Below, racers charge through the Festival to the finish.

The newly named Rock the House 8K continued to grow as runners took the 8K distance for the second year. The again started at the Celebrate Fairfax Festival and the roads were marked off with more than just cones. The police came and set up tents in the middle of the main intersections. The runners got a pre- opening look at the festival, starting at its center. Last year the race was a typical pre summer day in June with more than modest humidity that would climb to about eighty degrees. This year the course would be littered with liters of perspiration as the region launched into a record heat wave.

Saturday morning was a foggy 98 degrees. Today, the thermometer rose just as high and the bright sun cooked runners as they trailed around the neighborhoods. Many runners looked at their watches in dismay at the first mile, which is mostly downhill, sure that the marker was long. The markers were dead on, but racing through the soupy air definitely slowed down the times. The course was well-marked and they were plenty of eager volunteers at water stations but no amount of water would make the race cool.

Last year two runners broke 24:30 for a photo finish. Today Jarod Abuya (31) leaving in Fairfax, VA (in photo) eased out modestly as the runners crossed over the ChampionChip mats exited out of the Festival grounds. Starting down the hill, he was soon pushing away from the lead pack. None of the top four runners were local. Derryn Bray (23) of Poquoson, VA had run 25:44 at the Shamrock 8K in March down in the Tidewater region. Now he was pressing to catch Abuya who crossed the line in 27:03. There was money ($100-75-50) for the top three. Ismo Pudas (44) from Finland wrapped up third overall in 29:01 more than two minutes ahead of last year's masters winning time.

The age group awards were again ten years and just one deep. Before the race runners eyed the competition, knowing that they would have to win, there would be no place or show. Jim Boyer (20) of Mechanicsville, PA finished fourth, which is the last spot that was a guaranteed award. Regular Ranked Runner Jean Christophe Arcaz of Rockville, MD was the last runner to break the 6:00 mile pace in 29:45. After that, the gap was to the next runner was large.

Mother of three teenage daughters, the grande dame of masters running in the area easily edged away from the field early. Martha Merz (45) of Annandale, VA (in photo) was disappointed when she hit the first mile in 6:18. After all, she had run the Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile in 62:10 for 25th overall back in April. She was sixth overall today in 32:08. Anita Freres (43) of Reston, VA finished behind a 45-year-old runner for the second year. Last year it was runner-up Kelly Dworak in 31:16. Freres ran 33:32 last year. This year she hit mile one in 6:40. With the first mile easily the fastest of the five, she would be running for place, not time this year. At the halfway point, she was still being tested by one runner, thirty meters back. Just past a water stop on the hill, that runner decided to call it a day and walked back to the finish area. Freres enjoyed her $75 cash award but was heard to say under her breath, "Don't announce the time, "as they awards were presented.

More than two minutes later, the battle for the third spot was as heated as the day. Juliana Chan (28) of Fairfax Station, VA started nine seconds behind masters runner Lori Mennitt (44) of McLean, VA. Chan just edged by her in 37:54 to snare the third spot. Mennitt earned National's baseball tickets for her age group win. 13th place Carole Kammel (39) of Rockville, MD was the next award winner.

For the masters men, last year's 60-69 winner Michael Golash of Washington, DC was a mere 63 and won handily in 36:02. He sneaks in an extra birthday and ran as a 65-year-old this year. Still, he knew he was doomed even if they had five year age groups. Indomitable Lou Shapiro (66) of Silver Spring, MD, the top runner in his 5-year division was immune to the heat and blasted a 34:29. Shapiro was not sure how to handle going to the award's ceremony. Always in the past, he has been afforded an opportunity to march up to the stage. Today, a revived Bill Joyce (64) of Herndon, VA (in photo) has been doing a lot of track work. Last year at the Lawyers Have Heart 10K: 2007 Race Report. He had run 42:33 to win his division. This year he blasted a 39:54 at the Cascades 10K Firechase:2008 Race Report. In Fairfax, at this 8K he blasted away from the field and cruised to an easy age group win in 32:53. He will be sixty-five in January.

James Moreland (55) of Gaithersburg, MD tagged along behind Freres hoping against hope that the slow first mile time was a mirage. He had finished just behind her last year in 33:46 and won a uniquely wonderful age group award, box seats at the National Game on his birthday! This year he watched a runner glide by him on the tough fourth mile thinking, " I can let him go: he is probably not in my age group." Actually, he was but it would not matter because he was soon gone. He did goose by Freres though as they entered the Festival grounds, besting the talented masters runner for the first time with 35:16. Timothy Byram (50) of Falls Church, VA took home the award. Fortunately, there were lots of nice random awards and it did pay to play for a dozen or so of the remaining runners listening at the awards ceremony.

Ken Quincy (70) of Vienna, VA has been making waves in his division winning easily in 42:29. Carolyn Piercy (61) of Gainesville, VA was the senior women in the race.

Men's Awards

MALE
Place Num   Name                Ag City                  Time    
===== ===== =================== == ===================== ======= 
    1   272 Jared Abuya         31 Fairfax VA              27:03 
    2   174 Derryn Bray         23 Poquoson VA             27:39 
    3   300 Ismo Pudas          44 Finland                 29:01 
MALE AGE GROUP:  1 - 12
    1   344 Cameron Phelp        9 Meadville PA          1:20:15 
MALE AGE GROUP:  13 - 19
    1   331 Christopher Arambur 16 Fairfax VA              40:55 
MALE AGE GROUP:  20 - 29
    1   311 Jim Boyer           20 Mechanicsburg PA        29:10 
MALE AGE GROUP:  30 - 39
    1   181 Tim Davis           33 Springfield VA          33:51 
MALE AGE GROUP:  40 - 49
    1  36 Jean-Christophe Arcaz 47 Rockville MD            29:43 
MALE AGE GROUP:  50 - 59
    1   259 Timothy Byram       50 Falls Church VA         34:49 
MALE AGE GROUP:  60 - 69
    1    35 Bill Joyce          64 Herndon VA              32:51 
MALE AGE GROUP:  70 - 79
    1   304 Ken Quincy          70 Vienna VA               42:27 
MALE AGE GROUP:  80 - 99
MALE FIRST TIME RACER: NET TIME - NET PACE 1 - 99
    1   246 Patrick O'Keefe     21 M Arlington VA          37:03

Juliana Chan (28) of Fairfax Station, VA happily takes the third spot overall.

Women's Awards

FEMALE
Place Num   Name                Ag City                  Time    
===== ===== =================== == ===================== ======= 
    1   314 Martha Merz         45 Annandale VA            32:08 
    2   333 Anita Freres        43 Reston VA               35:24 
    3   126 Juliana Chan        28 Fairfax Station VA      37:51 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  01 - 12
    1   162 Alexandra Robles    12 Laurel MD               49:07 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  13 - 19
    1   158 Genevieve Anne Sieg 18 South Riding VA         41:59 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  20 - 29
    1    26 Kelly Buroker       26 Springfield VA          38:31 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  30 - 39
    1   140 Carole Kammel       39 Rockville MD            40:45 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  40 - 49
    1   322 Lori Mennitt        44 McLean VA               37:52 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  50 - 59
    1   310 Cynthia Kegan       50 Springfield VA          49:17 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  60 - 69
    1   235 Carolyn Piercy      61 Gainesville VA        1:00:34 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  70 - 79
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  80 - 99
FEMALE FIRST TIME RACER: NET TIME - NET PACE 1 - 99
    1   158 Genevieve Anne Sieg 18 F South Riding VA       42:08 

Jean Christophe Arcaz (47) of Rockville, MD has another fine effort to win his division.

Full Race Day Results
Race Day Report for 2008
Photo Gallery 2008
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