In photo above, James Scarborough charges to the finish.

The Al Lewis Memorial is the third race of the DCRRC Snow Ball Series was fittingly run on the third day of the New Year. It was not even their first race of the year because as with most running clubs they had a New Year's Day race. The Snow Ball Series consists of seven race 10K and longer to challenge club members. In the summer, there is a Bunion Series with races 89K and shorter when heat makes long races unpalatable.

In photo, runners head up the final quarter mile of the race

Snow is becoming more and more rare around these parts so the race was run on a brisk forty degrees day under partly cloudy skies. Some runners dressed like Nanook but most stayed sane with shorts and a long sleeved shirt. Mitten and a hat were optional.

Though this race draws a solid 150 plus runners, the timing of the race, right after the New Year, and its low key nature does not draw the really elite runners. Jim Hage was spotted loping along Old Spring Road but as a Kensington resident with twin babies, we know he was just out getting his mandatory daily run.

The race used to be run used to be run in the fall. Then the race started on the soccer field near the Kengar Recreation Center. Inexplicably the runners raced a hundred meters across an open field, across a baseball diamond, and while circling the backstop attempting to leap over a bog wide enough so that only Mike Powell, Carl Lewis, or if go back far enough Ralph Boston could achieve. Then the runners would circle the tennis court wondering why the passed up on these three sports to carry muddy shoes and socks for the final 9.75 miles.

Today the race starts from the biker trail. Only they start about a sixth of mile north of a certified mile marker. Indeed, the course actually has quarter mile splits that could be followed all the way to Old Spring Road (4.5M). At that point in the woods, runners can line up at most four wide. At the permanent marker by the tennis court the area is fifty feet wide and open. After the race starts runners dart up the trail and reach a street, (Wexford, in photo) crossing in about thirty seconds. The road is marshaled but running up a hill to make a blind crossing passed parked cars seems a little dangerous. Staring at he white line next to the wooden mile post would obviate the first and last street crossing. The two other crossings at Knowles Avenue (1/2M& 9.5M) and at Cedar Lane (2.75M & 7.25M) are manned by police.

Returning champion masters runner David Haaga had to be an early favorite. He had won in 59:42. Usually quiet he just did not look right at the start. Matt Lowe of Arlington, VA took the early lead and pulled steadily away to win in 59:20. On the return trip down Old Spring Road he was still pressing and even looked over his shoulder. Kevin D'Amanda of Bethesda, MD is always in the hunt. Still, he looked a little surprised as he bolted up to the runner-up spot on the "hill." His time of 1:01:49 was 19 seconds slower than last year's third place finish. Haaga held off Jason Chang (28) of Silver Spring, MD for the third spot in 1:02:12. Joerg Schroeder (41) of Rockville, MD was faster than last year with 1:03:22, though places further back, the ring up the masters award.

Paul Peterson (54) of Bethesda, MD returned after a year's absence to swamp the grandmaster field with 1:04:44. Peterson joins the 55-59 age group in May. Top Ranked Lou Shapiro (67) of Silver Spring, MD had won the 60-69 in 2007 with 1:12:46. This year he was tiring slightly in the final mile to finish in 1:13:11. Von Jennings of Clarksville, MD is enjoying the newness of the division. He pulled ahead in the early going and even as he started to flame out in the second half was easily able to take the 560-69 title in 1:12:36. Shapiro was eager to learn his time and remember his face for the next confrontation.

In photo l-r, top masters runners Lou Shapiro, Alice Franks, and Jay Wind celebrate their race.

Cindy Conant (46) of Kensington, MD was asking for warmer weather before the race. After that the race heated up and she was challenging for the lead. In 2007, she was first master and fourth overall in 1:10:17. Last year she improved dramatically to 1:08:20 for the runner-up spot. Elizabeth Feldman of Chevy Chase, MD had aged up to forty and vaulted from fifth place in 1:11:32 to the winner's circle in 1:07:56. Betty Blank (54) rounded out the top three finishers, one from each of the first three masters age groups.

In 2009, Conant moved steadily to the lead in the first mile. The new master in the field, Christy Sporidis of Potomac, MD was not far behind. Sporidis won overall in her first two masters outings both 5Ks Sheryl Kline (46) of Arnold, MD was in the mix but she seemed less concerned about winning and more concerned about getting a hard training run in with her beau Dave Berardi. Berardi did not appear to be injured and could have been a threat to win it all. Instead they ambled through the course in just over seventy minutes. Though she was the fourth finisher, all masters, she earned the masters title.

Just past Knowles Avenue the blonde bombshell, Win Persina, was making her way towards the lead. Persina (48) of Washington, DC had outlasted Masters Runner Rebecca Nathan to win the Gar Williams Half marathon in December and she is gunning for the series win as well. Back in November on the hilly Turkey Burnoff 10M Persina was sixth overall in 1:11:47 ahead of eighth place Sporidis. The tenacious Conant was denied the win with her 1:07:27 when World Class Tri-athlete Desiree Ficker returned from Texas to win it all in 1:05:15. That day Conant also pulled away from Carlton Conant (46) by more than a minute.

In photo, a racer follows her shadow to the finish line.

Saturday Persina stayed close and then edged past the Conants. With no one near by them the three runners raced each other to the finish. Conant is more than power runner and Persina the sprinter. The day belonged to Persina in a close finish 1:08:39 to 1:08:44. Carleton stayed close behind in 1:08:47. Debbie Flynn of Gaithersburg, MD was the grandmaster winner in 1:13:39.

In a masters triumph 27 of the top 40 were masters, including nine grandmasters. Two of the top men and all four of the top women were masters.

Awards

Overall


1 Matt Lowe 	    28 Arlington VA 	59:20   
2 Kevin D'Amanda    46 Bethesda MD 	1:01:49  
3 David Haaga 	    47 Rockville MD 	1:02:12


Masters


Joerg Schroeder     41 Rockville MD 	1:03:22


19 & under 


Matthew Sushinsky   18 Rockville MD 	1:13:12


20-29


Jason Chang 	    28 Silver Spring MD 1:02:20


30-39


Matthew Pyle 	    36 Alexandria VA 	1:02:47


40-49


Matthew Anderson    42 Fairfax VA 	1:05:51


50-59


Paul Peterson 	    54 Bethesda MD 	1:04:44


60-69


Von Jennings 	    60 Clarksville MD 	1:12:36


70-99


Edward Green 	    77 Washington DC 	1:51:54 




Overall


1 Win Persina 	    48 Washington DC 	1:08:39
2 Cindy Conant 	    47 Kensington MD 	1:08:44
3 Christy Sporidis  40 Potomac MD 	1:09:51


Masters


Sheryl Kline 	    46 Annapolis MD 	1:10:10


19 & under 


Samantha Lohr 	    18 Fairfax VA 	1:20:18


20-29


Sarah Andresen 	    29 Alexandria VA 	1:15:23 


30-39


Anne Schaap 	    31 Rockville MD 	1:13:43


40-49


Helen Beven 	    43 Kensington MD 	1:12:53


50-59


Debbie Flynn 	    52 Gaithersburg MD 	1:13:39 


60-69


Alice Franks 	    60 Rockville MD 	1:21:18


70-99


Tami Graf 	    72 Lusby MD 	1:48:26

Full Race Day Results