This year's 15th edition of the Somerset Back to School Classic 8K, which benefits the Somerset Elementary P.T.A., took place under ideal weather conditions on a warm, autumn day in leafy Chevy Chase, Maryland. Families with elementary students at the school arrived with dogs in tow; individuals enjoying a casual run through the neighborhood added variety to the group that swarmed usually quiet neighborhood streets. Those seeking a quicker route to the finish opted for the 2K run. Food, drink, and finishers were plentiful in the school yard while children ran in small groups chasing an adult "rabbit" to the finish of their short events. The lively atmosphere provided enjoyment to serious racers and fitness joggers alike.

Anthony Belber has won four times in his last six tries since 1997 (he placed second in 1999 and 2001) at the Somerset Back to School 8K. Belber teaches at Georgetown Day School and coaches the girls and boys cross country teams, so much of his weekday running takes place with young runners. It's quite appropriate that his rare appearances on the local road racing scene take place at low-key, family-oriented events like the one hosted by Somerset Elementary School. This year Belber established a clear lead by the end of the first mile of the 8K race and felt confident of another victory. He continued to run aggressively on the uphills, took full advantage of the downhills, ran his fifth mile in 5:10 (like a coach, he read off his mile splits after the race from his watch) and won in 27:14. Steve Jaeger (27:53) of Alexandria moved ahead of Dan Murphy (28:06), Bethesda, to finish second.

In the women's competition, Margaret Hanson also ran without a challenger after the two mile mark to claim first in 30:27. She maintained a "fairly conservative" pace (the first mile split was 5:50 or so) because the course looked like it might be quite hilly, although she enjoyed the uphill sections; her small physique gives her an advantage over larger competitors. Hanson just moved into the area this autumn from New York state, where she graduated from Hamilton College; she is working at the National Institute of Mental Health for one year before entering graduate school. She has been training on her own and ran her first local race last weekend, placing fourth at the Vanguard Run for Recovery 5K with a time of 18:27. "It was awesome to run near the Capitol," she enthused; Hanson plans to participate in two weeks time at the Pentagon in the Army 10 Miler. With a personal best of 16:52 in the 5000 meters during indoor track season two years ago, her performance at Somerset was pleasing but not a surprise. The next three women finishers all clocked under 31:30 for 8K, making this year's event more competitive than the previous five years. Meg Busse of Washington, the 2001 victor, improved her time but only finished fourth in 31:24; Ann Reed (Columbia, MD) ran a great race to claim second (31:16), just ahead of Kathleen Filipczyk's 31:18 for third.

Several participants have run the Somerset 8K often and with success, including David Andrews and Ed Ryan (first and second in the men's 45-49 age group); Scott Douglas (photo left), who set the course record in 1991 of 25:05 and finished first in the men's 35-39 age group; and Christy Slavin, who claimed first in the women's 40-44 age group. St Alban's lacrosse coach, Malcolm Lester, finished second in the men's 35-39 age group, and South River (MD) High School cross country coach Hugh Harris took first in the men's 20-34 age group (open division). Patrick Griffith (men's 55-59 winner), Malcolm O'Hagan (men's 60-64 winner), and Chris Craun (women's 55-59 winner) also put in eye- catching performances.

Another delightful event hosted by the families of Somerset! They have a successful formula for fun at a young age which helps to encourage exercise later in life.

Award Winners

OVERALL MALE  (GUN TIME)
Place Num   Name                Age City                  Time    
===== ===== =================== === ===================== ======= 
    1   453 Anthony Belber       29 Washington DC           27:14 
    2   454 Steve Jaeger         38 Alexandria VA           27:53 
    3   146 Dan Murphy           38 Bethesda MD             28:06 

OVERALL FEMALE  (GUN TIME)
Place Num   Name                Age City                  Time    
===== ===== =================== === ===================== ======= 
    1   317 Margaret Hanson      22 Rockville MD            30:27 
    2   318 Ann Reed             28 Columbia MD             31:16 
    3   396 Kathleen Filipczyk   26 Chevy Chase MD          31:18 

MALE AGE GROUP:  1 - 19   (NET TIME)
    1   141 Michael Young       14 Chevy Chase MD          33:25 
    2   205 Adam Bookman        16 Chevy Chase MD          35:32 
    3   147 Jacob Levin         14 Chevy Chase MD          36:38 

FEMALE AGE GROUP:  1 - 19   (NET TIME)
    1   197 Elise Lang          14 Chevy Chase MD          43:07 
    2   458 Annessa Kaufman     16 Chevy Chase MD          44:04 
    3   203 Abby Olson          14 Bethesda MD             44:20 

MALE AGE GROUP:  20 - 34   (NET TIME)
    1    47 Hugh Harris         34 Cheverly MD             30:17 
    2   364 Ron Mcgraw          33 Berwyn MD               31:26 
    3   406 Darin Jones         30 Bethesda MD             32:53 

FEMALE AGE GROUP:  20 - 34   (NET TIME)
    1   324 Meg Busse           25 Washington DC           31:24 
    2   371 Delwen Jones        33 Washington DC           34:15 
    3   219 Holly Roberts       26 Silver Spring MD        34:16 

MALE AGE GROUP:  35 - 39   (NET TIME)
    1   282 Scott Douglas       38 Bethesda MD             28:23 
    2    50 Malcolm Lester      35 Washington DC           28:50 
    3   164 Frank Trinity       39 Washington DC           30:41 

FEMALE AGE GROUP:  35 - 39   (NET TIME)
    1   375 Krysten Jenci       36 Chevy Chase MD          36:29 
    2   213 Anna Gunn           39 Chevy Chase MD          36:50 
    3   488 Lisa Bell           35 Chevy Chase MD          38:42 

MALE AGE GROUP:  40 - 44   (NET TIME)
    1   258 Rafael Guijarro     41 Pembroke Pines FL       29:28 
    2    58 Larry Cynkin        40 Kensington MD           31:40 
    3    43 Cary Bland          42 Washington DC           32:37 

FEMALE AGE GROUP:  40 - 44   (NET TIME)
    1    38 Christy Slavin      40 Silver Spring MD        34:33 
    2   104 Antonia Farrell     41 Chevy Chase MD          34:39 
    3   421 Elizabeth Rogers    42 Silver Spring MD        37:04 

MALE AGE GROUP:  45 - 49   (NET TIME)
    1   234 David Andrews       46 Bethesda MD             29:39 
    2   150 Ed Ryan             48 Washington DC           32:11 
    3   349 Peter Rushford      46 Potomac MD              32:56 

FEMALE AGE GROUP:  45 - 49   (NET TIME)
    1   322 Katharine Daragan   46 Silver Spring MD        37:19 
    2   161 Deborah Gabry       49 Chevy Chase MD          43:26 
    3   229 Alison Curtis       45 Bethesda MD             43:46 

MALE AGE GROUP:  50 - 54   (NET TIME)
    1   409 Roger Mingo         54 Washington DC           33:00 
    2   376 Pat Garvey          51 Bethesda MD             34:00 
    3    37 Ira Leibowitz       51 Bethesda MD             37:01 

FEMALE AGE GROUP:  50 - 54   (NET TIME)
    1   105 Amy Ross            50 Chevy Chase MD          41:25 
    2   430 Sara Sennett        52 Chevy Chase MD          42:52 
    3    35 Elizabeth Sadoff    53 Washington DC           43:06 

MALE AGE GROUP:  55 - 59   (NET TIME)
    1    33 Patrick Griffith    57 Alexandria VA           30:28 
    2   323 Bernie Greene       58 Silver Spring MD        34:58 
    3   312 Larry Cox           55 Chevy Chase MD          36:08 

FEMALE AGE GROUP:  55 - 59   (NET TIME)
    1   416 Chris Craun         56 Bethesda MD             39:11 
    2   281 Priscila Prunella   58 Rockville MD            41:24 
    3   157 Karolynn Coleman    58 Chevy Chase MD          45:41 

MALE AGE GROUP:  60 - 64   (NET TIME)
    1   487 Malcolm O'hagan     62 Chevy Chase MD          35:30 
    2   444 Roland Hill         63 Washington DC           37:44 
    3   263 Benito Vazquez      63 Laurel MD               38:12 

FEMALE AGE GROUP:  60 - 64   (NET TIME)
    1    41 Jamie Wollard       64 Rockville MD            51:23 
    2   423 Lucky Marmon        64 Chevy Chase MD        1:07:00 

MALE AGE GROUP:  65 - 69   (NET TIME)
    1   490 William Graham      67 Washington DC           46:03 
    2   419 Larry Heilman       67 Chevy Chase MD          56:06 

FEMALE AGE GROUP:  65 - 69   (NET TIME)

MALE AGE GROUP:  70 - 99   (NET TIME)
    1   469 Bill Osburn         78 Bethesda MD             48:05 
    2    44 Bill Morrison       75 Potomac MD              48:14 

FEMALE AGE GROUP:  70 - 99   (NET TIME)
    1   267 Kay Morrison        76 Potomac MD              52:06 

See full results of the 8K.

See the Photo Gallery.