There was electricity in the air.... [Too coy.] It was a dark and stormy night.... [Too cliche.] A flood of runners inundated the finish line.... [Too apocalyptic.]

Suffice it to say, weather was a factor at the 20th Rotary Twilight Runfest in Rockville on Saturday night. Lightning dramatically streaked the sky just after the start and some officials considered canceling the event mid-race. To everyone's credit, the show went on even as the violent thunderstorm broke 25 minutes in. But as every runner knows, rain during a stifling run provides welcome relief--although moderation is always appreciated--and aside from soggy shoes, none were worse for the weather.

Only the fastest beat the rain. Wilson Komen appeared unbothered by the oppressive heat and humidity and won handily in 23 minutes 58 seconds, one second slower than his winning effort in 2004. Komen (27), born in Kenya but living and training in Washington, added yet another win to his list of local titles, which include last month's Lawyers Have Heart 10K and twice at Pike's Peek 10K.

Chris Banks, meanwhile, added to his collection of top-five Twilighter efforts a little more than a minute behind Komen with his best finish--third place--in 25:01.

Komen and runner-up El Arbi Khattabi, a 2000 Olympian (steeplechase) from Morocco, broke fast and early with a 4:42 opening mile.

"I could hardly see them after that," Banks said.

Olga Romanova (27), a Russian who sojourns regularly in Germantown, ran a strong second half to pull away from compatriot and training partner Tatyana Chulakh (23) and win in 27:10. Chulakh finished in 27:39, beating yet another of the Russian training partners, Elena Orlova (35), who was third in 28:07.

Local runners Susannah Kvasnicka, from Great Falls, Marine Corps Marathon defending champion Mary Kate Bailey, from Arlington, and Vanessa Hunter, from Arlington, were fourth, fifth and sixth, respectively.

Monica Grillo (41), from Arlington, ran 32:33 to win the masters title for the second straight year. She beat Lawyers masters winner Robyn Humphrey (41) from Ellicott City, who was 23 seconds back. Helen Beven (40), who had a frightening heat- related incident at Lawyers, was entered but is still recovering and did not race.

Olympian John Tuttle (46) led the men's masters race for a mile before stopping after a sub-5:00 mile with a pre-existing injury; Tim Schuler (42) led until he dropped out at two miles, at which point Jim Hage (47) gratefully took the lead and won the division in 27:22. George Buckheit (48) finished second in 27:35.

Age-group stalwarts Betty Blank (52), Pat Griffith (60), Janet Newburgh (63) all won their respective divisions handily. Steve Forman (65, photo below), brand new to the division, made a bold opening statement with a swift 36:14. Montgomery County runners Burton Squires and Philip Zenchoff, both 77, were the oldest finishers and took first and second, respectively, in their age group.

Top Five Runners - Men/Women

MEN
Place Div/Tot  Num   Name                  S Ag Hometown           Gun T  Net T Pace  
===== ======== ===== ===================== = == ================== =====  ===== ===== 
    1   1/196      1 Wilson Komen          M 27 Washington DC      23:58  23:56  4:49 
    2   1/165   2088 Elarbi Khattabi       M 38 Westchester PA     24:25* 24:24  4:55 
    3   2/196     44 Chris Banks           M 27 Alexandria VA      25:01  25:00  5:02 
    4   3/196   2080 Jesus Quintana        M 21 Princeton NJ       25:06  25:02  5:03 
    5   2/165      8 Edmund Burke          M 35 Burtonsville MD    25:06* 25:04  5:03 
WOMEN

Place Div/Tot  Num   Name                  S Ag Hometown           Gun T  Net T Pace  
===== ======== ===== ===================== = == ================== =====  ===== ===== 
 30   1/231     27 Olga Romanova         F 27 Germantown MD      27:11# 27:10  5:28 
 39   2/231     29 Tatyana Chulakh       F 23 Germantown MD      27:39# 27:38  5:34 
 49   1/131     28 Elena Orlova          F 35 Germantown MD      28:07* 28:06  5:40 
 63   1/133      2 Susannah Kvasnicka    F 33 Great Falls VA     28:39  28:37  5:46 
 72   2/133      3 Mary Kate Bailey      F 30 Arlington VA       29:13  29:10  5:53 

Full Results

Photo Gallery 2005