Photos by Lainey Bernstein.

The 10K Race
The Home Run race is now in its third year. The race seems to gather up fast runners. Michael Wardian won the first year with fifth place Jean-Christophe taking the masters title. Wardian was just ahead on Jason Dwyer 32:22 to 32:36. The following year Dwyer improved mightily to 31:42 but was bested by the tornado Stephen Crane whipped through town in 30:43. Arcaz was again the masters champion.

Top threats from Ethiopia included from left to right: Alemgena Desta (26), Abraha Asefa (26), Girma Desta (32), and Gurmessa Megassa (28).

The women field has been brilliant as well. Alisa Harvey just turned forty in 2005 won in 37:51. Last year Russian Elena Orlova won in 36:56. Both women were in the top ten overall.

This year Crane was back looking confidant but wary of the right side of the starting line. The tall gunslinger eyed to group of slim Africans back in town. Of the top ten runners, four of the top five were from out of town. Of the next five again four were African, three top women.

The man we remember as Gurmessa Kumsa was a rocket when he won the Lawyers Have Heart last year in 29:51. Then this year he topped crane at Cherry Blossom 49:43 to 50:02. As a former top ranked runner, he looked to be the favorite. When the smoke cleared, he finished third in a fine 30:06 on a challenging course. Crane sped up from last year to 30:29 for fourth overall but out of the money. Alene Resta won the top billing with a spectacular 29:30. Second place Girma Desta also a 50:20 10 mile racer, ran a swift 29:48.

Abraha Asefa is coming off a superb 24:04 second place finish at the Rockville Rotary Twilight 8K race in July. He has to be disappointed by his 32:02 finish. Andres Wright (40) of Frederick, MD took out Arcaz's bid for the master title with an excellent 33:40. Arcaz was 11th overall in 36:43. Seventh place teen sensation Ezkyas Sisay has already run faster than 15:00 twice this month for the 5K. His time of 34:37 was a total surprise.

Top ranked Belainesh Zemedkun has also had an excellent September already, racing 16:32 at the Bay Cafe 5K. Today she won in 34:38. Teyba Naser who had run 58:58 at the GW Parkway 10 Mile in April provided the ummph for second place with an excellent 34:55. Alemgena Desta ran the Parkway 10 Mile in 59:40 and was third today in 36:15.

Martha Merz (45) of Annandale, VA was next and top master in 38:46. Liliana Baron (49) of Potomac, MD was the next finisher but the gap was four minutes. Peter Darmody (52) of Gaithersburg, MD easily earned the top grandmaster spot with 37:38, more than two minutes faster than any in the first three years. Saleema Ross (53) of Fort Washington, MD was the top woman grandmaster in 50:27, two minutes faster than her victory last year.

The 5K Race
The 5K race got bigger this year but it featured more fun runners than national class athletes. It also had some controversy when it appeared some of the top runners were turned around a bit short of the out and back race. Daniel Ackerman (29) of Arlington, VA clung to a one second victory over Erik Borke (20) of Rockville, MD in 17:18.

Ashley Albrecht (22) of Gaithersburg, MD was third overall and first woman in 18:21. Win Persina (47) of Washington, DC (in photo) was next and the top master of either sex in 18:33. (Note Persina had run the flat New Orleans Rebirth 5K course in 20:35 two weeks ago). Barry Boden (44) of Chevy Chase, MD was the top male master in 19:51.

For the grandmasters Myra Washington (50) of Montgomery Village, MD was first in 26:04. In a huge win, Bill Sollers (68) of Silver Spring, MD was the top runner older than fifty in the race with 25:50.

They say you need runners to make a race. But long before the runners show up, it is the planning and the volunteers they guarantee the success of a race. The staff for this race was delighted to proudly display their prowess.

The courses had a full line of cones and road markings. Large mile markers show the runners their progress and volunteers yelled out times at each mile. There did not seem to a single moment during the entire race where one could not see a blue shirted volunteer. They were scores of course marshals and they were all cheering for the runners.

Before the start of the race the Sergeant's Program leader (in photo) warmed up the runners on the cool fall morning.

The race is to benefit the residents of the Hebrew Home of Greater Washington and the Jewish Foundation for Group Homes. Race director Robin Lerner was pleased to announce the race raised some $80,000 for their charity.

Lerner (in photo) was a dynamo who understands running. She finished the Parks Half Marathon two weeks ago in an 8:00 per mile pace. MCRRC who managed that race was on hand for the scoring today and they donated some Parks HM race shirts for the many great volunteers in the race.

There was cash for the top three runners and the top master in the 10K. Awards went to the top three finishers in the 5K as well as to the first finisher in each of the traditional ten year age groups.

Now that the running was done let the noshing begin. There were so many culinary delights that groans of delight filled the air as racers lined up for the chow. A local DJ had so hopping sounds and there were balloons for youngsters of all ages as well as a moon bounce. Artists were doing face painting and arms "Tatoos."

Porta john lines were the smallest ever seen at a race. Parking had been plentiful at the start by the Hebrew Home and it was even better at the finish area at Federal Plaza. On the side of the building was a Sukkah to celebrate the Holiday of Sukkot, which began this Thursday the fifth day after Yom Kippur.

Did I say the food was great!

There were trays and trays of baked Ziti and garlic bread. Traditional apples, bananas, and bagels and cream cheese filled tables as well. The cooks from the Home brought out wraps with scrambled eggs inside and delicious French toast with syrup. There was lots of hot coffee to go the food unless you wanted bottled water or iced tea or Fruit drinks.

This is a great race to put on your calendar. It is getter bigger because when you give the people what they want...

For those who know the challenge driving on Montrose Road during its remodeling, it was a joy to be able to run as fast down the road as we have driving it lately.

10K Awards

MALE OPEN
    1   215 Alene Reta            26 New York NY               29:30 
    2   224 Girma Desta           32 Washington DC             29:48 
    3   217 Gurmessa Megassa      28 Bronx NY                  30:06 
FEMALE OPEN
    1   214 Belainesh Zemedkun    19 Washington DC             34:38 
    2   226 Teyba Naser           20 Washington DC             34:55 
    3   225 Alemgena Desta        26 Washington DC             36:15 
MALE MASTERS
    1   238 Andres Wright         40 Frederick MD              33:40 
FEMALE MASTERS
    1   229 Martha Merz           45 Annandale VA              38:46 
MALE AGE GROUP:  15 - 19
    1   213 Ezkyas Sisay          18 Washington DC             34:37 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  15 - 19
MALE AGE GROUP:  20 - 29
    1    75 Steven Crane          26 Silver Spring MD          30:29 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  20 - 29
    1   132 Stephanie Manchin     23 Derwood MD                48:38 
MALE AGE GROUP:  30 - 39
    1   187 Bryan Williams        37 Dahlgren VA               37:53 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  30 - 39
    1   165 Julie Sapper          35 Rockville MD              42:58 
MALE AGE GROUP:  40 - 49
    1   223 Jean Christophe Arcaz 46 Rockville MD              36:43 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  40 - 49
    1    48 Liliana Baron         49 Potomac MD                41:43 
MALE AGE GROUP:  50 - 59
    1   230 Peter Darmody         52 Gaithersburg MD           37:38 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  50 - 59
    1   160 Saleema Ross          54 Fort Washington MD        50:27 
MALE AGE GROUP:  60 - 69
    1   166 Benjamin Schlesinger  62 Bethesda MD               54:07 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  60 - 69
MALE AGE GROUP:  70 - 99
    1   189 Nianxiang Xie         80 Rockville MD              58:20 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  70 - 99
    1   180 Raquel Trumbach       74 Fairfax Station VA      1:11:00 

5K Awards

MALE OPEN
    1   601 Daniel Ackerman       29 Arlington VA              17:18 
    2   619 Erik Borke            20 Rockville MD              17:19 
    3   734 David Topol           41 Bethesda MD               18:45 
FEMALE OPEN
    1   770 Ashley Albrecht       22 Gaithersburg MD           18:21 
    2   778 Win Persina           47 Washington DC             18:33 
    3   733 Cami Thompson         17 Rockville MD              24:18 
MALE AGE GROUP:  15 - 19
    1   694 Alex McSween          17 North Potomac MD          18:58 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  15 - 19
    1   761 Rebecca Faigen        16 Potomac MD                29:42 
MALE AGE GROUP:  20 - 29
    1   709 Edoardo Rincon        28 Germantown MD             19:01 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  20 - 29
    1   741 Janie Webb            23 Nottingham MD             26:57 
MALE AGE GROUP:  30 - 39
    1   682 Steven Lawhorn        38 Gaithersburg MD           24:32 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  30 - 39
    1   796 Nicole Fry            31 Germantown MD             25:07 
MALE AGE GROUP:  40 - 49
    1   616 Barry Boden           44 Chevy Chase MD            19:51 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  40 - 49
    1   777 Robyn Cohen           41 Potomac MD                26:41 
MALE AGE GROUP:  50 - 59
    1   801 Barry Harris          58 Bethesda MD               29:21 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  50 - 59
    1   739 Myra Washington       50 Montgomery Village MD     26:04 
MALE AGE GROUP:  60 - 69
    1   793 Bill Sollers          68 Silver Spring MD          25:50 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  60 - 69
    1   744 Judy Williams         68 X                         27:09 
MALE AGE GROUP:  70 - 99
    1   804 Tony Measham          73 Chevy Chase MD            28:14 
FEMALE AGE GROUP:  70 - 99
    1   749 Lillian Wolf          73 Silver Spring MD          51:50 

Photographer Lainey Bernstein gets ready to run her first race in nearly a year. She finished 2nd in her division in the 5K race.

Full Race Day Results
Race Day Report for 2007
Photo Gallery 2007