Photo above by Brightroom.com: Victoria McParland (29) of Rockville, MD makes 10 + 10 (miles) equal two victories.

Open Women
Anheuser Busch Colonial Half-Marathon, 77:34, 10K = 35:03

Last period's 55 runners shrank to 31. This remixed all the top guns. When the smoke cleared a new face appeared at the top. Renee High of Virginia Beach, VA won four races, the shortest of which was a 20K. She used the famous Tidewater Striders Tune-up Series to start her rise to the top. She raced the 20K in 1:17:15 (10K = 36:48) to start the year with the tenth fastest time. Then in February, she won the division with the East Beach HM in 79:20 (10K = 35:51), followed by a 30K in 1:16:23 (10K = 35:57), and a 25K in 1:35:50 (10K = 36:05).

The next three spots are as tight as can be. All three runners had two overall victories. As the 2005 Runner of the Year runner- up, Anne McGranahan [MRF 48] gets the lean over third place for 2005, Susannah Kvasnicka. She had a third overall race as well. Christina Wells get the edge because her two victories were at major races. Wells ran the Alexandria Turkey Trot 5M in 28:57 (10K = 36:30) and the Jingle All the Way 10K in 36:15. McGranahan ran the Ashburn race of more than 450 runners in 36:17. She won the Peaks of Otter and the Blacksburg 5Ks in 17:34 and 17:41. Kvasnicka triumphed in the Red Ribbon 5K in 17:37. Then in February, she raced the By George 5K in 17:24 (10K = 36:14). She was only beaten by two men in that event.

The next six times represent one each for the next six runners. A case could be made for nearly any order of these next six racers. Johanna Allen and Erin Swain matched 5Ks with 17:47 (10K = 37:01). Jill Krebs ran the Sweetheart 8K in 29:16 (10K = 37:09). Allen takes the higher spot with two other races. She ran just behind ninth place Hilary Cairns at the Jingle All the Way 10K, 37:45 to 37:51, and 31:08 at the President's 8K. Swain's second race was Virginia Run Turkey Trot 5K in 18:19 (10K = 38:08). Krebs ran the Colonial HM in 1:25:01 (10K = 38:25).

Victoria McParland has two big victories to state her case: the Al Lewis 10 Mile in 65:11 and the RRCA Challenge in 62:52 (10K = 37:47), as well as the Turkey Chase 10K in 38:17. Sherry Stick won the Way Station 5K in Frederick in 18:09 (10K = 37:47) and Coolman's Last Stand 3.2M in 18:57 (10K = 38:22). The next spot goes to Jennifer McGranahan, Ann's twin. She won the Peaks of Otter 10K in 37:52. While her sister raced the 10K in Ashburn, she won the 5K in 18:30 (10K = 38:31).

Pl	Name            	Age	Hometown
 1	High, Renee**** 	24	Virginia Beach, VA
 2	McGranahan, Ann**	27	Newport, VA
 3	Wells, Christina**	30	Woodbridge, VA
 4	Kvasnicka, Susannah**	33	Great Falls, VA
 5	Allen, Johanna* 	24	Woodbridge, VA
 6	Swain, Erin      	23	Clifton, VA
 7	Krebs, Jill*     	25	Richmond, VA
 8	McParland, Victoria**	29	Rockville, MD
 9	Cairns, Hilary    	35	Washington, DC
10	Stick, Sherry** 	27	Eldersburg, MD
11	McGranahan, Jennifer**	27	Newport, VA
12	Quarles, Jennifer**	33	Williamsburg, VA
13	Sackett, Jessie*	26	Arlington, VA
14	Garrett, Katie* 	25	Elkridge, MD
15	Tanner, Mellissa	24	Bethesda, MD
16	Malloy, Kristen 	14	Phoenix, MD
17	Ward, Emily     	24	Richmond, VA
18	Humphrey, Robyn*	41	Ellicott City, MD
19	Nathan, Rebecca 	40	Arlington, VA
20	Hargis, Jill*     	45	Annapolis, MD
21	Faulkner, Meredith	23	Norfolk, VA
22	Diegoli, Toni Marie*	27	Arlington, VA
23	Hall, Maureen** 	40	Lavale, MD
24	Sawvell, Linda**	40	Newport News, VA
25	Kline, Sheyl*     	43	Arnold, MD
26	Buckwalter, Connie	35	Lititz, PA
27	Underdonk, Christy*	37	Potomac, MD
28	Van Eron, Kristin*	34	Baltimore, MD
29	Plyler, Valerie*	46	Yorktown, VA
30	Oblas, Jennifer 	27	Leesburg, VA
31	Crofts, Lori*     	16	New Castle, VA

19 & Younger Women
Potter Homes YMCA Turkey Trot 5K, 16:36, 10K = 34:34

14-year-old Kristen Malloy was fourth overall at the RRCA Challenge 10 mile in 65:49 (10K = 39:33). This bodes well for the youth movement in running. Shannon Ralston ran 19:29 at the Santa Claus Shuffle 5K for the runner-up spot. Lori Crofts raced Lewis-Gale's Jingle Bell Run for Arthritis 5K in 19:41. Lisa McPherson had the fastest 10K, racing the Peaks of Otter in 41:27. Brittany Furst moves to fifth with a fine RRCA Challenge 10 Mile in 70:06.

Heidi Peterson, at number ten, is just 12 years old, finishing the 5K in 20:44. Even younger 10-year-old Kathryn Dakota won her age group four times, while her sister, at 13, won three times. Kristin Malloy and Lori Crofts both made the Open Division.

Pl	Name            	Age	Hometown
 1	Malloy, Kristen**	14	Phoenix, MD
 2	Ralston, Shannon**	16	Virginia Beach, VA
 3	Crofts, Lori**    	17	New Castle, VA
 4	MacPherson, Lisa**	17	Forest, VA
 5	Furst, Brittany*	16	Catonsville, MD
 6	Morrison, Samantha*	15	Clifton, VA
 7	Powers, Callen**	16	Chesapeake, VA
 8	Hansen, Sara**    	18	Blacksburg, VA
 9	Roane, Bonnie***	16	Chesapeake, VA
10	Peterson, Heidi**	12	Williamsburg, VA
11	Nobles, Stacey* 	14	Virginia Beach, VA
12	Parkes, Sullivan**	15	Strasburg, VA
13	Gresham, Casey    	15	Chesapeake, VA
14	McManus, Dakota****	10	Williamsburg, VA
15	Barrow, Hannah    	17	Blacksburg, VA
16	Smith, Amanda     	12	Chesapeake, VA
17	Kneemiller, Sarah Anne	13	Chesapeake, VA
18	McManus, Kathyrn**	13	Williamsburg, VA
19	Murphy, Sarah    	13	Gretna, VA
20	MacMillan, Sarah	17	Blacksburg, VA
21	Do, Linh*       	18	Gaithersburg, MD

35 - 39 Women
Photo by Kathy Freedman: Hilary Cairns (35) of Washington, DC is even faster than last year, winning her new division.

Tim Kennard 5 Mile River Run, 29:25, 10K = 37:06

This division downsized itself nearly fifty percent. Then, out of the blue, Hilary set aside her baby stroller and hosed the division. First, she blasted a third overall 30:36 (10K = 38:35) at the Alexandria Turkey Trot 5M. Then at the Acumen Solutions Jingle All the Way 10K she rushed through West Potomac Park in 37:45, just missing winning the whole thing by one place.

The next three spots are interlinked. Denise Knickman is healthy again and showed it, racing the RRCA Challenge 10M in 65:36 (10K = 39:25) for runner-up in that race and the rankings. Cheryl McMurray had a wondrous Colonial HM age group win in 1:27:18 (10K = 39:27) the very same day. Marjan Huizing hung close with an overall win at the MCRRC Shooting Starr 5M in 31:22 (10K = 39:33). Huizing snagged third by besting McMurray at the YMCA Turkey Chase 10K 41:51 to 42:05.

The rest of these ten racers were interlaced as well. Elizabeth Cottone had the fastest 5K in 19:10 but settled for third at Colonial behind Connie Buckwalter, 91:11 to 93:47. Ninth place Samantha Kirby edged McMurray at the Red Ribbon 5K. Tenth place Deirdre Gallagher ran the hilly Turkey Burnoff (69:16) faster than Huizing's win at the, relatively flat, Al Lewis 10 Mile (69:44).

Pl	Name              	Age	Hometown
 1	Cairns, Hilary**	35	Washington, DC
 2	Knickman, Denise**	37	Baltimore, MD
 3	Huizing, Marjan***	37	Montgomery Village, MD
 4	McMurray, Cheryl*	37	Fairfax, VA
 5	Buckwalter, Connie*	35	Lititz, PA
 6	Cottone, Elizabeth**	39	Charlottesville, VA
 7	Underdonk, Christy***	37	Potomac, MD
 8	Cochran, Mary Beth**	37	Bel Air, MD
 9	Kirby, Samantha***	37	Arlington, VA
10	Gallagher, Deirdre**	36	Rockville, MD

40 - 44 Women
Photo: Monika Bachmann (40) of the Plains, VA won two marathons and was first in her age group at a third in less than a month. She is 26th in her division.

Virginia Run Turkey Trot 5K, 17:43, 10K = 36:53

Alisa Harvey set an impossible standard the first weekend, racing the 10K in 36:53, and then she was gone. Unlike many road racers, Harvey was always fast on the track. She ran an indoor American record 2:07:23 for 800M, knocking nearly nine seconds off the record and besting the American outdoor time as well. Both of these facts are track rarities. She also has a pending world record of 4:50.95 for the 1500M raced on February 18. The 800M is so impressive that her plan for the 57.4 record at the 400M seems very possible.

Now, with the crown up for grabs, three ladies stepped up to the plate. Runner-up Rebecca Nathan threw down the gauntlet with her Alexandria Turkey Trot 5M win in 32:22. Maureen Hall ratcheted up the competition with an overall win at the challenging Celtic Solstice in 31:48 (10K = 40:06). Robyn Humphrey, with five age group wins, had won the Jingle All the Way 10K in 40:30 the week before. To end the year, Hall managed a 20:13 (10K = 40:56) at the odd distance Coolman's Last Stand 3.2M. Nathan backed up her spot with a swift 19:07 (10K = 39:48) at the DCRRC Resolution 5K the next morning. Humphrey settled the matter in late February with a big victory at the RRCA Challenge in 66:10 (10K 39:46) over Hall's 69:09.

Linda Sawvell did the Run for Community 5K in 19:18 for fourth, Sheryl Kline of Arnold, MD was right behind her at the Valentine's Day 5K in 19:30. Both women were the overall winner of their races. Cindy Conant holds sixth with two fast 10 milers. She improved her flat Al Lewis of 68:55 to place well at the RRCA Challenge in 67:48. The top five women made it to the Open Division too.

Pl	Name              	Age	Hometown
 1	Humphrey, Robyn*****	41	Ellicott City, MD
 2	Nathan, Rebecca**	40	Arlington, VA
 3	Hall, Maureen***	41	Lavale, MD
 4	Sawvell, Linda**	40	Newport News, VA
 5	Kline, Sheryl** 	43	Arnold, MD
 6	Conant, Cindy***	44	Kensington, MD
 7	Foley, Linda**    	43	Oak Hill, VA
 8	Friedel, Cathy**	42	Solomons, MD
 9	Olson, Ruth***    	42	Spotsylvania, VA
10	Ort, Kelly        	40	Monkton, MD
11	Lovett, Pamela***	43	Newport News, VA
12	Boyd, Majorie*    	44	Annapolis, MD
13	Kinnecome, Susie**	42	Bethesda, MD
14	Fernandez, Cherie***	40	Richmond, VA
15	Nelson, Laura** 	40	Woodstock, VA
16	Fichman, Lisa*  	44	Columbia, MD
17	Santarpia, Gloria	44	Odenton, MD
18	Ware, Elizabeth****	41	Virginia Beach, VA
19	Glueck, Connie*****	41	Williamsburg, VA
20	Lussi, Jeanette*	42	Kensington, MD
21	Walsh, Nancy     	44	Richmond, VA
22	Indersoll, Amelia**	42	Columbia, MD
23	Kolish, Theresa 	44	Alexandria, VA
24	Loudin, Amanda   	40	Ellicott City, MD
25	Phillips, Kitty*	40	Arlington, VA
26	Bachmann, Monika*	40	The Plains, VA
27	Camire, Liz     	41	Richmond, VA
28	Wolanski, Jeanine*	40	Charlottesville, VA

45 - 49 Women
Photo by Brightroom.com: Beverly Black (45) of Frederick, MD is a tough competitor.

Cold Turkey 10K, 39:50

Runner-up Valerie Plyler of Yorktown, VA, runs 5Ks. She starts the year with a 19:38 (10K = 40:53) and her worst placing in her three 5Ks is second overall. Debbie Flynn had a tough Turkey Burnoff 5M in 34:17, though she was second overall. A few weeks later, she defeated a hard charging Win Persina at the Acumen Solutions Jingle All the Way 10K 40:53 to 41:14. Persina dropped below twenty minutes at the Red Ribbon 5K in 19:54 (10K = 41:26) for fourth place.

The crown belongs to Jill Hargis making a resurgence from her top masters days, winning the Cold Turkey 10K in 39:50. For emphasis, she added a 19:42 5K at Valentine's. When Plyler banged out a 19:40 5K on March 4, Hargis had insurance the next day with a swift B&A Half Marathon in 1:30:34 (10K = 40:55). Debi Bernardes ran the Frostbite 15K in 63:59 (10K = 41:36) for fifth place. Frederick's Bev Black continues to charge toward the top, moving up six places with her seven age group wins. She still has not found her best distance. Her best race was a 20:28 5K.

Hargis and Plyler made it to the Open Division as well.

Pl	Name            	Age	Hometown
 1	Hargis, Jill*** 	45	Annapolis, MD
 2	Plyler, Valerie***	46	Yorktown, VA
 3	Flynn, Debbie** 	49	Gaithersburg, MD
 4	Persina, Win****	45	Washington, DC
 5	Bernardes, Debi***	47	King George, VA
 6	Black, Beverly*7	45	Frederick, MD
 7	Ferris, Nancy** 	49	Goode, VA
 8	Rosasco, Carole***	46	Arnold, MD
 9	Layson, Lynda****	45	Severn, MD
10	Beckett, Dorothy	48	Columbia, MD
11	Partner, D'Ellen**	46	Virginia Beach, VA
12	Goodwin, Robin* 	47	Timonium, MD
13	Malloy, Diane     	49	Phoenix, MD
14	Meyers, Jane**    	45	Millersville, MD
15	Lundeen, Jennifer	46	Port Republic, VA
16	Betz, Beth*       	47	Cabin John, MD
17	Sheimo, Linda     	49	Fairfax, VA
18	Minken, Heidi     	46	Baltimore, MD
19	Bean, Becky*      	47	Norfolk, VA
20	Buckheit, Sarah*	45	Reston, VA

50 - 54 Women
Photo by Brightroom.com: Linell Smith (53) of Baltimore (shown here finishing the '05 Annapolis Ten Mile) won her division at the Celtic Solstice 5 Mile.

Alexandria Turkey Trot 5M, 33:33, 10K = 42:18

Betty Blank is getting all worked up. Somebody wants her crown. Sure, she was the top dog for all of 2005, but Alison Suckling stole her crown in the fall. Betty stepped on the pedal in the very first race and won the division with her swift Alexandria Turkey Trot 5M in 33:33 (10K = 42:18). She coasted to an easy win at the Red Ribbon 5K in 20:41. Every second counts in a race and at the end of January, Suckling squeezed in front of that with a 20:40. Too bad it was not another head-to-head. Blank won all nine of her races and earned her crown. She ran the fastest 10-mile of the period at the DCRRC Al Lewis race in 71:47. Beware Betty, that race has only one hill. Alison's RRCA Challenge 10 Mile in 72:35 is all windy, winding hills with only one flat spot.

Margaret Starnes is another threat to the top spot. She held off sixth place Linell Smith 22:29 (10K = 45:32) and fourth place Ellen Hoitsman 22:20 (10K = 45:14) at the Coolman's Last Stand 3.2 Mile in 21:56 (10K = 44:25). Starnes did just edge Hoitsman at the RRCA Challenge 77:03 to 77:44. Cindy White of Virginia Beach, VA took the fifth on her best of two half marathons, the Anheuser Busch Colonial Half-Marathon in 1:40:30 (10K = 45:25). Blank had set the standard at the rolling Gar Williams course with 1:35:59.

Pl	Name             	Age	Hometown
 1	Blank, Betty*9    	52	Falls Church, VA
 2	Suckling, Alison***	50	Arnold, MD
 3	Starnes, Margaret**	50	Street, MD
 4	Hoitsman, Ellen*	50	Baltimore, MD
 5	White, Cindy*     	51	Virginia Beach, VA
 6	Smith, Linell** 	53	Baltimore, MD
 7	Altschuler, Rona**	51	Newport News, VA
 8	Lewis, Donna      	51	Belcamp, MD
 9	West, Renee**     	51	Bethesda, MD
10	Lang, Mary**      	52	Pasadena, MD
11	Gilley, Patricia	53	King William, VA
12	Weeks, Sharon*6 	51	Virginia Beach, VA

55 - 59 Women
Photo by Brightroom.com: Jane Poole (58) of Falls Church, VA was second in her division at the Veterans Day 10K last fall.

VAB 28th Annual Turkey Trot 10K, 44:15

Alice Franks won all seven of the races she ran. In November, she won in the largest race with the most ranked runners of any 10K, the YMCA Turkey Chase. In December, she won the inaugural Jingle All the Way 10K, the second most competitive 10K (fourth largest race) of the period in 45:47. In February, she won the fourth most competitive 10K, the GW Birthday 10K in 45:53. All that went for a lock on the runner-up spot. Thanksgiving settled the top three spaces.

Barbara Mathewson of Virginia Beach ran the fifth largest race, the VAB Turkey Trot 10K, in 44:15 to snatch the crown. Nancy Crippen ran the Potter Homes YMCA Turkey Trot 5K in 22:38 (10K = 47:07) for third place. Mathewson stayed away from the big races the rest of the period, running the Tune-up series races of 20K, 25K, and 30K. The grand masters state record holder in the marathon (3:15:39), Jeanne Kruger-Williams, kept her honest in the 25K for fifth place, just missing her, 2:07:38 to 2:08:50. Marge Rosasco earns fourth place with her Super Bowl 5K in 23:13 (10K = 48:20).

Watch out for Rose Malloy, whose only race was the B&A HM in 1:40:28 (10K = 45:28) and Naomi Stanford with her Blacksburg 10 Mile in 1:16:40 (10K = 46:04). Both times were easily the fastest at those distances.

Pl	Name              	Age	Hometown
 1	Mathewson, Barbara****	56	Virginia Beach, VA
 2	Franks, Alice*7 	57	Rockville, MD
 3	Crippen, Nancy* 	58	Stafford, VA
 4	Rosasco, Marge**	57	Joppa, MD
 5	Kruger-Williams, Jeanne	58	Virginia Beach, VA
 6	Tosato, Giovanna**	57	Bethesda, MD
 7	Peters, Linda*    	58	New Kent, VA
 8	Scandore, Linda*	55	Charlottesville, VA
 9	Brooks, Lyn     	57	Phoenix, MD
10	Salvo, Lynn       	56	McLean, VA
11	Poole, Jane***    	58	Falls Church, VA
12	Veblen, Sarah** 	55	Baltimore, MD
13	Biasi, Barbara**	58	Yorktown, VA
14	Akers, Donna      	56	Narrows, VA

60 - 64 Women
Alexandria Turkey Trot 5M, 39:17, 10K = 49:32

Last period's champion, Joan Coven, is soon to be 65 but did not race. Janice Stoodley had the fastest single race of the period and has since turned 65. With the absence of last period's runner-up, B.J. King, Dee Nelson of Gaithersburg, MD powered to the top to become the queen of the division. The top 13 times in the division were all wins. Nelson owned the top four times, including six age group wins. Her best race was the Super Bowl 5K in 24:36 (10K = 50:36). She had three sub 25:00 5Ks; no one else had any. Third place Priscila Prunella had five age group wins but lost to Nelson at the Turkey Burnoff, 85:02 to 88:45 and the MCRRC Jingle Bell Jog 8K, 41:10 to 42:27. Prunella got healthier in the new year and recorded a fine DCRRC Belle Haven 25K in 1:39:06 (10K = 52:22), which equals Nelson's 8K time. Nelson rarely, if ever, runs longer than 10 miles.

Runner-up Helen Price of Williamsburg, VA came north to take down the Gar Williams HM in December in 1:55:18, besting sixth place Karolynn Coleman's 1:58:36 (10K= 53:36). Then in February, she had an even faster East Beach HM in 1:54:33 (10K = 51:46). Muffet Chatterton's Cold Turkey 10K in 53:03 got her in fourth place just ahead of Andrea Hess, who ran the Hugenot Park 3 Mile in 24:42 (10K = 53:15).

Pl	Name              	Age	Hometown
 1	Nelson, Dee******	62	Gaithersburg, MD
 2	Price, Helene** 	60	Williamsburg, VA
 3	Prunella, Priscila*****	62	Rockville, MD
 4	Chatterton, Muffet**	61	Crofton, MD
 5	Hess, Andrea****	61	Midlothian, VA
 6	Coleman, Karolynn	61	Chevy Chase, MD
 7	Tice, Linda**     	60	Glen Arm, MD
 8	Berge, Melinda    	61	Annapolis, MD
 9	Sandler, Katherine	64	Bethesda, MD
10	May, Sandra*       	60	Alexandria, VA
11	Smith, Betty*     	64	Rockville, MD
12	Stark, Barbara**	61	Suffolk, VA
13	Ramm, Louise       	60	Baltimore, MD

65 - 69 Women
MCRRC New Year's Resolution Run, 26:41, 10K = 55:33

This was a real tough call. Betty Smith busted into the division with the fastest race of all, starting the year with a 26:41 Resolution 5K. Her fall races in the younger division were all faster times by a lot. By comparison, third place Arlowene Garland's Potter Homes 5K was in 27:50. Tami Graf's top 5K was 27:41 at the Annapolis Striders Valentine's Day race. Normally, Smith's big win would be a slam-dunk, as time is so important. Tradition favors the incumbent. Graf has nearly always worn the crown and she did win her age group in all eight of her races. She owned eight of the top twelve times, including five of the top seven. Her best 5-mile time at the Celtic Solstice was 46:25 versus Garland's slightly shorter 8K best of 49:36 at the President's Day 8K. Just before Graf could be toppled from her high perch she met Smith at the RRCA Challenge. Graf prevailed 1:38:50 to 1:41:46 to hold the top spot--for now.

Pl	Name              	Age	Hometown
 1	Graf, Tami*8      	69	Lusby, MD
 2	Betty Smith*    	65	Rockville, MD
 3	Garland, Arlowene**	67	Warsaw, VA
 4	Hoyt, Barbara     	69	Sparks, MD
 5	Adachi, Yoshiko*	67	Reisterstown, MD
 6	Munden, Betty*    	66	Norfolk, VA
 7	Streb, Ann*       	66	Vienna, VA
 8	Evansmore, Jean  	65	Ellicott City, MD

70 - 74 Women
Cold Turkey 10K = 60:09

The top five women from the fall took the winter off, perhaps training for a big spring. Nancy Welker of Roseland appeared on the horizon with the Peaks of Otter 5K in 32:01. The next ranking may be the last chance for current members of the age group. Mid-summer, Tami Graf will be moving into the division and she prefers the first spot.

Pl	Name      	  Age	Hometown
 1	Welker, Nancy**	  71	Roseland, VA
 2	Ibarra, Avelina	  70	Virginia Beach, VA

75 - 79 Women
Coolman's Last Stand 3.2 Mile, 47:09, 10K = 1:36:50

Martha Trimmer ran her best race on December 31. Evelyn Dowling waited until the next morning.

Pl	Name             	Age	Hometown
 1	Trimmer, Martha*	76	Grasonville, MD
 2	Dowling, Evelyn*	78	Arlington, VA

80 & Up Women
Potter Homes YMCA Turkey Trot 5K, 51:09, 10K = 1:46:30

Gary Grimsley is so proud that his mom is still out there running the races.

Pl	Name             	Age	Hometown
 1	Grimsley, Mary* 	86	Springfield, VA
 2	del Alamo, Angela*	80	Charlottesville, VA

See the Men's Winter 2006 WRR Runner Rankings