Photo below: Second place Eric Aviles (34) of Riverdale, MD finishing in 19:41.

The field of participants at the inaugural Washington, DC incarnation of the MMRF Race for Research 5K brought and carried a lot of stories--heartbreaking, inspirational, and important--with them. The walk/run attracted more than 600 registrants. Runners and walkers came out to support the cause, finding a cure for multiple myeloma. At least three groups of runners wore T-shirts honoring a loved-one: the "Regan Team," the group running and walking "in honor and loving Memory of Dina Faith Rosenberg," and the family "for Mom" and "for Granny" were the most visible. Many more were not wearing such T-shirts, but were running or walking to honor a remarkable someone. In this field of runners and walkers, Robert Michael Simmons had at least four family members walking in his memory: his wife Kay Simmons, daughter Dana Simmons, brother Frank Simmons, and sister-in-law Julie Delaney. He passed away just two months ago after fighting multiple myeloma for six years. Frank Simmons described Bob's case as "pretty exceptional;" Bob survived longer than many diagnosed with multiple myeloma and yet his case was very aggressive. Frank said, "He knew the cancer would kill him. But he had lots of goals for staying alive. One was so they could learn as much as possible from his case." This is one of the many stories. The race did not attract a lot of spectators. Those that would usually spectate participated as walkers instead. This event was about the cause not the spectacle. The weather was perfect for a late fall run or walk in downtown Washington, DC: 45 degrees with some clouds, some sun, and no heavy winds (a relief after a slew of windy days). The course went out and back along the Potomac River on Ohio Drive, traversing West and East Potomac Park. The course was almost completely flat, with the exception of the little bump of the inlet bridge at the Tidal Basin.

The race attracted runners and walkers of all speeds and experience and welcomed participants with dogs and strollers. As the 600 participants gathered at the starting line, Judy Floy gave clear line up instructions: the speedy to the front, the middle of the pack in their place, and the walkers at the rear. The four participating dogs and six babies or toddlers in strollers (and their attendant owners or parents) were directed to line up at the back for everyone's safety. As a result, the start was a smooth one.

Anthony Belber (30), a speedy local runner and a regular racer, finished first overall in 18:45. He was well ahead of the pack by the turnaround and finished with about a minute to spare. Paul Cassens (15) started with Belber and, early in the race, wondered aloud if he could keep up the speed to stay with him. In 21:46, he ended up taking a respectable tenth place overall and first place in his age group with more than a seven-minute lead. Belber ran to honor a close family member who was diagnosed with multiple myeloma more than two years ago. In addition, he acknowledged, "Anytime I come out for a race, I think about competing." Eric Aviles (24) and R.J. Spalding (40, photo left) followed in second and third places with respective times of 19:41 and 20:07.

The women's competition was closer than the men's but was clearly decided by the final stretch after the inlet bridge. Leilani Eleccion (29) was first with a time of 23:07. She knew she was in first place after the turnaround, but she did not begin the race expecting to win. She said, "I'm glad I finished first, but I expected to finish faster." Eleccion is in the Marine Corps Reserves, and her main goal today was to gauge her time for the upcoming three-mile run component of the physical fitness test in December. Emily Abernathy (28) and Meredith Schoenfeld (26) followed Eleccion within 30 seconds, with respective times of 23:17 and 23:32. Alice Franks (55) finished fourth in the women's competition and first in the female masters division in 23:49.

Because this was the inaugural running, the first male and female runners and all the age group winners set event records. The top finishing times, however, seemed a little slow. The race did indeed attract more recreational runners and walkers than elite runners. But, as sometimes happens at races, the turnaround of the out-and-back course must have been mismarked. In this case, the course was a bit long. The oldest participant, Sister Maria (79), who finished in 59:49, said she knew the course was long because of her time. Sister Maria participates in many local races and knows her pace well.

Despite the long course, every participant I spoke to noted the lovely setting and perfect weather. Belber explained that no one could resist "the beautiful fall day and the scenic course." Franks (photo left) noted the weather and the location as great attractions. Races held in downtown DC have a special air about them, and the courses are almost inevitably flat. Early on a weekend morning, the usually traffic-filled city seems so empty, so calm. Yet hundreds--or sometimes thousands--of fellow runners are gathered together. From this particular course, the ducks on the placid Potomac, the monuments in the distance, the trees almost bare of leaves, and the sound of airplanes at National Airport all contributed to the ambiance. And participants had all four lanes of Ohio Drive clear of traffic and parked cars. It was a beautiful day in the park!

Award Winners

FEMALE OVERALL
Place Num   Name                   Ag City                      Net Tim Gun Tim 
===== ===== ====================== == ========================= ======= ======= 
    1   367 Leilani Eleccion       29 Arlington VA                23:06   23:07 


MALE OVERALL
Place Num   Name                   Ag City                      Net Tim Gun Tim 
===== ===== ====================== == ========================= ======= ======= 
    1   797 Anthony Belber         30 Washington DC               18:41   18:43 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  1 - 14
    1   800 Sophie Shuman          13 Annapolis MD                30:44   30:51 
    2   639 Samantha Hopkins       13 Mt. Airy MD                 32:40   32:59 
    3   526 Jewel-Joye Sirjue      14 Mitchellville MD            42:36   43:59 


MALE AGE GROUP:  1 - 14
    1   485 Nathan Epstein         14 Bethesda MD                 23:26   23:30 
    2   709 Joel Levitt            12 Bethesda MD                 28:31   28:41 
    3   840 Josh Schwaber          12 Rockville MD                29:27   29:36 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  15 - 19
    1   598 Shauna Maher           19 Upper Saddle River NJ       28:29   28:47 
    2   755 Dana Silver            15 Silver Spring MD            32:07   32:22 
    3   790 Adina Klein            17 Silver Spring MD            40:17   40:23 


MALE AGE GROUP:  15 - 19
    1   767 Paul Cassens           15 Arlington VA                21:45   21:46 
    2   597 Brad Fischer           15 Silver Spring MD            28:41   28:47 
    3   596 Nicholas Davis         16 Waldorf MD                  33:11   34:01 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  20 - 24
    1   805 Ashley Langer          23 Washington DC               24:33   24:37 
    2   673 Elizabeth Harvey       24 Arlington VA                28:30   28:42 
    3   680 Kelly Vaughan          23 Ann Arbor MI                28:50   28:58 


MALE AGE GROUP:  20 - 24
    1   652 Caley Gray             23 Washington DC               22:27   22:29 
    2   856 Jeremy Shein           24                             30:11   30:33 
    3   734 Anthony Loffredo       24 Arlington VA                32:24   32:52 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  25 - 29
    1   602 Emily Abernathy        28 Washington DC               23:12   23:17 
    2   479 Meredith Schoenfeld    26 Washington DC               23:30   23:32 
    3   656 Janeen Scaturro        26 Arlington VA                24:14   24:16 


MALE AGE GROUP:  25 - 29
    1   467 Allan Lewis            26 Mclean VA                   20:47   20:49 
    2   476 Chan Lieu              28 Arlington VA                23:37   23:58 
    3   543 Evan Barnett           26 Washington DC               24:38   24:49 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  30 - 34
    1   869 Kimberly Barry         30 Washington DC               25:43   26:15 
    2   204 Julia Kazaks           33 Bethesda MD                 26:15   26:40 
    3   640 Jennifer Ney           31 Washington DC               28:12   28:31 


MALE AGE GROUP:  30 - 34
    1   804 Eric Aviles            34 Riverdale MD                19:40   19:41 
    2   589 Stephen Sheikhli       31 Alexandria VA               22:02   22:04 
    3   735 Mike Galetto           32 Arlington VA                22:58   23:03 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  35 - 39
    1   617 Denise Durgin          37 Mclean VA                   24:29   24:31 
    2   824 Mary Oneill            39 Washington DC               26:01   26:11 
    3   382 Lynn Addington         36 Washington DC               27:11   27:16 


MALE AGE GROUP:  35 - 39
    1   566 Tyrone Cook            37 Dale City VA                20:53   20:54 
    2   771 Kevin Coleman          38 Arlington VA                21:08   21:10 
    3   495 Jeffrey Prescott       39 Charlotte NC                21:42   21:42 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  40 - 44
    1   803 Sarah Buckheit         43 Herndon VA                  24:06   24:06 
    2   799 Erica Shuman           41 Annapolis MD                30:43   30:51 
    3   409 Sari Henry             40 Washington DC               31:56   32:04 


MALE AGE GROUP:  40 - 44
    1   764 RJ Spalding            40 Rockville MD                20:07   20:07 
    2   655 Allen Haywood          40 Washington DC               21:36   21:38 
    3   576 Andy Shuford           43 Concord NC                  21:59   21:59 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  45 - 49
    1   608 Barbara Krause         46 Sykesville MD               30:47   30:52 
    2   701 Elisabeth Gustafson    45 Arlington VA                32:08   32:19 
    3   759 Carol Brooks           47 Reston VA                   32:28   32:58 


MALE AGE GROUP:  45 - 49
    1   754 David Tomkinson        48 Woodbridge VA               23:30   23:33 
    2   874 Al Saleno              48 Brookeville MD              24:12   24:24 
    3   484 Gerald Epstein         46 Bethesda MD                 24:23   24:27 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  50 - 54
    1   225 Suanne Shocket         50 Manassas VA                 25:06   25:12 
    2   221 Lynn Salvo             54 Mclean VA                   25:29   25:31 
    3   892 Kathy Hennes           51 Laurel MD                   27:44   27:51 


MALE AGE GROUP:  50 - 54
    1   222 Dan Eddy               52 Kingstowne VA               20:24   20:25 
    2   657 Jon Hiratsuka          50 Arlington VA                22:25   22:31 
    3   635 David Donahue          51 Washington DC               22:50   22:52 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  55 - 59
    1   220 Alice Franks           55 Rockville MD                23:44   23:49 
    2   254 Ellyn Rogers           56 Owings Mills MD             30:36   30:42 
    3   667 Sherry Jagerson        56 Washington DC               34:34   34:49 


MALE AGE GROUP:  55 - 59
    1   788 Steve Moe              59                             23:38   23:41 
    2   742 John Weldin            55 Herndon VA                  23:58   23:58 
    3   548 James Bader            59 Bethesda MD                 25:02   25:03 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  60 - 64
    1   503 Susan Lucas            61 Gainesville VA              27:10   27:39 
    2   763 Sandra Hayward         62 Bethesda MD                 30:45   30:54 
    3   380 Linda Rishe            60 Silver Spring MD            34:44   35:00 


MALE AGE GROUP:  60 - 64
    1   223 Lou Shapiro            62 Silver Spring MD            22:58   24:19 
    2   203 Bill Sollers           64 Silver Spring MD            26:28   26:30 
    3   816 Peter Goldberg         62 Silver Spring MD            30:10   30:15 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  65 - 69
    1   743 Lillian Wolf           69 Silver Spring MD            51:42   52:10 
    2   334 Patricia Ward          68 Leesburg VA                 59:12   59:50 
    3   427 Sheila Finney          65 Leesburg VA                 59:08   59:51 


MALE AGE GROUP:  65 - 69
    1   778 Jim Turner             69 Olney MD                    29:59   30:03 
    2   426 Brian Johnson          68 Rockville MD                55:05   55:55 
    3   454 James Clarke           65 Rockville MD              1:04:11 1:05:41 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  70 - 99
    1   201 Sister Maria           79 Washington DC               59:16   59:49 


MALE AGE GROUP:  70 - 99
    1   841 Jules Schwaber         70 Brookline MA                36:43   36:58 
    2   452 Elliot Cole            71 Rockville MD                47:28   48:12 
    3   568 John Lopes             73 Laurel DE                 1:06:01 1:07:48

See complete results of the MMRF Race for Research 5K.

The Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF), a not-for- profit, national organization solely dedicated to finding a cure for multiple myeloma, expects to raise about $125,000 from today's event to fund myeloma-specific research. Shelley Christie, Development Coordinator for the MMRF race program, has overseen five other Races for Research in 2003: San Francisco on April 13, Boston on April 27, Seattle on July 19, Chicago on September 14, and Atlanta on October 5. From the six races, the MMRF will raise close to $1 million. Check out their Web site, www.multiplemyeloma.org, for more information.