This first time race presented by the Seneca Creek Community Church added a first class event to the somewhat sparsely raced Germantown area. Led by amiable Race Director Danny Talmage, who also designed this fast course, the race went off nearly flawlessly. True, we were not scorched as with last week's near record heat. With ominous rain clouds blocking out the early May sun, many of us awoke thinking we would be racing in the wind and rain. The rain never materialized and the wind was slight; though with forty-three degrees at the 8:30 AM race start, there was a wintry feel.

Many volunteers, hundreds of orange cones, and the streets of the industrial park decorated with red chalk arrows made sure that no runner could possibly be confused. The course wound its way back and forth like a serpent with a U-turn near each of the first three mile markers. The winning times were so fast that some of the support crew feared that the course might have been cut short. Not a chance! The course and the mile markers were exact and there just was no way a runner could lose his way. These runners were just plain fast.

Besides that, cash money for the top three runners always brings out top runners (photo r-l: Erik Kean, Retta Feyissa, Chris Banks, Benjamin Koch, Rick Rountree at Mile 2). Folks, this generous race will be a continuing success. There were around four hundred runners in the combined events, including a 2-mile fun walk/run, with 282 finishers in the five-mile. Age group prizes went three deep in five-year increments through the 75-99 grouping. That is three cash winners of $300, $200, $100 in each sex and a potential of seventy-eight age group winners. The prizes were sweet such as dinner for two at local restaurants and free car rentals.

Parking was wisely roped off about 400 meters from the start, so all was clear for the dash across the ChampionChip scoring mats. The announcer, using a wireless headset mike, started the race smoothly. Racing the first mile slightly downhill with the wind at your back makes for a fast start. A pack of six elite runners pulled rapidly away from the field. They hit the first mile in just under 4:40. As they rounded the turn at mile one and came back toward us, one runner noted, "Hey, it is not just the Kenyans in the lead!"

The second mile returned back past the big Capital Running Company bus at the starting line. Many of us used the slight uphill into the wind to slow our paces accordingly. It still felt cold and there was frost coming from the mouths of the runners as they turned on to Observation Drive. The lead pack was seen to be splitting up as they careened through a couple of tight parking lot turns and headed back up Observation Drive again. None of the course was seriously hilly, but the third mile gave some runners an excuse to decelerate before speeding for home.

For a numbers of years Naoko Ishibe of Silver Spring, MD was the runner to beat in the metro area. This tiny runner usually leads wire to wire. In the last year, twenty-year-old Atalelech Ketema of Washington, DC (photo above) has emerged as the dominant force in the area with races such as Pike's Pike in 33:53. After the lead pack, Ketema was a lone figure moving steadily away from her chief competitor. Last week at Sallie Mae, about thirty degrees warmer, she had triumphed over Ishibe 34:54 to 36:06. While the top six men were tightly packed, the top women were all at least 200 meters apart.

Cresting the hill at mile three, the runners funneled down Boland Farm Road and another cul de sac turn. Car traffic was minimal during the race as the course design and the marshals provided outstanding race safety. Racing down Observation Drive for the third time, runners turned onto Route 118 for a gut- checking three-hundred-meter hill. Then it was back around onto Seneca Meadows Parkway for the third time and the final mile. The wind was again in our faces but it was the final mile. We hurried toward the finishing mats to find out what foodstuffs were in store for us.

After relinquishing our ChampionChips just past the finish line, we were handed a plastic bag. This is often done at packet pick- up but this was even better. It allowed us to squirrel away some of the tons of refreshments. Bottled water is always great. There were bananas and fresh apples that positively shone. There were trays and trays of clearly and deliciously homemade cookies, brownies, cakes, and doughnuts. There were many local community groups with tables getting their word out. There was a special kid's play area set up as well. The race beneficiary is Germantown Help, a volunteer-driven non-profit organization that offers a variety of emergency services to needy residents.

In the last mile, the lead men finally spread out, with Erik Kean of Washington, DC jetting in at 24:45 (photo left) about fifty meters in front of pre-race favorite Chris Banks of Alexandria, VA in 24:55. Benjamin Koch of Germantown, MD settled in for the last money spot in 25:08. Bucking the trend of old guys being near the top, the first ten runners overall were thirty or younger. Dennis Coleman (45) of Gaithersburg, MD still has the stuff. He finished eleventh overall in 28:55, nearly two minutes ahead of the next masters division runners. Mark Neff (41) of Derwood, MD was the next age group masters winner, finishing in 30:25. Patrick Griffith (58) of Alexandria, VA was third in 30:38, losing less than a second a year from Neff. Getting ready to star in college track, Benjamin Brown (18) of Germantown, MD led his division in 29:00. None of the age groups was close, with the winners two or more minutes ahead of their competition.

Atalelech Ketema finished seventh overall to take home the first female cash in 28:04. Ishibe pressed home with a solid 28:48 for tenth overall and the runner-up spot for the women. Lory Gray of Arlington, VA, coming off a fine 37:17 at St. Patrick's Day 10K in March, had third place all to herself with 30:31. The women masters runners followed the same pattern as the men. Debbie Flynn (46) of Gaithersburg, MD was first in 34:34, the seventh woman. Jane Wikman (40) of Germantown, MD was next age group masters winner in 35:35 with standout grand master Alice Franks (55) of Rockville, MD next in 36:15, tenth woman overall. Surprisingly enough, only one other woman was older. No women sixty or older were at the event, leaving many great prizes on the table.

The awards presentation went smoothly, finishing at 10:00 AM, just one and one-half hours after the race started. Still cool for standing around, many runners left soon after. With swift and efficient volunteers, by 10:30 AM evidence that a race had been there was gone. I have already penciled this wonderful race in for 2004.

Award Winners

                   Awards Listing - No Duplicate Prizes
                    Age Group Awards Based on Net Times
MALE
Place Num   Name                    Ag City               Time  
===== ===== ======================= == ================== ===== 
    1     4 Erik Kean               25 Washington DC      24:45 
    2     2 Chris Banks             25 Alexandria VA      24:55 
    3   353 Benjamin Koch           23 Germantown MD      25:09 
MALE AGE GROUP:  01 - 19
    1   320 Benjamin Brown          18 Germantown MD      28:56 
    2    85 Justin Marshall         19 Gaithersburg MD    31:01 
    3    43 Johnny Sadoff           19 Washington DC      32:25 
MALE AGE GROUP:  20 - 24
    1   368 Eric Krause             24 Germantown MD      28:54 
    2    91 Karol Kristov           24 Germantown MD      29:05 
    3   282 Luke Currano            24 Columbia MD        39:41 
MALE AGE GROUP:  25 - 29
    1     6 Retta Feyissa           27 Washington DC      25:30 
    2    78 Frederick Rountree      25 Herndon VA         25:56 
    3    33 Aaron Church            27 South Riding VA    26:12 
MALE AGE GROUP:  30 - 34
    1   373 Welch Suggs             30 Washington DC      28:18 
    2    82 Nate Reilly             31 Washington DC      30:58 
    3   347 Bruce Mendelsohn        34 Rockville MD       32:27 
MALE AGE GROUP:  35 - 39
    1   307 Tim Coulson             38 Germantown MD      31:19 
    2    97 Michael Knapp           37 Germantown MD      34:32 
    3   207 Daniel Switzer          37 Gaithersburg MD    34:33 
MALE AGE GROUP:  40 - 44
    1   248 Mark Neff               41 Derwood MD         30:25 
    2   159 Steven Hyde             40 Germantown MD      31:15 
    3    36 Greg Schuler            42 Laurel MD          33:35 
MALE AGE GROUP:  45 - 49
    1   346 Dennis Coleman          45 Gaithersburg MD    28:54 
    2    77 Andy Fitzgerald         45 Potomac MD         31:25 
    3   335 Brian Ruberry           47 Gaithersburg MD    33:11 
MALE AGE GROUP:  50 - 54
    1   148 James Moreland          50 Gaithersburg MD    32:18 
    2   350 Tim Briscoe             50 Frederick MD       34:12 
    3   308 Jon Palks               53 Bowie MD           35:19 
MALE AGE GROUP:  55 - 59
    1    29 Patrick Griffith        58 Alexandria VA      30:38 
    2    92 Jim Noone               58 Fairfax VA         33:21 
    3   331 Jack Clark              59 Germantown MD      35:41 
MALE AGE GROUP:  60 - 64
    1   325 Michael Golash          60 Washington DC      34:58 
    2   201 John Pack               63 Rockville MD       38:15 
    3   252 Chet Coates             63 Silver Spring MD   38:34 
MALE AGE GROUP:  65 - 69
    1    44 Robert Smith            69 Dickerson MD       41:12 
    2    84 Roger Burkhart          65 Gaithersburg MD    46:06 
    3    69 Ronald Gill             66 Pleasant Lake MI   47:24 
MALE AGE GROUP:  70 - 74
    1   283 Jack Mcmahon            72 Rockville MD       38:40 
MALE AGE GROUP:  75 - 99
    1    47 Walt Washburn           80 Vienna VA          49:02 
    2   109 Bill Osburn             79 Bethesda MD        54:21 




                   Awards Listing - No Duplicate Prizes
                    Age Group Awards Based on Net Times
FEMALE
Place Num   Name                    Ag City               Time  
===== ===== ======================= == ================== ===== 
    1     3 Atalelech Ketema        20 Washington DC      28:05 
    2    72 Naoko Ishibe            33 Silver Spring MD   28:48 
    3    70 Lory Gray               23 Arlington VA       30:31 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  01 - 19
    1   374 Becca Zabel             15 Ijamsville MD      37:18 
    2   375 Marisa Hafer            14 Ijamsville MD      40:06 
    3   274 Amy Maier               13 Gaithersburg MD    40:30 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  20 - 24
    1    90 Elizabeth Marsiglia     24 Gaithersburg MD    38:30 
    2   313 Theresa Graninger       23 Gaithersburg MD    39:09 
    3   138 Kelly Tober             23 Germantown MD      43:32 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  25 - 29
    1    76 Jamie Hagerbaumer       25 Washington DC      32:25 
    2    81 Teha Kennard            25 Washington DC      33:45 
    3   160 Jessica Gilbert         28 New Market MD      40:31 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  30 - 34
    1   278 Carole Kammel           34 Bethesda MD        34:23 
    2   299 Kimberly Thorpe         31 Gaithersburg MD    35:23 
    3   273 Dana Holman             34 Frederick MD       36:15 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  35 - 39
    1   143 Ellen Onderko           35 Poolesville MD     38:13 
    2    99 Andrea Neal             36 College Estates MD 38:30 
    3   242 Cindy Edwards           38 Gaithersburg MD    39:58 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  40 - 44
    1   333 Jane Wikman             40 Germantown MD      35:29 
    2   359 Alicia Sentner          40 Damascus MD        37:44 
    3   129 Jacquie Johnson         41 Germantown MD      40:45 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  45 - 49
    1    79 Debbie Flynn            46 Gaithersburg MD    34:29 
    2   332 Cindy Clark             49 Germantown MD      38:59 
    3   220 Carol Encarnacion       48 Germantown MD      39:39 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  50 - 54
    1   292 Ellen Cooper            52 Rockville MD       39:55 
    2    42 Elizabeth Sadoff        53 Washington DC      41:51 
    3   266 Paula Jenkins           50 Germantown MD      51:23 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  55 - 59
    1    34 Alice Franks            55 Rockville MD       36:10 
    2    46 Joan Tapocik            55 Germantown MD      40:54 
    3   284 Trudie Toussaint        55 Rockville MD       61:11 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  60 - 64
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  65 - 69
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  70 - 74
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  75 - 99

In the photo above, Pastor Mark Stephens of Seneca Creek Community Church finishes the five-mile race.

See complete results of the Germantown 5 Miler.

Take a look at the race Photo Gallery!

For more information about Seneca Creek Community Church, please visit www.senecacreek.org.