Hot town summer in the city! A few leaves on the trees of Ida Lee Park in Leesburg, VA and it could have been spring. In past years, this fun, mostly cross-country race has seen rain and freezing temperatures, often found on the first day of the New Year. After last week's ten-degree days, many runners came fully dressed in tights and layers of clothing. But muscle man Chuck Moeser, who usually wears a shirt for this race, did not even give it a thought. He left his shirt at home and wrote his number on his arm like a triathlete. Many other runners went topless too and a lot of us wish we had.

Parking was plentiful at this intriguing outing in the park for the more than five hundred runners in the 4K fun run and the main course 10K. One parking attendant remarked that there would be an ambulance there for runners who might get overheated! The course had at least two water stops but with the record sixty- nine degrees, barely cooled by a light breeze, there was some initial concern that there would not be enough water. Not to worry; the water held out and ample supplies of bottled water were available at the finish line.

While the runners of the George C. Marshall 10K event laughed and talked inside on the gym floor, deciding how much clothes to strip off, the 4K fun-runners started their event and ran down the countryside. The 10K course is listed as twenty percent grass and eighty percent paved and gravel roads, which tells only part of the story. Starting down the hill, we heard the cry of "Look out for the ditch!" This year it was dry so the crossing left our shoes unmuddied. After four hundred meters, we left the grass for a paved road. Less than a minute later we turned onto the "gravel road." Really it was a makeshift path through a stand of trees. The rolling part sure was accurate. Veteran runners warned of "that hill." There were at least five of those. Crossing atop the first major hill, we passed between some barns, took a sip of water, and headed across a field. We followed the ruts of a tractor, dodging some of the mud, but I wouldn't call it a road. After another mile, we left the gate and started up a real road. A mile later we started up still another road, leading back to the center and more water.

The course is lovely, when the hills allow you to look around you. Just before mile five, it leads up a gravel road between two Tudor-like houses, around the corner past a large puddle that barely allowed runners room to dodge around. A mile more of up and down, and the field of dreams finish line awaits just around the corner, with a couple of ditches to traverse. At the top of the hill, you lunge across the ChampionChip mats, search around for some oxygen, and revel at the wonderful weather.

Michael Wardian of Arlington, VA was one of the elite runners who decided to give this tough course a try. Wardian had finished third in 15:40 in the Red Ribbon 5K the evening before. Today he made it clear that he wanted a win, pulling ahead of a very talented Aaron Church of South Riding, VA (photo) 33:21 to 34:14. Wardian, just last year (December 11th), set the treadmill marathon record in 2:23:58.

Tim Schuler is a top runner from Chambersburg, PA who comes south only for the big races. He had won Pike's Peak in 1997 in 30:22. He ran a fine 33:54 for third masters division finisher at the Veterans Day 10K last November. Today's effort of 34:34 was certainly a tougher race and vindication. Fourth place "Stickman" Mark Stickley of Winchester, VA (photo, finishing against a background of 4K walkers), who had won the masters division at Veterans in 32:37, continues to be the Hercules of Shenandoah Valley running. Also ahead of him at Veterans was Chuck Moeser in 33:42. Moeser easily won his 50- 54 division at the Rotary 10K in 35:52. Stuck in a time warp, Moeser had his second fastest time, though seventh place is a tie for his worse placing in the race.

Moeser, who expects to be ranked number two in the country by Running Times magazine, noted that while his competition, David Webster of Stevensville, MD, is a fine runner, "Two minutes is a long time." Webster, a postal worker who spent a long December bringing us the mail, had come to that same Veterans 10K race in 35:23. He told me this would be his first race back. A former 29:00-minute 10K runner, Webster finished in thirteenth place in 38:16. Fifth place Christopher Bain (photo), who finished in the top ten at the Marathon in the Parks in 2002 in 2:45:59, continues to make a name for himself, racing home in 35:13.

After Susannah Kvasnicka won in 2002 in a 25-29 age group record 39:43 and then won again in the rain soaked 2003 event in a seven-minute crush of 39:21 for the second fastest victory, local runners were running scared. This year, Johanna Siemon of Philadelphia, PA, one of three out-of-towners in the top fourteen runners, won easily in 41:35. Heather Trainum of Arlington, VA (photo) started twelve seconds late, then passed and outlasted top masters runner Leslie Minnix-Wolfe of Herndon, VA 43:27 to 43:37, for the runner-up spot. Last year's champion, Cheryl McMurray of Fairfax, VA (42:43), had a bigger struggle today, finishing fourth in 44:33. Julie Hayden (44) of Ashburn, VA rounds out the top five with a fine 44:57.

There was a brief mix-up that recorded Moeser's time as that of a 59-year-old man. This worried top-flight 55-59 runner Jim Wright of Gaithersburg, MD. At 41:55, just ahead of a resurgent Bill Stahr (44) of The Plains, VA, Wright had been confident that he had won his division. With the 55-59 division record holder Patrick Griffith (39:42, '00) now sixty and training solely for a sub-three-hour marathon next week at Disney, Wright was the one to beat. Watch out! Two more years and Chuck will be fifty-five.

With all the fast runners, swift Mark Malander of Herndon, VA (photo), who had bested Moeser last year, was bumped back to tenth place. Jim Noone of Fairfax, VA quietly broke Steve Forman's 60-64 record, winning the division in 43:57. In the scorers' van, questions were asked about John Elliott of Columbia, MD. Could his time of 44:17, just behind Noone, match his age of sixty-six? It can and it does. Elliott (profiled in the Jan-Feb '05 Washington Running Report) is used to surprising people with his speed. He pulverized Douglas Morris's record by more than six minutes.

Co-president of the Frederick Steeplechasers George Waxter was the defending course record holder of the 70-74 division with 55:28 ('02). This year he was coasting in as the race's oldest finisher. Jerry Lewis of Reston, VA is back. Lewis is The Man in the seventies. He now owns the course record with his 53:59 win. Stephen Smith of Reston, VA won the 35-39 division. Brian Lesko of Frederick, MD just entered the division and he is on a roll with a fine 39:06. Lesko, who was thirty-four for the Maryland RRCA Series, ended in the toughest spot. He finished fourth overall. Prizes are awarded to the top three overall and the top two in five-year age groups.

More than twice as many men ran this race as women. Recently, running in the metro area has been more evenly divided, with some races seeing more women than men.

Sandra Adams had the course record of 46:30 ('99) at age 48; two years later she had barely slowed, racing 46:34 ('01). History may repeat as 49-year-old Jan Kool of Vienna, VA breaks the record, racing to seventh place overall in 45:57. Ultra marathoner Sharon Lapkoff of Jefferson (photo, #53) had a gorgeous smile of surprise, winning her Rotary Resolution 10K award-winner vest for the 50-54 division. Ecris Williams of Herndon, VA controls the sixties, owning the records for both the 60-64 and 65-69 divisions. She has won her division every year the race has been run. This year she is coming off a foot injury and still won again by a huge margin. Lee Glassco came back to be the oldest woman finisher and defend her age group course record.

It was almost as warm inside the gym during the awards as it was outside for this glorious running day. A guitarist joyfully played well-known tunes to entertain us as we knoshed on coffee and cookies and waited for the awards, which included more than $2,000 worth of valuable random awards, the kind we all have a chance to win. Starting at a reasonable 10:45 am, this is the race to start your New Year.

Male Award Winners

Place Num   Name                    Ag City               Finis 
===== ===== ======================= == ================== ===== 
    1     3 Michael Wardian         30 Arlington VA       33:21 
    2     5 Aaron Church            29 South Riding VA    34:14 
    3   236 Tim Schuler             41 Chambersburg PA    34:34 


MALE AGE GROUP:  01 - 19
    1   210 Justin Kirk             19 Middleburg VA      38:35 
    2   590 Trenton Norgaard        19 Leesburg VA        43:32 


MALE AGE GROUP:  20 - 24
    1   514 Matt Kirk               21 Woodbridge VA      35:23 
    2    49 David Bolton            20 Leesburg VA        36:37 


MALE AGE GROUP:  25 - 29
    1    80 Christopher Bain        27 Bethesda MD        35:10 
    2   243 Matthew Altenburger     27 Leesburg VA        38:15 


MALE AGE GROUP:  30 - 34
    1   556 Ian Blair               33 Alexandria VA      37:31 
    2   487 Suresh Decosta          31 Wheaton IL         42:26 


MALE AGE GROUP:  35 - 39
    1   539 Stephen Smith           35 Reston VA          36:05 
    2   122 Brian Lesko             35 Frederick MD       39:06 


MALE AGE GROUP:  40 - 44
    1   607 Mark Stickley           42 Winchester VA      34:49 
    2   364 James Baker             44 Mclean VA          38:02 


MALE AGE GROUP:  45 - 49
    1   523 Mark Malander           46 Herndon VA         37:00 
    2   518 Bruce Halpin            48 Ashburn VA         40:08 


MALE AGE GROUP:  50 - 54
    1  1022 Chuck Moeser            53  VA                35:50 
    2   432 David Webster           51 Stevensville MD    38:15 


MALE AGE GROUP:  55 - 59
    1   209 Jim Wright              55 Gaithersburg MD    41:48 
    2   385 Stephen Dodge           55 Manassas VA        48:14 


MALE AGE GROUP:  60 - 64
    1   257 Jim Noone               60 Fairfax VA         43:53 
    2   383 Talbot Mack             64 Washington DC      50:42 


MALE AGE GROUP:  65 - 69
    1     6 John Elliott            66 Columbia MD        44:15 
    2   224 Douglas Morris          66 Delaplane VA       50:20 


MALE AGE GROUP:  70 - 99
    1    66 Jerry Lewis             71 Reston VA          53:57 
    2   132 George Waxter           74 Frederick MD       63:54

Female Award Winners

Place Num   Name                    Ag City               Finis 
===== ===== ======================= == ================== ===== 
    1   509 Johanna Siemon          27 Philadelphia PA    41:36 
    2   244 Heather Trainum         33 Arlington VA       43:27 
    3   517 Leslie Minnix-Wolfe     43 Herndon VA         43:37 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  01 - 19
    1   595 Christy Dannenberg      19 Sterling VA        45:06 
    2   503 Mary Naylor             18 Warrenton VA       48:22 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  20 - 24
    1   143 Cathy Larkin            22 Arlington VA       46:42 
    2   233 Meghan Keedy            22 Spring TX          47:27 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  25 - 29
    1   279 Marcene Haid            27 Ashburn VA         50:48 
    2   573 Rachel Atherton         27 Leesburg VA        51:55 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  30 - 34
    1   356 Christine Goodrum       32 Leesburg VA        46:23 
    2   120 Leena Figall            34 Middletown MD      51:28 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  35 - 39
    1   593 Cheryl Mcmurray         36 Fairfax VA         44:30 
    2   391 Karen Young             36 Boyds MD           48:27 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  40 - 44
    1   333 Julie Hayden            44 Ashburn VA         44:55 
    2   181 Melissa Edeburn         44 Washington DC      47:41 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  45 - 49
    1   555 Jan Kool                49 Vienna VA          45:56 
    2   527 Paula Bockman           49 Fairfax VA         55:53 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  50 - 54
    1    53 Sharon Lapkoff          51 Jefferson MD       56:15 
    2    16 Susan Reisdorf          53 Windsor Mill MD    59:48 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  55 - 59
    1   300 Leslie Stanfield        55 Reston VA          56:31 
    2   134 Cathy Van Brocklin      58 Gaithersburg MD    59:20 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  60 - 64
    1    71 Betty Smith             63 Rockville MD       63:07 
    2   242 Abbie Edwards           64 Reston VA          78:20 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  65 - 69
    1   499 E C Williams            66 Herndon VA         61:30 
    2    37 Jamie Wollard           66 Rockville MD       73:42 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  70 - 99
    1    20 Lee Glassco             73 Mclean VA          83:05 

See complete results of the Rotary Resolution 10K.