Most of August has been very hot and really humid. Hot is not so bad. Humid can take the fun out of running. If fact, when it gets past ninety percent humidity, let it rain! Real runners are not run off by the threat of rain. Of course when you spent a ton of time, effort, and expense making a race happen, you cross your fingers until they blister hoping to avoid thunder and lightning. That can be very, very frightening and, worse, is just about the only thing that can end a race even before the word GO!

Notwithstanding the weather, the Leesburg course is set up for a fast time. Just as soon as your ChampionChip beeps you across the starting mat, you are going downhill. For most of us, our bodies need gravity as well as "GO" to get in motion. Within a half-mile, the course starts winding up a few mild turns that get a runner to slow back toward reality. After another few minutes through the neighborhood, you glide down a hill out onto a country road. It is not hilly but it keeps you in check during the middle of the race. Then, if you had looked at the course map, you knew there was a short killer hill just before mile four. Charging up it will bring you to a complete halt, which gives you a chance to get some water at the stop right there at the top. Then you have a gentle bike trail for the next two miles. You recover and, like a railroad train, gradually build up steam as you charge for the finish. Usually mile six is the fastest mile for runners. Turning the corner is the little hill to the finish. It feels like nothing, racing towards the banner with scores of people cheering for you to finish.

Luckily, my chip registered my time. My hands would have been too slick with sweat to hit my watch even if I had the strength. I gratefully sucked in oxygen. I do not think there was any in the last quarter mile. Then I traded my chip for a bottle of water and started for the food. There was tons of it, appropriately following the cow motif, in troughs in front of the Tuscarora Mill Restaurant and the finish line. I hate having to walk around looking for post-race food and sometimes not finding any. Not at this race!

Every runner was treated to lots of food and ice cold drinks (soda, juice, and bottled water from DrinkMore Water. There were oranges, bananas, and watermelon. There were huge oversized muffins in three varieties. There were yogurt and granola bars. Besides that, there was every child's dream; the Good Humor man was moving a long line through very quickly as he dispensed FREE ice cream!

Announcer Bob Moore enthusiastically awarded the top three overall and top three age group winners. In addition, he kept a large crowd eager waiting to hear their number for one of the many random awards. Awards and random prizes included Redskin tickets, generous dinners at fine restaurants, as well as overnight stays. Cowbells, embroidered shirts, and bottles of wine went to the age group winners. This year's shirt is again a sought after collector's item.

Many runners, especially masters runners, looked around nervously when they saw Chuck Moeser standing near the starting line. Moeser is the masters record holder and a former overall winner. This 'Deon Sanders' of runners was strutting about flexing his muscles. However, he was only there to watch his son and daughter take on the course. I did not find this out until I saw him cheering runners up the hill at the 5K point of the race. After the race, Moeser lamented that he could have won the race. Consider yourself challenged, Chuck. Next year, let us see if you can be the first 50-year-old to be the overall winner!

This year's winner had a challenge. Kirk Baird (40) of Centreville, VA finished first in 33:59. He was closely followed by Berryville phenom, 18-year-old Dustin Sweeney, in 34:11. Ted Poulos of McLean, VA, with more than 100 races already completed this year, is always in the hunt. Finishing third in 34:34, Poulos will be forty in December, so be forewarned.

Samantha Bates (26) of Falls Church, VA ran away with the women's race, finishing ninth overall. She was the fastest woman with 36:06. A regular near the front in races, Elizabeth Scanlon of Alexandria, VA, earned second place. She was always in sight of the leader, finishing eleventh overall in 36:47. Patsy Long of Sterling, VA rounds out the top three with 39:27.

With nearly seven hundred finishers, maybe we will see five-year age groups in the future. Fourth place Deborah Barnett (42:34) of Columbia, MD and seventh place Jean-Christ Arcaz (35:50) of North Bethesda, MD were the top masters runners. Some exceptional age group wins include Charlie Koester (56) in 38:07, John Elliott (62) in 40:00, and Larry Dickerson (70) in 48:31. Walt Washburn (78) of Vienna, VA with forty-two races already this year, finished in 56:48 for his record-setting 18th 10K of the year.