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Crystal City is a Happening Place: The Crystal City Twilighter 5K
Race was held on Saturday, July 25, 2009
By James Moreland with photos by Lainey Bernstien
July 25, 2009
Arlington, VA
For the Washington Running Report
The Crystal City Twilighter 5K is an event produced and directed by Pacers Events. See the event Web site.
Just as with last year's inaugural race, the spirit of OZ was evoked. The gorgeous rows of petunias surrounded the little park in the Crystal City that has magically transformed itself into the happening place for the 5K race. Five times during the spring runners came on consecutive Fridays to test the flat course through town.
In photo above Hirut Mandefro (left) set the event record standing alongside sixth place Muluye Gurma.
Now in the twilight of July, with farmers grumbling about the driest July on record, the winds began to swirl. Runners donned their deep red race shirt and foolishly claimed they might finish the race before the rains began. With more than two thousand finishers, a 25% increase from 2008, testing the rain gods was sure to de doomed to failure. Would there be even enough shelter to hide before the start? The winds came roaring in from the south cooling the muggy night air. Runners began re-planning their race knowing the final half mile could end up in the teeth of that wind. Then the rains came driving down and worried racers scurried for cover (in photo) hoping that no lightning would appear as the winds reversed direction, driving to the south.
Right at 8:00 p.m. the three wheelchairs were sent off as sacrificial lambs to test the newly doused roads. Visibility was still great with the many lights and runners lined up for the charge north on Crystal Drive.
There was money for the top five places and a time bonus of $100 for any male under 14:30 or any female under 17:00. Last year's top gun Steve Crane was the only runner faster than 15 minutes at 14:46. Before the race Bert Rodriguez, who had run 15:04 for a 5K and several longer races such as Cherry Blossom in 51:07 that hinted at better, had a healthy respect for the weather and the abilities of last year's racers. He could not promise victory. Indeed even with an opening 4:38 mile split he was not in the top fifteen. His racing partner Tim Fahey (right in photo with Rodriguez) started well in 4:52 among 28 runners breaking the five minute pace to start the race.
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Yes the race starts fast. As the many turns and two 180s were in the middle two miles, the first and last half mile were dead flat and straight but as with last year, the first mile appears to have been a mite short.
This spring's runner-up in the Runner Rankings, Demesse Tefera, ripped across the timing mats first in 4:24 and the path of victory would have to go through him. This is a runner who had broken 29 minutes twice at the 10K in the spring. Andrew Dumm had only one race in the spring, finishing the GW Parkway 10M in 49:14. He joined former number one ranked runner Gurmessa Megressa in the chase. They slowly spread apart with Tefera just missing the bonus time with an excellent event record 14:35. Dumm (14:45) with his long legs was pulling away from the shorter Megressa (14:56) in the final half mile even though his turnover seemed faster.
Out of the second pack of runners (a dozen) that hit the mile just between 4:35 and 4:38, six runners held together at the second mile. Abiyot Abebe, a seasoned veteran of many close victories at the young age of 22 was nudging away. Dirk De Heer (28) of Silver Spring, MD gathered himself to close within a second in the third mile with Jake Klim speeding along just behind. Klim (29) has had a marvelous year already winning the Kelly's Shamrock 5K in 14:58 and forcing him happily to set even higher standards for future goals. Abebe goosed the pace in the final tenth and gained the fourth place cash in 15:01 with De Heer two seconds back for fifth place cash. Klim ran an excellent 15:07 which relegated him to the age groups.
The race wisely chose to make the age groups five year this time to accommodate the many excellent runners in this very large race.
Katie Read (in photo left) proudly wore the number one bib as she had won it all in 17:16 last year. She slowed a mere second and that was only good enough to earn her fourth place by the skin of her teeth. Hirut Mandefro was the clear cut favorite having top the Runner Rankings in the spring, winning Pike's Peek in 33:03 and filleting the field at the Scope it Out 5K in 16:38.  From the start, she was gearing towards racing with the men and getting herself some bonus money. She hustled through the first mile in 4:52, more than hundred meters ahead of the trailing women. She blazed through two in 10:17 and whirled away to victory and bonus cash with the new event record at 16:21.
Second place Amanda Trotter (24) of Arlington, VA was no slouch, earning her bones with a victory at the GW Parkway 10M in 56:43. Elena Orlova of Germantown, MD (in photo) had a bunch of goals. She had been the overall winner at the Germantown 5M. She wanted a test of the bonus cash. And she was matching up against perennial masters champion Alisa Harvey. At thirty-nine she wanted to send a message that there would a changing of the guard. Harvey had been third overall in 2008 with 17:43.
The illustrious Samia Akbar (27) of Herndon, VA was coming off a stinging second overall at the Parkway behind Trotter with 57:28. She bolted her way out to a 5:09 mile. Orlova (in photo below) bullied her way past Trotter at the mile 5:14 to 5:17. Read was still in play at 5:19. By the second mile, Trotter and Orlova were even at 10:52 with Akbar still hanging tough at 10:49. Read stayed in contact with Akbar as the others pulled away. The younger Trotter had the extra juice at the end and topped Orlova 17:07 to 17:10 though both missed the bonus. Read continued to move up on Akbar falling just short in a photo finish tie at 17:17 for fifth place.
Meanwhile, Harvey was having a rare off day starting at 5:35. After that, she coasted to the finish at a slower the 6:00 pace. Though she easily won the masters division, she will not be happy with a time (18:20) that nearly two thousand racers got to see happen in front of them.
Doubling last year, twenty runners broke 16:00 and forty broke 17:00. Twelve women broke 19:00 compared to five from last year.
For the teens Leoule Degfae (19) of Springfield, VA raced 15:27 to set the new standard. Erica Howes (16) of Fairfax, VA in 19:55 won for the women. Sarah Dawes (19) improved more than a minute to 20:35 to finish second.
Last year's third place runner Robert Wade improved to 15:12 but got pushed to third in his age group and ninth overall. Sarah Trotter (27) of Arlington, VA was outstanding in 17:44.
Tim Fahey defended his 30-39 title from last year (16:09) by winning the 35-39 division this year in 16:10. He had planned to dip into the 15:00s, weather or not. Joel Adams won the 30-34 in 16:29.
Jorge Pardo flummoxed the masters division with a record setting 16:13 as Alisa Harvey remained queen. For the next three divisions, the men all had clear winners. Jean Christophe Arcaz (48) of Rockville, MD won hands down in 17:26 as no one 45-49 made the top ten in 40-49 division last year. Robert Marino (51) of Hanover, MD beat Steve Anderson's 17:44 from last year by one second and was easily ahead of Dennis Coleman's 18:04. Alan Pemberton (56) of Silver Spring, MD looked so serious at the start though he claimed he was having a great time. Indeed, he did in 17:55 well ahead of Richard Adams time for last year (18:49).
In photo Win Persina (blonde) poses with Sushila Nanda (brunette) before the race. They were second and third in their division respectively.
For the women, Patty Stewart was groovy in 19:48 for the 45-49 division last year. This year the top two, Eleanor Kerr (49) of University Park, MD in 20:54 and Win Persina (49) of Washington, DC in 21:14 had sub par days and can be counted on renovating the grandmaster record next year. With fifty-five year old Betty Blank (21:43) absent Myra Washington (52) could slow twenty seconds and still maintain the win in 23:43.
Former elite mile Bob Weiner took over the 60-64 division in 23:54 just missing a qualifying time for the Runner Rankings. Bernie Gallagher (68) (left 
in photo below) is back on the running circuit after about three years and he already knew all about his competition. He tested the waters with a solid 22:49. Bill Joyce (65) of Herndon, VA remains in command with a stupendous 20:08 to just miss the 20:05 Best of 2009 time he set to end May.
Ken Quincy (71) of Vienna, VA wisely noted before the race that every year, not just five years, older runners slow down. Chan Robbins (72) must be thinking, "Tell me about it."Â Quincy was second in 25:59 ahead of Maynard Weyers (73) in 26:25. Weyers was 24:36 last year and Robbins was 23:36. Sandra May 63 Alexandria 29:21 took over the tops in the 60 -64 with 29:21.
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After the race it was not so clear was going to happen to the chip. Later viewing it in the light it was learned that the chip could offer a five dollar savings at Pacers when it was returned.
After the race, the water went pretty quickly but there was plenty of ice cold Budweiser as well as package of chilled Gatorade. There were lots of light snacks such as pop corn and potato chips.
The porta johns were few but again seemed plentiful and line free. The bag check was where the line really formed. Perhaps many of the runners went into the many shops and restaurants in the area. Thankfully, there seemed to be plenty of trash cans so that the lovely little park surrounding the start of the race could remain pristine. The music was lovely, loud enough to energize and soft enough to allow conversation amongst the racers.
The local Sport & Health with two locations offered free showers and again the parking was free. Unfortunately, being a big race leaving the parking garage was another story. The one at 23rd street was trapped by a short traffic light and the fast filling lanes in the garage had cars at a stand still. This lasted for about 30 minutes until police came to man the intersection and then the cars flew out onto the streets for the trip home.
See full Race Results with Awards . Results are official.