It started as a beautiful, crisp fall day in West Potomac Park. The sun was shining brightly. A cool breeze and a thirty-two degree temperature at 7:30 am made running shorts disappear. Most runners were in tights or sweatpants. The bright orange race shirts were a grateful addition to the layers of clothing for the more than six hundred participants of the 5K-race event.

Earlier in the year the Washington Monument grounds had been closed to get a face-lift. Now it was Lincoln's turn. West Potomac Park, just across Independence Avenue from the monument, is surrounded by the Roosevelt Memorial just down Ohio Drive. The race secured shuttles from Freedom Plaza. Many of the cognoscenti parked on the numbered side streets across Constitution Avenue and hotfooted past the Vietnam Memorial, waving to Lincoln as they passed the reflecting pool. The half- mile walk made for a nice warm up for the out and back race.

Three radio stations (Talk Radio 630 WMAL, Smooth Jazz 105.9, and Mix 107.3) were present and all had T-shirts and other promotional gifts for runners, though only one played music. Jack Diamond from 107.3 kept the runners informed on the race day procedure with the help of Judy from Capital Running Company. We discovered the secret of Judy's smooth, professional delivery today. She is a tour guide as well as announcer for Capital Running Company races.

There was a gear check but most people wore everything they came with.

Today's crowd of runners came out in support of the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation. More than half of the participants would be walking. Their biggest challenge might have been which of them raised the most money in donations. The winner raised more than $10,000.

Scanning the starting line, we saw prolific racer Ted Poulos of McLean, VA. He had his race face on. Already this year he had been the overall winner in more than fifty-two of his nearly two hundred races run. He probably noticed fellow masters runners Chris Sabatini of Washington, DC and John Segereson of Arlington, VA but his focus had to be on today's race favorite Anthony Belber of Washington, DC.

This out and back course is totally flat except while crossing the inlet river bridge about one fifth of the way into the race. On just this same course, Poulos had run a PR 15:48 back in 2000. As the runners turned the corner coming off the bridge, we could see all four of the top runners and it looked like a close battle. By the time we could see faces and recognize strides, it was clear that Belber (photo above) would win. His time of 17:01 was just 40 meters ahead of Poulos (17:12) who held off the charge of new master Chris Sabitini (17:15) to the disappointment of his cheering section at the finish line. Segerson was about 100 meters back to win his age group. The top three overall got a trophy and a photo opportunity. Top three in age groups picked up their medallions out of view of the awards platform.

The women winners were not regulars to the area scene. Rowena Watson (35) of Washington, DC won easily in 21:08, finishing 18th overall. As with all the runners behind the top ten places, she was dressed for warmth. Amy Wagshal (21) of Silver Spring, MD (photo left) seemed nearly buried in her clothes as she negotiated past one more runner at the end to finish second overall in 21:50. Third place Jaclyn Kessler (22) of Washington, DC cruised in nine seconds later.

With five-year age groups, Denise Durgin of McLean, VA finished fourth overall a minute later and won the 35-39 division. Amy Judge (27) of Washington, DC was next in 23:09, followed by age group winner Kirtley Fisher (22) of Washington, DC in 23:46 and Linda Bedell (34) of Upper Marlboro, MD in 23:54. Surprisingly the later half of the forties beat the younger half. Linda Mutziger (47) of Laytonsville, MD won her division ahead of Christina Maggio (44) of Middlesburg, VA. Same goes for the fifties, with Jane Poole (57) Falls Church, VA snagging a win in 25:30, better than 50-54 division champ Kathleen Alexander of Haymarket, VA in 32:14. Linda Rishe of Silver Spring, MD headed the 60-64 division while Alane Youngentob of Bethesda, MD won the 65-59 division. Jacqueline O'Neil (73) of Washington, DC easily dispatched her competition in the 70 and over category.

For the men, fifth place David Deschryer (32) of Washington, DC won the fast guy division in 17:48. Another David (Soria) of Manassas, VA won the elder half of the thirties in 18:00.John Clark (47) of Winlock, WA, who was really the fourth masters runner, won the 45-49 division in 20:35. Just turned twenty- five, Justin Samuel of Virginia Beach, VA (photo left) won in 19:15. While one year younger, David Brennan of Silver Spring, MD won his division in 21:50.

The real battle of the elite runners today was in the 60-64 division. Usually near the top of the division, John Haubert of Alexandria, VA was telling tales of woe before the start. His knees had been bothering him all year causing him to run minutes slower than his usual swift races. He knew Steve Forman of McLean, VA, who was usually nipping at his heels, would show no mercy. Steve looked really tired as he crossed the line in 21:28 but he dared not let up and give John hope. John finished in 21:56 and stoically allowed that it was a good start on his comeback trail.

Jerry Lewis of Reston, VA was a familiar race in the 65-69 rankings and then he seemed to disappear. He was away, not slowing down. After dispatching some of the top runners in the division in the past few months, he had an easy time with his seven-minute age group victory. He won the Riley's Rumble in 1:50:02 over a tough Robert Smith and then in October won his division at the Marine Corp Marathon. He slowed a lot in the last mile today, which may be explained by headwinds or the fact that he had the award in the bag. Fifty-nine-year-old James Hozik of Great Falls, VA ran a fine time of 22:40 to win the division, Jaime Ugarte of Rockville, MD won the 50-54 division in 27:30.

The food set-up was great. Steamers provided warmed, flavored milk to many a chilled runner. The wind was only slight until runners headed back from the Point. It really was a great day for running once you got moving. On their return, there were plentiful supplies of bananas, granola bars, bagels, and water. The added surprise was some surprisingly good brownies.

The happy faces in the crowd showed the fun participants had at the second annual event.

Award Winners

FEMALE OVERALL
Place Num   Name                   Ag City                      Net Tim Gun Tim 
===== ===== ====================== == ========================= ======= ======= 
    1   661 Rowena Watson          35 Washington DC               21:08   21:09 
    2   707 Amy Wagshal            21 Silver Spring MD            21:50   21:54 
    3   657 Jaclyn Kessler         22 Washington DC               21:59   22:02 


MALE OVERALL
Place Num   Name                   Ag City                      Net Tim Gun Tim 
===== ===== ====================== == ========================= ======= ======= 
    1   709 Anthony Belber         31 Washington DC               17:01   17:01 
    2    17 Ted Poulos             42 Mclean VA                   17:12   17:13 
    3    18 Christopher Sabatini   40 Washington DC               17:15   17:15 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  1 - 14
    1   588 Sarah Blanchard        14 Silver Spring MA            29:50   29:53 
    2   166 Danielle Capezzuto     11 Manassas VA                 38:01   38:22 
    3   409 Kamil Sirjue           10 Bowie MD                    38:17   38:38 


MALE AGE GROUP:  1 - 14
    1   755 Paul Greeger           14 Olney MD                    24:56   25:00 
    2   569 Kevin Maxey            13 South Riding VA             27:35   27:43 
    3   391 Daniel Greenblatt      14 Silver Spring MD            27:49   28:03 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  15 - 19
    1   582 Greta Erickson         15 Brunswick MD                27:03   27:18 
    2   411 Jewel Joye Sirjue      15 Bowie MD                    32:00   32:21 
    3   315 Mandy Hughes           19 Washington PA               32:24   32:31 


MALE AGE GROUP:  15 - 19
    1   199 Chris Pickett          16 Mt Airy MD                  22:19   22:33 
    2   515 Timothy Palmer         19 Kensington MD               28:56   29:11 
    3   332 Chris Connolly         18 Waldorf MD                  34:54   35:46 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  20 - 24
    1   464 Kirtley Fisher         24 Washington DC               23:46   23:52 
    2   373 Nicole Nahlik          24 Burke VA                    27:51   28:18 
    3   730 Casey Fullerton        24 Washington DC               29:16   29:22 


MALE AGE GROUP:  20 - 24
    1   705 David Brennan          24 Silver Spring MD            21:50   21:54 
    2   222 David Lydon            21 White Plains MD             26:11   26:15 
    3   490 Bob Connolly           22 Elkridge MD                 27:50   28:49 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  25 - 29
    1   221 Amy Judge              27 Washington DC               23:09   23:15 
    2   145 Loretta Cochran        27 Arlington VA                23:39   23:45 
    3   273 Karen Bastarache       27 Washington DC               23:44   23:55 


MALE AGE GROUP:  25 - 29
    1   650 Justin Samuel          25 Virginia Beach VA           19:15   19:18 
    2   469 Gabe Hollis            27 Washington DC               20:13   20:17 
    3   209 Christopher Byers      26 Arlington VA                20:27   20:32 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  30 - 34
    1   392 Linda Bedell           34 Upper Marlboro MD           23:54   24:00 
    2   219 Kristina Branstetter   32 Springfield VA              25:05   25:25 
    3   105 Jen Grant              34 Washington DC               26:04   26:17 


MALE AGE GROUP:  30 - 34
    1   593 David Deschryver       32 Washington DC               17:48   17:50 
    2   553 Alan Schwartz          32 Washington DC               17:54   17:55 
    3   695 Kevin Hegarty          30 Arlington VA                20:52   20:55 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  35 - 39
    1   405 Denise Durgin          38 Mclean VA                   22:59   23:02 
    2   107 Laura Swartz           38 Rockville MD                23:44   23:55 
    3   572 Ruth Fisher            37 Washington DC               25:35   25:52 


MALE AGE GROUP:  35 - 39
    1   338 David Soria            36 Manassas VA                 18:00   18:01 
    2   173 David Loaiza           36 Santa Fe NM                 18:28   18:28 
    3    19 John Bauer             36 Arlington VA                19:39   19:42 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  40 - 44
    1   463 Christina Maggio       44 Middleburg VA               25:30   25:38 
    2   484 Sari Henry             41 Washington DC               26:06   26:16 
    3   584 Miriam Friedman        40 Silver Spring MD            28:11   28:19 


MALE AGE GROUP:  40 - 44
    1   608 John Segerson          42 Arlington VA                17:38   17:39 
    2    22 Juan Calvo             42 Baltimore MD                20:36   20:38 
    3   475 Terrell Blanchard      43 Silver Spring MD            21:17   21:19 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  45 - 49
    1    80 Linda Mutziger         47 Laytonsville MD             24:25   24:31 
    2   160 Deborah Yatsko         46 Falls Church VA             25:38   25:44 
    3   304 Susan Burket           47 Potomac MD                  26:03   26:23 


MALE AGE GROUP:  45 - 49
    1   281 John Clark             47 Winlock WA                  20:35   20:36 
    2   408 Dean Sirjue            45 Bowie MD                    24:02   24:08 
    3   159 Ralph Yatsko           45 Falls Church VA             25:01   25:08 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  50 - 54
    1   224 Kathleen Alexander     52 Haymarket VA                32:14   32:45 
    2   146 Robin Derwin           52 Silver Spring MD            33:37   33:58 
    3   545 Debbi Hasty            54 Ellicott City MD            33:37   33:59 


MALE AGE GROUP:  50 - 54
    1   518 Jaime Ugarte           51 Rockville MD                27:30   27:43 
    2   629 Stuart Cohen           51 Silver Spring MD            27:27   27:52 
    3   288 Terry Brennan          52 Olney MD                    28:59   29:06 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  55 - 59
    1    12 Jane Poole             57 Falls Church VA             25:30   25:35 
    2   424 Mary Fehlig-Macwhirter 57 Gaithersburg MD             33:12   33:55 
    3   240 Mary Lou Nees          58 Pittsburgh PA               34:49   35:18 


MALE AGE GROUP:  55 - 59
    1   611 James Hozik            59 Great Falls VA              22:40   22:46 
    2   111 Bob Kramer             55 Bethesda MD                 24:50   24:54 
    3   713 Art Leffler            58 Bethesda MD                 36:05   36:35 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  60 - 64
    1   148 Linda Rishe            61 Silver Spring MD            31:22   33:35 
    2   443 Lois Sacks             63 N Bethesda MD               45:32   45:55 
    3   237 Evelyn Dracon          63 Glen Mills PA             1:06:06 1:06:44 


MALE AGE GROUP:  60 - 64
    1    23 Stephen Forman         64 Mclean VA                   21:28   21:30 
    2   340 John Haubert           62 Alexandria VA               21:56   21:57 
    3   550 James Bader            60 Bethesda MD                 22:37   22:40 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  65 - 69
    1   374 Alane Youngentob       68 N Bethesda MD               45:33   45:56 
    2   498 Alice Tyler            65 College Park MD             51:18   52:06 


MALE AGE GROUP:  65 - 69
    1   612 Maynard Weyars         68 Alexandria VA               22:39   22:41 
    2   710 John Finney            65 Arlington VA                28:57   29:21 
    3   128 Brian Johnson          69 Rockville MD                34:54   35:37 


FEMALE AGE GROUP:  70 - 99
    1   639 Jacqueline Oneil       73 Washington DC               34:28   34:35 
    2    15 Lillian Wolf           71 Silver Spring MD            49:35   50:17 
    3   727 Randy Cutler           71 Bethesda MD                 52:24   52:44 


MALE AGE GROUP:  70 - 99
    1   328 Jerry Lewis            71 Reston VA                   23:25   23:26 
    2   292 Edward Green           73 Washington DC               30:11   30:52 
    3   305 Philip Zenchoff        77 Silver Spring MD            36:50   37:16 

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

Check back for our photo gallery.