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51st Washington’s Birthday Marathon Strong after All These Years
By George Banker
Arlington, VA
December 30, 2011
For the Washington Running Report
On Sunday, February 19, 2012 the DC Road Runner’s Club will host the 51st Washington’s Birthday Marathon (WBM) and the 24th three-person relay, 10:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (6-hour time limit). The race is located in Greenbelt, Maryland on the grounds of US Department of Agriculture (USDA), National Agriculture Research Center. This is the race your mother warned you about. The event does not offer the crowds of the Marine Corps Marathon or New York but you will find the hospitality and the small crowd flavor where runners are taken care of. You can be prepared for 18 hills and three loops with the excitement of a hill at mile 25. The race is a qualifier for the Boston Marathon.
The USATF certified course has the three loops which run counter clockwise with a distance of 9.7 miles, 7.3 miles and the last 9.2 miles. The both events start at 10:30 a.m. and the common exchange point for the relay is the USDA Visitor Center. There are course marshals at key intersections and fluid replenishment stations along the course. The strategy is to take advantage of the flat sections of the course and use moderation to negotiate the hills. The first loop is the confidence builder. The runners who respect the hills always finish strong. The course is ideal for training as it will point out your weak points and your ability to change your movements between flat and hill running.
The registration fees are $45 for the marathon and $67.50 three-person relay teams ($22.50 per person) before Saturday, February 4, 2012.
Registration February 5-17, 2012 is $50 for the marathon and $25.00 per person for the relay team ($75.00).
Registration fee February 18-19, 2012 is $55 (marathon) and $27.00 per person for teams.
On-line registration ONLY for 2012 located at www.dcroadrunners.org. There is no mail-in registration. There will be race day registration.
Packet pick up and late registration will be at the Greenbelt Holiday Inn, Saturday, February 18, 2012, 5:00 - 8:00 p.m. Race day pick up will be 8:30 - 10:00 a.m. at the Greenbelt Youth Center (90 Centerway, Greenbelt, MD, 20770). The start line is a five minute walk.
The host hotel is the Greenbelt Holiday Inn, 7200 Hanover Drive, Greenbelt, MD 20770 (301-982-7000).
Wearing of listening devices is discouraged since there are no road closures and there will be vehicular traffic. The race does not accept any responsibility should you show any disregard for your own safety.
To break the event records for the marathon will require a strong desire and determination:
Open
1978 Bobby Doyle 28 2:22:14 Baltimore, MD
1988 Rose Malloy 39 2:53:29 Annapolis, MD
Master
1969 John McDonogh 45 2:31:58 New York, NY
1993 Claudia Ciavarella 43 3:13:17 Arlington, VA
The 2011 Winners
Open
Karsten Brown 36 2:46:46 Front Royal, VA
Lisa Bandiera-Woetzel 42 3:30:45 Strasburg, VA
Master
Richard Shaw 52 3:00:40 Fredericksburg, VA
Lisa Bandiera-Woetzel 42 3:30:45 Strasburg, VA
Relay
Open Men 2:39:36 Open Women 3:32:52
Master Men 3:04:34 Master Women 4:29:33
Coed 2:38:08
“As much as I enjoy winning, winning is almost a matter of who shows up and who doesn’t, so I’m not operating under any illusions that I’m a great runner or anything. It was definitely a fun experience to win this one. I’m more satisfied about having had, by my personal standards, a really good run. I could not be more pleased with how I did. I was sick for a couple of weeks in January, so I was expecting to finish in the 2:50-2:55 range. The 2:46:46 was a pleasant surprise and it was my fifth fastest time and my PR is 2:41:06 (Baltimore Marathon 2010),” stated Karsten Brown of Front Royal, VA, 2011 winner (2:46:46).
“This was my third time running this event. I love it, nice and low key, somewhat challenging, but manageable and usually nice and cold. I needed a long run this weekend and having done and enjoyed the event in the past (2009-5th place 3:47:59), I wanted to come out and support DC Road Runners and Pat Brown, the excellent organizer. I love the later-in-the-morning start and it was the 50th anniversary. This was my 28th marathon, and my best time has been in the Philadelphia Marathon, another nearby favorite course, but all races are my favorite. I’m fortunate to be able to get to the start, and often the finish,” stated female runner up Leslie Knibb of Washington in a time of 3:37:14 (2011).
Yoshiko Jo of Swarthmore, PA, 2008 master winner with a time of 3:37:30 (13th fastest winning time), and the 2011 third master 3:45:23. “I am a Japanese native and teach Japanese at Swarthmore College. I am so honored to be first master woman. It was my first time running the race. I didn’t know it had 18 hills. I do run in the mountains when I go back to Japan, where we have many serious hills. It is not because I was awarded, but I would strongly recommend this race to anyone if they don’t mind the unpredictable weather. It was really challenging course and super well organized. I truly enjoyed the course and the people. If I will run the race again, I will train for hills more, so that I feel more comfortable dealing with it.
There are five division for the three-person relay, open men and women, master men and women and coed.
The relay event records
Open Men 1998 Cumberland Valley Athletic Club 2:26:50
Bowman, Dick, Mower
Open Women 1989 Washington Running Club Warriors 2:48:38
Cathy Ventura-Merkel, Patricia Walker, Donna Elliot
Master Men 1997 Your Cheatin’ Hart 2:27:29
Steve Ward, Mike Hart, Kevin Burke
Master Women 2002 The Speedy Myliers 3:11:08
Lisa Fichman, Dorothy Beckett, Pat Wilkerson
Coed 1991 Washington Running Club 2:36:04
Jim Hage, Cathy Ventura-Merkel, Jerry Merkel
Marathon runners are permitted to run on a relay team but they must run the first leg. A relay runner can only run one leg. The relay offers a good workout and the distances are 9.7 miles, 7.3 miles, and 9.2 miles.
Volunteers are an integral part of the race and on race day they are needed to serve as course marshals and to assist at the water stops. If you are not able to run your support is appreciated or passes the information along to others. The point of contact is Audrey Perlow (Audrey@dcroadrunners.org).
Full race details and registration located http://www.dcroadrunners.org .