The near perfect weather brought out thousands of smiling faces to Freedom Plaza for the 9th annual Race for Hope. A cool, gentle breeze settled lightly on the runners as they lined up under the balloon arch in front of the ChampionChip mats for the adventure down Pennsylvania Avenue. At the mile, just before the Capitol, participants scurried around the circle and looped around the block before returning home.

This race had a record 6100 entrants, most of whom were here to celebrate life, remember loved ones who have gone, and to congratulate those fortunate enough to able to have survived. Hundreds of runners formed personal "teams of remembrance", "teams of hope" for their loved ones. Runners today were joyous in the celebration of life.

Just before the start of the race, a good-sized group of survivors in yellow T-shirts with yellow balloons were acknowledged. Most of these strong and determined individuals came out to race as well, proud of their win and yet keenly aware that others had not been victorious and the cure for all is still in dire need.

After the race, the announcer asked the crowd to cheer if they too hoped that we would have found a cure and not need to have another race. Maybe even if we find a cure it would be important, even necessary, to continue the tradition so that we will always remember, never forget, those whose race was over before the cure was found. Just before race start, more than $1,100,000 had been raised to benefit the Brain Tumor Society.

This event was a family event with scores and scores of young ones. Indeed, after the 5K there was a fun run for the youngest of them, though many children ran, walked, paraded through the entire 5K. Pennsylvania Avenue was a sea of bright colors with a new spring and the hope that comes with it. For well more than an hour, runners flooded the finish line, many having their names called out as the passed under the banner. Many chirped out their pleasure of recognition. Randomly runners were awarded trips to the Arlington Cinema and Draft House for the "Rock for Hope."

After the race, runners removed their ChampionChip and exited the finish corral. Now they were headed for an endless supply of fresh bagels, bright yellow bananas, cookies, snack bars, pretzels, and rock solid ice-cold fruit bars. Naturally, there were thousands of bottles of water and replacement drinks.

The Race
After a long silence, race committee member Jeff Kolodin's kids bellowed out the G-O word. Before they finished their elongated GO, scores of runners were nearly out of earshot, hustling down Pennsylvania Avenue to the Capitol. About ten of the men pulled away from the lead women to scout out the course. From Rockville, son of longtime Montgomery County Road runners Club member Richie Weiss (soon to be 65 and aching to get a high ranking in the Runner Rankings), Jon Weiss (32) [in photo left] battled young Brandon Corbin (21) of West Point, NY and Joshua Taylor (27) of Arlington, VA in a dramatic finish with just four seconds separating third from first. Weiss will be delighted with this tough fought win in 16:34. His dad will tell us that the time was slow and will be better next time (not true and true).

Fourth place and also from West Point, Ben Roberts (22) handily won his division. West Point had a big part in the early treading on the finish mats. David Mead (35) of Washington, DC was next, running a swift 16:59. Gene Smith was the masters division winner, light-years ahead of everyone else with his 17:31. Bruce Delaplaine (50) was the next over-forty runner in a fine 18:57. In his last year of the fifties, racing legend Herb Tolbert is back. We commiserated about getting old but Tolbert had some serious medical issues that took him away from the racing in the running scene for nearly all of his fifties. Coach Tolbert helps prepare young runners for racing in his hometown of Gaithersburg, MD. Folks watching this tall, lanky 59-year-old stride away to a 19:32 age group win may remember the good ole days Tolbert was the overall winner in many of his races.

Bill Sollers (66) of Silver Spring, MD took his 220 pounds of might across the finish line more than ninety seconds ahead of his division second place finisher, proving it is not just the skinny bird that gets the worm. Skip Grant (70) of Silver Spring, MD continues to be the man to beat in the 70-79 age group with an unreal 22:20. Paul Lackey (81) is the new king of the eighth generation, racing home in 28:30.

The battle for the women's title was all Virginia. Tonya Dodge (30) [in photo left] of Arlington, VA was not a household name before this race. Clearly, this athlete is a runner to be reckoned with. Jacqueline (Concaugh) Gruendel (31) of Burke, VA won the battle for runner-up in 18:31. Genevieve Kiley (31) of Arlington, VA ran an excellent sub-6:00 pace 18:37.

Masters top dog Rebecca Nathan (40) of Arlington, VA missed the spotlight that shone on the top three, breaking nineteen minutes by three seconds. Speaking of which, Alicia Pease (23) of Hyattsville, MD, half her age, filled in the fifth spot very nicely with 19:00. Another top open runner, Eileen Kickish (26) of Washington, DC was next, winning her division in 19:24. Another fine young runner is 46-year-old Win Persina. She again tops her division with a swift 19:32. In the last year, she has continued to lower her times, now by more than a minute. Look for her to crack 19:00 before year's end.

Alice Franks of Rockville, MD just turned 58, turning in a fine 23:11. This would often be enough for another age group win. Today, Isabel Reiff (56) of Washington, DC made away with the crown in 22:22. In this business you cannot rest of your laurels. Indeed, 50-54 winner Kiki Sweigart (54) of McLean, VA ran 23:13 and she will be 55 before you can say, "Please, not so fast there!" Sandra May (60) of Alexandria, VA was tops in her decade by nearly ten minutes. Jacqueline O'Neil (74) of Washington, DC took control of the venerable 70-99 division.

Awards

                    Cassidy & Pinkard Race for Hope 5K
                        Washington, DC  May 7, 2006
                   Awards Listing (No Duplicate Prizes)


FEMALE OVERALL
Place Num   Name                  Age City                      Time  
===== ===== ====================== == ========================= ===== 
    1  2085 Tonya Dodge            30 Arlington VA              18:00 
    2  2395 Jacqueline Gruendel    31 Burke VA                  18:31 
    3  2053 Genevieve Kiley        31 Arlington VA              18:37 


MALE OVERALL
Place Num   Name                  Age City                      Time  
===== ===== ====================== == ========================= ===== 
    1  2517 Jon Weiss              32 Rockville MD              16:35 
    2   437 Brandon Corbin         21 West Point NY             16:36 
    3  2738 Joshua Taylor          27 Arlington VA              16:38 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  19 & Younger                                Clock  Chip  Pace
    1  2008 Katie O'Rourke         17 McLean VA                 26:16 23:10  7:28 
    2  2550 Annie MacOmber         18 Vienna VA                 27:35 23:51  7:41 


MALE AGE GROUP:  19 & Younger
    1  1875 Robert Sherry          19 Vero Beach FL             17:23 17:22  5:36 
    2   466 Andrew Tingan          18 Beaumont TX               17:24 17:23  5:36 


female AGE GROUP:  20 - 24
    1  1958 Alicia Pease           23 Hyattsville MD            19:00 18:57  6:06 
    2  2036 Kaitlin Sheedy         23 Arlington VA              20:00 19:53  6:24 


male AGE GROUP:  20 - 24
    1   460 Ben Roberts            22 West Point NY             16:47 16:41  5:22 
    2   435 Bryan Bhark            21 Landenberg PA             17:09 17:04  5:30 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  25 - 29
    1  2068 Eileen Kickish         26 Washington DC             19:24 19:23  6:15 
    2 25585 Wendy Matthews         29 Arlington VA              19:28 19:27  6:16 


MALE AGE GROUP:  25 - 29
    1  1777 Shawn Loper            28 Bel Air MD                17:04 17:03  5:30 
    2  2239 Kevin Peterson         28 New York NY               17:08 17:07  5:31 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  30 - 34
    1  1098 Amy Beer               31 Washington DC             21:07 21:00  6:46 
    2   985 Christina Yancey       30 Washington DC             21:48 21:25  6:54 


MALE AGE GROUP:  30 - 34
    1   294 Colin Heitzmann        32 Rockville MD              18:02 18:00  5:48 
    2    31 Adam Stolzberg         30 Arlington VA              18:31 18:30  5:58 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  35 - 39
    1  2772 Samantha Kirby         37 Arlington VA              20:12 20:12  6:30 
    2  1215 Lisa Oakley            39 Washington DC             21:51 21:38  6:58 


MALE AGE GROUP:  35 - 39
    1   785 David Mead             37 Washington DC             16:59 16:59  5:28 
    2  2223 Robert Villacres       36 Washington DC             17:24 17:23  5:36 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  40 - 44
    1    56 Rebecca Nathan         40 Arlington VA              18:57 18:57  6:06 
    2  1935 Kathryn O'Brien        42 Washington DC             23:10 23:03  7:25 


MALE AGE GROUP:  40 - 44
    1   693 Gene Smith             41 Burke VA                  17:31 17:31  5:39 
    2  2790 Jon Lugbill            44 Richmond VA               19:55 19:48  6:23 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  45 - 49
    1  2159 Win Persina            46 Washington DC             19:32 19:32  6:17 
    2  2360 Eleanor Kerr           46 Chillum MD                20:39 20:37  6:38 


MALE AGE GROUP:  45 - 49
    1   620 Jeffrey Zack           48 Alexandria VA             20:45 20:38  6:39 
    2  2139 Rodney Fennell         46 Clinton MD                21:01 20:50  6:43 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  50 - 54
    1  2537 Kiki Sweigart          54 McLean VA                 23:13 22:58  7:24 
    2   370 Jennifer Sproul        51 Gaithersburg MD           25:40 25:12  8:07 


MALE AGE GROUP:  50 - 54
    1  2562 Bruce Delaplaine       51 Bethesda MD               18:57 18:56  6:06 
    2  2142 Larry Parkinson        51 Alexandria VA             19:52 19:52  6:24 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  55 - 59
    1  2227 Isabel Reiff           56 Washington DC             22:22 22:09  7:08 
    2    67 Alice Franks           58 Rockville MD              23:11 23:08  7:27 


MALE AGE GROUP:  55 - 59
    1  2261 Herbert Tolbert        59 Gaithersburg MD           19:32 19:29  6:17 
    2  2029 William Scott          58 Glenarden MD              20:41 20:35  6:38 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  60 - 64
    1    33 Sandra May             60 Alexandria VA             27:27 26:58  8:41 
    2  2168 Linda Schwartz         63 Potomac MD                32:58 32:28 10:27 


MALE AGE GROUP:  60 - 64
    1    68 Lou Shapiro            64 Silver Spring MD          22:10 22:09  7:08 
    2   309 S Mahaney              60 Silver Spring MD          23:14 23:10  7:28 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  65 - 69
    1 25609 Bry Potter             66 Washington DC             33:31 25:31  8:13 
    2   464 Patricia Kellyn        66 Alexandria VA             67:55 58:40 18:53 


MALE AGE GROUP:  65 - 69
    1    78 Bill Sollers           66 Silver Spring MD          24:40 24:36  7:56 
    2  1331 Donald Kohler          69 New Market MD             26:14 25:39  8:16 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  70 & Up
    1  2000 Jacqueline O'Neil      74 Washington DC             35:46 34:05 10:59 
    2   236 Sabine Snavely         70 Arlington VA              44:01 43:14 13:55 


MALE AGE GROUP:  70 & Up
    1  2271 Skip Grant             70 Silver Spring MD          22:20 22:18  7:11 
    2  1557 William Pepelko        71 Great Falls VA            27:46 27:31  8:52 

Race Day Report for 2006
Full Race Day Results
Photo Gallery 2006
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