It was 19 years ago the idea was conceived to have a race along the George Washington Memorial Parkway from Mount Vernon into Old Town Alexandria. It was near perfect racing conditions under a sunny sky. The Kenyans and the Russians have dominated the event since 1995 with the exception of the year 2000. The competition has been of the highest caliber.

The 19th running was dominated by the hometown runners with that same degree of competition. The two thousand plus runners departed Mount Vernon for a fast 400 meters downhill.

It took less than a half-mile for two runners to take the lead position, one with the quick turn over and the other with the endurance. Glen Mays of Washington was matching stride with "The Tough Guy," as noted by Washingtonian magazine. Michael Wardian of Team Pacers/New Balance has participated in races across the Sahara Desert and through the Himalayans Mountains. The two passed the first mile in 4:53, the chase pack was 50 meters back in 5:03. The lead master, in fourth place, was John Tuttle of Douglasville, GA. In 2000, Tuttle set the masters division record in the 5K in 14:49.

Into the second mile, 9:55, Mays and Wardian had picked up the pace as the trailing pack of four passed in 10:19. Tuttle was holding fast along with Kevin Taylor of Raleigh, NC. The first four miles along the tree covered course had rolling hills. The course was parallel to the Potomac River. The setting for the race was scenic but it was far from the minds of Mays and Wardian who were down to racing. Going through the third in 15:03 the two dropped the trailing runners farther back.

Mays and Wardian continued to criss-cross the roadway to run the tangents. The four lanes of the Parkway were closed to all traffic. At the Stone Bridge, the fifth mile, the times were 25:41 for Mays and Wardian and 26:45 for Taylor followed by Tuttle in 26:51.

The women started off in a pack of three through the first mile in 5:41 which included defending champion (58:46) Irina Suvorova of Russia now living in Gaithersburg, Md. On Saturday, Suvorova raced a 5K in York, PA, and ran 17:38. Team members of Pacers/New Balance were a couple of minutes back, Heather Hanscom, the event record holder of the 5K (17:23), and Sharon Servidio, the 1999 winner (55:22) of this event when it was a 15K. The trio passed through the third mile 17:23.

A few minutes behind were a couple more Team Pacers/New Balance members, Denise Knickman of Baltimore and the defending masters record holder (1:04:38) Laura Freix of Centreville.

Going into the sixth mile (30:47, 5:06 split), Mays and Wardian looked smooth and all moves were covered. The two went through mile seven in 36:04 and a half mile later, approaching a water stop, Mays threw in a surge. Wardian did not respond. Sensing an opportunity, Mays began to quicken the pace and, going into the eighth mile, Mays was six seconds ahead, 41:11 to 41:17 for Wardian.

Mays closed the last two miles in 10:27 to capture first place in 51:38. The record was set last year, 49:05, by Benson Ogato of Kenya. Wardian was second in 52:20.

Going into the seventh mile, Hanscom began to pull away to take sole possession of the lead. Going into the eighth mile, Hanscom was 47:16 to Suvorova's 47:28. The pressure was on.

Hanscom covered the last two miles in 12:14 to take first in 59:20. Suvorova was second in 1:00:09. Servidio took third in 1:00:38, followed by Knickman in 1:02:32.

The masters were led by John Tuttle, who placed fourth with a record time of 54:33. The record set last year by Dan Lawson was 56:21. The second masters division finisher was Dave Berardi of Baltimore, in 55:45.

Freix made a successful defense of her masters title with a back- to-back win in 1:05:09. The second masters division finisher and first in the age group 50-54 was Betty Blank of Falls Church, VA, with 1:10:10 (8th place). The 5th George Washington Parkway Classic 5K was underway at the same time but from a different starting point. Maria Spinnler of the Cumberland Valley Athletic Club was out to defend the masters title and record of 18:19. The contenders were Cathy Pugsley of the Potomac River Running Club, Jackie Concaugh of Team Pacers/New Balance, and Lory Gray of the Washington Running Club.

The race started from Belle Haven Park along the Parkway and it was led out by Marc Beauchemin of Alexandria, followed by John O'Keefe of Washington and H. Olrandella of Alexandria.

Pugsley and Concaugh took it out with Gray a few seconds back. The trio were within the top ten runners overall. Concaugh ran the 5000 meter race on Thursday at the Penn Relays with a 17:34.08.

The women's race was down to Pugsley and Concaugh and would go to the one who had the kick. It was Concaugh, 17:53 to 17:55. Gray was third in 18:15.

Beauchemin was the overall winner in 15:55 with O'Keefe in second with 17:22. Olrandella was third in 17:23.

The top masters division runner was Peter Rushford of Potomac, MD, in 18:11. The second master was Dan Eddy of Kingstowne, VA, in 18:33.

Maria Spinnler captured her second masters win in 18:32 (4th place). Julie Hayden of the Potomac River Running Club was second in 19:46 (6th place).

Top Finishers

10 Miler


Open Males
PL	NAME			AGE	TIME		CITY/STATE
1	Glen Mays		32	51:38		Washington, DC	$500
2	Michael Wardian	        29	52:20		Arlington, VA	$300
3	Kevin Taylor		27	52:59		Raleigh, NC	$150
5	Joel Frushone		36	55:01		Washington, DC 
6	Timothy Reboulet	28	55:31		Alexandria, VA


Masters
4	John Tuttle		44	54:32*		Douglasville, GAM1- $300
7	Dave Berardi		42	55:43		Baltimore, MD	M2- $200
10	Ted Poulos		41	58:03		McLean, VA	M3- $100
11	Steven Ward		47	58:12		Reston, VA
15	Develand Campbell	50	60:32	        Lusby, MD


* Event Record (John Tuttle holds the 5K record 14:49 -2000)


Open Females
PL	NAME			AGE	TIME		CITY/STATE
1	Heather Hanscom	        25	  59:20		Alexandria, VA	$500
2	Irina Suvorova		32	1:00:09	        Russia (Gaithersburg, MD)$300
3	Sharon Servidio	        29	1:00:37	        Washington, DC	$150
4	Denise Knickman	        34	1:02:32	        Baltimore, MD
6	Kerri Hartling		25	1:07:34	        Arlington, VA


Masters
5	Laura Freix		41	1:05:09	        Centreville, VA	 $300
8	Betty Blank		50	1:10:10	        Falls Church, VA $200
24	Susan Hyre		44	1:17:07	        Alexandria, VA	 $100
35	Barbara Lipska	        51	1:18:35	        Annandale, VA
36	Bernadette Flynn	45	1:18:38	        Fairfax, VA




5K


PL	NAME			AGE	TIME		CITY/STATE
Open Males
1	Marc Beauchemin	        37	15:55		Alexandria, VA	$150
2	John O'Keefe		36	17:22		Washington, DC
3	H. Olrandella		29	17:23		Alexandria, VA
7	Michael Humpleby	36	18:56		Alexandria, VA
8	Rich Joy		34	19:11		Alexandria, VA


Masters
4	Peter Rushford	46	18:11		Potomac, MD		$100
5	Dan Eddy        51	18:33		Kingstowne, VA
6	Ed Nannenhorn	44	18:41		Alexandria, VA
15	Stephen Dodge	53	20:25		Manassas, VA


Open Females
1	Jacqueline Concaugh	28	17:53		Alexandria, VA	$150
2	Cathy Pugsley		33	17:55		Annandale, VA
3	Lory Gray		23	18:15		Arlington, VA
5	Kim McLaughlin	        37	19:20		Reston, VA
7	Kristen Ward		28	19:50		Arlington, VA


Masters
4	Maria Spinnler	        41	18:32		Hagerstown, MD	$100
6	Julie Hayden		43	19:46		Ashburn, VA
14	Myra Washington	        46	23:14		Montgomery, MD
17	Anita Hyink		45	23:35		Falls Church, VA
28	Anne McGregor	        46	25:18		Alexandria, VA


Wheelchair Athletes - 10 Miler
1	Jesse Parker		49	56:03		Bethesda, MD	$75


WC-HandCrank
1	Geoff Hopkins		37	38:34		Alexandria, VA
2	Scott Moore		34	40:02		Alexandria, VA
3	Dana Jackson		46	41:00		Laurel, MD

The George Washington Parkway Classic is presented by Verizon and benefits the community through the James P. Moran Grants and the Alexandria Olympic Boys and Girls Club. Additional sponsors include Pacers of Old Town Alexandria, New Balance, Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Washington, Advanced Power Technologies, United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America, Inova Health Systems, and DCAccess.