Michele Sikes (22) of Washington, DC is ninth overall at the Acumen Solutions Jingle All the Way 10K in 39:32. She finished 23rd in the Open division.

Open Women
Acumen Solutions Jingle All the Way 10K, 35:26

This year the title was easy to pick. The two fastest runners met twice early in the period. The champion, Vanessa Hunter, was runner-up at the Alexandria 5M in 28:41 with sub master Susannah Kvasnicka of Great Falls, VA next in 29:14. Eighth place Mindy Thomas was a little farther back in this opening race in 30:20. Former Champion Aurora Scott of Chesapeake, VA got off to a sluggish start, albeit an overall win in 18:33, at the Toys for Tots 5K. The courses must have been tough; seventh place Crystal Pruitt of Poquoson, VA was runner-up in the accompanying 10K in 39:40.

In December, the most competitive 10K, Acumen Solutions Jingle All the Way, made things a little clearer. Hunter won it all, racing 35:26. Kvasnicka was next in 36:31. Mindy Thomas of Stafford, VA put away Lisa Thomas of Alexandria, VA 36:47 to 37:12 to take fifth place. She had already matched the other Thomas' time at the YMCA Turkey Trot in 17:52.

In January, Scott snapped back to life winning the Tidewater Series 10K in 36:14. Kvasnicka finished third at the GW Birthday 10K in 36:27 a month later to add just enough total juice to remain the runner-up. Scott was third. The first week of February, Renee High of Virginia Beach, VA battled Pruitt at the East Beach HM, prevailing with an overall victory in 1:21:04. Pruitt finished ten seconds back to help secure her placing. High ended the period with a fine 17:52 overall victory at the Cox Falcon 5K to hold down the fourth spot in the rankings.

Cara Wettlaufer of Bel Air, MD waited till late in the period to nail down the sixth spot with two overall victories. She won the Super Bowl 5K in 18:02. Then she clinched her spot winning the Tim Kennard 5K in 17:40 on the final day. Lisa Thomas added a 37:33 GW Birthday 10K. Erin Swain ran a fine win in 18:01 on another holiday, the PVTC Christmas Caper 5K, for ninth place.

Pl	Name	                Age	Hometown
1	Hunter, Vanessa*	32	Arlington, VA
2	Kvasnicka, Susannah	35	Great Falls, VA
3	Scott, Aurora**	        18	Chesapeake, VA
4	High, Renee**	        26	Virginia Beach, VA
5	Thomas, Mindy*	        24	Stafford, VA
6	Wettlaufer, Cara**	24	Bel Air, MD
7	Pruitt, Crystal	        22	Poquoson. VA
8	Thomas, Lisa	        31	Alexandria, VA
9	Swain, Erin*	        25	Clifton, VA
10	Van Cleef, Aidan***	22	Chesapeake. VA
11	Smith, Casey*	        28	Richmond, VA
12	Stick, Sherry***	29	Eldersburg, MD
13	Breitenbach, Katie*	27	Elkridge, MD
14	Nemmers, Erica*	        35	Herndon, VA
15	Davison, Mary****	35	Chesapeake, VA
16	Cairns, Hilary*	        37	Washington, DC
17	Pease, Alicia*	        24	Silver Spring, MD
18	Pak, Colleen***	        37	Virginia Beach, VA
19	Laurent, Jessica*	27	Centreville, VA
20	Oleynik, Anya**	        19	Gaithersburg, MD
21	Catanese, Anna**	41	Mechanicsville, VA
22	Peterson, Heidi***	14	Williamsburg, VA
23	Sikes, Michelle*	22	Washington, DC
24	Goetz, Kathy	        42	Reston, VA
25	Knickman, Denise***	39	Baltimore, MD
26	Nathan, Rebecca*	42	Arlington, VA
27	Kirby, Samantha	        39	Arlington, VA
28	Foley, Linda*	        45	Oak Hill, VA
29	Taylor, Laura*	        22	Richmond, VA
30	Feldman, Elizabeth*	40	Chevy Chase, MD
31	Ramos, Laura	        28	Washington, DC
32	Fenske, Tara	        31	Washington, DC
33	Kline, Sheryl 	        45	Arnold, MD
34	Morganti, Christine*	43	Severna Park, MD
35	Clearman, Tasha	        25	Arbutus, MD
36	Conant, Cindy	        46	Kensington, MD
37	Persina, Win	        48	Washington, DC
38	Moore, Erin	        32	Woodbridge, VA
39	Schrank, Brenda**	35	Winchester, VA
40	Swain, Kelly	        22	Clifton, VA
41	Ratcliffe, Nicola**	41	Crozet, VA
42	Perotti, Ofelia	        51	Alexandria, VA
43	Krycinski, Sarah**	27	Bedford, VA
44	Sinclair, Halsey	18	Silver Spring, MD
45	McMurray, Cheryl*	39	Fairfax, VA
46	Muething, Mary Beth	29	Arlington, VA
47	Lovett, Pamela*	        45	Newport News, VA

19 & Under Women
The division was humongous, with 47 qualifiers. Last period's teen and overall champion, Belainesh Gebre, won the YMCA Turkey Trot 5K in 16:40 in Fredericksburg before disappearing from the scene. Suddenly back on the horizon was Best of 2006 wunderkind Aurora Scott of Chesapeake, VA.

Scott's first race was, for her, an uninspired 18:33 win at the Toys for Tots 5K, which would have been enough for the crown. Second place Anya Oleynik finished second overall that same day at the Bethesda Turkey Chase 10K in 39:31. On New Year's Day Oleynik added a little pressure, winning the 5K in 18:51. Four days later, Scott hammered a 36:14 10K win at Fort Story for the title.

Fourteen-year-old Heidi Peterson of Williamsburg, VA gets the third spot with three overall wins in the 5K. Her slowest was 19:20 at the Cold Feet race. Her fastest, at the Colonial 5K in 19:00, gives Oleynik something to think about.

Any of the next half dozen runners could be next. Young runners tend to have inconsistent times, making them harder to judge. Alicia Grove makes fourth with Turkey Trot 10K in 40:09. The Sinclair twins, Halsey and Ashlyn, often split races. This period Halsey won both to make her the choice for fifth place. Though they were just seconds apart, two runners squeezed between them.

Pl	Name	                Age	Hometown
1	Scott, Aurora**	        18	Chesapeake, VA
2	Oleynik, Anya***	19	Gaithersburg, MD
3	Peterson, Heidi***	14	Williamsburg, VA
4	Grove, Alicia**	        18	Richmond, VA
5	Sinclair, Halsey**	18	Silver Spring, MD
6	Lewellyn, Kayleigh****	17	Chesapeake, VA
7	Ryba, Anna*****	        14	Bethesda, MD
8	Sinclair, Ashlyn**	18	Silver Spring, MD
9	Wynn, Natalie**	        14	Chesapeake, VA
10	Rooks, Brittney***	13	Baltimore, MD
11	Schrader, Taryn***	17	Virginia Beach, VA
12	Gresham, Casey*	        17	Chesapeake, VA
13	Waldhauser, Courtney**	18	Baltimore, MD
14	Sowder, Mary Catherine**15	Roanoke, VA
15	Grogan, Erin	        18	Virginia Beach, VA
16	Stasakova, Erika**	17	Bel Air, MD
17	Roane, Bonnie*	        18	Chesapeake, VA
18	Powers, Callen*	        18	Chesapeake, VA
19	Richardson, Malina**	12	Ashland, VA
20	Dickson, Candice**	18	Annapolis, MD
21	Ulmer, Lauren*	        18	Chesapeake, VA
22	Sheridan, Katherine	14	Vienna, VA
23	Vinton, Melissa 	16	Kingsville, MD
24	Lang, Tiffany **	13	Columbia, MD
25	Bodmer, Allyson	        12	Manassas, VA
26	Smith, Emily*	        15	Chesapeake, VA
27	De La Rosa, Katie*	16	Chesapeake, VA
28	Hubbard, Christine*6	18	Virginia Beach, VA
29	Vann, Katie*	        13	Forest, VA
30	Ferro, Amy	        15	Rockville, MD
31	Repka, Marisa*	        15	Bethesda, MD
32	Leffew, Hannah	        16	Virginia Beach, VA
33	Carty, Nicole*	        13	Fairfax, VA
34	Napier, Jenna	        15	Hampton, VA
35	Julienne, Gabrielle**	16	Williamsburg, VA
36	Hora, Whitney*	        15	Bel Air, MD
37	Sacker, Katie*	        17	Catonsville, MD
38	Dunlap, Jordan*	        10	Leesburg, VA
39	Deis, Mary Lynn*	14	Forest, VA
40	Glueck, Gaylin*	        13	Williamsburg, VA
41	Flowers, Hailey*	16	Lynchburg, VA
42	Grupp, Sarah	        11	Charlottesville, VA
43	Flanders, Hannah	15	Penhook, VA
44	McDonald, Marlee	17	Norfolk, VA
45	Falls, Courtney	        14	Roanoke, VA
46	Meadows, Alyssa*	16	Millwood, VA
47	Brauner, Lena*	        18	Solomons, MD

35-39 Women
GW Birthday 10K, 36:27

In photo, ninth place Suzanne Himes won her division at the Acumen Solutions Jingle All the Way 10K in 40:07. Note three other sub masters earned cash awards in the top ten overall in this large race.

Susannah Kvasnicka of Great Falls, VA was building over the winter for a monster spring racing season. Her times were slower than last fall but all three of her races were major races where she finished third overall or better. At the Alexandria Turkey Trot in November, she met up with runner-up Erica Nemmers of Herndon, VA, winning easily 29:14 to 30:17. Fourth place Hilary Cairns of Washington, DC was there as well but suffered a tough race well back in 31:48.

Next at the Acumen Solutions Jingle All the Way 10K, Kvasnicka ran 36:31. Cairns recovered well, finishing in 38:16 for seventh overall to close on Nemmers. Cairns also won the Red Ribbon 5K in 18:33. Nemmers had won the Bread Run 10K in 40:24. That race is mostly flat but it never seems to produce fast times.

Meanwhile, Mary Davison of Chesapeake, VA won outright all four races she ran from 5K to 25K. Though her best race at the Fort Story 20K in 1:20:50 is slightly slower, she still is awarded the third spot ahead of Cairns. Fifth place Colleen Pak of Virginia Beach, VA battled Davison in the Tidewater Distance Series, coming in close behind. She also ran a fine East Beach HM in 1:26:23 to keep things exciting

Now it is mid February and the competition heads for Alexandria and the GW Birthday 10K. Last year Marjan Huizing won the crown off this race. This year Kvasnicka ran 36:27 for third overall and the crown. Cairns ran a solid 39:55; Huizing struggled, her 41:56 was nearly four minutes slower than last year.

Pl	Name	                Age	Hometown
1	Kvasnicka, Susannah***	35	Great Falls, VA
2	Nemmers, Erica**	35	Herndon, VA
3	Davison, Mary*****	35	Chesapeake, VA
4	Cairns, Hilary**	37	Washington, DC
5	Pak, Colleen*6	        37	Virginia Beach, VA
6	Knickman, Denise*****	39	Baltimore, MD
7	Kirby, Samantha*	39	Arlington, VA
8	Schrank, Brenda*6	35	Winchester, VA
9	Himes, Suzanne**	38	Alexandria, VA
10	McMurray, Cheryl**	39	Fairfax, VA
11	Dumbrell, Jeanette*	38	Falls Church, VA
12	Huizing, Marjan*	39	Kensington, MD
13	Fitzgerald, Jenny**	36	Richmond, VA
14	Cochran, Marybeth*	39	Bel Air, MD
15	Price, Kimberly	        35	Gaithersburg, MD
16	Dominici, Francesca*	38	Baltimore, MD
17	Ransom, Elizabeth**	35	Toano, VA

40-44 Women
Drumstick Dash 5K, 17:54, 10K = 37:16

In photo, Barbara Wigle (40) of Centreville, VA was the overall winner at the reindeer Run 5K with 21:33. In the competitive masters division that earned her 25th place.

Alisa Harvey of Manassas, VA started the period with a swift 17:54 5K more than a minute faster than any other racer. Then she set to improving her own American masters division records in the mile and the 800m. In her absence, four top runners with sub 40:00 10K credentials battled for the crown.

Anna Catanese of Mechanicsville, VA had four age group wins with two overall wins, never finishing lower than fourth place overall. She opened negotiations in November with a 19:07 5K. In January, Kathy Goetz of Reston, VA moved past Rebecca Nathan of Arlington, VA toward the top, winning the JFK 5K in 19:00 to 19:14. Then Elizabeth Feldman of Chevy Chase, MD improved her Al Lewis flat ten mile in Kensington from 67:56 to a swift RRCA Challenge in the hills of Columbia in 66:14. That moved her past Nathan.

Meanwhile, Catanese again made her best race the Frostbite 15K in 60:43 and eased by Goetz for the crown. Then on the final day of the period Nathan bounded to third overall, nearly catching Goetz with her win at the B&A Half Marathon in 1:27:51. Fifth place Christi Morganti was ever so close with her half in 1:28:39. Her best 5K on Valentine's Day was a mere second back in 19:15.

Seven of these 27 masters women qualified for the Open division.

Pl	Name	                Age	Hometown
1	Catanese, Anna****	41	Mechanicsville, VA
2	Goetz, Kathy*	        42	Reston, VA
3	Nathan, Rebecca***	42	Arlington, VA
4	Feldman, Elizabeth**	40	Chevy Chase, MD
5	Morganti, Christine**	43	Severna Park, MD
6	Kline, Sheryl*	        44	Arnold, MD
7	Ratcliffe, Nicola**	41	Crozet, VA
8	Freres, Anita*****	42	Reston, VA
9	Glueck, Connie*****	43	Williamsburg, VA
10	Hall, Maureen**	        43	Lavale, MD
11	Mancini, Jinx**	        41	Midlothian, VA
12	Haupt, Diane***	        41	Virginia Beach, VA
13	Fernandez, Cherie**	42	Midlothian, VA
14	Niel, Laura	        43	Annandale, VA
15	Delaney, Nancy***	42	Virginia Beach, VA
16	Kinnecome, Susie***	44	Bethesda, MD
17	Mackintosh, Brenda	42	Springfield, VA
18	Krill, Carol**	        43	Stafford, VA
19	Mennitt, Lori*	        43	McLean, VA
20	McIntyre, Janelle*	42	Ellicott City, MD
21	Newell, Vianne**	42	Woodbridge, VA
22	Hager, Donna*	        40	Baltimore, MD
23	O'Connell, Debra*	40	Bethesda, MD
24	Marcum, Holly 	        41	Annapolis, MD
25	Wigle, Barbara*	        41	Centreville, VA
26	Benante, Susan*	        44	Norfolk, VA
27	Bierie, Irene**	        41	Hampton, VA

45-49 Women
Acumen Solutions Jingle All the Way 10K, 37:58

Sheryl Kline of Arnold, MD entered the new division in 2008 and immediately began making waves. She had been fast improving over the last few years. Now it seems every race is a PR. Linda Foley of Oak Hill, VA started the period with her worst race finishing sixth overall. She later finished second overall twice and won a race outright. She capped the year at the Red Ribbon 5K with a 19:06. Meanwhile, Kline improved her 5K down to 19:15 at the Valentine's Day 5K. On the final day of the period, she blasted a 1:28:21 at the B&A Half Marathon. That was her third second overall finish. Using the Moreland Racing Factor, Foley had a 68 along with her slightly faster best race to edge Kline's MRF of 59.

The next three spots are very close as well. Cindy Conant of Kensington, MD improved on her second overall Al Lewis 10 Mile in 68:07 to best fifth place Vanessa Cox of Laurel, MD at the RRCA Challenge 66:57 to 67:41. Fourth place Win Persina of Washington, DC followed Foley home at the Red Ribbon 5K in 19:39. Earlier in the month, she had won her division at the Acumen Solutions Jingle All the Way 10K in 40:07.

Pl	Name	                Age	Hometown
1	Foley, Linda****	45	Oak Hill, VA
2	Kline, Sheryl 	        45	Arnold, MD
3	Conant, Cindy*6	        46	Kensington, MD
4	Persina, Win*****	48	Washington, DC
5	Cox, Vanessa*	        46	Laurel, MD
6	Lovett, Pamela**	45	Newport News, VA
7	Trent, Jeanie**	        46	Richmond, VA
8	Olson, Ruth**	        45	Fredericksburg, VA
9	Zerfas, Patricia*	45	Kensington, MD
10	Kerr, Eleanor*	        48	University Park. MD
11	Boyd, Majorie****	46	Annapolis, MD
12	Furr, Suzanne*	        46	Harwood, MD
13	Betz, Jean	        49	Cabin John, MD
14	Lundeen, Jennifer**	48	Port Republic, MD
15	Nanda, Sushila***	46	Arlington, VA
16	Scott, Janeth	        45	Columbia, MD
17	Black, Beverly*	        47	Boonsboro, MD
18	Blasey, Sandy	        45	Kensington, MD
19	Gallagher, Catherine	47	Chevy Chase, MD
20	Gordon, Susan***	46	Virginia Beach, VA
21	Buckheit, Sarah****	47	Reston, VA
22	Henderson, Debi**	47	Newport News, VA
23	Chen-Mayer, Heather	46	Garrett Park, MD
24	Roed, Becky**	        49	Springfield, VA
25	Jones, Ellen	        45	Fredericksburg, VA

50-54 Women
Acumen Solutions Jingle All the Way 10K, 40:47

In photo, Merrilee Seidman (53) of Alexandria, VA finished second at the monster Turkey Trot in her hometown. Her time of 38:35 earned her 18th place in the division.

Ofelia Perotti (51) of Alexandria, VA is an Open runner disguised as a grandmaster. She had put away the top two contenders to start November last period with 41:12. In December, she ran the same course in a faster 40:47 to win the division. No one in this division finished within a mile of her.

At the Red Ribbon 5K to end 2007 she ran a fine 20:25 to cow her rival, Betty Blank, who came in second in 20:55. Blank had started the period with a solid Alexandria 5 Mile in 34:23. Last period's runner-up, Alison Suckling of Arnold, MD, held her position with a faster Celtic Solstice 5M in 33:43. Neither closed on Perotti. She wrapped it up tighter in February winning the GW Birthday 10K in 40:57.

The next two spots came from both sides of the division. Dorothy Beckett of Columbia, MD joined the division and raced two of the hilliest long races in the county. She won at the Metric Marathon (16.3 miles) and at the RRCA Challenge 10 Mile in February with 1:12:36. Lynn Marie Swanson of Norfolk, VA ran her last race of the age group. Her Army Navy 10K was in 43:37. She and Betty Blank will continue their discussion in the 55-59 division.

Pl	Name	                Age	Hometown
1	Perotti, Ofelia***	51	Alexandria, VA
2	Suckling, Alison***	52	Arnold, MD
3	Blank, Betty*7	        54	Falls Church, VA
4	Beckett, Dorothy*	50	Columbia, MD
5	Swanson, Lynn Marie*	54	Norfolk, VA
6	Ferris, Nancy**	        51	Goode, VA
7	Roeder, Carole**	50	Ashburn, VA
8	Weeks, Sharon*12	53	Virginia Beach, VA
9	Talley, Carol*	        53	Williamsburg, VA
10	Hoitsma, Ellen**	52	Baltimore, MD
11	DeWald, Laura*	        50	Baltimore, MD
12	Starnes, Margaret*6	54	Street, MD
13	Kern, Peggy*	        54	Norfolk, VA
14	Roman, Laura*	        52	Baltimore, MD
15	Washington, Myra*	50	Montgomery Village, MD
16	Altschuler, Rona**	53	Newport News, VA
17	Gammon, Karen**	        51	Moseley, VA
18	Seidman, Merrilee	53	Alexandria, VA
19	Johnson, Julie**	51	Midlothian, VA
20	Lang, Mary**	        53	Pasadena, MD
21	Recto, Liza*	        51	Lexington Park, MD
22	Manzo, Kat**	        52	Winchester, VA
23	MacNabb, Pat*	        54	Glenwood, MD
24	Peck, Julia*	        50	Culpeper, VA
25	Carvalho, Manuela	53	Washington, DC
26	Sykes, Cathie*	        52	Virginia Beach, VA
27	Ross, Saleema	        54	Fort Washington, MD
28	Pescatore, Carole*	50	Ashton, MD

55-59 Women
DCRRC Burke Lake 12K, 53:28, 10K = 44:00

Betty Blank of Falls Church, VA ran her first race of the new age group the last day of the period at Burke Lake and it would have been fast enough for the crown. Still, earning the crown is no easy measure. The top three runners had some great racing. Really it was the top four but soon Alice Franks (59) of Rockville, MD will be menacing the next division. Franks ran the Turkey Burn-off 10 Mile in 1:18:36.

Linell Smith of Baltimore, MD joined the division with a fine December race, the Celtic Solstice in 36:16. That was not quite enough to pass Barbara Mathewson of Virginia Beach, VA who started the period with a swift hometown 10K in 45:30. While Mathewson dabbled in the Fort Story long distance series, winning all of the races (20K-25K-30K), Smith took down the B&A Trail HM in 1:40:19 the last day of the period with the second fastest time among qualifiers. She did get her two races in and vaulted past Mathewson toward the top. In her way was a newcomer to the division, Mary Lynn Swanson of Norfolk.

Swanson delighted in sweeping the Mud in Your Eye Cross Country Series (5K-6K-8K) to slip past the others to the crown. The last race, the 6K, was run in 26:17 (10K = 45:08).

Already in the spring she has run a fast 8K that should keep Blank looking over her shoulder as she tries for her first crown in the new division.

Pl	Name	                Age	Hometown
1	Swanson, Lynn Marie***	55	Norfolk, VA
2	Smith, Linell****	55	Baltimore, MD
3	Mathewson, Barbara****	58	Virginia Beach, VA
4	Franks, Alice***	59	Rockville, MD
5	Shields, Maria**	57	Davidsonville, MD
6	Miffleton, Terry**	57	Richmond, VA
7	Arnold, Christina**	56	Norfolk, VA
8	St. Clair, Christy**	59	Glen Arm, MD
9	Cooper, Ellen*	        57	Rockville, MD
10	Meierowitz, Barbara	55	Chesapeake, VA
11	D' Agostino, Joanne*	58	Norfolk, VA

60-64 Women
Acumen Solutions Jingle All the Way 10K, 45:49

In photo, Sandra May (62) of Alexandria, VA had her best race (54:45) at the GW Birthday 10K in February to earn the ninth spot in her division.

Presumptive division winner Chris Craun of Bethesda, MD started the period with a win at the YMCA Turkey Chase 10K, though at 49:34 nearly a minute slower than last year. Betty Brothers of Virginia Beach, VA quickly moved in with a smashing 48:10 at her hometown Turkey Trot. New senior runner Nancy Crippen of Stafford, VA must have smelled blood as she quickly strode to the lead in a T-day 5K in 22:23.

Craun responded to the pressure in December. First, she put away the division by winning the Acumen Solutions Jingle All the Way 10K in 45:49 nearly a minute faster than last year. A week later, she set the five mile standard at the huge Celtic Solstice, winning in 36:51 to earn the crown. Crippen answered back in February with a strong 30:05 at the Sweetheart 4 Mile for the runner-up spot.

Brothers battled fourth place Jeanne Kruger-Williams in the Fort Story 20K-25K-30K series. She only won in 20K but that and her 10K time before were faster than either of Kruger-Williams' victories

Pl	Name	                  Age	Hometown
1	Craun, Chris***	          61	Bethesda, MD
2	Crippen, Nancy**	  60	Stafford, VA
3	Brothers, Betty**	  61	Virginia Beach, VA
4	Kruger-Williams, Jeanne** 60	Norfolk, VA
5	Nelson, Dee****	          64	Gaithersburg, MD
6	Glover, Elizabeth***	  63	Bethesda, MD
7	Tice, Linda***	          62	Glen Arm, MD
8	Buck, Sandy**	          61	Monkton, MD
9	May, Sandra	          62	Alexandria, VA
10	Price, Helene**	          62	Washington, DC
11	Lee, Punkin**	          61	Middleburg, VA
12	Himelright, Colleen*	  60	Fredericksburg, VA
13	Hirn, Ann**	          62	Portsmouth, VA
14	Stark, Barbara***	  63	Suffolk, VA
15	Jakubec, Nancy*	          64	Midlothian, VA
16	Peters, Linda**	          61	Roanoke, VA
17	Kautz, Karen*	          64	Silver Spring, MD
18	Ganthier, Toni	          61	The Plains, VA
19	Berger, Nancy *	          62	Baltimore, MD

65-69 Women
Celtic Solstice 5M, 40:40, 10K = 51:38

Arlowene Garland of Warsaw, VA is launching a comeback after sinking to her lowest ranking ever--sixth place last period. Just as she did the year before, Garland boldly started the period with the fastest 5K of the period; this time racing the YMCA Turkey Trot 5K in 28:47. She raced the Blue-Gray HM in December to cap the division. At 69, she will soon be moving on just as this division gets really contentious. Six runners had fast enough solo times to make the top three. Three had faster times than Garland.

Always hanging around the top, Betty Smith of Rockville, MD ran four five milers and a solid RRCA Challenge 10 Mile. Her best race was the Shooting Star in January with 50:02. That was just enough to eek out the runner-up spot over a hard charging Kathy Smart of Winchester, VA. After racing a 30:45 for the 5K, she ran the odd distanced Retro Ramble the final weekend of the period. Calculated as 3.8 miles, she came up a mere four seconds off in the 10K equivalent.

Pl	Name	                Age	Hometown
1	Garland, Arlowene**	69	Warsaw, VA
2	Smith, Betty*****	67	Rockville, MD
3	Smart, Kathy***	        65	Winchester, VA
4	Cullen, Sandra**	67	Richmond, VA
5	Ely, Pauline*7	        69	Hampton, VA
6	Privitera, Barbara*	65	Alexandria, VA
7	Dicker, Lois*	        68	Silver Spring, MD
8	Wollard, Jamie	        69	Bethesda, MD

70-74 Women
DCRRC Burke Lake 12K, 1:13:08, 10K = 60:12

Tami Graf of Lusby, MD continues to hone her skills with the top ten times among qualifiers. Her fastest race came on the last day of the ranking period and it was on a dirt trail. Still, she cannot rest on her laurels. Nancy Fraser of Charlottesville, VA ran her only race New Year's Day in 29:24, which is closing in on Graf's second best race, the Valentine's Day 5K in 28:57. Nancy Welker of Roseland, VA ended her year with the next two best 5Ks for the runner-up spot.

Pl	Name	                Age	Hometown
1	Graf, Tami*9	        71	Lusby, MD
2	Welker, Nancy**	        73	Roseland, VA
3	Shepherd, Ernestine***	71	Baltimore, MD
4	Dameron, Betty**	72	Fredericksburg, VA

75-79 Women
AS Anniversary 15K, 1:52:15, 10K = 1:12:59

Yvonne Aasen ran her 15K at a better equivalent pace than her Valentine's Day 5K. We look for more older runners to return as the weather warms.

Pl	Name        	Age	Hometown
1	Aasen, Yvonne	76	Severna Park, MD

80 & Over Women
By George 5K, 52:18, 10K = 1:49:14

Mary Lathram was our lone racer.

Pl	Name        	Age	Hometown
1	Lathram, Mary	92	Falls Church, VA

See the Men's Winter 2008 WRR Runner Rankings