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 50-59 Grandmasters Men at the DARCARS Pike's Peek 10K The middle race in the triple crown of 10Ks By James Moreland April 27, 2007 Rockville, MD For the Washington Running Report Photo above is the start of the 2006 Pike's Peek 10K.
There are many reasons why races become popular. Certainly
prize money helps as well as first class food for ALL the
runners after the races. Publicity will get the runners there
but only quality keeps them coming back year after year. A well
marked course with helpful volunteers is essential. The top
courses are lightning fast. The first race of the "Triple
Crown" was the enormous Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10K held on
March 31, 2007. The race had all the perks and visionary
advertising brought them more than twenty thousand finishers.
Their Dash for the Cash offered one lucky runner a
chance to earn $2,500 for running faster than they had ever run
before. Jim Bates (51) of Hampton, VA won the 50-54 division in 36:27.
Rick Platt (56) of Williamsburg, VA exploded with a monster
35:31 to set the Virginia State record. The third race is the
Sallie Mae 10K on May 6, 2007. After
23 years, they have all the answers for a first class
race. There is nearly $10,000 in prize money spread over the
top ten men and women as well as age group winners. The flat
West Potomac Park course is always fast. Centered between these two giants is the signature Montgomery
County Road Runners race, the
DARCARS
Pike's Peek 10K. This point-to-point beauty replaced the
old Fritzbe's 10K that was held from 1982-1993. Keith Brantley
had set the Maryland 10K record at the 1987 race in 29:57 but
that was a circular course with a few tough hills. The Pike's Peek 10K course has a net downhill of about 165
feet, running north to south on Rockville's main thoroughfare.
In 1998, Andre Williams broke the record with 29:40 while
Jennifer Rhines secured the big $20,000 payday with her
sub-33:00 record 32:45. The following year Dan Browne
obliterated the new record with his 28:35 for a $20,000 bonus
plus $400 for the win. Everybody was sure it was a super fast
aided course. The course start masses thousand of runners by the Shady Grove
metro. At the start, runners have about 150 meters to fight for
position before making the turn onto the Pike. The road is a
mild downhill for the next 1.5 miles but be careful because the
road surface is not as smooth as it could be and this race is
crowded. Around 3K the race flattens out before doing a double
dip with some middling, rolling hills. Cresting the second
hill, runners can catch their breath at the 5K mark and think
about a negative split. From there to just past the 5-mile mark
the course is a near-perfect 2% drop. Do not get mesmerized.
The course is straight and you can see a mile in front of you.
The last mile is a slight uphill, which most runners would call
flat. However, after a slight downhill the change and the
tiring legs mean you still have to concentrate. As you hit the
6-mile mark, the floor drops out and 75% of the net drop of the
race is in the last quarter-mile. You will hear footsteps no
matter how fast you are going but your main job is to maintain
your balance as you head for the balloon arch and the
ChampionChip mats. Every year there are scores of top runners in every division.
Today we are concentrating on the 50-59 men. The first table below lists the men in the two divisions and
how they have been ranked in the Runner Rankings for the
past 15 months.
Runner Rankings Placement for 50-54 Men
Name Age Hometown Win06 Spr06 Sum06 Fal06 Best06 Win07 Black, Ronald 51 Frederick, MD 11 20 22 Carbary, James 54 Clarksville, MD 19 38 18 30 23 Carroll, Brian 50 Silver Spring, MD 27 25 23 26 24 Chantry, Stephen 51 Williamsburg, VA 1 2 2 1 1 1 Darmody, Peter 51 Gaithersburg, MD 8 6 6 4 2 5 Eddy, Dan 54 Alexandria, VA 12 18 James Bates 51 Hampton, VA 9 7 Lawson, Dan 50 Gaithersburg, MD 3 1 3 2 4 2 Mason, Mike 50 Spencerville, MD McDonald, Denis 52 Woodbine, MD 15 16 18 20 13 Moreland, James 54 Gaithersburg, MD Pointer, Maurice 50 Baltimore, MD 4 5 1 3 5 3 Ruberry, Brian 51 Gaithersburg, MD 31 Ruckert, Tom 54 Grantsville, MD 31 11 14 Salerno, Aldo 51 Brookeville, MD
Runner Rankings Placement for 55-59 Men
Name Age Hometown Win06 Spr06 Sum06 Fal06 Best06 Win07 Adams Jr. Richard 55 Herndon, VA 1 2 6 1 1 Carlisle, Richard 55 Springfield, VA 22 26 22 24 16 Eddy, Dan 55 Alexandria, VA 11 10 13 3 Moeser, Chuck 55 Sterling, VA Morgan, Rick 55 Silver Spring, MD 15 Morgan, Timothy 56 Damascus, MD 2 2 4 7 2 8 Platt, Rick 56 Williamsburg, VA 5 5 2 3 2 Ruckert, Steve 57 Woodbine, MD Rust, Roland 55 Bethesda, MD 22 16 Slonaker, Mick 57 Columbia, MD 1 6 1 5 4 6 Wright, Jim 57 Gaithersburg, MD 3 4 3 4 5 4
The second table (below) contains their places in all of the
past Pike's Peek races starting in 1996. Obviously, their age
groups have changed but this should help in handicapping the
race.
50-54 Men
Name Age Hometown PP06 PP05 PP04 PP03 PP02 PP01 PP00 PP99 PP98 PP97 PP96 Black, Ronald 51 Frederick, MD Carbary, James 55 Clarksville, MD Carroll, Brian 50 Silver Spring, MD 6 Chantry, Stephen 51 Williamsburg, VA Darmody, Peter 51 Gaithersburg, MD 3 6 Eddy, Dan 54 Alexandria, VA James Bates 51 Hampton, VA Lawson, Dan 50 Gaithersburg, MD 2 4 3 3 1 Mason, Mike 50 Spencerville, MD 16 McDonald, Denis 52 Woodbine, MD 5 3 4 5 Pointer, Maurice 50 Baltimore, MD Ruberry, Brian 51 Gaithersburg, MD 8 13 10 21 Ruckert, Tom 54 Grantsville, MD Salerno, Aldo 51 Brookeville, MD 10 Moreland, James 54 Gaithersburg, MD 8 7 9 7 8 5 4 3
55-59 Men
Name Age Hometown PP06 PP05 PP04 PP03 PP02 PP01 PP00 PP99 PP98 PP97 PP96 Adams Jr. Richard 55 Herndon, VA 1 2 2 4 1 3 2 4 Carlisle, Richard 55 Springfield, VA Eddy, Dan 55 Alexandria, VA Moeser, Chuck 55 Sterling, VA 1 Morgan, Rick 55 Silver Spring, MD 3 4 7 9 5 Morgan, Timothy 56 Damascus, MD 2 3 4 4 8 Platt, Rick 56 Williamsburg, VA Ruckert, Steve 57 Woodbine, MD 4 1 1 1 Rust, Roland 55 Bethesda, MD 7 Slonaker, Mick 57 Columbia, MD 3 3 7 Wright, Jim 57 Gaithersburg, MD 3 1 5
The battle for grandmasters supremacy includes all three of
last year's 50-54 ranking period winners, Dan Lawson, Maurice
Pointer, and the year's overall winner Stephen Chantry. The
55-59 division includes two of the three winners, Mick Slonaker
and Richard Adams, Jr. who also won for the whole year of 2006.
It is not possible to entirely dismiss the 60-64 prohibitive
favorite, Patrick Griffith (62), now living in Ocala, FL. Since
1999 he has won his division in all but two years (99 and 04)
and ran a sparkling 35:51 in 2000. His worst grandmaster finish
was sixth overall. He was the top grandmaster overall in '02
and at age 60 in '05. The major story of the race is the invasion from southern
Virginia. In response to the return of Chuck Moeser and to see
just how fast this course really is, we will be treated to a
visit from the tidewater area. Leading the charge is Stephen
Chantry (52) of Williamsburg, VA. Chantry has already dominated
the middle distances with a superb 16:29 to tie Moeser's
Virginia State Record, though out of state at the Carlsbad 5K
on April 1. Rick Platt (56) of Williamsburg, VA took out the 55-
59 Virginia state 10K record with a chip timed 35:31 at the
Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10K the very same day. Jim Bates (51)
of Hampton is also a threat as well. Though some of these runners are in different divisions, do not
think for a moment that they are not planning to vanquish all
of the grandmasters. Moeser says he has his eye on some of the
younger masters runners. That might be more than even the
voracious Moeser can bite off. Top-ranked John Piggott of Williamsburg, VA is on the way where
he will be tested by newly-minted master Doug Mock. Piggott has
already run three marathons and three half marathons this year.
His overall win at the Fort Eustis 10K in 33:23 speaks for
itself. Mock just finished off a 4:22 mile last week in
Westminster on another course with a slight net downhill. Then
four days later exploded to a 53:59 win over second ranked Mark
Stickley (54:16) at the GW Parkway 10 Mile.
Moeser has been planning his return and has already
produced three fine races this spring, all grandmaster wins at
big events. He has been kicking the stall and will be anxious
to race. Prediction 34:00. Chantry has the blazing middle distance speed with a
national win at the mile and 3K as well as a blazing 800M. If
it comes down to that last quarter, the sprinter has the edge.
Prediction 34:10. Platt is coming off a state record and a fabulous half
marathon that should give him a lot of confidence. If he can
believe that he can get past the two giants, he just might do
it. Prediction 34:50. Bates is definitely in the mix but he could take a back
seat to his better known compatriots. Prediction 35:30. Steve Ruckert is a wild card. He has not raced much
lately but he may have been the fastest of all these runners at
his best. If he is ready, he could surprise. Prediction 35:30. Lawson has been sluggish this year. Still, he ran second
to Terry Permar (33:42) last year with 34:29. If he is on, he
could repeat that performance. Prediction 35:30. [Permar would be the favorite if he were to run]. Pointer has been working on his speed with a lot of
short stuff and he looks fit. With a more aggressive outlook,
he could challenge. Prediction 35:50. Peter Darmody was third last year in 36:40. His son Neal
is making him proud with vast improvement. Peter looks headed
for a repeat performance but this year's field should move him
back a place or two. Prediction 36:30. Adams may be the next fastest with Dan Eddy right on his
heels. In a 5K, Eddy might prevail but in the longer haul Adams
looks right for the third spot in the 55-59. Prediction 37:30. Dan Eddy is newer to the division and has excellent
speed. He could easily surprise. Prediction 37:40. The next three spots go to regular rivals, all capable of a
virtuoso performance. None of them have blazing speed. All of
them are very steady and tend to run an even pace. Jim Wright gets the nod with his better time at Cherry
Blossom. Much slimmer than many of the others, Wright does not
wear down on longer runs. Prediction 37:50. Slonaker seems laid back on the outside but he can be as
competitive as any runner. If he senses weakness, he will
pounce. Prediction 37:50. Tim Morgan has had a solid last six months but he ran
the dreaded Greenway Marathon and that does not promote leg
turnover. He will need it to get to the medal stand. Prediction
37:50. Griffith has patented the quick start. Even at 62, he is
a threat. He is a very strong runner who tends to slow at the
end. This course favors that kind of runner. Prediction
38:00. Denis McDonald has been doing the track work and has
solid speed. He is so light that if the wind stays at his back,
he could have a great race. His confidence seems to be getting
better lately; winning awards will do that. Prediction 38:20 Roland Rust has always had the goods but he does not
race enough to stay near the top. He knows how to prepare and
he could be lurking with a good race. Prediction 38:30. Rick Morgan is a solid runner when motivated. He will be
a late entry and may well stick with the others in his new
division. Prediction 39:00. Tom Ruckert has good wheels though we do not see him
race around here much. Prediction 39:00. Carroll is so laid back as he apologetically passes
you by. With a good coach, he could really do some damage.
Prediction 39:30. Mike Mason is a newbie to the division with some solid
5K speed. Look for a steady time. Prediction 39:50 Jim Carbary has been making a comeback and his speed and
endurance look good. His experience could produce a surprise or
two. Prediction 39:50. Ron Black has been injured a lot lately and may not be
in his best shape. He will give it his all once the gun sounds.
If he is healthy, look for good things. Prediction 40:30. Brian Ruberry is a big runner. When he is in runner
shape he can really motor. He has run the race four times
already and should be ready for another steady race. Prediction
40:30. Richard Carlisle is one of the few local runners who has
not run the race. As a tall runner in the mode of Slonaker and
Tim Morgan, he can cover ground deceptively fast. Prediction
41:00. Aldo Salerno has been testing himself with a lot of
shorter races. Stepping up to the 10K will be new territory.
Still, this course has no real pace killers. Prediction 41:30. Moreland has already run the race eight times at varying
handicap weights. He has been dropping weight rapidly lately
and hopes to feel the joy of light and happy feet. Prediction
42:00. Below, the third set of tables is the actual handicapping for
the race. Just as with horse racing, these numbers are for fun
only.
For Grand Master Champion
Name Odds Moeser, Chuck 3:2 Chantry, Stephen 2:1 Platt, Rick 4:1 James Bates 7:1 Ruckert, Steve 8:1 Lawson, Dan 10:1 Pointer, Maurice 12:1 Darmody, Peter 15:1 Adams Jr. Richard 16:1 Eddy, Dan 17:1 Morgan, Timothy 20:1 Slonaker, Mick 20:1 Wright, Jim 20:1 Griffith, Patrick 21:1 McDonald, Denis 22:1 Rust, Roland 24:1 Morgan, Rick 25:1 Carroll, Brian 30:1 Ruckert, Tom 30:1 Carbary, James 35:1 Mason, Mike 35:1 Black, Ronald 37:1 Ruberry, Brian 40:1 Salerno, Aldo 60:1 Carlisle, Richard 50:1 Moreland, James 100:1
For Division 50-54 Win
Name Odds Chantry, Stephen 2:1 Lawson, Dan 5:2 Pointer, Maurice 4:1 James Bates 5:1 Darmody, Peter 10:1 McDonald, Denis 12:1 Carroll, Brian 15:1 Ruckert, Tom 15:1 Carbary, James 20:1 Mason, Mike 20:1 Ruberry, Brian 25:1 Black, Ronald 27:1 Salerno, Aldo 30:1 Moreland, James 100:1
For Division 55-59 Win
Name Odds Moeser, Chuck 9:5 Platt, Rick 3:1 Ruckert, Steve 5:1 Adams Jr. Richard 8:1 Eddy, Dan 9:1 Morgan, Timothy 10:1 Slonaker, Mick 10:1 Wright, Jim 10:1 Rust, Roland 12:1 Morgan, Rick 15:1 Carlisle, Richard 25:1
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