Photos by Kathy Freedman

Every year this race gets more competitive. Every year this race is more fun to run. Nestled in the mildly rolling hills of Germantown between Route 355 and Route I-270, this course is nearly bucolic. The monster Milestone Plaza is just out of sight around the corner but this area still seems devoid of the residential crowding a few miles south. In this fourth running, the skies looked ominous but we were promised that these clouds had no rain to offer. Cool, overcast, spring weather; who could ask for more? The parking was plentiful and, at about a quarter mile away, just right for a warm-up. The Sergeant's Program was there warming up runners. With the organized young run going off first, the exercise leader was down on his knees to lead them. At first, when they lined up at the start they were faced the wrong way-downhill. These kids are smart. After they were turned, they raced spiritedly out onto the course. On the way back, they were treated to more than usual cheering from the rest of the runners waiting for their turn. Some of these little tykes looked really sharp sprinting to the finish.

Now it was time for the long and lean look of the elite runners. Michael Wardian [Photo left] had won the race in 2004 in 25:14. Chris Banks had won the race last year in 25:17. Banks was looking neater, having shorn his long locks. Wardian stuck with the backward cap look. Banks was a lot more rested. In March, he had topped Wardian at the St. Patrick's Day 8K 25:08 to 25:48. Banks won a 5K the next month. Wardian went on a race junkie's dream. In a period of seven weeks, he was the overall winner in four marathons. He rested in between races with two ten milers in the 53:00s. Then, the first weekend of May, he punched out a 32:37 Apple Blossom 10K, followed the next day with a 25:52 Patriot's Cup.

This year more tough runners came looking for the prize money offered the top three finishers. When they said GO, the runners leapt across the ChampionChip mats as if they were shot out of a cannon. At age 28, Erik Kean had set the record in the first year at 24:45. The top three runners were all 28. Gliding through the first mile, it looked as if there might be another record. Then the field started to separate. Peter Cherkondy of Baltimore, MD is a new face. He needed to hear footsteps behind him to achieve the record as he hit the line in 24:51 for the second fastest time and the third time under 25:00. Runner-up Matthew Waggoner of New Cumberland, PA joins a list of out of area runners with fine time with the sixth fastest time of 25:19. Chris Banks was shuffled back to third in 25:28. In all, seven runners broke 26:00 and faster. Fourth place Matt Barresi [photo left] of Ashton, MD was coming off a 51:47 Cherry Blossom, racing today in 25:47 to hold off Wardian in 25:52. Sixth place Jon Lauder of Oakton, VA was next in 25:56. He had run the monster 20,000 plus Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10K in 32:54 and then finished April at Pike's Peek in 31:14. Four seconds later, Wesley Chebochok of Germatown, MD flashed across the line.

Jean Christophe Arcaz of Rockville, MD has run the last three years, slowing slightly from 28:21 in 2004. This year he turned 45 and was the top masters division finisher in 29:00. The very next runner was Michael Hart, the only record breaker for the men today. Hart ran 29:17 for the best grandmaster. Former record holder and two-time age group winner Paul Peterson was next in 30:51. Tim Morgan (55) won his age group on his third try at this race. His time of 30:57 is not so far off the course record held by Patrick Griffith (30:38). Griffith, the 60-64 record holder as well, was not here this year, leaving the door open for Walter Brown cracking the top fifty men and racing 35:54. For the youths, Alex Rosenberg, the 14 & under record holder when he ran 35:49 two years ago, torched the 15-19 division with a 29:53 at age 16.

While the men's times were across the board, the women were all about the older runners. They were no runners 20 or younger in the first 20 finishers. The first teen was 50th overall. Elena Orlova (35) [photo left] of Germantown, MD was the favorite. Her 28:02 runner-up spot in 2004 was tied for the second fastest time on the course. She had busted a third overall finish at Pike's Peek (34:26) in April and was a runner-up in 35:24 at the Apple Blossom earlier this month. Her only real challenge was Christina Wells. Wells had run a tough battle at St. Patrick's Day 8K in 27:53 in March, just missing the title by a stride and a mere three seconds from third. Two weeks later she beat top ranked Susannah Kvasnicka at the Scope it Out 5K in 17:00. In April, she ran a superb Cherry Blossom in 57:46 to say that she was ready. Orlova pushed out quickly and ran a steady 28:22 for the win. Wells was off her game, settling for the eighth fastest time and the runner-up spot in 28:54.

Orlova's time set the new sub-masters division record.

Then bang, bang, bang the next seven times were all masters. Monica Grillo was coming off a 64:36 Cherry Blossom and last week she was the overall winner at the Mother's Day 10K in 40:36. Today, she wanted some of the cash. With the two top runners long gone, she steadily separated herself from the rest of the field. Bev Black of Frederick, MD set the 40-44 division record last year in 35:00. This year, five masters, including Black, bested that time. Grillo took third place money while demolishing the record in 31:45. Win Persina (46) of Washington, DC was seen warming up with headphones on, oblivious to the records that were about to fall. She was heard to say that she planned on going out around 6:15. So she did. Her rise is the rankings has been steady. She claimed she just wanted to break a 6:30 pace. She easily did. She took down the previous masters record set by Debbie Flynn the first year in 34:34 and won her age group in 32:16.

Helen Beven is back. You can see it in the way she glides ahead of everyone in her track workouts. Her fifth place time of 33:24 will be one of her slower times by summer. Sixth place Betty Blank (53) of Falls Church, VA moved easily through the first mile in 6:40, which at the time was tenth place. With every mile she moved up on another woman. She will tell you that she was not happy with her time. She broke the course record of Carol English by nearly five minutes, running 34:27. Bev Black was next. Now 45, she ran even faster than her former course record time, keeping her husband Ron (third place 50-54) in sight the whole way. They nearly always go to races together, though today Ron was racing tired. Naturally, he claimed that Bev was, too. Indeed, she did race the tough Celtic Solstice course in 33:48 last winter. We expect her to climb up the rankings this spring too.

[Just before mile two Betty Blank (center) moves past Bev Black (right) with Patricia Keating (left) charging]

Eighth place Susie Kinnecome (42) of Bethesda, MD finished 34:08 at the Celtic Solstice. Both Kinnecome (70:46) and ninth place Patricia Keating (71:13) had bested Black at Cherry Blossom (72:39) Today, Susie (35:03) caught Patricia (35:16) and closed on the fast starting Bev (34:50), though she did not catch her.

55-59 record holder Alice Franks of Rockville, MD is four for four, winning her age group every year. Thirty women broke the 8:00 pace. Rene West was the second 50-54 in 38:14. Former record holder Carol English was third in 38:56, also ahead of her former record. Running solo in her division, Jaime Wollard (68) of Bethesda, MD went after her record of 55:30, just missing with 55:49.

After the race was run, competitors dropped their ChampionChips in the bucket and headed for the chow line. Sure, there were lots of bagels and bananas and plenty of soda and bottled water. Better still, there were rows and rows of homed-baked desserts. Smiling runners came back for more. During all the noshing, race director Danny Talmage was announcing many random prizes, In fact, volunteers were milling around the happy crowd passing out coupons for prizes. By now, the clouds were gone and the sun was shining brightly. Dancers came out to entertain us with music booming in the background. Again, there was a special play area for kids as well.

Overall winners got cash. Age group winners got fine prizes such as running shoes and fruit baskets. Sharp-eared runners got a chance to dash for prizes. Instead of the oft times cumbersome style of calling out race numbers, Talmage would keep us alert with, "I have five free pizzas for the first five runners to get to me! No, make that ten!" "Whoever gets here first gets a dozen doughnuts!"

The course is well marked and marshaled. The food and prizes are great. The results and awards are done right away. The course is reasonably fast and the competition is challenging. The weather has always been great. All good reasons for runners to set their calendars for the fifth Germantown 5-Miler next May.

Seneca Creek Community Church admires the efforts of the Germantown Boys & Girls Club and is happy that the race committee has chosen this worthy local charity as its 2006 beneficiary.

Male Awards

Place Num   Name                    Ag City               Time  
===== ===== ======================= == ================== ===== 
    1     5 Peter Chepknoky         28 Baltimore MD       24:51 
    2   403 Matthew Wagoner         28 New Cumberland PA  25:19 
    3     1 Chris Banks             28 Alexandria VA      25:28 
MALE AGE GROUP:  01 - 14
    1   120 Jake Danoff             14 Rockville MD       37:07 
    2   421 Jimmy Kazunas           11 Germantown MD      44:41 
    3   258 Garrett Gage            14 Middletown MD      52:06 
MALE AGE GROUP:  15 - 19
    1   295 Alex Rosenberg          16 Gaithersburg MD    29:52 
    2   324 Daniel Ramsey           19 Olney MD           31:11 
    3   391 Kevin Cencula           16 Gaithersburg MD    31:23 
MALE AGE GROUP:  20 - 24
    1   335 Matthew Barresi         23 Ashton MD          25:47 
    2   347 Jon Lauder              23 Oakton VA          25:55 
    3   431 Mahsudul Ali            22 Clarksburg MD      26:53 
MALE AGE GROUP:  25 - 29
    1   404 Nathan Timm             25 Germantown MD      33:04 
    2   311 Jason Sinko             28 Frederick MD       36:47 
    3   219 Scott Bevans            27 Germantown MD      38:13 
MALE AGE GROUP:  30 - 34
    1     3 Michael Wardian         31 Arlington VA       25:52 
    2     7 Wesley Chebochok        32 Germantown MD      25:59 
    3   334 Gabor Olah              31 Gaithersburg MD    27:32 
MALE AGE GROUP:  35 - 39
    1   423 Mark Hand               39 Arlington VA       29:35 
    2   172 Michael Gregory         36 Germantown MD      30:13 
    3   148 John Beckley            39 Silver Spring MD   32:38 
MALE AGE GROUP:  40 - 44
    1   399 Antonio Claro           44 Rockville MD       30:01 
    2   249 Dan Difonzo             43 Rockville MD       30:18 
    3   297 Hans Martin             41 Washington DC      33:24 
MALE AGE GROUP:  45 - 49
    1    90 Jean Christophe Arcaz   45 Rockville MD       28:59 
    2   263 Dennis Coleman          48 Gaithersburg MD    29:56 
    3   145 Paul Jacobs             46 Vienna VA          30:19 
MALE AGE GROUP:  50 - 54
    1   315 Mike Hart               50 Washington DC      29:16 
    2   261 Paul Peterson           52 Bethesda MD        30:49 
    3    33 Ronald Black            51 Frederick MD       33:37 
MALE AGE GROUP:  55 - 59
    1   150 Timothy Morgan          55 Damascus MD        30:56 
    2   177 Joseph McTighe          58 Germantown MD      40:35 
    3   289 Dan Kuhn                55 Germantown MD      41:19 
MALE AGE GROUP:  60 - 64
    1   298 Walter Brown            62 Montgomery Vill MD 35:52 
    2   168 John Casinghino         60 Kensington MD      38:09 
    3   161 Theodore Abernethy      61 Moneta VA          41:57 
MALE AGE GROUP:  65 - 69
    1   395 Chet Coates             66 Silver Spring MD   42:36 
    2   372 Roger Burkhart          68 Gaithersburg MD    45:41 
    3   188 Kenneth Kelley          67 Barnesville MD     45:44 
MALE AGE GROUP:  70 - 74
    1    43 Robert Smith            72 Comus MD           43:20 
MALE AGE GROUP:  75 - 99

Female Awards

Place Num   Name                    Ag City               Time  
===== ===== ======================= == ================== ===== 
    1     4 Elena Orlova            36 Germantown MD      28:22 
    2     6 Christina Wells         30 Woodbridge VA      28:54 
    3   365 Monica Grillo           41 Arlington VA       31:45 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  01 - 14
    1   269 Alexandra Miles         14 Clarksburg MD      46:40 
    2   442 Susan MacKey            06                    59:54 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  15 - 19
    1   127 Sara Scott              19 Potomac MD         44:18 
    2   291 Danica Gordon           15 Germantown MD      47:23 
    3   292 Carly Gordon            15 Germantown MD      51:34 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  20 - 24
    1   160 Liz Corah               23 Germantown MD      46:18 
    2   144 Megan Woolheater        24 Gaithersburg MD    49:41 
    3   221 Mei Lee                 24 Germantown MD      50:44 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  25 - 29
    1   312 Jenny Boyd              29 Germantown MD      38:29 
    2   413 Connie Dodmead          28 Rockville MD       38:33 
    3   220 Jill Bevans             28 Germantown MD      39:23 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  30 - 34
    1   374 Jennifer Sleeman        34 Clarksville MD     39:56 
    2   123 Karen Guilds            34 Gaithersburg MD    40:42 
    3   273 Jackie Kascic           31 Urbana MD          41:33 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  35 - 39
    1   131 Michelle Beard          36 Montgomery Vill MD 35:47 
    2   203 Carole Kammel           37 Rockville MD       36:05 
    3   206 Andrea Keane-Myers      37 Bethesda MD        36:36 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  40 - 44
    1   383 Helen Beven             41 Kensington MD      33:22 
    2   264 Susie Kinnecome         42 Bethesda MD        35:01 
    3   424 Patricia Keating        44 Dayton MD          35:13 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  45 - 49
    1   398 Win Persina             46 Washington DC      32:15 
    2   349 Beverly Black           45 Frederick MD       34:49 
    3   378 Jean Betz               47 Cabin John MD      36:43 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  50 - 54
    1    29 Betty Blank             53 Falls Church VA    34:25 
    2    30 Renee West              51 Bethesda MD        38:10 
    3   226 Carol English           51 Grmantown MD       38:50 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  55 - 59
    1    46 Alice Franks            58 Rockville MD       37:48 
    2    47 Claudia Crawford        59 Germantown MD      41:00 
    3   227 Trudie Toussaint        58 Rockville MD       52:25 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  60 - 64
    1   238 Annerose Longanecker    60 College Park MD    50:22 
    2    36 Blair Jones             62 Washington DC      50:48 
    3   405 Carol Zehnacker         61 Frederick MD       52:09 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  65 - 69
    1    49 Jamie Wollard           68 N Bethesda MD      55:45 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  70 - 74
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  75 - 99

Race Day Report for 2006
Full Race Day Results
Photo Gallery 2006
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