Good weather again for this third year race which benefits the Sterling Volunteer Fire Department. The streets around the Lowes Island Community Center in the Cascades neighborhood of Sterling, Virginia, were jammed with nearly a thousand runners and walkers milling around. At 8:00 am, they all lined up behind the ChampionChip mats under the arch formed by the ladders of two fire trucks. I felt like a statue as they announced the start and scores of runners in the front surged off to flash down around the first corner. The first mile of this two-loop course is mostly downhill and the runners spilled out like lava from a volcano.

Only race spectators saw the battle for first place. Third place Max Lockwood of Washington, DC, racing 34:33, was nearly four minutes back of the leaders. The battle for the top spot surely must have been worth the price of admission. Last year's champion, C.W. Moran of Sterling, VA (#469), was only 19 when he erupted for a 32:34 spanking of the field last year. He won by three minutes. This year, he could have expected to coast to victory. Along came Philippe Rolly of Fairfax, VA (#646). Rolly has won many races, including the St. Patrick's Day 10K, and is a "made" runner with a sub-five minute pace well within his repertoire. Moran was every bit the runner. As they came into sight of the finish, they were running about even, but Rolly put on his finishing kick and passed Moran within meters of the finish. Less than a second separated them as both finished with 30:40 officially.

For the women, the battle was for second place. Emily Richard (photo left) of Washington, DC moved away quickly, winning by a third of a mile in 36:40. She had a 57:42 Cherry Blossom on her resume that clearly overmatched third place Jessica Storm. Storm had run 67:26. Second place Cathy Pugsley of Sterling, VA has not been seen at the races for many months. With the race in her backyard and her store (Potomac River Running) a primary sponsor of the race, she came out for the challenge. Her 39:22 outdistanced Storm's 39:55.

A top ten finisher, Karen Dickerson of Springfield, VA, easily won the teen division. Dickerson ran quite a few races this spring. This rolling hills course was her fastest 10K. Only four women ran against the fearsome Alice Franks of Rockville. It would not have mattered; at 57, she is a virtual winner, topping all the runners over 50 by at least six minutes. She missed the master's title earned by Annie Hennessa of Reston by just eight seconds in 45:20.

Brian Lesko of Frederick, MD continues to lower his personal record, just bending the 37:00 mark with a one-second edge from his ChampionChip. Karsten Brown (photo, #74) of Front Royal is not far back, running his 51st race of the year in 37:44. Holding off Benjamin Waite (photo, #399) by two seconds, he is getting faster by leaps and bounds. Still, he booed his own second place finish at the awards ceremony. Perhaps he wanted to lower his time past last week's Capitol Hill Classic 10K time of 37:35.

The grandmasters have had it easy these first three years. The first year, Chuck Moeser was third overall and passed the division crown to Richard Adams. He was all alone running 38:24. Last year, James Moreland was gifted by a pedestrian field, winning in 41:13. This year, last year's runner-up, Ken Krebhiel, won all the marbles in 42:35. Next year, somebody with wheels is going to come after that dinner at Outback Steakhouse given to division winners.

Patrick Griffith (60) walked away with another win in 38:46. He did not seem all that pleased. Maybe that is why he runs so fast. Terrence McCarthy (70) of Leesburg, VA ran a swift 52:17 to win the oldest division. Just arrived in the division, he has taken a serious interest in leading it. Richard Williams (69) of Alexandria, VA is bidding his time. His 49:51 could spell trouble for next year.

It is great to see all the new younger runners coming out to road racing. To reflect all the new talent, the Washington Running Report Runner Rankings has a new division for 19 & under runners. Jonathan Harmon of Sterling, VA ran his first 10K last year in 45:26 at age sixteen. This year he made a huge improvement, finishing in 39:51. Only an out of state effort from Michigan's Leo Wendel kept Harmon from the division crown. Wendel (19) cannot win the division any more. So, look for Harmon to march forward with a win and a top time soon.

Award Winners

OVERALL MALE  (GUN TIME)
Place Num   Name                Age City                  Time    
===== ===== =================== === ===================== ======= 
    1   646 Philippe Rolly       32 Fairfax VA              30:40 
    2   469 C W Moran            20 Potomac Falls VA        30:40 
    3   461 Max Lockwood         35 Washington DC           34:33 


OVERALL FEMALE  (GUN TIME)
Place Num   Name                Age City                  Time    
===== ===== =================== === ===================== ======= 
    1   670 Emily Richard        28 Washington DC           36:40 
    2   518 Cathy Pugsley        36 Sterling VA             39:22 
    3   133 Jessica Storm        28 Reston VA               39:55 


MALE AGE GROUP:  1 - 19   (NET TIME)
    1   632 Leo Wendel          19 East Tawas MI           36:43 
    2   590 Jonathan Harmon     17 Sterling VA             39:51 
    3   314 Charlie Devine      16 Sterling VA             40:25 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  1 - 19   (NET TIME)
    1   357 Karen Dickerson     19 Springfield VA          43:39 
    2   650 Emily Mccallister   16 Herndon VA              47:08 
    3   479 Kendall Watson      14 Centreville VA          48:01 


MALE AGE GROUP:  20 - 24   (NET TIME)
    1   320 Brian Luhman        23 Sterling VA             42:38 
    2   244 Gregory Sagstetter  20 Sterling VA             44:57 
    3   400 Jon Waite           20 Cumberland ME           48:01 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  20 - 24   (NET TIME)
    1   600 Meredith Warren     24 Sterling VA             43:42 
    2   229 Cathy Larkin        22 Arlington VA            44:40 
    3   333 Heather Mccarthy    22 Lorton VA               46:11 


MALE AGE GROUP:  25 - 29   (NET TIME)
    1   483 David O'Hara        29 Washington DC           34:51 
    2   399 Bengamin Waite      25 Arlington VA            37:43 
    3    27 Joshua Stevens      28 Ft Belvoir VA           39:48 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  25 - 29   (NET TIME)
    1   487 Cary Kemp           25 Arlington VA            41:55 
    2   617 Keelin Isenhower    27 Alexandria VA           43:48 
    3   372 Melinda Fishel      29 New York NY             44:17 


MALE AGE GROUP:  30 - 34   (NET TIME)
    1   291 Robert Osterried    32 Falls Church VA         36:56 
    2    74 Karsten Brown       31 Front Royal VA          37:42 
    3   354 Brett Stevenson     33 Leesburg VA             40:49 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  30 - 34   (NET TIME)
    1   704 Heather Wallace     34 Reston VA               40:15 
    2   732 Tracy Rice          34 Martinsburg WV          45:56 
    3   355 Sally Stevenson     32 Leesburg VA             47:11 


MALE AGE GROUP:  35 - 39   (NET TIME)
    1   162 Jeff Fritz          37 Reston VA               36:08 
    2   281 Brian Lesko         35 Frederick MD            36:59 
    3   391 Tom Steinbach       39 Sterling VA             38:07 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  35 - 39   (NET TIME)
    1   588 Kristin DiDomenico  38 Sterling VA             40:48 
    2   446 Kathy Daunt         36 Haymarket VA            41:45 
    3   622 Nancy Andrews       37 Aldie VA                45:27 


MALE AGE GROUP:  40 - 44   (NET TIME)
    1   470 Gary Grilliot       41 Reston VA               36:15 
    2   741 Thomas Crandall     40 Reston VA               36:24 
    3   641 Richard Kuehl       44 Vienna VA               36:42 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  40 - 44   (NET TIME)
    1   636 Annie Hennessa      40 Reston VA               45:08 
    2   365 Laeticia Warring    42 Reston VA               45:54 
    3   144 Tracy Kelleher      43 Potomac Falls VA        47:01 


MALE AGE GROUP:  45 - 49   (NET TIME)
    1   376 Peter Hemphill      45 Centreville VA          40:03 
    2   414 Matt Rea            49 Potomac Falls VA        40:14 
    3   656 Moe Zarella         48 Sterling VA             42:50 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  45 - 49   (NET TIME)
    1   505 Carol Roeder        48 Sterling VA             46:41 
    2   423 Wendy Everett       48 Sterling VA             50:42 
    3   318 Pamela Thomas       45 Sterling VA             51:01 


MALE AGE GROUP:  50 - 54   (NET TIME)
    1    48 Ken Krehbiel        51 Washington DC           42:30 
    2   404 Jim Kirby           50 Reston VA               45:34 
    3     2 James Moreland      52 Gaithersburg MD         46:43 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  50 - 54   (NET TIME)
    1   251 Mary Mudd           51 Fairfax Station VA      58:01 
    2   413 Linda Wellman       52 Alexandria VA           59:44 
    3   177 Linda Cregger       51 Herndon VA            1:01:13 


MALE AGE GROUP:  55 - 59   (NET TIME)
    1   645 Buzz Shiely         56 Ashburn VA              46:39 
    2   224 Bill Koetter        56 Ashburn VA              47:03 
    3   105 Mike Chisolm        55 Potomac Falls VA        52:50 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  55 - 59   (NET TIME)
    1    76 Alice Franks        57 Rockville MD            45:15 
    2    18 Jane Poole          57 Falls Church VA         51:15 
    3   129 Jacqueline Unitis   55 Potomac Falls VA        59:08 


MALE AGE GROUP:  60 - 64   (NET TIME)
    1    28 Patrick Griffith    60 Alexandria VA           38:44 
    2   249 Lloyd Blackwell     64 Warrenton VA            43:25 
    3  1003 Lou Shapiro         63 Silver Spring MD        44:02 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  60 - 64   (NET TIME)
    1    75 Pat Welch           60 Vienna VA               54:37 


MALE AGE GROUP:  65 - 69   (NET TIME)
    1    43 Richard Williams    69 Alexandria VA           49:47 
    2   757 Ron Steele          66 Fairfax VA              53:16 
    3   428 Louis Garczynski    65 Sterling VA             53:29 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  65 - 69   (NET TIME)
    1   756 Mary Jane Steele    66 Fairfax VA            1:17:05 
    2   421 Ursula Wagman       65 Springfield VA        1:20:40 


MALE AGE GROUP:  70 - 99   (NET TIME)
    1    79 Terence McCarthy    70 Leesburg VA             52:12 
    2   301 William Hoss        70 Reston VA               54:23 
    3    49 Robert Gurtler      70 The Plains VA           57:13 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  70 - 99   (NET TIME)

Race Day Results

Check back for the Photo Gallery.