In the photo above, author James Moreland (#167) joins 600+ runners at the start of the second annual Plaza America 5K.

Paul Mwangi (35) of Ossiwing, NY (photo left) surged away from the pack, blocking the wind all by himself and winning in a near runaway time of 14:55. Chris Banks (25) of Alexandria, VA finished a strong second, about one hundred meters back, in 15:09. He earned it too as he was dogged the whole way by Mikhail Khobotov (30) of Gaithersburg, MD, just two seconds back in 15:11. Though not a course record for Mwangi (who finished fifth last year), he led seven runners under 16:00. Those next four runners were twenty-somethings covering the three local areas, Kyle Smits of Washington, DC in 15:25, Ben Cooke of Silver Spring, MD in 15:45, Rich Rountree of Herndon, VA in 15:48, and Aaron Church of South Riding, VA in 15:51.

Nineteen-year-old Ethiopian Ketema Atalelech of Washington, DC (photo left, followed closely by Ted Poulos and David Young) moved off quickly at the start. It helps to be small and light when climbing hills. Irina Suvorova (32) of Gaithersburg, MD set after her intent on keeping her crown. Midway she started to give ground and soon had a fight on her hands for second place. Atalelech won handily in 17:23, though, as with the men, not a course record. Caroline Tynan of Sterling, VA, a familiar face to Virginia area running, could not quite catch Suvorova for the second money spot, 17:48 to 17:54. Meghan McLaughlin of Alexandria, VA made Tynan's finish interesting, setting the 20- 24 age record by more than four minutes in 18:01. Cathy Pugsley (34) of Annandale, VA, owner of the new Potomac River Running store in Ashburn, was fifth in 18:27. As with the men, the top women's times improved. Sixth place Sharon Donovan and Maria Spinnler (41) of Hagerstown, MD also broke the 19:00 barrier.

The regular top dogs in the masters leagues had their day. Sterling's Chuck Moeser (51), even with the cool breeze, sported the topless look, which he claims is for the girls, not the cameras. Moeser had finished as the top masters runner of any age at Cherry Blossom in 56:09. This race was no different. He triumphed in 17:05, good for tenth place overall. Lest anyone think the course was easy; note that he was only seven seconds a mile faster than his pace in the ten mile race. Last year, Ted Poulos finished in a masters record 16:57 for sixth place. Today he strode in behind Moeser in 17:27 to win his age group. Poulos was the second masters runner at Cherry Blossom in 56:31.

Other notable times for the women include Kim McLaughlin's Reston resident win in 19:58 and Alice Franks (54) of Rockville, MD who won her division in 22:42. For the men, Stephen Smith (photo left) double dipped, tying his Reston Resident record of 16:58 set last year as well as finishing second in his division. Like McLaughlin, he was ninth overall. Chan Robbins (65) of Arlington, VA dropped three minutes off the age group record with his 21:45. Walt Washburn (80) won his division in 29:59 doing his speed work for next week's assault on the American/World marathon record at Boston of 4:17:51. Last January, though only 79, he ran the Houston Marathon in 4:20:47. This January he set the 20-mile record in 3:30:23, which may have cost him some time at this year's Houston two weeks later.

Prizes were generous. In addition to cash for the top three male and female finishers and top Reston residents, age group winners received $50 and $25 gift certificates from race sponsor Footsteps of Reston.

Traffic control was wonderful and the course, which was one large looping circle, would have been impossible to get lost on. No short cuts either. There were 341 men and 260 women, just short of last year's 364 and 334.

The course was well marked with accurate splits and water. Results appeared quickly. Again, 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. The kids were particularly enthusiastic. It was like the Running of the Bulls, when they charged through the plaza.

Race day packet pickup was well organized and the venue left lots of room for runners to roam around. There was a huge blown up fun room to bounce around in for the many children. There were many great random prizes, including tickets to see Paul McCartney, as well as Capital's Hockey games and Michael Jordan's last game tickets. Dozens of kids went home happy with generous prizes. Nearly everyone who remained to the end walked home with a prize such as dinner certificates and massages.

Most importantly, runners stayed around because of the abundance of great food. There were many kinds of delicious pastries and cookies. Odwalla has many, many bars and drinks to try. There were hot pizzas and tortilla wraps and lots of bread and tortilla chips.

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

Award Winners

FEMALE OVERALL
Place Num   Name                    Ag City                      Time    
===== ===== ======================= == ========================= ======= 
    1     3 Ketema Atalelech        19 Washington DC               17:23 
    2     7 Irina Suvorova          32 Gaithersburg MD             17:48 
    3    12 Caroline Tynan          31 Sterling VA                 17:54 


MALE OVERALL
Place Num   Name                    Ag City                      Time    
===== ===== ======================= == ========================= ======= 
    1   670 Paul Mwangi             35 Ossiwing NY                 14:55 
    2   661 Chris Banks             25 Alexandria VA               15:09 
    3     6 Mikhail Khobotov        30 Gaithersburg MD             15:11 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  1 - 19
    1   756 Becky Stewart           13 Manassas VA                 20:53 
    2   253 Andrea Oaxaca           12 Arlington VA                23:08 


MALE AGE GROUP:  1 - 19
    1   709 Matty Thompson          13 Graceham MD                 19:00 
    2   707 Derek Woelfel           13 Graceham MD                 19:17 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  20 - 24
    1     9 Meghan Mclaughlin       24 Alexandria VA               18:00 
    2   165 Layla Mokabber          21 Bethesda MD                 25:31 


MALE AGE GROUP:  20 - 24
    1   675 Kyle Smits              24 Washington DC               15:24 
    2   779 Scott Wallace           23 Clifton VA                  17:55 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  25 - 29
    1   650 Sharon Donovan          28 Arlington VA                18:50 
    2   364 Katherine Guevara       26 Centreville VA              21:32 


MALE AGE GROUP:  25 - 29
    1   816 Ben Cooke               25 Silver Spring MD            15:44 
    2   664 Rick Rountree           25 Herndon VA                  15:48 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  30 - 34
    1     8 Cathy Pugsley           34 Annandale VA                18:27 
    2   719 Laurie Bickart          32 Sterling VA                 20:39 


MALE AGE GROUP:  30 - 34
    1   574 Todd Martin             33 Herndon VA                  16:52 
    2    33 Stephen Smith           33 Reston VA                   16:57 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  35 - 39
    1   274 Kim Mclaughlin          37 Reston VA                   19:55 
    2   578 Terri Rath              39 Ashburn VA                  20:57 


MALE AGE GROUP:  35 - 39
    1   485 Jeff Fritz              35 Reston VA                   18:27 
    2   658 Todd Brown              38                             18:42 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  40 - 44
    1   516 Maria Spinnler          41 Hagerstown MD               18:57 
    2    56 Laura Freix             41 Centreville VA              19:18 


MALE AGE GROUP:  40 - 44
    1     4 Ted Poulos              41 Mclean VA                   17:26 
    2   680 Jeffrey Regelman        41 Reston VA                   18:12 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  45 - 49
    1   706 Sue Wittenschlaeger     45 Arlington VA                24:41 
    2   218 Nanci Schimizzi         48 Fairfax VA                  31:00 


MALE AGE GROUP:  45 - 49
    1   280 Jim Wadsworth           46 Washington DC               17:46 
    2   627 Steve Moyer             45 Reston VA                   18:39 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  50 - 54
    1    61 Alice Franks            54 Rockville MD                22:38 
    2   174 Kathy Hennes            50 Laurel MD                   25:54 


MALE AGE GROUP:  50 - 54
    1     5 Chuck Moeser            51 Sterling VA                 17:04 
    2    13 Richard Adams Jr        52 Herndon VA                  18:29 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  55 - 59
    1    14 Heidi Pirie             58 Leesburg VA                 24:01 
    2   324 Concetta Fiorito        57 Reston VA                   27:31 


MALE AGE GROUP:  55 - 59
    1    29 Patrick Griffith        58 Alexandria VA               19:14 
    2   688 James Vollbrecht        58 Vienna VA                   22:10 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  60 - 64
    1   716 Ec Williams             64 Reston VA                   27:19 
    2   198 Mary Ann O'connor       61 Reston VA                   31:27 


MALE AGE GROUP:  60 - 64
    1   227 Bob Eldridge            63 Reston VA                   23:45 
    2   729 Gil Langley             60 Fairfax VA                  24:02 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  65 - 69
    1   535 Betty Lou Wolfe         66 Manassas VA                 32:40 
    2   787 Joan Waggoker           67 Reston VA                   46:30 


MALE AGE GROUP:  65 - 69
    1    15 Chan Robbins            65 Arlington VA                21:45 
    2   229 John Gluck              65 Alexandria VA               23:26 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  70 - 74


MALE AGE GROUP:  70 - 74
    1   686 Jack Mcmahon            72 Rockville MD                24:39 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  75 - 99


MALE AGE GROUP:  75 - 99
    1    67 Walt Washburn           80 Vienna VA                   29:59 
    2   381 Dixon Hemphill          78 Fairfax Station VA          33:03 


FEMALE Reston RESIDENT
    1   274 Kim Mclaughlin          37 Reston VA                   19:55 


MALE Reston RESIDENT
    1    33 Stephen Smith           33 Reston VA                   16:57 

Team Results

(score five by net time)
   1.  LINOWES & BLOCHER     
            20:45   20:59   21:51   24:05   26:49 = 1:54:29
         THOMAS MACLELLAN M, SCOTT WALLACE M, MIGUEL LAMBERT M, BILL RIGGINS M,
         AYANA WRIGHT F
   2.  ATLANTIC REALTY       
            19:55   22:05   23:39   25:35   25:43 (  25:55) (  26:08) = 1:56:57
         KIM MCLAUGHLIN F, CHARLES NULSEN M, VANESSA RYAN F, MARCUS WITOWSKI M,
         JONATHAN MYERS M, MARK MITTEREDER M, BRENDAN ARMSTRONG M
   3.  AMS 3                 
            21:12   21:17   22:18   25:43   28:06 = 1:58:36
         CHRISTOPHER BALL M, DAVID GEWERTZ M, RON CARDEN M, MARK PORTOFE M,
         MARY SCHNEEBERGER F
   4.  AMS 2                 
            22:40   23:57   24:40   26:21   28:07 = 2:05:45
         JEREMY D'ERRICO M, JEFF GOWDY M, BILL STOBART M, SANJAY SHAH M, SHERRY
         WU F
   5.  AMS 1                 
            22:43   24:07   26:46   29:29   32:38 (  34:59) (  36:15) = 2:15:43
         NIKHIL PATEL M, DAVID SHEA M, SCOTT JOHNSON M, MEG WINGARD F, ASHFAQUE
         MAHMOOD M, WEI CHEN F, MELISSA SHEA F

See complete results of the race.

Take a look at the race Photo Gallery!