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Germantown 5M Adds Girls on the Run 5K
By James MorelandMay 16, 2006
Germantown, MD
For the Washington Running Report
"And the skies are not cloudy all day..."
Actually, scattered showers meant we were under a threat of rain and it was muggy as all get out. Still, this little gem of a race always seems to have good weather. Nestled between bustling Route 355 and Interstate 270, cars were totally off the roads for the race and it was our little heaven.
This year the always competitive race added a new feature - Girls on the Run. This new phenomenon has taken road racing by storm. Not since the Women's Distance Festival began some 25 years ago has there been such a surge in new runners venturing into the fun and healthy world of races. In the past week there have been a number of these events including the monster race in Fairfax, formerly the Daisy Dash. It had nearly 5000 runners. Germantown's version was much smaller but it was clearly much larger than the just short of 300 finishers in the timed 5M. In Fairfax the race was timed as well but here in Montgomery County the emphasis was on fun. The ChronoTrack D-tags kept track of the progress in the competitive 5M. In the Girls on the Run 5K, which started twenty minutes after the once "main event," progress was followed even more closely by friends and families.
Coming up to packet pickup there were meeting place signs for the many large groups of young runners, many preparing for their first venture into road racing. The atmosphere was like a carnival. The post race food was roped off so runners could concentrate on the task ahead before enjoying treats after the race. The frozen dessert was well worth the weight - oops I mean the wait.
The race often needs a sub 25:00 to get a win. Event record holder Steve Crane 24:29 (2007) and winner last year in 24:34 was the pre race favorite. Lurching about eight inches shorter than Crane at the start was former top ranked runner Gurmessa Megressa. Also Dave Berdan of Parkville, MD, who has won his share of fast races, was there a capable of an upset. Just as with the Kentucky Derby, who would handle the humid races conditions and would it be a long shot?
Racers blasted up the opening hill on this rolling course and it was soon clear that Crane was having, for him, an off day. Wouldn't it be nice to run 25:16 on an off day? Megressa pulled away winning easily in 24:37. His time was the fourth fastest on the course that started in 2003. Maybe with a push like Crane got in 2007 with Beruk Deberework running 24:31 or last year with his nemesis Abiyot Abebe a mere thirty meters behind. Megressa noted that his win was fine but not a record.
For the women, look out. If you loved Elena Orlova (39) as a top submaster you will love her even more when she turn master later in the year. Only one runner set a course record today but Orlova was closest to being a second one. Not that second was close to being with her as she trounced the field in 28:32, a half mile ahead of runner-up Almaz Megerssa with 31:10. Orlova time was the fifth fastest time for women with 28:32. A mere ten seconds behind her time when she won it all in 2006. Tiffany Hevner of Columbia, MD was third in 33:49.
The only course record was set by irrepressible Felicity Hawes (65) of Gaithersburg, MD. It was noted when she got her award that no one else was in her division today. They were probably too scared to run against her as she cremated the former record by mo0re than ten minutes with a solid time of 45:03. That time would easily qualify her for Ranked Runner status in the 60:64 division as well.
The race starts with an out and back "mile" with runners looping past the starting line at 1.9 miles. The new event 5K started right there twenty minutes after the start and followed the same course in a wide circle back around to the finish.
A muggy day on a rolling course usually means a lot of flame outs. Lots of runners ahead of us stop for more than just a sip of cooling water. Sadly the started back up before we could catch up. About halfway through the race, as I started up the long Observation Drive hill, I saw a young man slowing. As I catch up I encouraged him to "Hang in there." He did and we helped each other up the hill. By the top of the hill I pulled away a little and forgot about him, concentrating on getting myself to the finish. All along the final mile runners tried to pass me and I used their efforts to force myself to run faster. I thought I had cleared them all as we headed into the final meters of the race. That young man Byron Johns (14) of Gaithersburg, MD flew by me in an unstoppable rush. He earned an age group win.
Eight men broke twenty-eight minutes with Troy Harrison (33) coming all the way from Fort Carson, CO to win his division in 26:23. Greg Lane was the tops in the twenty somethings in 26:41. John Way (43) won his division in his 44th race of the year. Jean Christophe Arcaz of Rockville, MD (48) had a streak of three years as the age group winner always faster then 29 minutes. This year he was turned away from a fourth consecutive win as his 29:28 found him behind David Haaga's 28:16 win. Paul Peterson (55) of Bethesda, MD aged up and again snatched the top grandmaster spot with 31:22. Lou Shapiro (67) put away his division easily with 34:38 as he returns to rhythm after his last marathon. And finally Jack McMahon (78) continues to inspire runners of all ages with his 45:53 victory.
Craig Mills (32) of Gaithersburg, MD came out to establish a wheelchair place in the race. He enthusiastically received his award for his efforts on a rolling course that does not favor wheel chairs.
Briana Cash (24) of Washington, DC never looked back, crushing her division with 34:14, falling just short of the coveted top three. Julie Sapper of Rockville, MD was next as the top 30-39 runner with 34:44. Win Persina was coming off an overall win last week in a 5K. She cruised to a 35:28 masters win, though well off the times she has recorded already this year. It won't be long before she takes on the grandmaster division. Today's grandmaster champion Natalie Jenkins won in a solid 37:07.
After the race, there were bagels and bananas and frozen desserts to go with bottled water. Race director Danny Talmage has a couple of boxes full of awards. He told us that he had trouble getting enough prizes. Not from I was sitting, the prizes went three deep in five year age groups and he had so many extras that he was literally throwing them into the crowd. The team award was a really nice fleece vest that even in the warmth of May winners could not resist wearing.
Oh and by the way, I really like the bright yellow T-shirt with a nice design sans advertisement.
Awards Listing - No Duplicate Prizes
Age Group Awards Based on Net Times
MALE
Place Num Name Ag City Time
===== ===== ======================= == ===================== =====
1 322 Gurmessa Megerssa 29 Washington DC 24:37
2 1 Steven Crane 27 Arlington VA 25:16
3 3 David Berdan 28 Parkville MD 25:44MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 01 - 14
1 318 Byron Johns 14 Gaithersburg MD 37:39MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 15 - 19
1 235 Russ Daley 15 Clarksburg MD 33:30
2 264 Nathan Brockett 15 Darnestown MD 37:05
3 146 Brandon Blankenship 15 Boyds MD 51:53MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 20 - 24
1 204 Greg Lane 22 Arlington VA 26:41
2 186 Jake Green 24 Arlington VA 26:54
3 248 Ben Emmanuel 23 Woodbridge VA 27:54MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 25 - 29
1 193 Chris Sloane 25 N Potomac MD 28:03
2 218 Aaron Anderson 25 Gaithersburg MD 29:14
3 262 Jeff Van Schaick 25 Germantown MD 40:32MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 30 - 34
1 112 Troy Harrison 33 Ft Carson CO 26:23
2 205 Paul Bourg 31 Eldersburg MD 27:21
3 279 David Hopkinson 30 Damascus MD 32:48MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 35 - 39
1 71 Shawn Eastman 35 Germantown MD 33:00
2 309 Joel Carrier 39 Germantown MD 34:41
3 172 Eric Stancliff 39 Mount Airy MD 36:22MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 40 - 44
1 34 John Way 43 Montgomery Vill MD 33:55
2 123 Sean Eastman 40 Montgomery Vill MD 34:43
3 106 Ken Earley 41 Rockville MD 35:23MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 45 - 49
1 114 David Haaga 47 Rockville MD 28:16
2 117 Jean-Christophe Arcaz 48 Rockville MD 29:28
3 304 Albino Castro 49 Brookeville MD 35:21MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 50 - 54
1 64 Perry Washington 50 Monrovia MD 35:20
2 200 Jean-Luc Froeliger 51 Bethesda MD 37:53
3 151 Teddy Gonzales 52 Rockville MD 39:04MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 55 - 59
1 59 Paul Peterson 55 Bethesda MD 31:22
2 152 Timothy Morgan 58 Damascus MD 32:22
3 148 Roland Rust 57 Bethesda MD 33:29MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 60 - 64
1 39 Alan Madison 60 Gaithersburg MD 44:24
2 41 Arturo Rodriguez 62 Germantown MD 61:58MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 65 - 69
1 310 Lou Shapiro 67 Silver Spring MD 34:38
2 290 Chet Coates 69 Silver Spring MD 45:42
3 45 Len Taylor 67 Gaithersburg MD 55:18MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 70 - 74
1 90 Kenneth Kelley 70 Barnesville MD 48:19
2 294 Stanley Way 71 Rockville MD 53:33MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 75 - 99
1 89 Jack McMahon 78 Rockville MD 45:53
2 78 Bob Archibald 76 Fayetteville PA 48:46MALE FIRST TIME RACER: NET TIME - NET PACE 1 - 99
1 254 Mike Moore 49 M N Potomac MD 37:03MALE GERMANTOWN RESIDENT
1 71 Shawn Eastman 35 Germantown MD 33:00
FEMALE
Place Num Name Ag City Time
===== ===== ======================= == ===================== =====
1 6 Elena Orlova 39 Gaithersburg MD 28:32
2 321 Almaz Megerssa 23 Washington DC 31:10
3 253 Tiffany Hevner 28 Columbia MD 33:49FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 01 - 14
1 233 Megan Adams 11 Damascus MD 45:19
2 87 Ashley Abbott 13 Gaithersburg MD 47:54FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 15 - 19
1 312 Jenna Mahaffie 16 Bethesda MD 46:42FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 20 - 24
1 197 Brianna Cash 24 Washington DC 34:14
2 31 Lesley Lane 24 Montgomery Vill MD 39:49
3 56 Amanda Sweeney 23 Silver Spring MD 42:00FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 25 - 29
1 158 Valerie Smith 28 Germantown MD 39:58
2 35 Gina Carlton 27 Germantown MD 41:04
3 104 Genevieve Weber 25 Baltimore MD 43:50FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 30 - 34
1 154 Mari Hornyak 31 Poolesville MD 37:22
2 314 Karen Carpenter 33 Leesburg VA 37:40
3 278 Rachel Houp 34 Gaithersburg MD 38:04FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 35 - 39
1 111 Julie Sapper 36 Rockville MD 34:44
2 47 Shelli Beard 39 Montgomery Vill MD 37:18
3 295 Benny Dorsey 35 Gaithersburg MD 42:26FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 40 - 44
1 293 Carolyn Holland 42 Silver Spring MD 38:53
2 105 Kendall Christiansen 40 Simsbury CT 39:11
3 145 Marlow Blankenship 42 Boyds MD 41:01FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 45 - 49
1 292 Win Persina 49 Washington DC 35:28
2 281 Paula Galliani 49 Gaithersburg MD 38:50
3 291 Shirley Skorbiansky 48 Rockville MD 43:20FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 50 - 54
1 140 Natalie Jenkins 50 Gaithersburg MD 37:07
2 183 Myra Washington 52 Montgomery Vill MD 39:03
3 50 Carol English 54 Germantown MD 39:42FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 55 - 59
1 100 Nancy S Lane 55 Flemington NJ 44:15
2 229 Nancy Curran 55 Gaithersburg MD 47:24
3 185 Theresa Chamberlain 55 Germantown MD 49:12FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 60 - 64
1 239 Claudia Crawford 62 Germantown MD 44:59
2 70 Janit Ronayko 63 East Hartford CT 52:20
3 217 Annerose Longanecker 63 College Park MD 55:27FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 65 - 69
1 126 Felicity Hawes 65 Gaithersburg MD 45:03FEMALE FIRST TIME RACER: NET TIME - NET PACE 1 - 99
1 191 Leah Velasquez 34 F Germantown MD 48:33
FEMALE GERMANTOWN RESIDENT
1 50 Carol English 54 Germantown MD 39:42