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35th Rockville 10K/5K is the Largest Ever
By James Moreland
Rockville, MD
November 07, 2010
For the Washington Running Report
Still the longest running race in Montgomery County, the race had one of its largest crowds ever. Consider that this race usually follows the Marine Corps Marathon by a week and it starts just a few hours after we return to standard time. This year I was not fooled and enjoyed an extra hour of sleep. Arriving at King Farm on a brisk autumn morning runners found that the course had again been changed (as of 2009). Since 1992, when the course started at Montgomery College, the event has seen ten different courses. The 5K was added in 1995 and had just as many, not including 2008 when the 5K runners followed the 10K course and added extra distance.
This year the 5K race started at 8:45 a.m. to avoid having two pace groups starting together. On Piccard where the 5K runners turned around many of the 10K runners were reaching their fifth mile. The road was neatly divided into four pieces, the 10K had the far right outgoing and the opposite side returning. Inside them the 5K runners made the tight turn on the hilliest section of the course. The racers shared the final .75 mile dash down Redland Road to the finish. That stretch was really crowded.
The first two miles were eerily similar to the last two miles when the course first moved to this area. The race started at Piccard Drive and there was no King Farm yet. The course today started with a gradual, but steady climb to Shady Grove Road and eager runners that started out too quickly flamed out before they had a chance to enjoy the next mile and a half miles which were largely down hill. Racing up Gude Drive to the Pike was not as bad as one might think because the trees blocked the wind and the sun was no longer forcing unshaded eyes to the ground. And of course as the marshals turned the runners back from hitting the Pike, the next mile was nearly all downhill. That gave runners a chance to gird themselves for the remaining half mile up hill, into the wind, on Piccard.
The finish line was packed and the town square was soon flowing with runners seeking shelter from the wind tunnels and looking for food. There was plenty of food, though only water to drink. The results were posted quickly and the awards got underway right on time. This made for a larger than normal crowd standing round for the random awards.
The 10K portion of the race is also the Montgomery County entry in the Maryland RRCA State Championship Series, which draws more runners. Still, with the cool weather, as many runners entered the 5K. For a race of this size, the times seemed a tad slow. Winners got a nifty hooded sweatshirt and gift certificates to Hard Times and to Potomac River Running. The course is not a tough course, though there are some little gear-shifting hills and a lot of turns. It was a little colder than usual but not so much of a problem once the race started. The wind was a little pushy but there were plenty of other runners to duck behind.
In the shorter event, Andres Wright, 43, of Frederick, MD took command of the race early, pulling away from three teens for a very nice 16:51. Back in 2007, Wright was second overall in the 10K in 33:52 for his masters début. Fifth place Dan Lawson, 55, of Gaithersburg, MD had a solid 18:02. He had won it all in 2008 when the top five runners veered off course to follow the 10K finish. The race used to just be top three overall and has added a masters division as well. Remus Medley, 40, of Baltimore, MD won it handily in 18:52 but he will not be writing home about the time. Chances are he is training for the NCT Marathon later in the month and has let his speed training go for now.
In the women's race, young Shannon Ferguson, 21, of College Park, MD pilfered the race from the start with a time of 20:11. Christy Spordis, 41, of Potomac, MD snagged the runner-up spot in 21:14, being pushed by another youngster, Alicia Fenner, 20, of Damascus, MD. From just around the corner, prolific racer Myra Washington, 53, of Montgomery Village, MD took the masters award.
Awards Listing, 5K
Open By Gun Time, Age Groups by Net Time,
No Duplicate Prizes
MALE Open Gun Time
1 1385 Andres Wright 43 Frederick MD 16:51
2 1226 Patrick Schmidt 19 College Park MD 17:24
3 784 Daniel Valero 16 Potomac MD 17:33
4 1367 Nick Staverly 19 Boyds MD 17:37
5 751 Dan Lawson 55 Gaithersburg MD 18:02
FEMALE Open Gun Time
1 1225 Shannon Ferguson 21 College Park MD 20:11
2 1319 Christy Sporidis 41 Potomac MD 21:14
3 1455 Alicia Fenner 20 Damascus MD 21:29
4 1287 Elizabeth Thomas 35 Bethesda MD 22:13
5 1316 Michelle Duplinsky 26 Kensington MD 22:33
MALE Masters Gun Time
1 1395 Remus Medley 40 Baltimore MD 18:52
FEMALE Masters Gun Time
1 1248 Myra Washington 53 Montgomery Village MD23:26
MALE AGE GROUP: 15 - 19 Net Time
1 1384 Kevin Butts 19 Gaithersburg MD 18:40
2 1229 Phil Crump 19 College Park MD 19:06
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 15 - 19 Net Time
1 1224 Margaret Kahwaty 18 College Park MD 22:38
2 1191 Lindsey Sastre 16 Derwood MD 26:03
MALE AGE GROUP: 35 - 39 Net Time
1 1386 Mario Marona 37 Germantown MD 20:06
2 1182 Scott McCrimmon 38 Urbana MD 20:51
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 35 - 39 Net Time
1 1049 Becky Lupes 35 Silver Spring MD 23:44
2 1353 Kathleen Gobeille 37 Rockville MD 25:38
MALE AGE GROUP: 40 - 44 Net Time
1 877 Eric Lawrence 43 Potomac MD 19:23
2 1025 Martin Begley 40 Gaithersburg MD 19:52
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 40 - 44 Net Time
1 1043 Kimberly Geary 41 Rockville MD 28:47
2 33 Laura Broenniman 41 Washington DC 29:47
MALE AGE GROUP: 45 - 49 Net Time
1 899 Jeff Byers 46 Montgomery Village MD20:23
2 1338 Mike Gordon 48 Rockville MD 20:38
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 45 - 49 Net Time
1 822 Veronica Kerr 45 Derwood MD 24:22
2 1259 Diana Haddad 49 Bethesda MD 24:32
MALE AGE GROUP: 50 - 54 Net Time
1 1234 Mark Drosky 50 Alexandria VA 19:41
2 894 Phil Reding 50 Montgomery Village MD20:36
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 50 - 54 Net Time
1 977 Grazyna Sojka 53 Rockville MD 25:37
2 1235 Bonnie Gitlin 50 Damascus MD 29:14
MALE AGE GROUP: 55 - 59 Net Time
1 1370 Peter Darmody 55 Gaithersburg MD 18:54
2 1020 Jeffrey Stuart 56 Boyds MD 22:10
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 55 - 59 Net Time
1 1314 Connie Smink 59 Silver Spring MD 32:40
2 1184 Susan Pearlman 56 Rockville MD 33:25
MALE AGE GROUP: 60 - 64 Net Time
1 1084 John Gleason 60 North Potomac MD 22:59
2 1071 Tom Mills 63 Gaithersburg MD 26:15
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 60 - 64 Net Time
1 1046 Wanda Walters 60 Bethesda MD 31:49
2 1040 Rosemary Mason 60 Bowie MD 33:52
MALE AGE GROUP: 65 - 69 Net Time
1 1021 Allen Gorrelick 69 Potomac MD 29:38
2 1068 Bill Porton 67 Glenwood MD 30:19
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 65 - 69 Net Time
1 1255 Dee Nelson 67 Gaithersburg MD 26:09
2 1073 Barbara Attardi 67 Rockville MD 36:04
MALE AGE GROUP: 70 - 74 Net Time
1 1241 Roger Burkhart 72 Gaithersburg MD 35:02
2 1399 Michael Flyer 72 Rockville MD 38:18
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 70 - 74 Net Time
1 998 Beverly Kinkead 70 Vero Beach FL 39:00
2 1170 Eileen Dillon 73 Rockville MD 50:23
MALE AGE GROUP: 75 - 79 Net Time
1 1051 Robert Gurtler 75 The Plains VA 31:25
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 75 - 79 Net Time
MALE AGE GROUP: 80 - 99 Net Time
1 1220 Philip Zenchoff 83 Silver Spring MD 48:35
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 80 - 99 Net Time
In the 10K, Paul Jacobson, 47, of Gaithersburg, MD made the early move taking the lead through the first mile. That first mile can take its toll and he fell back. Daniel Miranda filled the void. By the halfway point, he had an insurmountable 300 meter lead, cruising to victory in 34:52. Jacobson slipped to the back of the back of the four chasers, finishing in a solid 36:10. Next came Maurice Pointer. At fifty-five he still strives for a placing among the top runners. His 36:26 shows that age has not slowed him very much at all.
For the old guys, John Elliott, 72, of Columbia, MD had a tight smile on his face as he picked off runners, moving into the top senior spot with 44:28. Jack McMahon, 79, of Silver Spring, MD will be 80 in two weeks, running a splendid 57:34. How will he fare against the top dog in that division? Today Nianxiang Xie, 83, of Rockville, MD hustled home in a marvelous 58:25. Charles Boyle, 87, of Annapolis, MD gives us all a goal for longevity in racing setting the age group record for the Maryland Senior Olympics. Also smashing an MSO age group record is seventh place Alison Suckling, 55, of Arnold, MD with 44:34.
On the women's side Kristina Hartman, 24, of Washington, DC moved out quickly to the lead with only Jennifer Sample, 35, of Bethesda, MD in sight. Jennifer McGraw, 35, of Rockville, MD was still toying with seven minute mile as the runners turned onto Gude Drive about 2.5 miles into the race. Then she laid down the hammer and made up a ton of ground on Sample, finishing in 42:11. Hartman pulled clear to win in 41:04; Sample ran 41:48.
The top master spot was a close one. Vicki Lang, 42, of Columbia, MD was pushing hard to match her husband Phil's seventh overall, age group win. Right behind her top grandmaster Robin Goodwin had pulled free of her competition and was gunning for the younger masters runner. Lang made it hold up and took fourth overall in 43:21. Goodwin was fifth in 43:29. Sixth place Janice Lunenfeld, 40, of Rockville, MD turned on the afterburners coming back down Gude Drive, rallying to an excellent 43:50 to take the masters award.
Alice Franks, 62, of Rockville, MD cracked a rib. No, we did not say she stopped running. In fact, she lumbered through the Army ten miler two weeks ago. She lamented her fourth place finish in 1:20:23. Then she took no prisoners in the 10K, winning in 49:37. Tami Graf, 74, of Lusby, MD won her division easily. She will not turn seventy-five until next summer. By that time, ageless Yvonne Aasen, 79, of Westminster, MD will have already taken her pixie smile into the next division.
Awards Listing, 10K
Open By Gun Time, Age Groups By Net Time
No Duplicate Prizes
MALE Open Gun Time
1 195 Daniel Miranda 24 Baltimore MD 34:52
2 281 Alex Booth 22 Bethesda MD 35:54
3 609 Eitan Halper-Stromber 27 Baltimore MD 35:57
4 755 Mark Neff 48 Rockville MD 36:02
5 214 Paul Jacobson 47 Gaithersburg MD 36:10
FEMALE Open Gun Time
1 754 Kristina Hartman 24 Washington DC 41:04
2 778 Jennifer Sample 35 Bethesda MD 41:48
3 43 Jennifer McGraw 35 Rockville MD 42:11
4 538 Vicki Lang 42 Columbia MD 43:21
5 273 Robin Goodwin 52 Timonium MD 43:29
MALE Open Gun Time
1 793 Maurice Pointer 55 Baltimore MD 36:26
FEMALE Open Gun Time
1 324 Janice Lunenfeld 40 Rockville MD 43:50
MALE AGE GROUP: 15 - 19 Net Time
1 774 Alexander Blum 16 Potomac MD 38:58
2 474 Brandon Fisher 17 Potomac MD 43:11
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 15 - 19 Net Time
1 589 Emily Makhlouf 19 College Park MD 46:59
2 215 Jackie Liu 17 Timonium MD 50:14
MALE AGE GROUP: 35 - 39 Net Time
1 385 Felix Wang 35 Rockville MD 40:57
2 771 Jermaine Ragsdale 37 Washington DC 42:51
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 35 - 39 Net Time
1 616 Kimberly Price 38 Gaithersburg MD 45:50
2 240 Amy Wychulis 36 Damascus MD 46:44
MALE AGE GROUP: 40 - 44 Net Time
1 539 Phil Lang 43 Columbia MD 37:12
2 134 Eric Brooks 41 Rockville MD 41:24
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 40 - 44 Net Time
1 278 Shelli Beard 41 Montgomery Village MD 45:58
2 752 Karen Young 42 Boyds MD 46:07
MALE AGE GROUP: 45 - 49 Net Time
1 768 Curt Meuse 45 Rockville MD 38:49
2 270 Trey Kinkead 46 Rockville MD 41:28
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 45 - 49 Net Time
1 594 Robin Lerner 47 Bethesda MD 47:33
2 794 Leslie Anchor 48 Rockville MD 48:05
MALE AGE GROUP: 50 - 54 Net Time
1 638 Dennis Coleman 52 Gaithersburg MD 39:17
2 769 Albino Castro 50 Brookeville MD 40:02
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 50 - 54 Net Time
1 691 Paula Galliani 50 Gaithersburg MD 48:29
2 212 Linda Burrell 52 Derwood MD 51:00
MALE AGE GROUP: 55 - 59 Net Time
1 1355 Ken Umbarger 59 Gaithersburg MD 41:47
2 325 Rod Smart 57 Olney MD 43:40
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 55 - 59 Net Time
1 750 Alison Suckling 55 Arnold MD 44:34
2 526 Marcia Kaplan 56 Bethesda MD 52:14
MALE AGE GROUP: 60 - 64 Net Time
1 524 Michael Wesbecher 62 Oakton VA 43:51
2 373 Bruce Attavian 61 Hagerstown MD 48:00
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 60 - 64 Net Time
1 525 Alice Franks 62 Rockville MD 49:30
2 454 Nancy Malan 64 Washington 10 1:06:07
MALE AGE GROUP: 65 - 69 Net Time
1 690 Donald Hensel 66 Gaithersburg MD 45:59
2 510 Earle Fingerhut 68 Potomac MD 54:35
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 65 - 69 Net Time
1 287 Gretchen Bolton 65 Bethesda MD 59:23
2 102 Betty Smith 69 Rockville MD 1:10:58
MALE AGE GROUP: 70 - 74 Net Time
1 461 John Elliott 72 Columbia MD 44:28
2 618 Henry Hamburger 70 Bethesda MD 50:59
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 70 - 74 Net Time
1 1067 Tami Graf 74 Lusby MD 1:03:32
2 72 Barbara Garner 71 Baltimore MD 1:08:36
MALE AGE GROUP: 75 - 79 Net Time
1 168 Jack McMahon 79 Silver Spring MD 57:34
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 75 - 79 Net Time
1 130 Yvonne Aasen 79 Westminster MD 1:11:49
MALE AGE GROUP: 80 - 99 Net Time
1 290 Nianxiang Xie 83 Rockville MD 58:25
2 708 Charles Boyle 87 Annapolis MD 1:25:39
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 80 - 99 Net Time
