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Race for World Peace 5K
By James Moreland
Washington, DC
October 24, 2009
For the Washington Running Report
Set on a never-been-used course in the center of the city, the inaugural Race for World Peace 5K offered $1000 to the champions. After finishing second overall at the Home Run 10K last week in a speedy 31:39, Demesse Tefera (28) (in photo) was the consensus winner before the gun sounded.
When asked if he could guarantee a victory, former two-time Marine Corps Marathon winner Jim Hage replied with a grin, "Are you kidding? Demesse is here." Tefera, who took top honors as the Summer Runner Rankings champion in the Washington Running Report, let a few eager wannabes sprint out at the start of the race. Soon after, he eased away running for place, not for time. He had run a nifty 14:31 on the less-than-flat Kentlands-Lakelands 5K on Labor Day. Still, he was no slouch today establishing the course and event record with 15:10.
For the women, Hirut Mandefro (23) (in photo) has been at the top of the heap for more than a year. She set the Page's Run 5K record in 17:05 the first week in October in 17:05. Maggie Infeld (23) of Washington, DC was right on her heels in 17:07. Last week Infeld ran the 5K again at the Home Run races for runner-up in 17:32. Not too shabby considering the winner Samia Akbar had just set the Army 10M record the week before in 55:25, which is equivalent to 15:58. Akbar won on the hilly Home Run course in 17:10. Mandefro toasted the Home Run 10K so fast, 35:31, that the race thought she must be a man.
Mandefro has to be very confident with seven straight overall wins. "So, why doesn't she smile?" asked race photographer Kathy Freedman. After all she was the Summer Runner Rankings champion. She wanted the cash and she was all business staring straight ahead at the race seemingly unaware that Infeld would be trying to catch her.
The race started very quickly as runners raced east on Pennsylvania Avenue. Within seconds the leaders turned the corner for a 1K charge down the hill to Constitution. Just before arriving the runners were split by the middle of the road water stop. There was not really any time to stop for water and soon droplets from heaven helped cool the saturated air. Runners were supposed to go on the right on the way out and again on the way back so that the leaders would not have to run through the back of the pack on the way back. Turns out the runners were sent to the left on the way out and the right on the way back. No problem; as even the fastest runners could not get back to 4K point before the slowest reached 1K into the race.
Susan Hendrick (24) of Washington, DC had won the Baltimore 5K in 17:57 this month. At the Home Run 10K, she was third behind Mandefro in 38:12. She was strung out behind Infeld looking for an age group win. Fourth place Irina Suvorova (38) was still running low 35s for the 10K this decade but she was not going to catch the top three ladies. Mandefro was all business pounding relentlessly to finish as the four runner and first women in 17:04. Infeld was next in 17:34 racing a similar time to Home Run, which was run on a wet, humid day with elevation challenges.
Just as the leading pack past Virginia Avenue, a tiny sprite, 13-year-old Sophia Racette of University City, MO bounded past a lot of runners. She held the swift pace on the downhill throughout the race finishing with a marvelous 20:16 to take fifth place.
The race had lots of runners from other states. None of the first five men were from the same one. Tefera, leaving in Silver Spring was golden. Jeremy Scheid (21) of Sparta, NJ was snappy to take the runner-up spot in 16:22. More than twice his age as 44, Rene Sepulveda of Newark, DE was on his heels in 16:34. Fourth place Kumja Ethicha (24) of Washington, DC ran 17:15 ahead of top teen Steve San Miguel of Falls Church, VA.
After the race, former DCRRC president and elite runner Susan Hage congratulated her husband Jim who had crushed the grandmaster field in 17:44. Always competitive, Hage charged to the line a mere second in gun time behind San Miguel and seventh place Kevin Fortkiewicz. The Hage family today consisted on Susan's mom and the couple 16-month-old twins, Benjamin and Theodore. When asked who Teddy favored I guessed Jim. Susan seemed mildly disappointed that I did not guess her for Benjie. I thought it must be a trick question. She did say "twins."
Sister Cities International president Patrick Madden shared announcing duties with Pamela Sorenson author of Pamela's Punch, a DC-based blogger of celebrity with the inside scoop on the coolest places, people, and events in the DC area. The grand prize awarded randomly was a weekend stay combined with tickets to the Kennedy Center.
FEMALE OVERALL
Place Num Name Ag City Gun T Net T Pace
===== ===== ====================== == ===================== ===== ===== =====
1 502 Hirut Mandefro 24 Silver Spring MD 17:04 17:04 5:30
MALE OVERALL
Place Num Name Ag City Gun T Net T Pace
===== ===== ====================== == ===================== ===== ===== =====
1 501 Demesse Tefera 27 Silver Spring MD 15:10 15:10 4:53
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 1 - 19
1 376 Sophia Racette 13 University City MO 20:16 20:13 6:31
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 1 - 19
1 540 Steve San Miguel 17 Falls Church VA 17:43 17:22 5:36
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 20 - 29
1 403 Maggie Infeld 23 Washington DC 17:34 17:34 5:39
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 20 - 29
1 375 Jeremy Scheid 21 Sparta NJ 16:22 16:22 5:16
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 30 - 39
1 207 Irina Suvorova 38 Washington DC 19:31 19:31 6:17
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 30 - 39
1 426 David Wertz 33 Arlington VA 17:26 17:26 5:37
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 40 - 49
1 61 Shelley Whelpton 42 Washington DC 23:50 23:48 7:40
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 40 - 49
1 483 Rene Sepulveda 44 Newark DE 16:34 16:33 5:20
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 50 - 59
1 10 Betty Blank 56 Falls Church VA 21:51 21:50 7:02
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 50 - 59
1 240 Jim Hage 51 Kensington MD 17:44 17:43 5:42
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 60 - 69
1 151 Sandra Tarpinian 61 Falls Church VA 30:25 30:09 9:43
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 60 - 69
1 519 Allan Goodman 64 Washington DC 34:30 34:24 11:05
MALE FIRST TIME RACER: NET TIME - NET PACE 1 - 99
1 315 Matt Greytak 27 M Bethesda MD 19:26 19:20 6:14
FEMALE FIRST TIME RACER: NET TIME - NET PACE 1 - 99
1 376 Sophia Racette 13 F University City MO 20:16 20:13 6:31