
20-29	Name	          Age	Hometown	        Time	Year
Men	Paris Cabellero	  22	Gaithersburg, MD	15:24	2005
Women	Kristin Roberts	  28	Washington, DC	        22:07	2009
					
30-39	Name	          Age	Hometown	        Time	Year
Men	Karsten Brown	  32	Front Royal, VA	        18:32	2007
Women	Elena Orlova	  39	Gaithersburg, MD	19:27	2009
					
40-49	Name	          Age	Hometown	        Time	Year
Men	Ted Poulos	  43	Mclean, VA	        18:38	2006
Women	Shirley Sameshima 41	McLean, VA	        26:59	2008
					
50-59	Name	          Age	Hometown	        Time	Year
Men	Ken Umbarger	  54	Gaithersburg, MD	18:51	2006
Women	Elizabeth Sadoff  55	Washington, DC	        28:09	2005
					
60-69	Name	          Age	Hometown	        Time	Year
Men	Ronnie Wong	  60	Catonsville, MD	        21:26	2007
Women	Dee Nelson	  65	Gaithersburg, MD	25:34	2009
					
70-79	Name	          Age	Hometown	        Time	Year
Men	Tony Measham	  70	Chevy Chase, MD	        27:25	2005
Women					
					
80-99	Name	          Age	Hometown	        Time	Year
Men	Walt Washburn	  81	Vienna, VA	        31:35	2004
Women					

Elena Orlova hurries down the steep hill for the first loop at the 800 meter mark with Liz Jones and John Way chasing after her.

Full Race Day Results
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