Navigation

Spring burst upon us finally at the 23^rd Annual Springburst 8K held in Greenbelt National Park. With scores of other races this weekend, three in PG County this morning, it is tough to get a huge crowd for this race. The race is the signature event for the Prince Georges County Road Runners as well as the second race of the Maryland RRCA Championship Series. The race usually draws just under a hundred racers but always produces an excellent event.

The scenery is gorgeous in the park as runner prepare for the start of the two loop course. Newcomers as always warned that the scenic view perched high up the hill to begin the event will appear somewhat different when returning from the bottom of the hill, which ends just before mile one.

Victor Cretella (38) of the Frederick Steeplechasers is a front runner. He is a middle distance specialist who just finished raking in some dough at the Wednesday Night Mile in Westminster. Though the rain made the Main Street Mile a sleek event, he shellacked the field in a swift 4:28. Improbably the second runner to hear the call was none other than sixty-five- year old Dee Nelson. Nelson, who has dominated her division masterfully, sprinted out as if to take the race. She also has a successful Wednesday winning the Tidal Basin 3K outright. At the awards she missed the top masters by a few seconds, winning her division in a Best of 2009 41:15. When asked about her race, "You took it out like you planned to win the race," she replied, "I was hoping to."

After the first quarter mile surge things started to sort out more. Former winner and always a favorite Doug Kuderna (47) of Odenton, MD races as a stalking horse. He settled about fifty meters back. By the second loop Brian Fleming (26) of Columbia, MD had made a move and eased by Cretella taking Kuderna in tow. Fleming moved away to win in 29:42 with Kuderna following in 29:56. By three miles Cretella seemed resolved to settle for third cruising home in 30:19. Maryland RRCA boss Phil Lang took the top master spot in fourth with 30:58. After the race he noted that times did not seem as fast as in the old days. "There seem to more fitness runners than racers" but perhaps that is a good thing, he noted.

For the women, Kelly Baird (33) of Chesapeake Beach, MD won nearly wire to wire, easing into the top spot about a minute in to the race. She stayed steady the whole way and never could shake second place Jennifer Lazio (40) of Alexandria, VA. Baird won in 37:25 with Lazio right behind her in 37:40. Cara Leisnham (32) Greenbelt, MD glided by a lot of hill-tired runners in the second loop to keep things interesting finishing solidly in third with 38:06. Mary Lang (55) of Pasadena, MD (in photo) snatched the masters title in the last few meters from a trailing Dee Nelson. Mary Lang is not related to Phil Lang other than both are consistently ranked in the Washington Running Report's Runner Rankings.

This little race did have a lot of top runners, including former 60-64 Runner Rankings champions Jason Page (64) with 33:43 and Ronnie Wong (62) with 34:03 in photo below, as well as Lou Shapiro and last years RRCA winner in the 55-59 division Von Jennings. Page is recovering from some injuries and had to walk three times in the final mile. Wong was inspired. "He walked in the final mile but I could not catch him." Wong claims he was saving himself for tomorrow's Clyde's 10K, Jennings noted that he did not run two races in the same weekend as does Wong. Shapiro was way off his usual brilliance, finishing in a 37:18. Last year he was nearly two and half minutes faster he can be excused. No, he is not running two races this weekend but come Monday he will be towing the line for the Boston Marathon.

After the race there was plenty to eat and drink and the day was gloriously spring. This year the awards went from certificates to plants and stuffed animals. Runners in five year age groups enjoyed the scores of awards.

Overall Male
	1	Fleming, Brian	Columbia, MD	26	29:41.87
	2	Kuderna, Doug	Odenton, MD	48	29:55.01
	3	Cretella, Victor	New Market, MD	38	30:18.25
Overall Female
	1	Baird, Kelly	Chesapeake Beach, MD	33	37:24.13
	2	Lazio, Jennifer	Alexandria, VA	40	37:39.88
	3	Leisnham, Cara	Greenbelt, MD	32	38:05.36
Masters Male
	1	Lang, Philip	Columbia, MD	41	30:57.21
Masters Female
	1	Lang, Mary	Pasadena, MD	55	41:06.96

Dee Nelson (65) of Gaithersburg, MD celebrates another victory.

Full Race Day Results

Washington DC Running Report

The Runner's Source
Washington, DC's premier running & racing site

Navigation

23rd Annual Springburst 8K Race Report

Comments