2nd annual race enjoys great racing weather on fast West Potomac Park course.

Whether or not the weather is nice has a lot to do with how many runners show up to run. A fast course, such as today's race starting in West Potomac Park, can produce fast times even on rainy, windy, and cold days as with last month's Justice-Columbia Masonic Lodge #3 Veterans Day 10K. Today, the cold weather disappeared with the blinding light of the rising sun. Better still; the air was eerily calm, the wind less than a ghost remembered from recent days. The only moisture was the puffs of smoke exhorting from the runners' breath as they pawed the line for the second annual Acumen Solutions Jingle All the Way 10K.

As the winter season began, this second-year race stepped out lively from last year's debut of 1305 finishers to end with 1689 pair of legs carrying jingle bells ringing past the ChampionChip mats. The race has already entered into the inner circle of 10Ks with more than one thousand finishers, vaulting into eighth place. Note that all the other races are run in the cool racing seasons of spring and fall.

As the lead motorcycle approached the finish, it was clear that the inaugural year's event record set by Scott Wietecha (31:56) was going to be taken down. With 200 meters to go, announcer Judy Floy exhorted the crowd to cheer as it looked as if it would go down to the wire. Then with a mere tap of the pedal, slim Beruk Deberework (23) of Washington, DC spurted ahead to set the new standard in 31:31. It all happened so quickly that runner-up Chris Raabe (28) of Washington, DC had no time to react as he glided home five seconds later and well under the previous best.

Racing stallion Bert Rodriguez (27) of Arlington, VA high stepped brightly across for the bronze in an undisputed seeding at 32:18. Soon-to-be sub-master Philippe Rolly (34) of Fairfax, VA was next in 33:09. He had pronounced the race weather as perfect just before jetting across the starting line. Long and lanky Dave O'Hara of Washington, DC was next in 33:38 cruising across the finish line and easing off the clutch just ahead of Tim Fahey (32) of Alexandria, VA in 33:43.

All of the top ten finishers were young, breaking away from a strong masters field. None was younger than eighth place teen sensation Stephen Lassiter (17) of Winchester, VA.

As runners age, they slow down. The exceptions, such as Mike Hart (51, photo) of Washington, DC, hold on to the speed of their youth. Hart, the first grandmaster (older than 50), was the second master (older than 40) in 36:31. Speedster Richard Adams, Jr. (55) of Herndon, VA held off a spirited charge by Dan Eddy (55) of Alexandria, VA 38:11 to 38:45. The ageless one, Patrick Griffith (62) of Alexandria, VA, may be planning on retiring to Florida soon but he still has not slowed down. He added to his nearly year-long streak of age group wins with a flashy 38:33. Maynard Weyers (70) of Alexandria, VA continues his new age celebration with another win in 48:40. Do not get too comfortable. Chan Robbins (69) of Arlington, VA at 45:44 is getting ready to knock on your door.

Eight new age group records were set for the men, as well as the new overall event record.

Male Award Winners

OVERALL
    1 Beruk Deberework     23 M WASHINGTON DC      31:31 
    2 Chris Raabe          28 M WASHINGTON DC      31:36 
    3 Bert Rodriguez       27 M ARLINGTON VA       32:18 
    4 Philippe Rolly       34 M FAIRFAX VA         33:09 
    5 Dave O'Hara          30 M WASHINGTON DC      33:38 
    6 Tim Fahey            32 M ALEXANDRIA VA      33:43 
    7 Pete Forester        28 M WASHINGTON DC      34:24 
    8 Stephen Lassiter     17 M WINCHESTER VA      34:45 
    9 Matt Sciandra        24 M WASHINGTON DC      34:54 
   10 Raymond Weeden       30 M WASHINGTON DC      35:03 
MALE AGE GROUP:  1 - 19
    1 Joel Johnson         18 M NEW FREEDOM PA     37:49 37:46  6:05 
    2 Will Howerton        19 M CONCORD MA         40:09 40:03  6:27 
    3 Conor Messinger      16 M MC LEAN VA         41:27 41:24  6:40 
MALE AGE GROUP:  20 - 24
    1 Luke Merkel          23 M WASHINGTON DC      35:10 35:10  5:40 
    2 Michael Damiano      20 M BYRAM CT           38:52 38:46  6:15 
    3 Clinton Enos         24 M VIENNA VA          40:55 40:19  6:30 
MALE AGE GROUP:  25 - 29
    1 Eddie Valentine      26 M ARLINGTON VA       35:42 35:42  5:45 
    2 Nathan Timm          26 M MONTGOMERY VILL MD 36:17 36:17  5:51 
    3 Andrew Ruggiero      29 M PHILADELPHIA PA    37:53 37:50  6:06 
MALE AGE GROUP:  30 - 34
    1 Eric Makovsky        33 M ARNOLD MD          37:08 37:07  5:59 
    2 Joseph Pope          32 M WASHINGTON DC      37:12 37:10  5:59 
    3 Ben Geman            33 M WASHINGTON DC      37:42 37:38  6:04 
MALE AGE GROUP:  35 - 39
    1 Andres Hillar        39 M CENTREVILLE VA     35:27 35:27  5:43 
    2 Pavel Frelich        35 M CHEVY CHASE MD     35:33 35:33  5:44 
    3 Alex Grant           38 M WASHINGTON DC      36:25 36:25  5:52 
MALE AGE GROUP:  40 - 44
    1 Bill Bray            41 M FAIRFAX VA         37:37 37:34  6:03 
    2 George Lane          40 M ASHBURN VA         37:58 37:56  6:07 
    3 Alan Burch           41 M WASHINGTON DC      40:54 40:48  6:34 
MALE AGE GROUP:  45 - 49
    1 Christian Falmagne   45 M BETHESDA MD        36:00 35:58  5:48 
    2 Jacques Lecuyer      47 M WASHINGTON DC      40:10 40:04  6:27 
    3 Carl Farquhar        45 M SPRINGFIELD VA     40:18 40:14  6:29 
MALE AGE GROUP:  50 - 54
    1 Mike Hart            51 M WASHINGTON DC      36:31 36:31  5:53 
    2 Lennie Carter        53 M WASHINGTON DC      40:15 40:08  6:28 
    3 Paul Bousel          53 M ALEXANDRIA VA      40:42 40:42  6:33 
MALE AGE GROUP:  55 - 59
    1 Richard Adams Jr     55 M HERNDON VA         38:11 38:11  6:09 
    2 Dan Eddy             55 M ALEXANDRIA VA      38:45 38:43  6:14 
    3 Richard Carlisle     55 M SPRINGFIELD VA     41:32 41:25  6:40 
MALE AGE GROUP:  60 - 64
    1 Patrick Griffith     62 M ALEXANDRIA VA      38:33 38:33  6:13 
    2 Jim Mort             60 M BURKE VA           46:45 46:38  7:31 
    3 Michael Kush         61 M BURKE VA           47:51 47:29  7:39 
MALE AGE GROUP:  65 - 69
    1 Chan Robbins         69 M ARLINGTON VA       45:46 45:44  7:22 
    2 Kenny Brumback       66 M GREAT FALLS VA     57:58 57:15  9:13 
    3 Thomas Fox           65 M MCLEAN VA          60:26 59:24  9:34 
MALE AGE GROUP:  70 - 74
    1 Maynard Weyers       70 M ALEXANDRIA VA      48:40 48:37  7:50 
    2 Gene Granof          70 M BETHESDA MD        57:43 57:08  9:12 
MALE AGE GROUP:  75 - 79
    1 Edward Green         75 M WASHINGTON DC      67:11 66:23 10:41 

The women also had a deep field with the top ten women well under the 41:15 standard for the elite division. In a time of 37:23 that made her the 22nd runner across the finish mats, Laura Turner (26) of Washington, DC made it look easy, racing a 6:01 pace. No stranger to top finishes, runner-up Hilary Cairns (36, photo) of Washington, DC heard footsteps, pressing her to a hard-fought time of 38:15. Before she had fully set on her brakes, Leah McBride (24) of Alexandria, VA scooted across the finish line in 38:21. Washington, DC was well represented as Tara Fenske (30) and Kelly Behan (24) dueled for fourth place. Fenske's 38:44 was just ahead of Behan's 38:56. Zipping in next as the clock tolled 39:00, Rebecca Nathan (41) of Arlington, VA was looking for an Open Award even as she laid siege to the masters crown. The much taller Monica Grillo (42) of Arlington, VA loomed behind her, a mere seventy meters back.

Alice Franks (58) of Rockville, MD is used to the winner's circle and raced 45:44. Few runners in her division, maybe three in the entire region, can match her stride. One of them is Naomi Stanford (56) of Washington, DC and she won the division in 45:00.

In the senior circuit (60 and over), nobody touches Chris Craun (60) of Bethesda, MD (46:27). As with Patrick Griffith of the other gender, she is virtually unbeatable, tossing aside an inspired race by runner-up Linda Kearney (60) of Oak Hill, VA

Also, seven new age group records were set by the women, including Rebecca Nathan's 39 flat for 40-44 (photo below).

Female Award Winners

OVERALL
    1 Laura Turner         26 F WASHINGTON DC      00:37:23 
    2 Hilary Cairns        36 F WASHINGTON DC      00:38:15 
    3 Leah McBride         24 F ALEXANDRIA VA      00:38:21 
    4 Tara Fenske          30 F WASHINGTON DC      00:38:44 
    5 Kelly Behan          24 F WASHINGTON DC      00:38:56 
    6 Rebecca Nathan       41 F ARLINGTON VA       00:39:00 
    7 Cathy Pugsley        37 F STERLING VA        00:39:02 
    8 Monica Grillo        42 F ARLINGTON VA       00:39:17 
    9 Dawn Sell            24 F FAIRFAX VA         00:40:05 
   10 Laura Mancini        27 F WASHINGTON DC      00:40:12 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  01 - 19
    1 Morgan McGovern      19 F WASHINGTON DC      45:40 45:31  7:20 
    2 Jamie Lewin          18 F WASHINGTON DC      47:32 47:17  7:37 
    3 Liza Schalch         16 F BETHESDA MD        47:55 47:28  7:39 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  20 - 24
    1 Katie Muething       21 F BETHLEHEM PA       41:35 41:18  6:39 
    2 Anna Garriott        22 F WASHINGTON DC      42:18 42:02  6:46 
    3 Linda Louise Johnson 24 F WASHINGTON DC      42:13 42:05  6:47 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  25 - 29
    1 Kristin Andrews      25 F BETHESDA MD        41:36 41:30  6:41 
    2 Margie Shapiro       29 F Herndon VA         42:03 41:49  6:44 
    3 Mariana Pargana      28 F WASHINGTON DC      42:38 42:30  6:51 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  30 - 34
    1 Andrea Kaltenbaugh   33 F SPRINGFIELD VA     42:44 42:37  6:52 
    2 Judy Grobstein       33 F WASHINGTON DC      43:41 43:33  7:01 
    3 Lauren Finn          31 F WASHINGTON DC      45:48 45:28  7:19 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  35 - 39
    1 Kerry Rodgers        38 F WASHINGTON DC      41:03 40:59  6:36 
    2 Jeanette Dumbrell    37 F FALLS CHURCH VA    41:30 41:25  6:40 
    3 Christine Mahan      38 F ARLINGTON VA       42:30 42:18  6:49 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  40 - 44
    1 Ruth O'Hara          43 F ALEXANDRIA VA      43:46 43:43  7:02 
    2 Taneen Carvell       40 F ARLINGTON VA       44:04 43:58  7:05 
    3 Teresa Lent          44 F ARLINGTON VA       44:28 44:09  7:07 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  45 - 49
    1 Mariko Russell       46 F GREAT FALLS VA     46:05 45:56  7:24 
    2 Ann Kurzweil         48 F GREAT FALLS VA     47:34 47:02  7:35 
    3 Rita Cognion         46 F KIHEI HI           47:43 47:21  7:38 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  50 - 54
    1 Margaret Davis       54 F VIENNA VA          48:44 48:28  7:48 
    2 Julia Clark          50 F BETHESDA MD        51:04 50:13  8:05 
    3 Magdalena Chica-Garz 54 F N POTOMAC MD       52:17 51:41  8:19 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  55 - 59
    1 Naomi Stanford       56 F WASHINGTON DC      45:00 44:53  7:14 
    2 Alice Franks         58 F ROCKVILLE MD       45:44 45:41  7:22 
    3 Debby Gebhardt       59 F ADELPHI MD         46:35 46:27  7:29 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  60 - 64
    1 Chris Craun          60 F BETHESDA MD        46:27 46:03  7:25 
    2 Linda Kearney        60 F OAK HILL VA        49:23 49:18  7:56 
    3 Alice Drew           60 F BETHESDA MD        63:48 62:43 10:06 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  65 - 69
    1 Jamie Wollard        68 F N BETHESDA MD      70:19 69:58 11:16 

The top ten finishers in each sex received an embroidered race jacket and gift certificates to Potomac River Running stores to help celebrate their victory. The five-year age groups went three deep, through 80 and over, and first and second place also received PRR gift certificates as well as a winter running hat with the Jingle All the Way 10K logo. Third place winners received the hat.

After the race, while waiting for their awards, runners enjoyed refreshments that included apples, bananas, bagels, cookies, and Snickers Marathon energy bars. Warm coffee and cool water helped revive the happy finishers.

Brightroom photographers were on hand taking photos. Their photos will soon be online to view and purchase.

The race also featured Coed race teams (at least one man and one woman among those scoring). The vaunted Georgetown Running Company won easily in 2:15:43 (combined times of top four finishers). The Rock Creek CC team was second, and the DC Front Runners were third.

Team Winner

  1    31:36  Chris Raabe          M 
  2    33:09  Philippe Rolly       M 
  3    33:38  Dave O'Hara          M 
  4    37:20  Laura Turner         F 

Race Day Report for 2006
Full Race Day Results
Photo Gallery 2006
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Page 3
Page 4
See Drew's Views
Lea's Vantage Point
Lea's Vantage Point 2
Lea's Vantage Point 3

See full information about the Acumen Solutions Jingle All The Way 10K, including course records. Next year's race is set for December 9!