"Jumping Jack Flash, it's a gas, gas, gas!" The Rolling Stones, 1968

We did not get much rain here and the number of 90 degree days was up. Hot weather and rising gasoline prices. Still, runners flocked to the races in record numbers.

Each week on our Web site we publish an updated listing of the Best of 2005. This is the best time run this year for a large number of different distances and includes all of the five-year age groups after the 19 & under division. Every single week this summer period, fast runners have gunned down some previous bests.

There were more than 3,100 ranked runner times among the nearly seventy thousand runners who raced in the more than 200 races used in this ranking period. More than 1,700 different runners ran a qualifying time. It was very even among the sexes, with 968 men and 960 women.

The women's open division was far and away the biggest division with 69 women running 224 qualifying times. The youth division made a large advance with more than 600 times. As always, the divisions from ages 40-54 were packed full with fast times.

Many of the regular division champions are being challenged and usurped. No one's title is safe as competitive racers begin to knock off heretofore-untouchable champions.

This period the top seven races in size were all of different distances. Included in the top twenty Major Races (500 or more runners) were two more distances. Seven other races earned Major Race status with more than twenty percent of the finishers having ranked times.

There were 110 5Ks run, which is same amount as Jon Palks has run this year as of October 2. Damien's Run for Recovery 5K was the big dog of the 5Ks with a dozen open qualifiers even though nine other races had more qualifiers overall. The Rockville Rotary Twilight 8K was the king of races with a gross (144) of qualifiers. Late August brings the Annapolis 10 Miler with 125 qualifiers, more than twice the qualifiers in all the other ten milers combined.

A surprising six half marathons and a hot 20K were led by the biggest race of the period, the Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon on Labor Day weekend. On the final weekend, the surprising all-women Charlottesville 4 Mile set record and led a dozen 4-milers in qualifiers. Fifty races had twenty qualifying times. The top nineteen races had more than thirty- five qualifiers.

Twenty 10Ks graced the period. The largest in finishers by far was the Lawyers Have Heart, followed by the steamy hot Leesburg race. The Elizabeth River Run ended up being a 6-mile race but, as always, it produced some very swift times.

Women's Summer 2005 Rankings.

Men's Summer 2005 Rankings.

About the Runner Rankings
The goal of the runner rankings is to rank the best runners of Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia in five-year age groups for the purpose of stimulating competition in the Washington region. Runners are ranked only according to performances in rated races. To be rated, a race must meet the following criteria:

- Take place in Washington, DC, Maryland, or Virginia
- Full results listed on the Washington Running Report Web site
- Must list age (and preferably also city and state of residence) of all runners
- Standard distance--5K, 4-mile, 8K, 10K, 12K, 15K, 10-mile, 20K, Half Marathon, 25K, 30K, 20-mile, or Marathon
- Road race or cross-country

To be included, a race must meet all of the above criteria. There will be no exceptions. If you place well in a race and want it included in the rankings, be sure to ask the race director to e-mail the complete results to the Washington Running Report at office@runwashington.com so the race can be posted on the WRR Web site and counted in the runner rankings.

Runners will be ranked by age divisions for both men and women, with the divisions being open, 19 & under, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, 75-79 and 80 and over.

The rankings are established using a nearly completely objective rating procedure. A preliminary sort, followed by an intensive analysis of competitive results, forms the rankings. The preliminary sort is based on number of qualifying marks and best times. The final ranking is based on head-to-head competitive results against the other top placers (50%), with time playing a major but secondary role (40%).

Our general philosophy is that competition is about beating other runners, and we intend to place an increased emphasis on competitive results.

To qualify for the end-of-year rankings, top priority will go to runners who qualify in two ranking periods. A preliminary sort, followed by a more involved analysis of competitive results, also forms these rankings.

The preliminary sort is based on seasonal rankings and best times. The final ranking is again based on head-to-head competitive results, with time playing a secondary, though at times a deciding, role. One special race can at times put a runner over the top, though consistency is a valued asset.

Qualifying times are set in each age division for the 10K, and then adjusted for other distances. We believe in a constant time so that, while a runner may not make the top ten, he or she may consider himself or herself a ranked runner. Our primary concern is that of believability. There should be few surprises. Competitiveness will always find a few disputes.

Most runners know whom they can best and who remains unbeatable. The rankings should fairly reflect that. If you have comments and questions or would like to get a more complete explanation of individual rankings contact James Moreland at james@runwashington.com.

Autumn 2005 Qualifying Standards for the 10K

Age Group	     Men		Women


Open		    34:20	     41:15
19 & Younger	    38:20	     46:05
35-39		    36:40	     44:10
40-44		    38:20	     46:05
45-49		    39:45	     48:45
50-54		    42:00	     51:45
55-59		    43:55	     54:30
60-64		    49:45	     62:05
65-69		    52:50	     75:00
70-74		    56:20	     89:40
75-79		  1:32:30	   1:39:00
80 & up 	  1:45:00          1:50:00



The ranking periods for the remainder of the 2005 ranking year are: 


-Fall Runner Rankings, September 6, 2005 to November 20, 2005, 
reported January-February '06


-Best of 2005, reported March-April '06

Summer 2005 Ranked Races

Races listed in bold are Major races.


Event                     	Location	  Date
5K Run/Walk for Autism   	Richmond, VA	  28-May-05
Cascades Fire Chase 10K 	Sterling, VA	  28-May-05
Chestertown Tea Party 10 Mile	Chestertown, MD	  28-May-05
Chestertown Tea Party 5K	Chestertown, MD	  28-May-05
Elizabeth River 6 Mile  	Portsmouth, VA	  28-May-05
Glen Piper Challenge 5M 	Keswick, VA	  28-May-05
Roundhill 5K             	Roundhill, VA	  28-May-05
Stoneleigh Stampede Run 5K	Towson, MD	  28-May-05
MCVets 10K                	Baltimore, MD	  29-May-05
MCVets 5K               	Baltimore, MD	  29-May-05
Central Val Kidney Assocn 10K	Lynchburg, VA	  30-May-05
Civitan 10K               	Fredericksb'g, VA 30-May-05
Heritage Classic 5 Mile 	Rocky Mount, VA   30-May-05
Sue and Connie's Run 4 Mile	Rockville, MD	  30-May-05
AEP Festival Run 10K    	Roanoke, VA 	  04-Jun-05
AEP Festival Run 5K        	Roanoke 	  04-Jun-05
Canal Walk 5K               	Richmond, VA	  04-Jun-05
Charles Village 5K           	Baltimore, MD	  04-Jun-05
Follow the Children 5K  	Williamsburg, VA  04-Jun-05
Herndon Festival 5K         	Herndon, VA	  04-Jun-05
Herndon Festival 10K         	Herndon, VA	  04-Jun-05
Jefferson Springfest 5K 	Jefferson, MD	  04-Jun-05
Manassas City Police Assocn 5K	Manassas, VA	  04-Jun-05
National Race for the Cure 5K	Washington, DC	  04-Jun-05
Rodgers Forge 5K             	Towson, MD	  04-Jun-05
St. Mary's Infant Home 5K	Norfolk, VA	  04-Jun-05
Bel Air Town Run 5K         	Bel Air, MD	  05-Jun-05
Capital Crescent 5K         	Bethesda, MD	  05-Jun-05
DCRRC After the Women 5K	Arlington, VA	  05-Jun-05
DCRRC WDF 5K                	Arlington, VA	  05-Jun-05
HCS Swansfield 5M       	Columbia, MD	  05-Jun-05
Race for our Kids 10K        	Baltimore, MD	  05-Jun-05
Race for our Kids 5K       	Baltimore, MD	  05-Jun-05
Stratford Hills 10K          	Richmond, VA	  05-Jun-05
Run Through History 10K 	Sharpsburg, MD	  05-Jun-05
MCRRC Gaithersburg CC 5K	Gaithersburg, MD  10-Jun-05
FMH Race For Leukemia      	Frederick, MD	  11-Jun-05
Clifton Caboose 5K          	Clifton, VA	  11-Jun-05
Crofton Kiwanis 10K Challenge 	Crofton, MD	  11-Jun-05
Equi-Kids 5K            	Chesapeake, VA	  11-Jun-05
Jerry Johnson Meml Flag Day 5K 	Mt. Airy, MD	  11-Jun-05
Lawyers Have Heart 10K  	Washington, DC	  11-Jun-05
Race Against Domestic Violence	Richmond, VA	  11-Jun-05
Tidewater Striders WDF 5K	Norfolk, VA	  11-Jun-05
Varmint Half Marathon      	Burke Gardens, VA 11-Jun-05
Jack Barr 5K             	Sharpsburg, MD	  11-Jun-05
Delightfully Different 3.5M	Petersburg, MD	  11-Jun-05
Cicada Crunch 5K          	Chevery, MD	  11-Jun-05
Race for Race Unity 5M      	Burke, VA	  12-Jun-05
SPCA Run for Shelter 5K 	Freder'bg, VA	  12-Jun-05
Survivor Harbor 7 Mile Run	Baltimore, MD	  12-Jun-05
WRC Run with the Knights 5K	Eldersburg, MD	  16-Jun-05
Cresap 5K Run           	Oldtown, MD	  18-Jun-05
Charlottesville Via 5K      	Charl'ville, VA	  18-Jun-05
MCRRC Run for the Roses 5K	Wheaton, MD	  18-Jun-05
RASAC Gunpowder Neck 10 Miler	Edgewood, MD	  18-Jun-05
Ray Lewis 5K                	Baltimore, MD	  18-Jun-05
SPCA 5K                   	Richmond, VA	  18-Jun-05
Tim Harmon Memorial 5K        	Fairfax, VA	  18-Jun-05
AS Dawson's 5 Mile         	Severna Pk, MD	  19-Jun-05
GBMC Father's Day 5K          	Towson, MD	  19-Jun-05
DCRRC Hugh Jascourt 4M       	Springfield, VA	  21-Jun-05
Daniel Boone Trail 8K       	Stickleyv'le, VA  25-Jun-05
Dreaded Druid Hills 10K 	Baltimore, MD	  25-Jun-05
Iron Furnace 5K Run        	Lonaconing, MD	  25-Jun-05
LEE'S Friends Run on Wild 5K	Norfolk, VA	  25-Jun-05
Reston WDF 5K             	Reston, VA	  25-Jun-05
Run for Hope 5K           	Richmond, VA	  25-Jun-05
RASAC Bobcat 5K            	Bel Air, MD	  25-Jun-05
Presbyterian Homes 5K        	Lynchburg, VA	  25-Jun-05
Baltimore Lady Classic 5K	Baltimore, MD	  26-Jun-05
Daminen's Run for Recovery 5K	Columbia, MD	  26-Jun-05
MCRRC Burning Tree 5K       	Bethesda, MD	  26-Jun-05
DCRRC Langley 8K           	McLean, VA	  28-Jun-05
Mt Trashmore YMCA Independ 8K	Virginia Bch, VA  04-Jul-05
College Park Cares 10K        	College Park, MD  04-Jul-05
FARC Heritage Festival 5 Mile 	Frederick'g, VA	  04-Jul-05
5th Annual Cure Autism Now 5K	Potomac, MD	  04-Jul-05
DCRRC Age-Handicapped 4 Mile 	Carderock, MD	  04-Jul-05
Yorktown Freedom 10K       	Yorktown, VA	  04-Jul-05
PVTC Go Fourth 8K          	Alexandria, VA	  04-Jul-05
Dundalk Heritage Independ 6k	Dundalk, MD	  04-Jul-05
Derby Day 5K                   	Frostburg, MD	  04-Jul-05
Home Run 4M                   	Bel Air, MD	  04-Jul-05
Charlottesville Independ Day 5K Charl'ville, VA	  04-Jul-05
Gold's Gym 5K           	Culpeper, VA	  04-Jul-05
SunTrust Mortgage Liberty 5K	Winchester, VA	  04-Jul-05
Shawsville 5K                 	Shawsville, VA	  04-Jul-05
FSC Run for the Pie 10K 	Frederick, MD	  09-Jul-05
QCS WDF 5K                    	Cumberland, MD	  09-Jul-05
Pepsi/Aqua Fina 5K          	Waynesboro, VA	  09-Jul-05
AS WDF 5K               	Annapolis, MD	  09-Jul-05
AS Run after the Women 5K	Annapolis, MD	  09-Jul-05
FCPRD Sportsfest 5K         	Stephens City, VA 09-Jul-05
Fairview 5K             	Charl'ville, VA	  09-Jul-05
Pikesville 5K           	Pikesville, MD	  10-Jul-05
Life 5K                   	Washington, DC	  10-Jul-05
HCS WDF 5K                    	Columbia, MD	  10-Jul-05
RRRC Cul De Sac Series 5K #1	Richmond, VA	  11-Jul-05
HCS Oakland Mills 6 Mile	Columbia, MD	  13-Jul-05
DCRRC Bastille Day 4M          	Washington, DC	  14-Jul-05
Rockville Rotary Twilight 8K	Rockville, MD	  16-Jul-05
Allen Stone Memorial 5K 	Virginia Bch, VA  16-Jul-05
Commonwealth Games 5K       	Roanoke, VA	  16-Jul-05
Duke Aaron Memorial 5K      	Linthicum, MD	  16-Jul-05
Lisa's Run 5K           	Westernport, MD	  16-Jul-05
Westminster WDF 5K          	Union Mills, MD	  17-Jul-05
RRRC Cul De Sac Series 5K #2	Richmond, VA	  18-Jul-05
DCRRC Bellehaven 8K          	Alexandria, VA	  19-Jul-05
Kitzmiller River Run 5K 	Kitzmiller, MD	  23-Jul-05
Lucy Corr Village 5K         	Chesterfield, VA  23-Jul-05
Percival's Island Five Miler	Lynchburg, VA	  23-Jul-05
PTC Women's 5K             	Hampton, VA	  23-Jul-05
MCRRC Riley's Rumble HMar	Potomac, MD	  24-Jul-05
Orioles Advocate 5K          	Baltimore, MD	  24-Jul-05
RRRC Cul De Sac Series 5K #3	Richmond, VA	  25-Jul-05
WRC Pleasant Valley 4 Mile	Pleasant Val, MD  28-Jul-05
Inaugural Greene Turtle 5K	Ocean City, MD	  30-Jul-05
Check it Out Challenge 10K	Baltimore, MD	  31-Jul-05
Check it Out Challenge 5K	Baltimore, MD	  31-Jul-05
MCRRC Take Back the Night 5K	Olney, MD	  02-Aug-05
Predict Your Time 5 Miler	Newport News, VA  02-Aug-05
Tom Bashara Memorial 5K 	Norfolk, VA	  02-Aug-05
DCRRC Bluemont 5K           	Arlington, VA	  04-Aug-05
Super Day 5K                	Fort Eustis, VA	  05-Aug-05
Coast Guard Day 5K        	Yorktown, VA	  06-Aug-05
Mass Mutual Innsbrook 5K Run	Richmond, VA	  06-Aug-05
Moonshine Classic 10K	Big Run State Park, MD	  06-Aug-05
Nature House Fund Run 5K	Reston, VA	  06-Aug-05
Schoolhouse Days 5K         	Abingdon, VA	  06-Aug-05
AS Dog Days 8K               	Arnold, MD	  07-Aug-05
Railroad Days 5K        	Appalachia, VA	  07-Aug-05
Sunrise 5K                    	Herndon, VA	  07-Aug-05
HCS Jeffers Hill 6M         	Columbia, MD	  10-Aug-05
WRC Runnymede 8K             	Taneytown, MD	  11-Aug-05
Vineyards of Williamsburg 5K	Williamsburg, VA  13-Aug-05
Lewis-Gale Foundation Salem 10K	Salem, VA	  13-Aug-05
Lewis-Gale Foundation Salem 5K	Salem, VA	  13-Aug-05
DCRRC Bethesda Picnic 5K	Bethesda, MD	  14-Aug-05
Harris Teeter Leesburg 10K	Leesburg, VA	  14-Aug-05
Harris Teeter Leesburg 20K	Leesburg, VA	  14-Aug-05
MCRRC Comus Cross-Country 5K	Comus, MD	  14-Aug-05
Summer Strides 5K          	Alexandria, VA	  14-Aug-05
Xterra Scramble 5K         	Hyde's MD	  14-Aug-05
Too Hot to Trot 5M          	Sparks, MD	  14-Aug-05
HCS Thunder Hill 6M         	Columbia, MD	  17-Aug-05
Swamp Bridge 5K            	Newport News, VA  17-Aug-05
DCRRC Paul Thurston 4.5 Mile	Burke, VA	  18-Aug-05
BRRC Track 5K @ Goucher 	Towson, MD	  18-Aug-05
Quantico Shadow Dash 3 Mile 	Quantico, VA	  19-Aug-05
CHIPS 5K                 	Chesapeake, VA	  20-Aug-05
Druid Hills YMCA 8K          	Baltimore, MD	  20-Aug-05
Party in the Park 5K         	Barton, MD	  20-Aug-05
Lynchburg Half Marathon 	Lynchburg, VA	  20-Aug-05
Lynchburg 5K             	Lynchburg, VA	  20-Aug-05
Moonlighter 4 Mile            	Richmond, VA	  20-Aug-05
Chicken Run 5 Miler           	North Garden, VA  20-Aug-05
FAB 5K                  	Roanoke, VA	  20-Aug-05
Moonlight 4 Miler            	Richmond, VA	  20-Aug-05
RASAC Short & Sweet 5K      	Bel Air, MD	  21-Aug-05
Celestial Way 5K          	Columbia, MD	  24-Aug-05
PTC Harvest Lake 5K         	York County, VA	  24-Aug-05
Stonewall Jackson 5K        	Manassas, VA	  27-Aug-05
Cheatham Lake 6K         	Williamsburg, VA  27-Aug-05
Chaptico Classic 10K       	Chaptico, MD	  27-Aug-05
Chaptico Classic 5K        	Chaptico, MD	  27-Aug-05
Girls Wanna Have Fun WDF 5K 	College Park, MD  27-Aug-05
Movin & Groovin for Pan Can 5K	Richmond, VA	  27-Aug-05
Annapolis 10 Miler           	Annapolis, MD	  28-Aug-05
Hartwood WaWA 10 Mile        	Fredericksb'g, VA 28-Aug-05
Matzohball 5K           	Ellicott City, MD 28-Aug-05
PTC Couples Run 5K          	Hampton, VA	  31-Aug-05
Charlottesville 4 Miler 	Charl'ville, VA	  03-Sep-05
Kentlands/Lakelands 5K     	Gaithersburg, MD  03-Sep-05
Procrastinators Half-Marathon	Richmond, VA	  03-Sep-05
Knights of Columbus 10K 	Ellicott City, MD 03-Sep-05
Knights of Columbus 10K 	Burke Lake, VA	  03-Sep-05
Potomac Valley Games      	McLean, VA	  03-Sep-05
47th Annual Larry Noel 15K	Greenbelt, MD	  04-Sep-05
Charm City 20 Mile       	Hunt Valley, MD	  04-Sep-05
Battlefield Half Marathon	Varina, VA	  04-Sep-05
Rock N Roll Half Marathon	Virginia Bch, VA  04-Sep-05
St Agnes/Bay Cafe Labor Day 5K	Baltimore, MD	  05-Sep-05
Faster with a Master 4M 	Bel Air, MD	  05-Sep-05
Run to the Rescue 5K         	Frostburg, MD	  05-Sep-05