What a difference a week makes. Last weekend saw Indian summer days, great running weather for the Veteran's Day 10K starting at West Potomac Park. Then the temperature dropped this morning for the 3rd Annual Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation Run for Research. There was frost on the windshields for the early risers. By 8:00 AM race time, the weather was perfect. Not just great--perfect! Runners discarded hat and gloves and sweats and raced east over the Inlet River Bridge toward Hains Point. The crisp fall day had no hint of clouds or humidity. The winds that usually buffet runners on at least one side of an out-and- back were not there. None, zilch, nada either coming or going!

At the start, Philippe Rolly seemed the obvious favorite as he does in most races. When asked if he was going to break 15:00, he modestly smiled with a negative shake of the head. When the power surging G-O word was announced, he motored out as if maybe he was going for 15:00. Sticking to his shoulder like a limpet mine was Chris Pruitt of Vienna, VA. Clearly it was going to be a battle.

Many of the participants of this race, started to help collect money for Multiple Myeloma Research, knew someone directly who had been affected. Many walked with pictures of loved ones on their T-shirts. The mood was a combination of joyful and somber.

Traditionally in running men have outnumbered women. More and more this has changed. In the three years of this race women have always outnumbered the men. The first year Anthony Belber was the men's champion, running what was for him a conservative 18:41. He was all alone. The women's champion, Leilani Eleccion, had stiff competition most of the way, prevailing by six seconds in 23:06.

In 2004, Belber repeated but was pressed to a much faster time by a trio of masters runners, including the ever-present Ted Poulos, whose 17:12 earned him the runner-up spot. Belber set the course record in 17:01. Rowena Watson ran away with the women's title in 21:09, nearly a minute ahead of second place. Four runners topped the 2003 standard.

This year, the perfect weather promised all new course records. Returning from East Potomac Park at the 2-mile mark, Rolly was just off the shoulder of Pruitt in 10:00. Third place Robert Schneider of Washington, DC, the only other viable threat, was making a determined charge. Rolly moved past Pruitt with a half mile to go and held on to win in 15:32. Pruitt was next in 15:36. Schneider had a swift 16:14 finish.

At the start, masters favorite Win Persina (photo) said, "Today's the day! I wanna break 21:00." She laughed when I advised her to not start her watch until after the first hundred meters. Top-level grandmaster Alice Franks had the masters course record in 23:44 but that was not even a good time for her. The record was going down. From the get-go, at least six female runners blasted out, clearly intent on trashing the old standard. Persina started conservatively, clearing the first mile in 6:45. The others were gone!

Kelly Renan (23) of Washington, DC was only briefly challenged, cruising home in a fine 18:44. Her challenger, Michaeline Nelson (16) of McLean, VA, shows lots of promise crossing the ChampionChip mats in 19:14. Rounding the last corner and the only "hill" of the course at the Inlet River Bridge, Persina was feeling confident and made her goal with a finish in 20:48. Only a ringer from Atlanta, GA, Annie Stevenson, denied her the masters title. Stevenson appeared magnanimous, urging me around the last corner to go for it. Then pressed me the whole last half mile to the mats, finishing on my shoulder for the new masters record of 20:35. Franks, now 57, sped to the grandmasters title in 22:34.

For the men, the first year masters champion was RJ Spalding. He was third overall in 20:24. Top-flight grandmaster Dan Eddy was next in 20:24. Poulos trumped the trio of forty somethings in the top four spots in 17:13, with Chris Sabbatini (17:15) making him work all the way. The grandmaster was sixty-four year-old Stephen Forman of McLean, VA in 21:30. Not one to rest on his laurels, he entered the new age this year with an improved time of 21:24. William Scott of Glenarden, MD (photo, 58) came in under the previous grandmaster best in 20:18 to win his division. Paul Bousel of Alexandria set the new grandmaster standard at 19:57.

After the race, the food was ultra plentiful. There was hot coffee and more bagels and bananas than you can shake a stick at. Runners were encouraged to take home extra goody bags that included a race T-shirt, a 2006 calendar, travel samples of grooming products, and lots of extra food. Two radio stations surrounded the runners with great music as the perfect running morning turned into the perfect fall day.

Award Winners

FEMALE OVERALL
Place Num   Name                   Ag City                      Gun T Net T Pace  
===== ===== ====================== == ========================= ===== ===== ===== 
    1   748 Kelly Benan            23 Washington DC             18:44 18:41  6:01 
    2   682 Michaeline Nelson      16 Mclean VA                 19:14 19:09  6:10 
    3   663 Jenny Goransson        22 Eliot ME                  19:50 19:48  6:23 


MALE OVERALL
Place Num   Name                   Ag City                      Gun T Net T Pace  
===== ===== ====================== == ========================= ===== ===== ===== 
    1    30 Philippe Rolly         33 Fairfax VA                15:32 15:31  5:00 
    2   745 Chris Pruitt              Vienna VA                 15:36 15:36  5:02 
    3   816 Robert Schneider       29 Washington DC             16:14 16:13  5:14 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  1 - 14
    1   350 Kori Pickett           14 Mt Airy MD                27:19 27:03  8:43 
    2   716 Kaitlin Connolly       14 Bowie MD                  30:43 29:37  9:32 
    3   192 Sarah Quinones         14 Culpeper VA               31:36 30:56  9:58 


MALE AGE GROUP:  1 - 14
    1    33 Jimmy Bradshaw         14 Springfield VA            21:31 21:28  6:55 
    2   800 Nathan Thatcher        13 Manassas VA               21:59 21:55  7:04 
    3   580 Jordan Bazak           11 Roanoke VA                22:23 22:16  7:10 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  15 - 19
    1   763 Christina Bazak        15 Palos Verdes CA           29:17 29:11  9:24 
    2   518 Emma Hilbert           16 Bethesda MD               33:29 33:19 10:44 
    3   379 Meghan Williams        17 Herndon VA                35:43 34:37 11:09 


MALE AGE GROUP:  15 - 19
    1   643 Michael O'Halloran     18 Washington DC             17:58 17:57  5:47 
    2   764 Daniel Pindell         17 Woodbine MD               21:14 21:07  6:48 
    3   349 Chris Pickett          17 Mt Airy MD                21:15 21:08  6:48 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  20 - 24
    1   849 Marcelle Little        24 Washington DC             28:25 21:38  6:58 
    2   735 Kelly Ferraro          24 Washington DC             21:49 21:48  7:01 
    3   224 Erin Brosterhous       20 Washington DC             29:20 22:33  7:16 


MALE AGE GROUP:  20 - 24
    1   753 Jeffrey Scranton       20 South Windsor CT          17:49 17:47  5:44 
    2   758 Andrew Wickmann        23 Washington DC             17:56 17:55  5:46 
    3   338 Mark Owens             24 White Plains MD           24:31 22:50  7:21 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  25 - 29
    1   351 Kelly Green            29 Washington DC             20:22 20:22  6:34 
    2   632 Nanda Gasparini        25 Washington DC             20:56 20:53  6:44 
    3   519 Jessica Hudson         29 Washington DC             21:52 21:49  7:01 


MALE AGE GROUP:  25 - 29
    1   228 Gabe Hollis            28 Washington DC             19:29 19:26  6:16 
    2   408 Brian Jaskot           27 Washington DC             20:07 20:02  6:27 
    3   667 Kosuke Tanegashima     29 Rockville MD              26:00 20:06  6:29 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  30 - 34
    1   733 Rebecca Ghent          34 Washington DC             21:39 21:36  6:58 
    2   662 Antonia Feldschmied    33 Washington DC             23:26 23:21  7:31 
    3   235 Heather Stevens        31 Arlington VA              24:23 24:19  7:50 


MALE AGE GROUP:  30 - 34
    1   196 David Deschryver       33 Washington DC             18:00 17:57  5:47 
    2    15 Kevin Moore            33 Washington DC             18:02 18:00  5:48 
    3   226 Christian Arriola      30 Washington DC             22:10 22:01  7:05 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  35 - 39
    1   755 Jeanette Dumbrell      36 Baileys Xrds VA           19:53 19:51  6:24 
    2   620 Linda Bedell           35 Upper Marlboro MD         28:09 23:07  7:27 
    3   779 Bekki Welter           35 Washington DC             24:09 23:56  7:42 


MALE AGE GROUP:  35 - 39
    1   420 Greg Chaney            37 Washington DC             18:19 18:13  5:52 
    2   504 Scott Bickham          39 Corning NY                18:25 18:25  5:56 
    3   421 Doug Woods             36 Gaithersburg MD           18:57 18:55  6:06 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  40 - 44
    1   705 Annie Stevenson        40 Atlanta GA                20:35 20:32  6:37 
    2    26 Sushila Nanda          44 Arlington VA              22:09 22:07  7:08 
    3   680 Mary O'Neill           41 Arlington VA              24:34 24:27  7:52 


MALE AGE GROUP:  40 - 44
    1   248 Stuart Pineo           44 Columbia MD               17:39 17:38  5:41 
    2   801 Alan Thatcher          42 Manassas VA               17:50 17:49  5:44 
    3    24 Eric Schumacher        42 Bristow VA                18:39 18:37  6:00 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  45 - 49
    1   492 Win Persina            45 Washington DC             20:48 20:46  6:41 
    2   480 Myra Washington        48 Montgomery Village MD     23:10 23:07  7:27 
    3   252 Linda Mutziger         48 Laytonsville MD           23:48 23:45  7:39 


MALE AGE GROUP:  45 - 49
    1   638 Stephen Curran         46 Washington DC             18:02 17:57  5:47 
    2   536 Michael Mason          49 Spencerville MD           19:25 19:23  6:15 
    3   476 Richard Simcock        45 Washington DC             20:29 20:22  6:34 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  50 - 54
    1   656 Merrilee Seidman       51 Alexandria VA             25:00 24:59  8:03 
    2    16 Suzanne Shaw           51 Alexandria VA             27:45 27:36  8:53 
    3   416 Deborah Akers-Cordivan 51 Manassas VA               29:37 28:59  9:20 


MALE AGE GROUP:  50 - 54
    1   657 Paul Bousel            52 Alexandria VA             19:57 19:55  6:25 
    2   679 James Moreland         53 Gaithersburg MD           20:34 20:33  6:37 
    3   799 Beau Robinson          53 Fairfax VA                22:54 22:45  7:20 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  55 - 59
    1    28 Alice Franks           57 Rockville MD              22:34 22:31  7:15 
    2   528 Trudie Toussaint       58 Rockville MD              32:26 32:05 10:20 
    3   805 Susan Galbraith        55 Silver Spring MD          39:20 38:03 12:15 


MALE AGE GROUP:  55 - 59
    1   787 William Scott          58 Glenarden MD              20:18 20:14  6:31 
    2    21 Michael Fritz          55 Dulles VA                 22:28 22:25  7:13 
    3   112 Bob Kramer             56 Bethesda MD               23:41 23:34  7:36 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  60 - 64
    1   489 Linda Schwartz         63 Potomac MD                31:30 31:09 10:02 
    2   244 Mary Lou Collins       60 Alexandria VA             55:51 55:18 17:48 


MALE AGE GROUP:  60 - 64
    1   363 Daniel Field           60 Bangor ME                 23:01 22:52  7:22 
    2   752 Jim Verdier            63 Alexandria VA             23:56 23:53  7:42 
    3   461 Allen Heinz            60 Alexandria VA             50:25 49:43 16:00 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  65 - 69
    1   794 Glenda Ray             68 Norman OK                 59:35 58:41 18:54 
    2   321 Anna Schneier          65 Rockville MD              67:12 67:12 21:38 
    3   468 Jeanne Arcuni          67 Vienna VA                 68:08 67:31 21:44 


MALE AGE GROUP:  65 - 69
    1    29 Stephen Forman         65 Mclean VA                 21:24 21:21  6:53 
    2   630 Philip Hager           68 Falls Church VA           24:12 24:07  7:46 
    3   740 Chet Coates            65 Silver Spring MD          24:35 24:31  7:54 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  70 - 99
    1   775 Jeanette Chambers      70 Arnold MD                 32:59 32:57 10:37 
    2   253 Jacqueline O'Neil      74 Washington DC             34:00 33:50 10:54 
    3   288 Alma Kershner          73 Falling Waters WV         46:11 45:54 14:47 


MALE AGE GROUP:  70 - 99
    1   774 Tony Measham           71 Chevy Chase MD            25:43 25:39  8:16 
    2   490 Edward Green           74 Washington DC             29:34 29:21  9:27 
    3   744 Jim Turner             71 Silver Spring MD          29:48 29:42  9:34 

To learn how you can help fight Multiple Myeloma, please visit the MMRF Web site at www.multiplemyeloma.org.

Full Race Day Results
Photo Gallery 2005
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