This 3rd annual run (formerly the Gulf Coast Relief Run) has raised more than $138,000 for Katrina relief efforts.

The field was stacked with runners in the dark blue Pacer's running store colors. As easy as one, two, three, both the men and women top three were from Pacers. In fact, the number four and six women were also from the powerful team. The weather had been hotter by far the first two years even though last year's race did not start until the last day of the month. Jorge medina (22) of Falls Church, VA came into the area this May and set the winning tone with a fine 25:06 at the Rockville Rotary 8K in July. He started September with an excellent 68:37 at the Rock 'n' Roll HM in Virginia Beach, good for 22nd overall and the first American resident. He took on the fast course today in a record setting 15:11.

Second in line, Michael Wardian (33) of Arlington, VA finished in 15:27. Wardian had held the course record with a 15:49 victory in 2005. The race was not nearly close as with last year's adventure when the top three runners finished within four seconds of each other. Wardian has run ten marathons so far this year, including three wins, three seconds, and two thirds. One of those thirds, a 2:21:37 at the Shamrock Marathon, is sending him to the Olympics Trials. The number three runner is Bert Rodriguez (26) of Arlington, VA, finishing in 15:59 some fifty second ahead of fourth place.

Grand master (50) George Buckheit is another Pacer. He took down Mike Hart's (50) masters record of 17:52 with an excellent 17:37. Seventh place Gene Smith (43) however, was ahead of him in 17:13, so Buckheit settles for the grandmaster title.

For the women, Becky Nathan (42) of Arlington, VA had won the masters in 2005 with 19:50. Then she blasted a 19:14 last year for the fastest runner of either sex who was forty or older. This year she came just to watch the race and Win Persina (47) of Washington, DC won the honors with 20:35. Before the race she said, "I have no excuses. I hope to run even splits and maybe reach 20:55." She did that just fine with a 6:35 first mile and a positive 20:35 finish. Merrilee Seidman (52) of Alexandria, VA was the two-time defending champion with a best at 24:25. Myra Washington (50) of Montgomery Village, MD had run faster all year and might have been the favorite. In by far the tightest battle, Ellen Cleary (53) of Alexandria, VA got the jump on her. She finished with identical gun and chip times of 23:51. Washington was a step behind her with 23:52, though she is listed as having a chip time two seconds (1.something) faster. So Washington earns the nod by less than a second. Seidman was third in 24:54.

National class Mary Kate Bailey set the women's mark in 2005 with 17:26. Last year Sasha Scott won in 18:35. This year the triple Ks (Katie Nowak, Kerry Meagher, and Kelly Devine) of Pacers lead the way. Nowak (25) of Bethesda, MD won easily in 18:05, the fourth fastest time on the course. Meagher (23) of Washington, DC was next in 18:52 followed closely by Devine (23) of Alexandria, VA in 18:57. Audrey Ting (30) of University Park, MD was the fourth Pacer in 19:20 and sixth place Mary Christopher (23) of Alexandria, VA broke twenty minutes as a member of the Pacer clan.

For a race with nearly a thousand participants, things went very smoothly. The parking was a breeze and there were plenty of portajohns. The police promptly sealed off the roads down by Orinoco Park and the sounds of Raddy's Second Line and Jazz Band were flowing sweetly on the gentle breeze. The oft promised rain seemed likely as the morning was colored with clouds. Then just minutes before the start, the winds blew in and chased the clouds away.

Though most of the runners came to support the relief efforts, they had to be delighted about the glorious weather. The course is a fast figure eight. Racers start south on Union Street at an elevation of ten feet. After about 1500 meters, there is a short climb to thirty feet and by the first mile marker runners are already hurrying back down the hill. Once they get back on Union Street the route continues past the start zigging a couple of times with a couple tiny hills and a bit of breeze to cool you off. The last downhill with a quarter mile to go just straightens you out for the final charge across the finish line mats.

Perhaps a little to close to the finish is the area where you take off your chips. Just a few steps later you are greeted by the famous racing historian George Banker. Banker calmly peels off bottles of water for the hundreds of thirsty runners. Banker, also known for his great race photos just recently published a running book Marine Corps Marathon: A Running Tradition

After that runner runners reached for chains of beads and marched towards the refreshment tent. There was lots of juice, bunches of bananas, huge bags of bagels and granola bars. The premium in this year's race was a very solid quart water bottle instead if the traditional t-shirt. Banker, in photo, doubles as the announcer. The award's trophies only went one deep in ten-year age groups, which is a little slim for a large race. Still, most of the runners came to enjoy the beautiful early fall weather preview and to support the relief efforts for the people of New Orleans still suffering from the disastrous Hurricane Katrina.

During the awards Cal Burke of Alexandria, VA, who is just four, came up for his award (10 & under). Seeing that his older brother was getting something Cal's younger (2-year-old) sibling pranced up to Chris Farley to get something for himself too.

Award Winners

Men
Name                 Age   Hometown            Time   
Jorge Medina         22    Falls Church, VA    15:11#
Michael Wardian      33    Arlington, VA       15:27*
Bert Rodriguez       29    Arlington, VA       15:59
10 & Under
Cal Burke             4    Alexandria, VA      35:25
11-19
Andrew Kicinski      15    Alexandria, VA      21:45
20-29
Mark Williams        26    Arlington, VA       16:49
30-39
Robert Wolfe         35    Washington, DC      17:14
40-49
Gene Smith           43    Burke, VA           17:13*
50-59
George Buckheit      50    Reston, VA          17:37*
60-69
James Daley          63    Alexandria, VA      21:14*
70 & over
Richard Williams     71    Alexandria, VA      23:21*
Women
Name                 Age   Hometown            Time   
Katie Nowak          25    Bethesda, MD        18:05
Kerry Meagher        23    Washington, DC      18:52
Kelly Devine         23    Arlington, VA       18:57
10 & Under
Lillian Weber         9    Springfield, VA     28:45
11-19
Colleen Donley       19    Alexandria, VA      26:13
20-29
Kaitlyn Sheedy       24    Arlington, VA       19:40
30-39
Audrey Ting          30    University Park, MD 19:20
40-49
Win Persina          47    Washington, DC      20:35
50-59
Myra Washington      50    Mont. Village, MD   23:51*
60-69
Jane Poole           60    Washington, DC      24:35*
70 & over
None
#Course record
*Age group record

Photo Gallery 2007
Full Race Day Results