A lot of effort was put into making the first year of this race a success. So, everyone was hoping that the forecast for rain would be wrong. The race, held in Reston, was typical Washington Metro area weather for April, warm and humid. I saw eventual winner, Andre Williams, finishing his warm-ups and he looked smooth gliding through the parking lot of the Plaza America shopping center. Many runners had just finished the Cherry Blossom 10 miler last week or were preparing for Boston on Monday but with $500 for the winner, $250 for second, and $125 for third, the top times were going to be fast.

For the favorites, Williams had cruised to victory at Pike's Pike in 1998 with 29:40 and suffered the hot, humid hills to win the Rockville Rotary Twilight 8K in 24:39 that July. More recently, he ran 14:13 at the 2000 Olympic Trials for the 5000M. Kenyan masters runner Simon Karori was named Runner's World Masters Runner of the Year in 2000. Just last year he won a track 5000M in 14:12. Another Kenyan, Rueben Chasang, had won the Hartford Marathon last fall on a hot day in 2:19:01. Paul Mwangi made a third Kenyan to watch for. He had finished second at the speedy Ferndale 5K course in 13:48 in 1999. A week later, he was eighth against an all-star field at the Defender's 10 Mile in 49:55. Chris Banks of Springfield has been winning cash at many local races, including last year's final race, the Red Ribbon 5K in 14:54.

Now it is 8:30 am and we are waiting at the traffic light leaving the parking lot. Final instructions are given and the G-O word is uttered. We quickly hang a left amidst the chirping of the ChampionChips and start up Sunset Hills Road. The lead pack quickly disappears around the first corner, which also headed up the road. Heat and humidity notwithstanding, I knew this course would not be fast for the non-money runners. There were about 900 of us signed up. After the first twenty runners, there were a lot of flameouts because of the topography. This encouraged me some but I wasn't really running fast enough to die much.

The course was well marked and traffic control was very good. The course had a number of turns but was basically a big loop circling back around past the start [also mile 3] to the finish. The water stop on the course was needed even for this short a distance. Two Russian women pulled away from the pack early. Irina Suvorova led the way to the finish in 17:16, followed closely by Anna Pichrtova in 17:21. Local submasters star [ranked fourth in 2001] Patsy Long of Sterling, VA earned third place money with 19:06. There were $50 gift certificates for age group winners and $25 for second place in five-year age groups based on their Chip times. Places six through ten were masters runners with Laura Freix of Centreville, VA winning in 19:34. Nearly three hundred and fifty women finished today's race.

Inexplicably, Paul Mwangi fell off the pace early, finishing fifth in 16:04. Karori was eased back so that he could get a better view of the finish, cruising to a nearly two minute victory over prolific racer Ted Poulos [16:57] (photo above). Poulos, after racing a record 229 races in 2001, has a mere forty-five so far this year, including two third place finishes on Saturday. As Williams pulled away in 14:45, second place Reuben Chesang, who is thirty-nine, nearly eased up too much. Chris Banks flew around the final corner for a photo finish, just missing second place. Both runners finished in 14:50.

Reston's own Steven Ward challenged Stephen Smith for the $125 prize for the first Reston winner. Smith won in 16:58 while Ward earned the 45-49 age group in 17:27. Patrick Griffith of Alexandria, VA likes hills and at age 57 finished in the top twenty to win his division in 18:25. He explained that since he has lost some weight, he is running faster; that said with a hamburger in one hand and a batch of Odwalla bars in the other. Columbia's John Elliott (63) dispatched his competition with a 6:20 mile, making a sub 20:00 5K look easy. Five local 75 and older runners came looking for bragging rights and were turned away by a visit from Mel Mattson of Gainesville, FL. This national class seventy-five year old ran 26:19. More than three hundred and fifty men finished today.

Besides a well marked course with accurate splits and water and fast results, what made this race such a success? First, the race and its sponsors were able to raise more than one hundred thousand dollars to be donated to Children's National Medical Center. There was a team competition and a kid's fun run. Before the race there was a specially planned warm-up led by people from Fitness First. Race day packet pick-up was well organized and the venue left lots of room for runners to roam around. There was free parking right by the race. There was energetic music playing. There was a huge blown up fun room to bounce around in for the children. There were many great random prizes, including tickets to the Paul McCartney concert. All of these things contributed to the massive success of this inaugural race.

Most importantly, runners stayed around because of the abundance of great food. There were many kinds of pastries and cookies. (I tried at least one of each.) Odwalla has many, many bars and drinks to try. There was lots of fruit. Do you like hamburgers, hotdogs, and pizza? I do and I did. The bottled water went quickly so I drank some out of a cup.

As always, for a race to be a success we have to depend on the generosity of our sponsors. This race is a keeper; one to put on your calendar for next year.

Award Winners

FEMALE OVERALL
Place Num   Name                    Ag City                      Time    
===== ===== ======================= == ========================= ======= 
    1   828 Irina Suvorova          31 Rockville MD                17:17 
    2  1036 Anna Pichrtova          28 Waynesboro VA               17:22 
    3   826 Patsy Long              35 Sterling VA                 19:08 


MALE OVERALL
Place Num   Name                    Ag City                      Time    
===== ===== ======================= == ========================= ======= 
    1   783 Andre Williams          30 Arlington VA                14:45 
    2   793 Reuben Chesang          39 Durham NC                   14:51 
    3   837 Chris Banks             24 Springfield VA              14:51 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  1 - 19
    1   879 Lori Verma              17 Reston VA                   23:00 
    2   542 Julia Ireland           19 Hamilton VA                 25:00 


MALE AGE GROUP:  1 - 19
    1   788 Brian Fussell           15 Lorton VA                   18:16 
    2   886 Derek Woelfel           12 Graceham MD                 19:15 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  20 - 24
    1   455 Jessica Hill            24 Vienna VA                   22:13 
    2   436 Jayme Derbyshire        22 College Park MD             23:57 


MALE AGE GROUP:  20 - 24
    1   253 David Merz              20 Herndon VA                  18:20 
    2   892 Mike Salanick           24 Sterling VA                 21:00 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  25 - 29
    1   384 Margaret Polcawich      25 Derwood MD                  19:28 
    2   565 Jennifer Wilson         29 Reston VA                   21:30 


MALE AGE GROUP:  25 - 29
    1   383 Ronald Polcawich        26 Derwood MD                  18:04 
    2   420 Charles Wilkins         28 Arlington VA                18:06 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  30 - 34
    1   543 Laurie Bickart          31 Potomac Falls VA            21:55 
    2  1069 Mocha Lee               31 Chantilly VA                22:44 


MALE AGE GROUP:  30 - 34
    1   794 Paul Mwangi             34 Ossiwing NY                 16:04 
    2    29 Stephen Smith           32 Reston VA                   16:58 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  35 - 39
    1   762 Kristin Didomenico      35 Reston VA                   19:24 
    2  1060 Donna Matz              38 Centreville VA              23:40 


MALE AGE GROUP:  35 - 39
    1   670 Wayne Cottrell          39 Layton UT                   17:30 
    2   447 Neil Mclaughlin         38 Reston VA                   17:36 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  40 - 44
    1   104 Laura Freix             40 Centreville VA              19:34 
    2   381 Julie Hayden            42 Ashburn VA                  19:50 


MALE AGE GROUP:  40 - 44
    1   797 Simon Karori            42 Durham NC                   15:02 
    2    40 Ted Poulos              40 Magnolia MD                 16:57 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  45 - 49
    1   390 Sandy Rice              46 Herndon VA                  26:47 
    2   236 Sally Brown             49 Potomac MD                  29:17 


MALE AGE GROUP:  45 - 49
    1    83 Steve Ward              46 Reston VA                   17:27 
    2   853 Robert Costanza         45 Sterling VA                 19:03 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  50 - 54
    1   846 Judi Eskovitz           52 Vienna VA                   26:27 
    2  1052 Mary Mcginlay           52 Burke VA                    29:10 


MALE AGE GROUP:  50 - 54
    1   465 Rick Hower              50 Reston VA                   20:07 
    2   753 Rick Loughery           50 Herndon VA                  20:25 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  55 - 59
    1    44 Pat Welch               57 Vienna VA                   27:02 
    2   513 Kari Sprecher           55 Fairfax VA                  27:31 


MALE AGE GROUP:  55 - 59
    1    36 Patrick Griffith        57 Alexandria VA               18:25 
    2   318 John Haubert            59 Alexandria VA               19:59 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  60 - 64
    1   749 E C Williams            63 Reston VA                   26:51 
    2    43 Jamie Wollard           63 Rockville MD                32:29 


MALE AGE GROUP:  60 - 64
    1   466 John Elliott            63 Columbia MD                 19:50 
    2   628 Chan Robbins            64 Arlington VA                20:42 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  65 - 69
    1   103 Hiroko Hunt Jr          68 Reston VA                   35:39 


MALE AGE GROUP:  65 - 69
    1   354 Hank Hatch              66 Oakton VA                   24:05 
    2   557 Bill Pepelko            67 Great Falls VA              25:17 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  70 - 74
    No Finishers


MALE AGE GROUP:  70 - 74
    1   620 Larry Dickerson         70 Burke VA                    23:27 
    2   600 Jack Mcmahon            71 Rockville MD                24:07 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  75 - 99
    No Finishers


MALE AGE GROUP:  75 - 99
    1   265 Mel Mattson             75 Gainesville VA              26:19 
    2   334 Paul Lackey             77 Arlington VA                26:52 


FEMALE Reston RESIDENT
    1   762 Kristin Didomenico      35 Reston VA                   19:24 


MALE Reston RESIDENT
    1    29 Stephen Smith           32 Reston VA                   16:58 

Complete results of the 5K run/walk.