The year has already been underway for six weeks and it is time to start shaking loose and seeing what you got for 2008. The weather has been especially kind, globally warm enough to get in shape for the big spring challenges. The GW Birthday Classic has been around for many years and usually takes a trip up and down Eisenhower Avenue in some form or another. This year runners get to take on the park which was ice bound last year.

The weatherman promised it would be quite warm for February, maybe even fifty-five degrees. Just before the 8:30 AM race start this year any precipitation would have been snow. But the sun was shining brightly and as the Starting musket fired started the race, it was already getting warmer. The winds were negligible and the course elevation map said the highest point was a mere 21 meters. Though hills are never a pleasant sight in a race for speed, the only hills (2) in the out and back race were in the first quarter mile.

Adrenaline pumping more than 800 runners scurried up the overpass to start the race. That first hill was over before it had set in the race would be for 10, 000 meters. Of course that little hill would be waiting for runners at five and three quarter miles. Still, runners can usually muster up a final charge, especially knowing that after cresting the hill, they could go screaming down it in the last few hundred meters to the finish line clock.

There were many fast runners dancing at the starting line and eager to get underway. The drab colors of winter were soon replaced with the many bright colors of running outfits filling up Eisenhower Road. The race was very quiet as the road was totally blocked off for cars. The temperature was just on the border for shorts, though gloves and a hat seemed essential. By the end of the race it was still only 35 degrees but nobody was too cold at the end. One hundreds yards from the finish line is the AMC theaters, which provided instant warmth and lots of food, such as pizza, fruits bars, banana, coffee, and bottled water.

In photo, the crew awaits the first finishers.

Short of two miles runners left the road and raced down the path into the park. The path was very wide though a little rutted in some areas. The tiny pimples of hills through the park were hardly enough to change your breathing. Still, there were some sharp turns in the third and fourth mile. In the fourth mile, things went a little wrong. Many of the first 50 runners were not sure exactly where to turn by the little lake and unfortunately some of the leaders took the longer way around the lake by mistake. Samia Akbar was in the lead when she went astray and never had enough time to get back the top spot, though she did make it close.

Some runners reported they ran as much as a minute slower in the fourth mile. One runner decided to stop and help restore order. By the time the 6:30 and slower group approached, the race was back on track. Most of the runners did not even know what had happened up front. Once runners left the park just past four miles, the way was clear. It was a straight shot down Eisenhower Avenue with the hill beside the Holiday Inn looming in the distance.

Many of the runners produced the fastest 10K times for age groups for the year so far. The top three runners were all listed at 31:15. That sure would have been exciting to see. Indeed, the top ten runners all seemed to have excellent times. After that, it appears some of the runners' times were affected by the marshalling problem in mile four. The top ten women were all faster than 40 minutes. At least the top three women were affected by mile four as well. The awards in the race were not very extensive this year for a race of this size. After the top three runners got cash, the gift certificates went two deep in ten year age groups. Last year the race had just 564 finishers. This year they had nearly 1,000 sign up and more than 800 finishers.

Most of the runners were so involved with the food and reviewing their race that they did not notice that there was not an awards ceremony. The results were posted quickly and placed on a table. Runners checked the results and were handed awards by the race officials when they came forward.

Jerry Lewis (74) of Reston, VA is already looking forward to running the Marine Corps Marathon in his new age group this fall. He was looking around for his competition after being away from running for about six months. He saw Chan Robbins (70, photo) of Arlington, VA and conceded that spot. Robbins set the standard in 47:27. Lewis did gun down third place Jack McMahon (77) of Rockville, MD 51:47 to 53:03. McMahon has the top time for the five year age group but Lewis will be entering that age group this year.

Among the special races today was the continuing dominance of Ofelia Perotti (51) of Alexandria, VA. She was the first masters division woman by four minutes in 40:57. That would have been the second fastest time behind her 40:42 at the Acumen Solutions 10K in December for all of 2007.

For the men, Bill Raabe (53) of Washington, DC ran 37:43 to take down the top spot more than two minutes ahead of Richard Adams, Jr. (57) of Herndon, VA. Raabe was a more realistic fifth master overall. Top ranked Andres Wright (41) of Fredrick, MD set the standard for masters with 35:37, with a time he is sure to be unhappy about.

For the 60-69, loping Lou Shapiro (66) of Silver Spring, MD had a negative split 43:59 to capture the top spot. Pat Welch (63) of Vienna, VA out battled Sandra May (62) of Alexandria, VA to win by a few meters 54:38 to 54:45. Look out ladies, Alice Franks of Rockville, MD (photo left) has been 59 for a while and blazed in at 48:17 as the third fastest woman over 50.

In the open competition, Michael Wardian (33) of Arlington, VA decided it was cold enough to replace his trademark reversed cap for a hood hat. He was fifth overall in 31:50. The four runners in front of him have the credentials for that 5:03 pace. So does 11th place Allen Carr. Something disrupted his race today, as his 33:25 does not compute with his Veterans Day 10K last fall in 30:34. Former multiple winner of the St. Patrick's Day 10K, now an 8K, Philippe Rolly (36) of Fairfax, VA raised some eyebrows with his 34:55. Still, it may just be early in the season.

For the women, Susannah Kvasnicka (35, photo) of Great Falls, VA brought a knowing smile when she noted that she was a lot older than her competition. Her "long" course time was 36:27, which makes her an Open runner regardless of age. The only other sub master in the top ten was Hilary Cairns (37) of Washington, DC. She ran a solid 39:55, which was a minute slower than her fourth place finish last year.

Awards

                                 MALE OPEN
    1     5 Robert Wade                25 Arlington VA            31:15  
    2     8 Steve Mance                23 Alexandria VA           31:15  
    3     1 Steven Crane               26 Silver Spring MD        31:15  
                                FEMALE OPEN
    1     9 Kristen Henehan            28 Silver Spring MD        36:02  
    2   918 Samia Akbar                26 Herndon, VA             36:09  
    3    32 Susannah Kvasnicka         35 Great Falls VA          36:27* 
* Under USATF Age-Group guideline
                         MALE AGE GROUP:  01 - 14
    1   955 Thomas Menard              14                          47:59  
    2   937 Greg Anderson              13 Fairfax VA               52:59  
                        FEMALE AGE GROUP:  01 - 14
    1   264 Janae Garlepp              12 Fairfax VA              79:53  
                         MALE AGE GROUP:  15 - 19
    1   394 Bradshaw Kenimer           18 Alexandria VA           34:53  
    2   413 Luke Knepper               15 McLean VA               45:48  
                        FEMALE AGE GROUP:  15 - 19
    1   869 Laura Ortel                17 Reston VA               62:57  
    2   892 Catherine Whitley          18 Waynesboro PA           65:43  
                         MALE AGE GROUP:  20 - 29
    1   114 Nathan Brigham             24 Washington DC           31:22  
    2    34 Nate Carlson               26                          32:03  
                        FEMALE AGE GROUP:  20 - 29
    1    24 Melissa Turner             26 North Bethesda MD       37:41  
    2     2 Sarah Spalding             26 Washington DC           38:46  
                         MALE AGE GROUP:  30 - 39
    1     6 Michael Wardian            33 Arlington VA            31:50  
    2    20 Philippe Rolly             36 Fairfax VA              34:55  
                        FEMALE AGE GROUP:  30 - 39
    1     4 Lisa Thomas                31 Alexandria VA           37:33  
    2    16 Jackie Gruendel            33 Burke VA                39:39  
                         MALE AGE GROUP:  40 - 49
    1   989 Andres Wright              41 Frederick MD             35:37  
    2   942 Marc Arendt                42 Chantilly VA             36:25  
                        FEMALE AGE GROUP:  40 - 49
    1   894 Heather Jelks              41 Alexandria VA           45:35  
    2   734 Tonya Stotler              41 Leesburg VA             45:52  
                         MALE AGE GROUP:  50 - 59
    1   634 Bill Raabe                 53 Washington DC           37:43  
    2   921 Richard Adams Jr.          57 Herndon VA              39:45  
                        FEMALE AGE GROUP:  50 - 59
    1   611 Ofelia Perotti             51 Alexandria VA           40:57* 
    2   934 Carole Roeder              50 Ashburn VA              45:38  
* Under USATF Age-Group guideline
                         MALE AGE GROUP:  60 - 69
    1   694 Lou Shapiro                66 Silver Spring MD        43:59* 
    2   644 Krupakar Revanna           64 Falls Church VA         45:49  
* Under USATF Age-Group guideline
                        FEMALE AGE GROUP:  60 - 69
    1   797 Pat Welch                  63 Vienna VA               54:38  
    2   508 Sandra May                 62 Alexandria VA           54:45  
                         MALE AGE GROUP:  70 - 99
    1   868 Chan Robbins               70 Arlington VA            47:27* 
    2   926 Jerry Lewis                74 Reston VA               51:46  
* Under USATF Age-Group guideline
                        FEMALE AGE GROUP:  70 - 99

Full Race Day Results

George Washington Birthday Classic 10K Web site