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Manassas City Police Association Memorial 5K Run
By James Moreland
May 2, 2009
Manassas, VA
For the Washington Running Report
The race now in its eighth year honors Sgt John D. Conner III who was killed in the line of duty on July 24, 1988. Four years ago the race moved to May and it has grown each year. This is a small community race which bulked out to 117 after only once breaking 100 runners. Before the race the police apologized for a small late start because their service was required for an emergency. They said not all the streets would be having marshals because of that.
Not to worry at all, these keepers of the peace in Manassas had the residential streets extremely well marked. There were large arrowed signed that could be seen for a long way that allowed runners to pick the best side of the road to race on. There were at least a half dozen police vehicles keeping the runners safe and was impossible to get lost. Mile marks on the road were spot on.
After last weekend's summer like scorching, the cool morning was a blessing. The well manicured neighborhood streets were a real pleasure. Yes, there was quite a few turns, which is often preferred to seeing the finish way off in the distance and knowing you still have a long way to go.
The course allowed runners to get underway in a hurry as the first mile was predominately downhill. The winning times in the last four years have been modest. It seemed clear someone was going to run faster than that. Before the race op talent grandmaster Max Ahmadi, who signed up on race day was looking for a pacer to take him under twenty minutes. Jim Noone (64) was back in town and raring to go but he was going to get met by Jason Page (64) of Hamilton, VA who has more than once been ranked number one. For Ahmadi, wisdom said hang on to Page as long as you can.
Michael Rossi (29) of Vienna (in photo with his favorite fan) and EJ O'Malley (34) of Stafford, VA seemed relaxed as the pulled away from the filed in the first half mile. Page and Ahmadi were in a pack of about a dozen not far behind. Of course the race is 5K, not 800M, so soon runners started to fall off. Noone a notorious run from the back of the pack moved up quickly as the first mile ended and the runners were greeted with the uphill portion of the course.
The age groups were a generous two deep in five year age groups. This is a community race and they wisely choose to share the wealth. None of the hills were steep but most were in the later stages of the race. Rossi pulled away to win easily in 18:10, the fastest time by far in the last four years. O'Malley cruised in next with 18:27. Page made his prediction racing home in a very good 19:51 but we are sure he really wanted to catch third place David Rauser (37) of Manassas, VA who right ahead of him in 19:48.
Ahmadi focusing on Page was next in 19:58, a qualifying time for the Runner Rankings. He probably did not even realize the Gerald Meader (51) of Manassas, VA was charging up behind, finishing just short in 20:11. Noone had slightly slower than average time in 20:55. This must have surprised William Turrentine (60) of Centreville, VA. His solid time of 21:49 normally would put him on the awards stand but he was competing against two of the best in the region today.
Jason Page (left) and Jim Noone discuss their race.
Terry McCarthy (74) of Leesburg, VA is about to age up, winning his division in 30:22.
Not to surprising these days, the women out numbered the men. Ashley Draper (27) of Manassas, VA and Jill Rumple (32) of Gainesville, VA blasted out with the leaders and the battle was not decided till the final yards of the race. Harper was the winner in twelfth overall with 20:50. She squeezed in ahead of two men at the finish while Rumple ushered them home a step behind in 20:56. Third place Sarah Draper had won last year's race in 20:44 but struggled somewhat this year in 21:40. Angie Leonard (36) of South Riding, VA was right on her heels with 21:46.
Suanne Shocket (55) of Manassas, VA (in photo) made it look easy as top grandmaster in 24:36. Laurel Clement (60) of Haymarket, VA was top senior in 26:25.
After the race, there were lots of ice cold bottled water and Gatorade as well as fresh bagel with apples and bananas. Parking was a breeze for the race. At the awards the overall winners received a nice trophy and a $50 gift certificate. The five year age group winners got a nice medallion with the first place getting a gift certificate as well. There were some random awards to help make sure nearly everyone walked away with a prize.
This race is a real winner and I have it marked on my calendar for next year already. It definitely has room to grow at an even faster pace and it surely will when runners tell their friends.
Awards Listing (No Duplicate Prizes)Age Groups by Net Time FEMALE OVERALL Place Num Name Age City Time === ===== ======================= === ===================== ===== 1 90 Ashley Harper 27 Manassas VA 20:50 MALE OVERALL Place Num Name Age City Time ===== ===== ======================= === ===================== ===== 1 130 Michael Rossi 29 Vienna VA 18:10 FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 1 - 19 1 56 Catherine Findlay 15 Bristow VA 24:19 2 63 Elizabeth Aveni 10 Manassas VA 29:14 MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 1 - 19 1 65 Joshua Hawkins 14 Manassas VA 20:14 2 61 Thomas Aveni 15 Manassas VA 26:18 FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 20 - 24 1 92 Lindsay Patterson 24 Woodbridge VA 26:33 MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 20 - 24 1 137 Philip Galvan 24 Manassas VA 24:28 FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 25 - 29 1 76 Beth Nagel 26 Ashburn VA 26:28 2 66 Dara Ratliff 29 Manassas VA 30:56 MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 25 - 29 1 54 Justin Cahill 29 Manassas VA 22:35 2 132 Miguel Pires 26 Manassas VA 23:49 FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 30 - 34 1 44 Jill Rumple 32 Gainesville VA 20:56 2 77 Nancy Abramson 34 Fairfax VA 24:08 MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 30 - 34 1 128 Ej O'Malley 34 Stafford VA 18:27 2 135 Taylor Basye 32 Woodbridge VA 20:25 FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 35 - 39 1 100 Sarah Draper 35 Manassas VA 21:40 2 140 Angie Leonard 36 South Riding VA 21:44 MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 35 - 39 1 102 David Rauser 37 Manassas VA 19:47 2 11 David Rondeau 37 Springfield VA 20:33 FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 40 - 44 1 60 Martha Aveni 44 Manassas VA 24:18 2 133 Luann Peterson 43 Centreville VA 25:43 MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 40 - 44 1 104 Joseph Parker 41 Gainesville VA 23:10 2 84 Christopher Hinders 42 Bristow VA 23:19 FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 45 - 49 1 83 Barb Thomas 45 Somerset VA 25:54 2 13 Jo-Anne Quinn 45 Manassas VA 28:24 MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 45 - 49 1 103 Matt Schneck 47 Manassas VA 20:40 2 12 Charles Weeks 47 Woodbridge VA 23:02 FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 50 - 54 1 17 Anne Case 54 Manassas VA 29:46 2 55 Trish Hyland 50 Nokesville VA 30:13 MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 50 - 54 1 115 Max Ahmadi 53 Dunn Loring VA 19:58 2 117 Gerald Meader 51 Manassas VA 20:11 FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 55 - 59 1 73 Suanne Shocket 55 Manassas VA 24:35 2 139 Patricia Coonan 56 Manassas VA 41:04 MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 55 - 59 1 10 James Moreland 56 Gaithersburg MD 23:00 2 138 Jerry Laffey 57 Manassas VA 29:15 FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 60 - 64 1 75 Laurel Clement 60 Haymarket VA 26:19 MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 60 - 64 1 118 Jason Page 64 Hamilton VA 19:51 2 116 Jim Noone 64 Fairfax VA 20:55 MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 70 - 99 1 125 Terry McCarthy 74 Leesburg VA 30:22 MALE FIRST TIME RACER: NET TIME - NET PACE 1 - 99 1 69 Scott Filipkowski 15 M Manassas VA 26:21 FEMALE FIRST TIME RACER: NET TIME - NET PACE 1 - 99 1 15 Amanda Nocera 35 F Woodbridge VA 31:10
Beth Nagel (26) of Ashburn leads Lyndsay Patterson (24) of Woodbridge, VA to the finish.
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