In photo, Michael Wardian (l) hangs with Brian Baillie just before the two mile mark.

Five years for five miles and lots of high fives. Again, we were blessed with a beautiful spring morning for this jaunt around Germantown. The heat backed off and the "threat" of rain was a laugher. Even with scores of other races being run this weekend, this race maintained its regular 300 five-mile finishers. The main event was sandwiched in between a kids' 1K race and a two-mile fun run.

The 5-mile pays good cash for the top three spots, so the race always draws about a half dozen racers that can run a 5:00 mile for the men. Today, Stephen Crane came in with the best credentials with two 10K wins as well as a win and a second place in the half marathon. More importantly, he had head-to-head wins against the field at the Credit Union Cherry Blossom and at the GW Parkway 10 Mile. Fourth place Matthew Waggoner (29) of Cumberland, PA was runner-up last year in 25:19 and tried to stay with the lead pack. Fifth place Michael Wardian (33) of Arlington, VA was the only other runner in the top nine not to race at Cherry Blossom. He hung back a few meters off the pack. Maybe it was the eight marathons he has already run this year, albeit six of them were top three finishes with three overall wins and a year's best at the Shamrock in 2:21:47. Still, he had the juice to hold off seventh place Brian Baillie (24) of Washington, DC by two seconds in 25:41 even if he lost contact with the lead pack by the last mile. Wardian was the winner in 2004.

In photo, (l-r) Crane, Berdan, Wagoner, Deberework, Bitok.

Moving back up the chain, fourth place Dave Berdan (25) of Parkville, MD had the second fastest Cherry Blossom in 50:30 but John Bitok (51:13) and Beruk Deberework (51:19) were not far back. Crane had led with a 50:02 and backed that up with a 49:45 at the GW Parkway three weeks later and Deberework ran a 50:28. Berdan had the best 5K, winning in 15:19 but the top three runners moved away to negate his finishing kick. The next week Bitok moved out at DARCARS Pike's Peek, besting Crane 30:11 to 30:14 with Deberework way back in 30:49.

The Germantown course is a mildly rolling course but the first mile had a light wind at the runners' backs. The second mile is into a headwind but at that time it was still nothing. Just after passing by the start/finish, the runners pass mile two and do a quick circle through the parking lot and then scoot up a half-mile hill. The fourth mile is mostly flat but ends with a 200-meter downhill to get the runners going for the final mile. The problem is that now the wind is a lot more blustery and definitely tugging on the runners. That was when Crane made his move to drop Bitok. Bitok finished in 24:53 for what would have been the third fastest time ever except that both Crane and Deberework were ahead of him. Deberework was in Crane's slipstream and hanging on where a place also meant another $100 in prize money. Just like the Preakness with Curlin winning by a head over Derby winner Street Sense, the race was decided in the last stride. Crane set a new course record, breaking the tape in 24:29. Deberework rushed across the line in 24:31 for an age group record.

Victoria Klimina (31) of Germantown, MD is the course record holder, set when she won in 27:54 in 2004. Today, she was not up to that standard but she was never really threatened, winning in 29:44. Second place Anya Oleynik (18) of Gaithersburg, MD (photo) is living proof that the Wednesday night track workouts work. She blistered the relatively weak course record for teens by more than five minutes to earn the runner-up spot, worth $200, in 30:22. Diana Pool (26) of Westminster, MD was the only runner in sight of her, finishing a hundred meters back in 30:44.

Cindy Conant (46) of Kensington, MD won the masters battle with a fine 33:06. The next masters runner was Deborah Flynn (50) of Gaithersburg, MD in 34:21, breaking her own best time of 34:34 set in 2003 and, more importantly, setting the new standard for the grandmasters that had been held by Betty Blank (34:26 in 2006). Alice Franks (59) of Rockville, MD won her fifth consecutive and last 55-59 age group award in 38:03.

For the masters men, newly married Doug Mock (photo; that is his excuse for skipping Sallie Mae after winning Pike's Peek in 32:43) told me, "I didn't feel like doing a workout alone." So the three-time Annapolis 10 Mile winner entered the race and put in a workman-like 27:06 to scorch the masters field and set a new course record. Jean-Christophe Arcaz (46) of Rockville, MD was next in a fine 28:35.

With all the talk of grandmasters and the battle they had at Pike's Peek, (Moeser is back and Rick Platt has revived a great career with a couple of 35-minute 10Ks) one could almost forget that Jim Wright (57) of Gaithersburg, MD was third in the 55-59 in 36:58 there. He told me, "For a while, before Moeser returned, the division was a little weak." Today, he ignored Tim Morgan, one of his regular competitors, and took off like the wind.

Patrick Griffth has retired (not from running) and moved to Florida. Both of his records were whisked away. The first (2003), he had set the 55-59 record with 30:38. Wright brushed it aside with a sparkling 29:49. Two years ago, Griffith had an easy time setting the 60-64 record with 30:53. Speedster Jason Page (62) of Hamilton, VA felt the time was right. He told me his first mile was 5:55, right where he wanted it. Steady as can be, he raced to a fine 30:49 course record.

After the race, there were so many things to eat that volunteers were bringing it around and serving the runners. California Tortillas caught the eyes of runners as well as fresh apples on trays. Under the big tent, the bananas served as paperweights for the napkins being blown by the wind. There were so many homemade baked goods (brownies, cookies, cakes, and pastries) that they brought a smile to many runners' eyes.

Race director Danny Talmage was his usual energetic self, circling around making sure everyone was indeed having a good time. Yes, we were!

Parking was plentiful and facilities ample. There were attractions for the kids and random prizes for everyone. After the cash for the top three runners, age group prizes went three deep in five year groups. With three hundred finishers, that means that more than 20% of the runners earned their awards.

If you missed the race this year, do not make that same mistake and come run this fine race next year. Mark your calendars for May 17, 2008!

Photo below: Last year's runner-up, Matthew Wagoner (29) of New Cumberland, PA was fifth this year in 25:30.

Awards - Men

Place Num   Name                    Ag City               Time  
===== ===== ======================= == ================== ===== 
    1    13 Steve Crane             25 Alexandria VA      24:29 
    2     7 Beruk Deberework        24 Washington DC      24:31 
    3    12 John Kipchirchir Bitok  27 Baltimore MD       24:53 
MALE AGE GROUP:  01 - 14
    1   392 Jimmy Kazunas           12 Germantown MD      42:52 
    2   117 Tj Brockway             14 Gaithersburg MD    44:44 
    3   354 C J Barr                14 Damascus MD        48:12 
MALE AGE GROUP:  15 - 19
    1   319 Joseph Ersinghaus       18 Andrews Afb MD     29:41 
    2   268 Kris Lasko              17 Gaithersburg MD    30:45 
    3   284 Michael Dutton          17 Germantown MD      42:14 
MALE AGE GROUP:  20 - 24
    1     5 Brian Baillie           24 Washington DC      25:42 
    2   296 Patrick Reaves          22 College Park MD    26:48 
    3   302 Vitaly Montau           20 Germantown MD      33:01 
MALE AGE GROUP:  25 - 29
    1    11 David Berdan            25 Parkville MD       25:16 
    2   387 Matthew Wagoner         29 New Cumberland PA  25:30
    3   225 Phil Reutlinger         28 Arlington VA       26:06 
MALE AGE GROUP:  30 - 34
    1     9 Michael Wardian         33 Arlington VA       25:41 
    2    15 Frank Sprtel            34 Silver Spring MD   26:22 
    3   348 Paul Rades              34 Silver Spring MD   26:57 
MALE AGE GROUP:  35 - 39
    1   238 Sean Eastman            38 Montgomery Vill MD 35:03 
    2   398 Cleveland Howard        38 Gaithersburg MD    35:15 
    3   397 Paul Headland           38 Monrovia MD        36:31 
MALE AGE GROUP:  40 - 44
    1   384 Doug Mock               40 Columbia MD        27:05 
    2   338 Dan Difonzo             44 Rockville MD       29:54 
    3   207 John Beckley            40 Silver Spring MD   30:28 
MALE AGE GROUP:  45 - 49
    1    50 Jean-Christophe Arcaz   46 Rockville MD       28:33 
    2   339 Andrew Fitzgerald       49 Potomac MD         31:31 
    3   336 Douglas Watt            49 Gaithersburg MD    38:15 
MALE AGE GROUP:  50 - 54
    1   234 Peter Darmody           51 Gaithersburg MD    30:29 
    2   304 Paul Peterson           53 Bethesda MD        31:28 
    3     4 James Moreland          54 Gaithersburg MD    34:10 
MALE AGE GROUP:  55 - 59
    1   375 Jim Wright              57 Gaithersburg MD    29:47 
    2   293 Timothy Morgan          56 Damascus MD        31:11 
    3   291 Martin Kiebert          55 Germantown MD      38:40 
MALE AGE GROUP:  60 - 64
    1    46 Jason Page              62 Hamilton VA        30:46 
    2    39 Herb Tolbert            60 Montgomery Vill MD 33:06 
    3   236 Walter Brown            63 Montgomery Vill MD 36:54 
MALE AGE GROUP:  65 - 69
    1    54 Bill Sollers            67 Silver Spring MD   41:05 
    2   374 Chet Coates             67 Silver Spring MD   41:44 
    3   212 Kenneth Kelley          68 Barnesville MD     44:06 
MALE AGE GROUP:  70 - 74
    1   309 Philip Hager            70 Falls Church VA    39:14 
    2    44 Robert Smith            73 Comus MD           44:32 
    3   258 Joseph Jaffa            71 Potomac MD         58:10 
MALE AGE GROUP:  75 - 99
    1   256 Phil Zenchoff           79 Silver Spring MD   72:40 

Photo below: Cindy Conant (46) of Kensington, MD was the top female master in 33:04.

Awards - Women

Place Num   Name                    Ag City               Time  
===== ===== ======================= == ================== ===== 
    1     3 Victoria Klimina        31 Germantown MD      29:44 
    2     6 Anya Oleynik            18 Gaithersburg MD    30:22 
    3   267 Diana Pool              26 Westminster MD     30:44 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  01 - 14
    1   213 Savannah Godbey         14 Damascus MD        65:27 
    2   355 Katie Mayo              14 Bethesda MD        76:34 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  15 - 19
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  20 - 24
    1     8 Kelly Devine            23 York PA            32:10 
    2   262 Sheena Dahlke           24 Silver Spring MD   33:11 
    3   403 Amanda Parrish          24 Washington DC      33:17 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  25 - 29
    1   226 Becky Reutlinger        25 Arlington VA       35:59 
    2   184 Erin Medina             28 Germantown MD      38:42 
    3   324 Christina Majkrzak      27 Olney MD           40:43 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  30 - 34
    1   359 Karen Carpenter         31 Leesburg VA        38:25 
    2   337 Jenny Boyd              30 Germantown MD      40:08 
    3   381 Lauren McGarity         30 Washington DC      41:05 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  35 - 39
    1   408 Elizabeth Feldman       39 Chevy Chase MD     32:42 
    2   113 Michelle Beard          37 Montgomery Vill MD 37:13 
    3   366 Jennifer Sleeman        35 Clarksville MD     39:49 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  40 - 44
    1    10 Susie Kinnecome         43 Bethesda MD        35:36 
    2   388 Carolyn Holland         40 Silver Spring MD   38:50 
    3    30 Mary Piper              41 Montgomery Vill MD 39:14 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  45 - 49
    1   393 Cindy Conant            46 Kensington MD      33:04 
    2   325 Paula Galliani          47 Gaithersburg MD    37:51 
    3   378 Linda Devlin            45 Gaithersburg MD    44:44 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  50 - 54
    1   240 Debbie Flynn            50 Gaithersburg MD    34:18 
    2   203 Carol English           52 Germantown MD      40:53 
    3   192 Iris Madison            50 Gaithersburg MD    43:18 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  55 - 59
    1    51 Alice Franks            59 Rockville MD       37:58 
    2    45 Elizabeth Sadoff        57 Washington DC      44:07 
    3   257 Gladys White            58 Gaithersburg MD    56:31 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  60 - 64
    1   179 Anne Longanecker        61 College Park MD    52:15 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  65 - 69
    1    49 Jamie Wollard           69 N Bethesda MD      57:17 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  70 - 74
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  75 - 99

Full Race Day Results
Event Records
Race Report
Photo Gallery 2007
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