You train for races and for the health and fitness. The ultimate running test is the challenge of the marathon. The Washington metropolitan area offers some variety but the race your mother warned you about is the Washington's Birthday Marathon which is hosted by the D.C. Road Runners Club. The 47th Annual race will be held Sunday, February 17, 2008 at 10:30 a.m. in Greenbelt, MD. The USATF certified three-loop course has about 18 hills which include a few challenging ones. The race starts and finishes near the Greenbelt Youth Center and is a Boston qualifier.

In the 47 year history the race cancelled only once in 2003 due to weather but there were other close calls with cancellations. In 1972, the temperature was below zero and the wind gusts were up to 48 miles per hour.

"I drove down the day before from Philadelphia where I was living with two mates, Chris Mason and Seth Bergmann. It was eight degrees at the start and didn't warm up at all. Later that day a massive snowstorm came through. The 1979 race was one of my favorites. I also ran the following year when it was extremely windy," stated Fred Steier.

Steier finished second (2:33:12) in 1979 and placed eighth in 1980 (2:37:28). Mason was the winner in 1979 (2:26:41) and Bergmann was seventh (2:39:56).

Event Records:

Open
1978	Bobby Doyle         28		2:22:14	Central Falls, RI
1988	Rose Malloy         39		2:53:29	Annapolis, MD
Master
1969	John McDonogh       45		2:31:58	New York NY
1993	Claudia Ciavarella  43		3:13:17	Arlington, VA

Let it be known this race is a prime trainer for Boston with the hills and this will test your ability to push yourself when you want to stop. If you thrive off big crowds, this is not the race for you. The size is modest and you get to focus on your running.

The only three-time open winner has been Lou Castagnola of Rockville, MD - ('63-2:35:18, '67-2:22:45, and '68- 2:31:11). There are two females with three wins: Margaret Horioka of Williamsport, MD - ('85- 3:07:19, '86-3:14:12, and '87- 3:09:13). The other is Lisa Bandiera Rhodes of Fairfax, VA - ('99 - 3:09:30, '00- 3:29:12, and '02- 3:35:24).

There have been two others with consecutive year wins in the history of the race, Marshall Adams of Moorehead City, NC - ('72-2:30:56, '73-2:24:18), and Jim Hage of Lanham, MD - ('87- 2:28:59, '88-2:28:18).

The outstanding master is Jim McDonogh of New York, NY - ('66- 2:50:43, '67, '68, '69 - 2:31:58 Record, '70-2:33:05).

Anna Mae Diehl of Baltimore, MD was the first known area female to have completed a marathon in 1971 (3:43:01. 91st place overall).

Fred Lebow, former president of the New York City Road Runners Club, ran 3:44:53 in 1972.

Kathrine Switzer of New York was the overall female winner in 1974 (3:14:49 - 20th fastest winning time).

Mike Spinnler, Race Director of the JFK 50 Miler, placed 18th in 1979 at the age of 20 (2:44:58).

In 1981, the temperature was 55 degrees and 38 men and 7 women qualified for Boston.

If you are not up to the full marathon you can get two of your closest friends and take part in the 19th Washington's Birthday Marathon Relay. The two races share the same course. The three loop course offers the following legs: 9.7 miles, 7.3 miles, and 9.2 miles. The first leg can be run by a person who is doing the full marathon. Each person can only run one leg. The relay is Eikden style where each runner wears a color coded sash to identify their division.

The exchange point is located at the USDA Visitors' Center off Powder Mill Road. The last leg presents the challenge with a major hill around mile 25.

The divisions are Open Men, Open Women, Coed, Masters Men, and Masters Women. In 2002, there was a total of 81 teams to finish. During the years 1989 through 2000, the Washington Running Club managed to take first place in at least one division each year.

The oldest record on the books was set in the first year (1989), the Open Women team Washington Running Club Women Warriors ran a time of 2:48:38. The runners were Patty McGovern, Cathy Ventura-Merkel, and Marianne Dickerson.

The Coed record was set in 1989 and belongs to the Washington Running Club with a time of 2:36:04. The runners were Jim Hage, Cathy Ventura-Merkel, and Jerry Merkel.

The Open Men was set in 1998 by the Cumberland Valley Athletic Club (C.V.A.C.) with a time of 2:26:50. The runners were Mike Bowman, Jaime Dick, and Bret Mower.

The Master Men record was set in 1997 team Your Cheatin' Hart with a time of 2:27:29. The runners were Steve Ward, Mike Hart, and Kevin Burke.

The Master Women record was set in 2002 by team The Speedy Myliers with a time of 3:11:08. The runners were Lisa Fichman, Dorothy Beckett, and Pat Wilkerson.

Mail-in entry is $25 if postmarked by February 6th and $30 until race day when the fee goes up to $35.

To volunteer, contact Pat Brown at 703-476-5765 or e-mail Pat Brown.

If you are unable to run your support is needed to volunteer along the course. Groups are welcomed to support the marathoners and relay runners.