The Sallie Mae 10K is known as one of the fastest and most competitive of area races. High humidity slowed many of the times in its 20th running, but the competition remained as fierce as ever.

Simon Wangai and Patrick Nthiwa, both Kenyans, raced stride for stride though the final half of the race and finished in a virtual dead heat, but Wangai, 24, was declared the winner. Both men were timed in 28 minutes 54 seconds. (Photo left: Wangai, Bib #7, and Nthiwa at mile 5. Photo by Alan Penberg.)

Olga Romanova, 22, a Russian who has been based in Gaithersburg the past month, dominated the women's race in a course record 32:54 and finished 17th overall. (In the photo at left, Romanova is in the vicinity of Mile 5. Photo by Alan Penberg.) In what was perhaps the performance of the day, however, 42-year-old Firaya Sultanova-Zhdanova finished second in 33:12. Sultanova-Zhdanova, from Moscow, was the 2002 masters champion at the Boston Marathon (fifth overall) in a masters record 2:27:58; in 2003, she won again (seventh overall) in 2:31:30.

Anastasia Ndereba, 28, younger sister to two-time Boston champion Catherine Ndereba, finished third at Sallie Mae in 33:50. Fellow Kenyan Grace Njoki, 25, was fourth in 34:40 and Atalelech Ketema, 20, an Ethiopian recently living in Washington, was fifth in 34:54.

Nick Gramsky, wearing bib number 1, was the top local runner and fifth overall in a personal best 30:34. Gramsky, a multiple state champion from Northern High in Calvert County, was also the top local finisher last month at the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile.

Gramsky, 25, who is coached by Matt Centrowitz, has been recovering from plantar fasciitis. "Matt has been on me not to race too much," Gramsky said. "But it's been going well so far."

Gramsky plans on making his marathon debut in Chicago this fall.

Naoko Ishibe, 34, from Silver Spring, took the award as top local woman in 36:05, narrowly edging Casey Smith, 23, from Arlington (photo left, by Alan Penberg), who ran 36:09 and also plans to run the Chicago Marathon. Meghan McLaughlin, 24, from Alexandria, finished one place and 10 seconds behind Smith.

The humidity zapped the strength and slowed the times for many of runners, but the large field of 1,473 reflected the race's popularity despite a new date.

"A double-bogey," said Chris Chattin, who ran a personal worst 34:01. Some credit for his relatively slow time, however, must go to his four-week old son.

The tough weather affected young and old alike. Hedy Marque, 85, from Alexandria, celebrating Mother's Day by running with her daughter, Marjorie, unofficially ran 1:15; her daughter, Marjorie, 55, finished in 48 minutes.

"It gets a little discouraging sometimes," the younger Marque said. "Times were so slow today. We may need a little time off."

Many of the hardcore runners at Sallie Mae would agree; until next week's race.

For a different perspective on the Sallie Mae 10K, take a look at this article by George Banker.

See complete results of the 2003 Sallie Mae 10K.

Take a look at the race Photo Gallery!

For more information about the Sallie Mae 10K presented by The Sallie Mae Fund, see the race Web site.