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Bigger and Better, the Sixth Annual Angel Kisses 5K

By James Moreland
May 10, 2009
Chantilly, VA
For the Washington Running Report

 

The little gem of a race is in its sixth year. They know how to plan a race. Still, the first three years it was a mostly a local race with fewer than 200 finishers. The last two years they added Capital Running Company with its ChronoTrack timing to go with a well marked course with tons and tons of random prizes and lot of food. In 2007 participation jumped up 50%. Last year they jumped another 20%; this year's 397 finishers in the 5K and nearly that many in the 2K fun run were a 35% increase. The one constant of the race is Tom Cook (in photo). He has run every year of the race and never finished lower than fifth place. The first two years he trailed only the prolific Ted Poulos. The next two years, while in his late forties, he was fourth overall. Indeed, his 18:30 in 2006 would have won it all the first two years.

Last year he dropped to fifth and this year, as a newly minted grandmaster, he dusted his division with fifth overall in 19:20. That was well ahead of returning grandmaster champ Paul Bousel who settled for second a minute behind. Still, it was well behind grandmaster record holder Maurice Pointer who had run 17:46 for second overall in 2007. That was the year that Ryan Deak soaked the field in 16:07 to destroy 2006 winner George Ingham's 17:00 course record. Still, as the spring morning was cleared of the previous day's oppressive humidity, it was clear that a new course record was in the making. Former top ranked runner Abiyot Abebe (22) lined up front and center.

The race starts on Point Pleasant Drive, a circular street of about a mile. The start was not the most pleasant part as it decidedly uphill. As race announcer Lyman Jordan yelled out the G-O word, Abebe surged ahead of the field. The 5K field was littered with scores of young runners who dart out. Abebe floated slightly ahead of the field like a toy boat riding the waves to shore. As the young ones began to flame and recede, Abebe could see it was all his race and he smoothly glided away from the field. Second place David Harsh (17) of Chantilly, VA pressed after him but resistance is futile. His solid 18:12 finish would have won in past years and certainly challenged last year's winner, Karsten Brown (18:04).

Charging back from the turnaround Abebe already had more than a quarter mile lead and he pulled smoothly, almost leisurely, away. He settled easily across the finish line with a new course record of 15:24 (photo). John Marsh (45) of Alexandria was third and first master in a solid 18:33. Following him in fourth place was the only other 20-29 runner in the top 50 finishers, Bradley Holzwart (28) of Fairfax, VA in 18:55. In fact there were only six runners in that division. The race was filled with "young and old" but very little in between. Though there were 21 runners in their 30s, only one (in 46th place) finished in the top 50.

For the women, Laura Freix had won big the first two years, setting the standard at 19:50. Then in 2006 Jackie Gruendel set the mark with 19:10 with young Brittney Rooks (13) mastering the field in 2007. This year Linda Foley (46) of Oak Hill, VA repeated as champion in 20:06. She had tested the record in 2008 in 19:19 with a swift Michelle Cunningham behind her in 19:36. This year Woineshet Gebessa (24) of Washington, DC was her closest rival in 20:54 as Foley steamed home to victory.

This race is about family and it was noted that many families had multiple racers today. Notably Richard Carlson (46) of Chantilly, VA returned to try to break 20:00 coming a few seconds short in 20:11. He brought his wife and four children. Jack (17) had a solid race. Charlie at ten is already fast. Carolyn (15) was really moving, finishing with brother Walter in 26:23. These and many other children in the race show boldly that youths are out running strong. Indeed there were so many youths that there were four divisions to hold them (10 & younger, 11-14, 15-18, and 19-29).

Peter Blank (54) of Annandale, VA hurried home in 23:54 for his 51st race of the year. He wistfully noted that with top grandmasters such as Tom Cook and Paul Bousel he would have to be content with one of the many random prizes. Robert Gurtler (74) of The Plains, VA is an experienced 5Ker. Of his 478 races this year more than half have been 5Ks.

Barbara Wigle (in photo) was second overall in 2005 in 21:12. Four years later and now a master at 43, she was third overall in 21:09. Merrilee Seidman (54) continues to impress, winning the grandmaster division in 24:05. Elite 70 and older runner Maynard Weyer move closer to the region's top with a solid 24:22 age group win. David Post (61) of Fairfax, VA stays young with a ranked time of 23:21. Perhaps even more impressive, Callie Edmundson (60) of Lake Ridge, VA is back on the scene in the new division with an excellent 24:27 win.

After the race there was lots of cool bottled water and tons of bananas. The doughnuts went pretty fast but there were also bags of chips and lots of muffins. There was still plenty of food during the seemingly endless listing of the random awards. It seemed as if nearly every runner stayed for the randoms and scores of them went home even happier

Many of the area's races were held yesterday. After all, it was Mother's Day. Though it was officially Mother's Day, here in Chantilly it was more like family day at the races. Bless the kind weather for a beautiful spring race. This is most definitely a race to put on your list for next year.

 

Awards Listing (No Duplicate Prizes) 
FEMALE OVERALL
Place Num   Name                   Ag City                  Gun T Net T Pace  
===== ===== ====================== == ===================== ===== ===== ===== 
 1   489 Linda Foley            47 Oak Hill VA           20:06 20:05  6:28 
 2   464 Woineshet Gebessa      24 Washington DC         20:54 20:54  6:44

MALE OVERALL
Place Num   Name                   Ag City                  Gun T Net T Pace  
===== ===== ====================== == ===================== ===== ===== ===== 
 1   463 Aiyot Abebe            22 Washington DC         15:24 15:24  4:58 
 2   108 David Harsh            17 Chantilly VA          18:12 18:12  5:52

FEMALE AGE GROUP:  01 - 10  (NET TIME)
 1    74 Alexa McAnally         10 Centreville VA        24:08 24:05  7:45 
 2    47 Margaret O'Donnell     10 Fairfax VA            24:17 24:13  7:48

MALE AGE GROUP:  01 - 10  (NET TIME)
 1    85 Joshua Wagner          10 Chantilly VA          22:28 22:28  7:14 
 2   236 Luke Steffy            10 Fairfax VA            24:52 24:50  8:00

FEMALE AGE GROUP:  11 - 14  (NET TIME)
 1   375 Gracie Degooyer        12 Lansdowne VA          21:34 21:34  6:57 
 2   274 Alexis Chaet           14 Chantilly VA          23:39 23:32  7:35

MALE AGE GROUP:  11 - 14  (NET TIME)
 1    58 Tim Virostek           13 Columbia MD           21:01 20:40  6:39 
 2   162 Alex Strait            12 Chantilly VA          21:18 21:18  6:52

FEMALE AGE GROUP:  15 - 18  (NET TIME)
 1   223 Stephanie Lebolt       16 Oak Hill VA           23:32 23:30  7:34 
 2   418 Katie Kenny            15 Springfield VA        24:01 23:52  7:41

MALE AGE GROUP:  15 - 18  (NET TIME)
 1   113 Thomas Johnston        16 Chantilly VA          19:46 19:46  6:22 
 2   126 Scott Fraser           16 Chantilly VA          21:12 21:12  6:50

FEMALE AGE GROUP:  19 - 29  (NET TIME)
 1   153 Mary Casey             21 Centreville VA        25:06 24:39  7:57 
 2   374 Pamela Darmofalski     25 Fairfax VA            25:30 24:59  8:03


MALE AGE GROUP:  19 - 29  (NET TIME)
 1   177 Bradley Holzwart       28 Fairfax VA            18:55 18:53  6:05 
 2     6 Mike Dougherty         23 Brooklyn NY           27:57 27:48  8:57

FEMALE AGE GROUP:  30 - 39  (NET TIME)
 1    65 Jill Allain            38 Fairfax VA            24:44 24:28  7:53 
 2   420 Hana Brillant          34 Vienna VA             24:31 24:30  7:54

MALE AGE GROUP:  30 - 39  (NET TIME)
 1   456 Brian Cummins          39 Chantilly VA          24:49 24:17  7:49 
 2   457 Steve Zhao             31 Fairfax VA            24:29 24:29  7:53


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  40 - 49  (NET TIME)
 1   176 Barbara Wigle          42 Centreville VA        21:09 21:09  6:49 
 2   396 Melissa Katz           43 Oak Hill VA           23:25 23:23  7:32


MALE AGE GROUP:  40 - 49  (NET TIME)
 1     2 John Marsh             45 Alexandria VA         18:33 18:33  5:58 
 2     3 Stephen Wills          48 Washington DC         19:48 19:48  6:23

FEMALE AGE GROUP:  50 - 59  (NET TIME)
 1    52 Merrilee Seidman       54 Alexandria VA         24:05 24:05  7:45 
 2   470 Tamara Smith           50 Falls Church VA       26:56 26:27  8:31

MALE AGE GROUP:  50 - 59  (NET TIME)
 1   395 Tom Cook               50 Chantilly VA          19:20 19:20  6:14 
 2    53 Paul Bousel            56 Alexandria VA         20:09 20:09  6:29


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  60 - 69  (NET TIME)
 1    82 Callie Edmundson       60 Lake Ridge VA         24:27 24:16  7:49


MALE AGE GROUP:  60 - 69  (NET TIME)
 1    72 David Post             61 Fairfax VA            23:21 23:19  7:31 
 2    92 Robert Mrak            64 Springfield VA        27:54 27:42  8:55


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  70 - 99  (NET TIME)
 1   164 Jill O'Donnell         71 Oakton VA             58:50 58:27 18:49

MALE AGE GROUP:  70 - 99  (NET TIME)
 1   419 Maynard Weyers         72 Alexandria VA         24:22 24:20  7:50 
 2   467 Terry McCarthy         74 Leesburg VA           30:12 30:09  9:43

MALE FIRST TIME RACER: NET TIME - NET PACE 1 - 99
 1   302 Brian Rothschild       15 M Chantilly VA        22:45 22:31  7:15

FEMALE FIRST TIME RACER: NET TIME - NET PACE 1 - 99
 1   336 Kate Zimmerman         19 F Oak Hill VA         28:02 27:51  8:58

 

Full Race Day Results

 

Photo Gallery 2009

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