In the photo below, finishing strong, in less than an hour, this racer did not need long sleeves today.

The 12K distance is seldom used, though it is getting a revival as John Price, the Virginia State record's keeper, has recently added the distance to the official records. Both Montgomery County and Fredericksburg used to have 12Ks but not last year.

The DC Road Runners have always had two 12Ks during the year. This year the first one on the Custis Trail was too short this year to qualify. The second, the Burke Lake Trail 12K was right on target. The race starts around the Lake after a brief half mile on the park road.

Race director George Getek assured runners that they could not get lost. "Just keep the lake on your immediate right on the way out. Upon returning, keep the lake on your left." The weather started out a little blustery but much warmer than our below average February. Some runners feared that the trail would be muddy as it had briefly rained the night before. Sure there were many puddles and soft spots but not so many that runners could not twist away from them and stay mostly clean and dry.

For the men, many of the usual top finishers were not there. Young Alfonso Rojas Zuniga (23) of Temple Hills blasted out of the only hill of the course in the opening mile. Only Jeffrey Buechler (32) of Boulder, CO even tried to cover his move. They moved so far in front of the field that they surprised runners watching for puddles as they twisted back home from the turnaround.

The course is protected from the wind except for one short quarter mile just before the turnaround and produces some fast times for a trail. The trail, 80% of the course, is not paved and can be even worse when there is snow, turned to packed ice.

Zuniga won the race easily, finishing in 40:57 to Beucheler's 41:26. After that, it was a masters battle. This race is the penultimate race in the Snowball Series. Running at near a 6:00 pace Steve Maguire (40) is third overall in 45:31, followed closely by Ian Clements (45:36) and Gene Smith (42). In sixth place, Norton Compton easily won the grandmasters in 47:04. The awards were presented in ten years age groups. However, the scoring for the series is in five year age groups.

In photo above, Kirk Gordon (51) of Greenbelt, MD has already run 24 races from the mile to the marathon this year. He was second grandmaster in 51:27.

For the Women, Toni Diegoli (28) of Arlington, VA won handily just missing the top ten overall in 50:52. After that, the next five women finished within forty-five seconds of each other. Pilar Marin (24) of Arlington, VA was runner-up in 53:49. The third place runner Karen Dickerson (21) of Springfield, VA was a Ranked Runner as a teen. She held off three determined racers for third in 54:11. Barbara Wigle (40) of Centreville, VA was the top master a few strides later in 54:16. She was just one second ahead of fifth place Rebecca Welch (34) of Alexandria, VA. Helene Price (60) was the top grandmaster.

During the awards ceremony runners drank Gatorade and sampled bananas, cookies and from a gigantic bag a multitude of variety bagels with cream cheese.

In the photo above, glad to be back a woman stops her watch at the finish.

Photos below

1. Long time Ranked Runner Bernie Gallagher (66) of Fairfax, VA gets his St. Patrick's colors out early.


2. Standing by the official club van, Race director George Getek (center) announces the awards.


3. Many of the 120 finishers of the race stayed around for the post race food and awards.

Race Results