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Women Summer 2008
2008 Summer WRR Runner Rankings
By James Moreland
November/December 2008
For the Washington Running Report
Women's Division
Open Women
Rockville Rotary Twilight 8K, 26:58, 10K = 34:14
Hirut Mandefro of Silver Spring, MD repeats as champion. She was the overall winner in six of her nine races. The other three times she was runner-up. She had an excellent Twilight 8K in 27:49 but met up with Julie Culley who had the second fastest time ever on the course in 26:58. At Kentlands, to end the period, she enjoyed a sweet 16:47, also a runner-up. Also 22, Katie Read of Arlington, VA masterminded her second place spot by winning both of her races. In late July, she tried the Crystal City Twilight 5K in 17:16, winning just ahead of sixth place Lindsay Wilkins of Arlington, VA. At Leesburg, Read took down fifth place Kristen Henehan of Silver Spring, MD, 35:44 to 36:08. Henehan earned the edge over Wilkins with her 17:23 overall win at the Run for the Rainforest 5K.
Third place Keira Carlstrom of Oakton, VA was as close as can be to the runner-up spot. Her May win at the We've Got Your Back 4M in 22:24 was maybe 30 yards worth behind Read. Her July 4 win at the Autism Speaks 5K in 17:15 edged Read's 5K by a second. Veena Reddy went a long way to earn the fourth spot. While the majority of runners were in Annapolis, she was winning the Hartwood 10M in 59:50 well ahead of that champion. Then on the last day of the period she won it all at the Abebe Bikila Day HM in 1:19:55.
Melissa Tanner was third at the Leesburg 20K in 1:17:06 behind Wilkins (1:16:44) and Reddy (1:16:06), earning seventh place. The runners in the next four places are no more than a few seconds apart in their best race, a 5K. Aurora Scott with three overall wins is next (17:42). Masters best Alisa Harvey is ninth with 17:43. Tenth place Meghan Ridgley had a runner-up 5K in 17:47 as well as winning the Tim Harmon 5K in 17:54. Renee High of Virginia Beach, VA was the overall winner on the 4th in Yorktown with 17:48.
Fifty-eight women made the Elite Division.
Pl Name Age Hometown
1 Mandefro, Hirut*6 22 Silver Spring, MD
2 Read, Katie** 22 Arlington, VA
3 Carlstrom, Keira** 23 Oakton, VA
4 Reddy, Veena*** 29 Arlington, VA
5 Henehan, Kristen* 28 Silver Spring, MD
6 Wilkins, Lindsay* 30 Arlington, VA
7 Tanner, Melissa* 27 Bethesda, MD
8 Scott, Aurora*** 18 Chesapeake, VA
9 Harvey, Alisa 42 Manassas, VA
10 Ridgley, Meghan* 29 Reston, VA
11 High, Renee*** 26 Virginia Beach, VA
12 Gousen, Emily 22 Arlington, VA
13 Ko, Phebe*** 25 Baltimore, MD
14 Bekele, Yihunlish 27 Washington. DC
15 Whaley, Briana* 29 Culpepper, VA
16 Gray, Susan*** 40 Greencastle, PA
17 Wallace, Barb 34 Alexandria, VA
18 Ramsey, Christine*** 25 Baltimore, MD
19 Swain, Erin* 26 Clifton, VA
20 Orlova, Elena 38 Gaithersburg, MD
21 Knickman, Denise** 40 Baltimore, MD
22 Knize, Elizabeth* 25 Midlothian, VA
23 Fleck, Eileen 32 Baltimore, MD
24 Cairns, Hilary* 37 Washington, DC
25 Davison, Mary* 35 Bristow, VA
26 Luksetich, Amanda** 26 Richmond, VA
27 Merz, Martha** 45 Annandale, VA
28 Stick, Sherry** 29 Eldersburg, MD
29 Smith, Julia**** 39 Tappahannock, VA
30 Cunningham, Michelle 33 Centreville, VA
31 Nemmers, Erica 36 Herndon, VA
32 Ishibe, Naoko 39 Washington, DC
33 Muething, Mary Beth 30 Arlington, VA
34 Uhl, Alice** 25 Fincastle, VA
35 Kirby, Samantha* 39 Arlington, VA
36 Sheedy, Kaitlin 25 Arlington, VA
37 Villani, Leisa 50 Virginia Beach, VA
38 Manley, Andrea 29 Arlington, VA
39 Griffith, Ashley 25 McLean, VA
40 Van Cleef, Aidan* 22 Chesapeake, VA
41 White, Rachel* 19 Bethesda, MD
42 Morganti, Christina* 43 Severna Park, MD
43 Thorstenson, Mina** 25 Blacksburg, VA
44 Digregorio, Megan 20 Towson, MD
45 Foley, Linda* 46 Oak Hill, VA
46 Donovan, Sharon 33 Washington, DC
47 Nathan, Rebecca* 42 Arlington, VA
48 Schrank, Brenda** 36 Winchester, VA
49 Van Allan, Alana 24 Baltimore, MD
50 Lovett, Pamela 45 Newport News, VA
51 Taylor, Laura*** 22 Richmond, VA
52 Montgomery, Elizabeth 22 Silver Spring, MD
53 Waldhauser, Courtney 18 Fallston, MD
54 DiPietro, Lee 50 Ruxton, MD
55 Burki, Mia 27 Arlington, VA
56 Oleynik, Anya 19 Gaithersburg, MD
57 Pak, Colleen 38 Virginia Beach, VA
58 Ramos, Laura 29 Olney, MD
19 & Under Women
Pam Edwards Memorial 5K, 17:42, 10K = 36:51
Aurora Scott of Chesapeake, VA is back and that generally locks up the division. Even not at her best, she coaxed out the top three times for the division, all overall wins. Her slowest race was the Allen Stone 5K, a minute faster than the next best 5K. She also ran the Elizabeth River 10K in 37:35.
After that it was all Rachel White of Bethesda, MD. She cruised to six age group wins; including her best race the Lawyers Have Heart 10K in 39:28. At the Twilight 8K, she held off fifth place Courtney Waldhauser in a close one, 31:59 to 32:07. As is often the case, the times there are not a runner's best ones. The third and fourth spots went to Kayleigh Lewellyn (19:09) and Taryn Schrader (19:11) as they took on the We Build People 5K on July 4. That same day, White had her fourth best time running 19:08 at the Autism 5K.
Melissa Hexter, just 13, of Bel Air, MD made her mark a mere second behind Waldhauser at the Bel Air Town 5K in 19:31.
Page Lester, daughter of elite runners Hilary Cairns and Malcolm Lester, is the youngest qualifier at 8 years old. Five women made the Elite Division.
Pl Name Age Hometown
1 Scott, Aurora*** 18 Chesapeake, VA
2 White, Rachel*6 19 Bethesda, MD
3 Lewellyn, Kayleigh** 17 Chesapeake, VA
4 Schrader, Taryn* 17 Virginia Beach, VA
5 Waldhauser, Courtney** 18 Fallston, MD
6 Hexter, Melissa** 13 Bel Air, MD
7 Gresham, Casey** 17 Chesapeake, VA
8 Oleynik, Anya** 19 Gaithersburg, MD
9 Rooks, Brittany*6 14 Baltimore, MD
10 Sinclair, Ashlyn***** 19 Silver Spring, MD
11 Lee, Hilary** 16 Annapolis, MD
12 Roberts, Gloria**** 16 Upper Marlboro, MD
13 Gessler, Julie 14 Ellicott City, MD
14 Ryba, Anna** 14 Bethesda, MD
15 Demarre, Anna** 15 Marriottsville, MD
16 Stasakova, Erika** 18 Bel Air, MD
17 Sacker, Katie** 18 Catonsville, MD
18 McCary, Laura* 19 Gaithersburg, MD
19 Betts, Ariana*** 16 Hampton, VA
20 MacFawn, Lauryn** 18 Lavale, MD
21 Tauber, Elizabeth* 15 Bel Air, MD
22 Kavanagh, Ellie** 17 Towson, MD
23 Dickson, Candice* 19 Bowie, MD
24 Stromberg, Kristin* 18 Hampstead, MD
25 Ferro, Amy 15 Rockville, MD
26 Blevins, Laura** 17 Chesapeake, MD
27 Schott, Megan* 14 Bel Air, MD
28 Patrick, Christina 14 Annapolis, MD
29 Lang, Tiffany 14 Columbia, MD
30 Hubbard, Christine*** 19 Virginia Beach, VA
31 Speirs, Anna** 15 Virginia Beach, VA
32 Dawes, Sarah* 18 Chesapeake Beach, MD
33 Justice, Alexandra** 13 Suffolk, VA
34 Hakkenberg, Sarah** 16 Salem, VA
35 Demmerle, Amanda* 13 Virginia Beach, VA
36 Harrison, Cara* 19 Gaithersburg, MD
37 Julienne, Gabrielle** 16 Williamsburg, VA
38 Heneghan, Meghan 14 Ellicott City, MD
39 Lester, Page** 8 Washington, DC
40 Wilhelm, Brittany** 17 Stafford, VA
41 Cunningham, Avery* 9 Annapolis, MD
42 Parris, Caroline* 16 Saint Leonard, MD
43 Twigg, Elaine*** 19 Falls Church, VA
44 Misanin, Bekki* 17 Potomac Falls, VA
45 McAdorey, Meghan 17 Bel Air, MD
46 Gwiazdowski, Kate* 18 Bel Air, MD
47 Ricci, Nicole* 13 Bel Air, MD
48 Glueck, Gaylin 13 Williamsburg, VA
49 May, Abby* 11 Forest, VA
50 Notarangelo, Katie 18 Herndon, VA
51 Thura, Nadia* 16 Falls Church, VA
52 Basilica, Theresa* 18 Fredericksburg, VA
35-39 Women
Lawyers Have Heart 10K, 35:57
This is a tough division to stay on top. Brenda Schrank dropped from champion to eighth place in the summer. Hilary Cairns of Washington, DC had solid efforts early, running just ahead of Erica Nemmers of Herndon, VA at the Lawyers Have Heart 10K in 39:05. Later she ran nicely at the Rockville Rotary 8K in 30:54 but it was the 5K that put her over the top. She had three of them faster than 18:40. It was her last, at the Potomac Valley Games in 18:32, that matched Mary Davison of Bristow, VA for the runner-up spot.
Davison came in second behind division champion Elena Orlova of Gaithersburg, MD at the Leesburg 10K, 38:08 to 38:35. Orlova polished it off the final weekend, racing 18:12 at the Kentlands 5K. Davison had a nice Braemer 5K in 18:34 but just short of the depth of Cairns. Julia Smith of Tappahannock, VA took fourth with a fine 38:47 at the Chesty Puller 10K. Her two races were mere seconds ahead of Nemmers who ran Lawyers in 38:53.
Former open champion Naoko Ishibe is back, posting a solid 18:41 at Kentlands for sixth and Samantha Kirby took down the Leesburg 20K title in 1:21:58 for seventh.
Nine women made the Elite Division.
Pl Name Age Hometown
1 Orlova, Elena*** 37 Gaithersburg, MD
2 Cairns, Hilary***** 37 Washington, DC
3 Davison, Mary** 35 Bristow, VA
4 Smith, Julia***** 39 Tappahannock, VA
5 Nemmers, Erica*** 36 Herndon, VA
6 Ishibe, Naoko* 39 Washington, DC
7 Kirby, Samantha*** 38 Arlington, VA
8 Schrank, Brenda** 36 Winchester, VA
9 Quarles, Jennifer** 36 Williamsburg, VA
10 Pak, Colleen*** 38 Virginia Beach, VA
11 Rocha, Petra** 37 Virginia Beach. VA
12 Gudat, Felicia** 37 Frederick, MD
13 Hoffman, Michele*** 36 Havre de Grace, MD
14 Sporidis, Christy** 39 Potomac, MD
15 Hall, Anna 39 Reston, VA
16 Sandrock, Marie*** 36 Alexandria, VA
17 Ransom, Elizabeth* 35 Toano, VA
18 Carroll, Colleen 35 Davidsonville, MD
19 Benda, Marci* 37 Parkton, MD
40-44 Women
Crystal City Twilight 5K, 17:43, 10K - 36:53
Pauls Pels (40) of Bethesda, MD rode the Capital Crescent 5K to a third overall in 18:39, one second slower than the sixth spot in the masters division.
After spending much of the spring on the track, Alisa Harvey is back with a vengeance. She was the top master at the summer's biggest 8K, the Rockville Rotary Twilight, in 29:49. A week later, she amped up for third overall with a swift 17:43 at the Crystal City Twilight 5K. Moving to a morning race, she took on the Leesburg 10K with third overall 37:07.
Susan Gray of Greencastle, PA is no slouch. From the western half of the region, she debuted the division with three overalls wins and a third overall at the Iron Furnace 5K in 17:55. As often happens when runners hit the magic 40, they ramp up their races. Denise Knickman of Baltimore is back with nine age group wins. She was the overall winner at the Too Hot to Trot 5M in 30:22
Christina Morganti of Severna Park, MD is top master at the biggest ten miler of the summer, Annapolis, in 1:05:42. She also was first overall at the ZOOMA 10K in June with 40:18. Fifth place Rebecca Nathan of Arlington, VA also had an overall win but her moneymaker was a 19:11 age group win at the Race for the Cure 5K.
Back in 1992, Rosalind Shepherd set the Twilight 8K record in 26:40. The year before, she was one of nine women faster than 26 minutes at the Nike Women's 8K. Now she is back, finishing second in her age group in Rockville to earn sixth place in the division.
Five women made the Elite Division.
Pl Name Age Hometown
1 Harvey, Alisa**** 42 Manassas, VA
2 Gray, Susan**** 40 Greencastle, PA
3 Knickman, Denise*9 40 Baltimore, MD
4 Morganti, Christina** 43 Severna Park, MD
5 Nathan, Rebecca*** 42 Arlington, VA
6 Sheppard, Rosalind* 41 Bowie, MD
7 Pels, Paula* 41 Bethesda, MD
8 Freres, Anita***** 43 Reston, VA
9 Hall, Maureen*9 43 Lavale, MD
10 Curran, Brooke** 40 Alexandria, VA
11 Delaney, Nancy*** 42 Virginia Beach, VA
12 Hauschild, Veronique* 41 Joppatowne, MD
13 McIntyre, Janelle** 42 Ellicott City, MD
14 Beven, Helen** 43 Kensington, MD
15 Griffin, Sandra** 41 Largo, MD
16 Glueck, Connie*8 44 Williamsburg, VA
17 Bridges, Paula***** 42 Cumberland, MD
18 Willingham, Lise*** 44 Earlysville, VA
19 Gilman, Cheryl* 40 Annapolis, MD
20 Lawrence, Barbara* 42 Leesburg, VA
21 Lewellyn, Krista* 44 Chesapeake, VA
22 Tingle, Lane* 42 Woodbridge, VA
23 Stotler, Tonya* 41 Leesburg, VA
24 Young, Karen* 40 Boyds, MD
45-49 Women
Capital Crescent 5K, 18:34, 10K = 38:39
Pamela Balcke (46) of Charlottesville, VA ducked under the 7:00 pace running the 4 mile in 27:59 to garner 27th out of the massive 44 runners in the 45-49 division.
Leisa Villani and Lee DiPietro moved up and Andrea Wright only ran one race. It would not have mattered. Martha Merz of Annandale, VA enjoyed a happy June with two overall wins. Her best, an 18:34 at the Capital Crescent, was a clear-cut champion maker. Linda Foley of Oak Hill, VA had her own overall win at the Cascades 10K in 40:16 to start the period. Two weeks later she finished third overall at the Tim Harmon 5K in 19:10 to match Merz's second best effort, the Autism 5K in 19:09.
Josephine Menk of Monteplier, VA had two overall wins in August to give the ladies a reason to look over their shoulder. Her best was the Innsbrook Healthy Heart 5K in 19:19. Pamela Lovett of Newport News, VA is always near the top in her races. Her best effort this period was Independence Day 5K in 19:22. Ruth Olson of Fredericksburg, VA edges Eileen Abbott of Chesterfield, VA by a whisper. Their first race each was a nice 5K in 19:30. Olson's third race was a 5 miler on July 4th in 33:34.
Three women made the Elite Division.
Pl Name Age Hometown
1 Merz, Martha*** 45 Annandale, VA
2 Foley, Linda*** 46 Oak Hill, VA
3 Menk, Josephine*** 47 Montpelier, VA
4 Lovett, Pamela***** 45 Newport News, VA
5 Olson, Ruth*** 45 Fredericksburg, VA
6 Abbott, Eileen** 46 Chesterfield, VA
7 Loughran, Dee Dee* 49 Oak Hill, VA
8 Shannon, Laura** 46 Williamsburg, VA
9 Kline, Sheryl*8 45 Arnold, MD
10 Conant, Cindy*** 47 Kensington, MD
11 Stewart-Garbecht, Patti 46 Bethesda, MD
12 Lundeen, Jennifer* 48 Port Republic, MD
13 Wilkerson, Pat**** 49 Columbia, MD
14 Persina, Win**** 48 Washington, DC
15 Thumel, Vivian**** 45 Virginia Beach, VA
16 Zerfas, Patricia*6 47 Kensington. MD
17 Fichman, Lisa** 46 Columbia, MD
18 Keating, Patricia** 47 Dayton, MD
19 Nanda, Sushila*6 47 Arlington, VA
20 Abbamonte, Karen***** 49 Boonsboro, MD
21 Santarpia, Gloria*** 47 Odenton, MD
22 Parter, D'Ellen* 49 Virginia Beach, VA
23 Boyd, Marjorie*** 47 Annapolis, MD
24 Scott, Janeth** 46 Columbia, MD
25 Layson, Lynda 48 Severn, MD
26 DeFries, Christiann* 48 Gordonsville, VA
27 Balcke, Pamela** 46 Charlottesville, VA
28 Rushin, Blake 46 Vienna, VA
29 O'Hara, Ruth* 45 Fairfax Station, VA
30 Rickard, Pam* 46 Rocky Mount, VA
31 Miner, Sue*** 47 Davidsonville, MD
32 Goodwin, Robin*** 49 Timonium, MD
33 McKnight, Kathy* 45 Fairfax, VA
34 Caprio, Julie* 47 Parkville, MD
35 Harrison, Kay** 45 Hagerstown, MD
36 Menge, Karen* 45 Baltimore, MD
37 McAdorey, Janet* 49 Bel Air, MD
38 Noonan, Kelly 46 Lansdowne, VA
39 Wilson, Paige** 46 Richmond, VA
40 Jones, Ellen 46 Fredericksburg, VA
41 Michael, Cheryl* 48 Richmond, VA
42 Black, Beverly*** 48 Boonsboro, MD
43 Leasure, Beth Ann* 45 St James, MD
44 Quinn, Elizabeth* 46 Stafford, VA
50-54 Women
Yorktown Independence Day 5K, 18:49, 10K = 39:11
Nothing remains the same. Last year's top runners have moved on. Ofelia Perotti of Alexandria, VA did what she does best and won all three of her races. Her first race was a 4 miler in 26:09 but she could already hear footsteps. Lee DiPietro of Ruxton, MD was now a grandmaster. She tested the waters with a 20:27 MCVets 5K. Then before Perotti could finish her mid-June 10K win at Lawyers Have Heart (41:00), DiPietro laid down the hammer, winning the masters division at the Race for Our Kids 10K in 40:49.
That would have made for an interesting matchup for the title but a fireball exploded from the Tidewater area. Leisa Villani of Virginia Beach, VA smashed her way to the top at the Yorktown Independence Day 5K in 18:49. She added a 19:07 at the East Coast Surfing 5K. The following week she had the fastest half marathon in the division at Rock 'n' Roll.
Last period's runner-up, Debbie Flynn of Gaithersburg, MD, had a quiet summer, racing just three 5Ks. She needed her best race the final weekend at the Kentlands 5K in 20:45 to earn the fourth spot. Mercedes Castillo-D'Amico was right behind with a competitive 20:48 at the Vineyards of Williamsburg. Soozie Lewis converted three Cul de Sac 5Ks, topping out at 20:52, to earn the sixth spot.
Two women made the Elite Division.
Pl Name Age Hometown
1 Villani, Leisa*** 50 Virginia Beach, VA
2 DiPietro, Lee*** 50 Ruxton, MD
3 Perotti, Ofelia*** 51 Alexandria, VA
4 Castillo-D'Amico, Mercedes***** 50 Newport News, VA
5 Flynn, Debbie**** 52 Gaithersburg, MD
6 Lewis, Soozie*** 50 Glen Allen, VA
7 Roeder, Carole***** 51 Ashburn, VA
8 Haghighian, Hosni*** 50 Charlottesville, VA
9 Suckling, Alison** 53 Arnold, MD
10 Goodwin, Robin* 50 Timonium, MD
11 Cupo, Mary* 52 Baltimore, MD
12 Beckett, Dorothy*** 50 Columbia, MD
13 Roman, Laura***** 53 Baltimore, MD
14 Talley, Carol* 53 Toano, VA
15 Washington, Myra***** 51 Montgomery Village, MD
16 Snodgrass, Patricia** 54 Annapolis, MD
17 Weeks, Sharon*6 54 Virginia Beach, VA
18 Coolidge, Joda 50 Great Falls, VA
19 Wake, Sharon 53 Richmond, VA
20 Lissenden, Marti Jo* 50 Richmond, VA
21 Evans, Cynthia* 52 Randallstown, MD
22 Gammon, Karen* 52 Moseley, VA
23 Recto, Liza* 52 Lexington Park, MD
24 Banerjee, Chandi 52 Lutherville, MD
25 Daughtry, Debbie 50 Clifton, VA
26 Ross, Saleema**** 54 Fort Washington, MD
27 Aaronson, Susan 54 Arlington, VA
28 Westfall-McGrail, Jennifer 53 Arlington, VA
29 Laschinger, Liz 53 Lutherville, MD
30 Celesia, Sherry 52 Virginia Beach, VA
55-59 Women
Elizabeth River 10K, 43:10
Freyda Greenburg (59) of Falls Church, VA kept getting faster as the period developed, capping it all with a 48:01 at the Leesburg 10K.
Betty Blank of Falls Church, VA rolled along easily, winning the division with the top seven times in her division at six different distances. Still, as she started the period with her second fastest time at the Georgetown 8K, two of her top rivals were racing the Elizabeth River 10K. Neither the race winner, Lynn Swanson (43:10), nor Barbara Mathewson (45:43) ever ran a second race, leaving the door wide open. Blank kept the hits coming all period long and fired her top race at the Leesburg 20K in 1:30:43.
After that, the next level of racers was stuck together. Wendy Golden had one spectacular race, ending the period at the Charlottesville 4M in 29:37. A day later, Linell Smith bested seventh place Maria Shields at the Charm City 20M 2:46:52 to 2:48:10 to add to her other age group wins and take the runner- up spot. Freyda Greenburg took the fourth spot with her breakthrough race, winning the Leesburg 10K in 48:01. Linda Gulick of Richmond, VA had eight age group wins to earn fifth place. Her best race, the Glen Allen 5K in 23:07, matched Smith's second best race on Father's Day. Rose Malloy edged Shields at the Chestertown Tea Party 10 Mile 1:20:39 to 1:20:55 before moving on to the senior circuit.
Pl Name Age Hometown
1 Blank, Betty*7 55 Falls Church, VA
2 Smith, Linell**** 55 Baltimore, MD
3 Golden, Wendy*** 55 Earlysville, VA
4 Gulick, Linda*8 56 Richmond, VA
5 Greenberg, Freyda** 59 Falls Church, VA
6 Malloy, Rose* 59 Annapolis, MD
7 Shields, Maria*** 57 Davidsonville, MD
8 Mills, Linda 58 Salisbury, MD
9 Davis, Peggy** 56 Vienna, VA
10 Muir, Rachel** 55 Reston, VA
11 Gilley, Patricia*** 56 King William, VA
12 Rose, Linda* 57 Baltimore, MD
13 Lauzon, Jean** 55 Spotsylvania, VA
14 Ross, Saleema** 55 Fort Washington, MD
15 Burnette, Wanda** 56 Abingdon, VA
16 Kern, Peggy*** 55 Virginia Beach, VA
17 Whittaker, Linda** 59 Williamsburg, VA
18 Gustafson, Joan* 57 Portsmouth, VA
19 Mackin, Barbara** 55 Radford, VA
20 Boys, Sandy* 56 Columbia, MD
21 Hennes, Kathy* 56 Annapolis, MD
60-64 Women
Lynchburg Half Marathon, 1:44:26, 10K = 47:11
The division continues to grow with the ferocity of its male counterpart. Julie Trapp sent out an advisory to be on the lookout for Deborah Gebhardt and indeed she plunged into the division with two fine 5Ks. (Trapp, soon to be 65, is running times now that qualify for the 60-64 division). Her best in 23:33 leaves her just back of third place. Linda Kearney of Oak Hill, VA hung on to third place, winning the Leesburg 10K in 48:46, while fifth place Alice Franks is feeling her way into the division, winning that 20K in 1:44:05.
Chris Craun of Bethesda, MD is the one the others gun for. She does not duck the competition, and is always at the big races. She won the inaugural Baltimore 10 Mile. She celebrated our nation's birthday winning the Autism 5K for her best race of the period in 22:59. She fended off Alice Franks at Riley's Rumble 1:15:12 to 1:55:01. She answered Kearney's 10K in a head- to-head win at Annapolis 1:21:30 to 1:25:25. To show how tough the division has become, both of Craun's best races were second place finishes. Rose Malloy, former masters winner as well as overall winner at Annapolis, ran her lone event winning said race in 1:20:59.
In the middle of August, Mary Saunders of Vinton, VA busted out with an excellent 1:04:26 at the Lynchburg HM to win the division. Two weeks later she ventured to the coast for the Rock 'n' Roll HM and took on a hot day for her second race. Though we use gun time for the rankings, her chip time would have been in the top five times among qualifiers.
Pl Name Age Hometown
1 Saunders, Mary** 64 Vinton, VA
2 Craun, Chris**** 62 Bethesda, MD
3 Kearney, Linda** 61 Herndon, VA
4 Gebhardt, Deborah** 60 Adelphi, MD
5 Franks, Alice** 60 Rockville, MD
6 Brothers, Betty** 61 Virginia Beach, VA
7 King, B J** 63 Crofton, MD
8 Rosasco, Marge** 60 Joppa, MD
9 Nelson, Dee*12 64 Gaithersburg, MD
10 Tice, Linda* 62 Timonium, MD
11 Glover, Bet* 63 Bethesda, MD
12 Welch, Pat* 63 Vienna, VA
13 Biasi, Barbara** 60 Yorktown, VA
14 Himelright, Colleen* 60 Fredericksburg, VA
15 Hirn, Ann*6 62 Portsmouth, VA
16 Tolbert, Vickie** 62 Glen Allen, VA
17 Dodson, Christina*** 61 Richmond, VA
18 Surgent, Barb** 63 Frostburg, MD
19 Buck, Sandra 62 Monkton, MD
20 Schneider, June** 61 Millersville, MD
21 Stark, Barbara* 63 Suffolk, VA
22 Bailey, Sheila 60 Norfolk, VA
23 Friend, Connie 62 Charlottesville, VA
24 McDonnell, Pat 63 Reston, VA
25 Christman, Shirley 61 Oak Hill, VA
65-69 Women
York River State Park 5K, 26:13, 10K = 54:35
From the farthest reaches of our region, Janice Hicks of Bristol, TN stays near the top with repeated forays into southern Virginia. She had her two most potent races the first week of the period, running the Appalachian Power Festival 10K in 57:26 and then two days later finishing the Memorial Day weekend off with a spirited 28:02 5K. This period's champion, Nancy Jakubec of Richmond, VA, matched both those races evenly with two 5Ks in 28:01 and 27:35. Then she cemented her spot winning the Moonlight 4M in 35:33.
Felicity Hawes (65) of Gaithersburg, MD has been running in Montgomery County for decades but rarely races. This period, this tenacious runner, who has run 50 milers on more than one occasion, enters the division with three races. Her best was the Run for Roses 5K in 28:49. She also went the distance at the Annapolis 10M and the Riley's Rumble HM. Ellen Hocheder of Mount Airy, MD won all five 5Ks she ran to again earn fourth place.
Pl Name Age Hometown
1 Jakubec, Nancy**** 65 Richmond, VA
2 Hicks, Janice***** 65 Bristol, TN
3 Hawes, Felicity** 65 Gaithersburg, MD
4 Hocheder, Ellen***** 65 Mount Airy, MD
5 Sherwood, Molly 66 Annapolis, MD
6 Wendell, Barbara* 65 Annapolis, MD
7 Ely, Pauline*7 69 Hampton, VA
8 Attardi, Barbara 65 Rockville, MD
9 Murray, Brenda 68 Chevy Chase, MD
10 Dinneen, Arleen*** 65 Ellicott City, MD
70-74 Women
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun WDF 5K, 29:33, 10K = 1:01:31
Tami Graf of Lusby, MD races scores of races every year. Halfway through the period she had already racked up half of her 11 age group wins and was ready to claim the division. Indeed, her 30:31 5K Memorial Day weekend seemed enough to win. Runner-up Ernestine Shepherd of Baltimore, MD was winning but more in the 31:30 range.
Then Nancy Fraser added her 30:29 at the Fairview 5K. A day later Shepherd opened up the field with a spectacular 29:38 at the Pikesville 5K. Two weeks later she popped a 30:02. Now Graf has to gear up or lose her coveted crown. In the last two weeks of August she hurried home at the PGRC WDF in 29:33 to retain the royal headwear and added a 29:53 at Kentlands for final proof.
Age group wins do not always tell the story, as the top 20 times were all age group wins in the division. Fraser stayed close to the top with a 39:18 at the Charlottesville 4M for the fifth fastest time in the division.
Pl Name Age Hometown
1 Graf, Tami*11 72 Lusby, MD
2 Shepherd, Ernestine*6 72 Baltimore, MD
3 Fraser, Nancy** 71 Charlottesville, VA
4 Flens, Bertha** 70 Bel Air, MD
5 Dameron, Betty*** 73 Fredericksburg, VA
6 Mallet, Joanne* 74 Rockville, MD
7 Chambers, Jeanette** 73 Arnold, MD
8 Metzger, Lilli* 72 Silver Spring, MD
75-79 Women
MARC Train 5M, 58:28, 10K = 1:13:44
Lee Glassco (77) of McLean, VA earned the 3rd spot in her division at the Capital Crescent 5K.
Yvonne Aasen of Severna Park, MD had the six fastest times in the division. Not just a 5K runner, she won the division with a 5-mile time of 58:28 at the MARC Train 5-Miler. Competing at the Dawson's 10K, she ran a nice 1:17:06. Jacqueline O'Neil of Washington, DC was second again this year at the National Race for the Cure 5K. She always has a pleased yet surprised smile on her face when she receives an award. At the Lawyers Have Heart 10K, she ran 1:19:44 to claim the runner-up spot. Lee Glassco of McLean, VA won at the Capital Crescent 5K. Martha Trimmer still runs a batch of races as she prepares for her eighth decade.
Pl Name Age Hometown
1 Aasen, Yvonne*6 77 Severna Park, MD
2 O'Neil, Jacqueline* 76 Washington, DC
3 Glassco, Lee***** 77 McLean, VA
4 Trimmer, Martha**** 79 Grasonville, MD
80 & Over Women
FSC WDF 5K, 47:18, 10K = 1:39:29
Helen Schley (81) of Myersville, MD has been a part of the running scene for decades. As a former teacher, she is well known to a whole middle-aged group of runners in Frederick, MD. In recent years, she has been doing shorter races and is the one of the commissioners for the Maryland Senior Olympics
Pl Name Age Hometown
1 Schley, Helen 81 Myersville, MD
See the Men's Summer 2008 WRR Runner Rankings.