In photo above, Olympian Meredith Rainey Valmon presents Morgane Gay with the Montgomery County Road Runners Club's (MCRRC)2007 Outstanding High School Female Runner Award at the Club's annual awards dinner on February 10, 2008

William Orndorff proudly displays the MCRRC 2007 Outstanding High School Male Runner Award. William and Morgane each received a $1,000 college scholarship in recognition of their running, academic, and community service accomplishments.

The Montgomery County Road Runners Club (MCRRC), one of the largest running organizations in the country, presented $1,000 scholarships to Morgane Gay of Bethesda for High School Runner of the Year (Female) and William Orndoff of Rockville for High School Runner of the Year (Male).

The Awards were part of an expanded program of awards designed to encourage runners of all ages. Another new award, MCRRC Coach of the Year, was added to give recognition to coaches. Seann Pelkey of Quince Orchard High School was the winner of the Coach of the Year Award.

"The Awards Committee has worked hard over the past year to make sure that the new awards are consistent with the overall goals of MCRRC," said Marty Horan, director of the new Awards Committee. "The awards are one more part of the Club's program to encourage runners and their coaches to strive for continued improved performances."

Elizabeth Glover won Most Improved Runner (Female), and Keith Evans won Most Improved Club Runner (Male). "These new categories that fill a need in motivating athletes," Marty noted. "The club's goal has always been to provide 'a place for every pace,' so we wanted to make sure we gave equal encouragement to those who may never have won a race, but who continue to improve their running performance through hard work and determination."

The oldest male winner at the Club's Awards Dinner was Mike Hazilla (61) Runner of the Year in the grandmaster's division. "Mike may have slowed down a little since he ran a 2:18 marathon at age twenty and a 2:16 lifetime best," Marty said, "but he is a great example of how running can improve the lives of people of all ages."

To see more of the winners of MCRRC awards, visit: www.mcrrc.org/awards.

The Montgomery County Road Runners Club is one of the most largest and most active local running clubs in the nation, with more than 3,600 members from throughout the Washington, DC area. Known for its low-key but high-quality club races, training runs, special events, and other activities, MCRRC offers programs for all runners, from newcomers to experienced.