"I just came off an injury and it was a pretty even race. My first mile was 7:25. At the fifth mile I wanted to slow down but a guy started to push. I went out too slow and it was hard to get faster. I went faster when I got to Independence Avenue," stated Chrissy Esposito of Centreville, VA. She was first in the age group 14 and under with a 46:54.

Esposito was one of the 5,000 plus registered runners for Washington's largest 10K road race, the flagship race season opener, the 16th Annual St. Patrick's Day 10K on Sunday, March 14, 2004. The race has moved up into the competitive ranks through the years. It was a test of the winter training. The atmosphere was festive with bagpiper Mike Scott and the dancers from the O'Neill-James School.

In the first year, the top 10 times for the males ranged from 32:19 to 34:30, and this year the range was 30:48 to 32:36. The range for the females at the inaugural event was 36:32 to 43:48, and this year the range was 34:12 to 38:52. The level of performance has been improving for the area runners. Since 1999, the largest age group represented was 25-29, with 1,147 finishers of the total 4,421.

The race started along Pennsylvania Avenue between 12th and 13th Streets and went towards the U.S. Capitol at 1st Street. A pack of 10 lads made a dash off the start line led by the "Tough Guy," Michael Wardian of Team Pacers/New Balance, who is in training for the USA National 100K Championship. Last year, Wardian placed fourth in 31:48. Kyle Smits of Washington, DC was off to the left, as was Philippe Rolly, former Pacers teammate who was born in France and now lives in Tuckahoe, NY. Rolly is a two time winner and record holder ('99-30:27 Record, '01-30:51). In 1999, Rolly broke the streak of the Irishman, Edmund Burke, the three-time consecutive winner ('96- 30:52, '97-31:06, '98-30:50).

Glen Mays of Potomac River Running was trailing in the middle of the pack. Mays captured his second win at the RRCA Club Challenge 10 Miler ('02-54:52, '04-52:15) last month in Columbia, MD. On March 7th, Mays was the winner of the Little Rock Marathon (AK) in 2:34:33. Mays placed fourth in the 2001 St. Patrick's Day 10K (31:24) and 2002 (32:20) and was second last year in 31:26. The pack went through the first mile in 4:57 at the base of the Capitol.

Going into the second mile off Independence Avenue onto 2nd Street, the pack had dropped down to five with Wardian at the point as the runners were in single file. Wardian was being used to break the wind by Mays, Rolly, Smits, and Chris McInnis of Herndon, VA. Wardian made a quick move and the group responded.

The pack made their way along 3rd Street back onto Independence Avenue to the second mile maker. Wardian was in the lead as they passed in 9:53 (4:56 split). Rolly had pulled up into second place but Wardian was not ready to yield the pole position. The group had a 50-meter lead over the trailing runners.

The women's race had two-time winner and co-record holder (35:42) Casey Smith of Washington Running Club. The other co- holder is Susanne Augustauskas (1989). A half mile into the race, Heather Hanscom of Team Pacers/New Balance was making her way to the pole position. Hanscom was the winner of the 2003 Marine Corps Marathon (2:37:59) and qualified for the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials. At St. Patrick's last year, Hanscom was third in 36:00. She went through the first mile in 5:27.

At 10th and Independence going up to L'Enfant Plaza it was a two- man race, Wardian and Rolly with a slight gap in between. Around Benjamin Banneker Circle, into mile three the two passed in 14:59. The 5K time for Wardian was 15:34 and Rolly was 15:35.

Hanscom passed mile three in 16:36 (split time of 5:43). Her 5K time was 17:16. Smith was in hot pursuit. Trailing in third was Sharon (Servidio) Lemberger of Team Pacers/New Balance. Lemberger made her debut in the St. Patrick's Day 10K in 1998 with a second place finish in 37:32, followed by a second place finish in 37:06 in 2001, fourth place in 36:30 in 2002 and a 36:29 last year.

Going into the fourth mile, Wardian pushed through in 19:46 (4:54 split) with Rolly a step back. At 3rd Street and Independence Avenue, Rolly put in a surge to pass Wardian on the left side, but Wardian looked to his side and covered the move. At mile five, Wardian passed in 23:45 with Rolly five meters back and Smits 400 meters back.

At 6th and Pennsylvania Avenue, Rolly pulled up alongside Wardian and the two began to match stride. The race was down to the last 200 meters and with a kick, Rolly surged and Wardian could not cover the move. Rolly became the second three-time winner with a time of 30:48, the fourth fastest winning time. Wardian was second in 30:54. Smits was third in 31:15 and Mays was fourth in 31:18.

"I felt bad because I was behind all of the way and I could have ran faster. He [Wardian] did not run a smart race, and he would not let me lead. I tried to pass him several times to take the lead. This was my first good race in three years since leaving and I miss Washington. This was a great race," said Rolly.

He stated further, "After two miles, I wasn't sure that I could follow them and I had to fight the headwind. I just focused on Michael and at the 5K I wanted to pass him but he was pushing. I wanted to have a good race and expected to run sub-31 minutes, a tough race. I'm not fast at the end but I am a good kicker."

"My best 10K time before today was 31:02 and I am pleased with a PR. I shut him down three times. I did a nine mile training run before the race," stated Wardian.

"I was happy with the outcome. I would have liked to have won, of course, but stuck to my race plan and came away with a great workout. I was sort of using it as a hard training run in preparation for my upcoming track season where I hope to qualify for the Olympic Trials in the 5K or 10K," said Smits.

He stated further, "My plan was to run 5:00 to 5:10 pace (as relaxed as possible) and come home strong the last mile. I was hoping that would be enough for the win, but Michael Wardian and Philippe Rolly made sure it was a quick pace early on. My endurance isn't quite there yet as I've really only been training well for the last couple of weeks."

"The St. Patrick's Day race shows me I'm right where I need to be and I think with another month or so of solid training I will be ready for some PRs on the track and, with a little luck, an Olympic trials qualifying time. We'll see," added Smits.

Hanscom swung back onto Independence Avenue and passed mile four in 22:07 (5:31 split) and passed mile five on 1st Street in 27:32 (5:25 split). She was well under record pace by the time she reached Pennsylvania Avenue along with Smith. Hanscom went on to set a new event record in 34:12 and Smith broke her own record and took second in 35:31. Lemberger took third in 36:34, her third best time in five showings. Lisa Thomas of Alexandria, Virginia, took fourth in 36:52 followed by Ann Reed of Columbia, Maryland, in fifth with 37:44. Last year, Thomas was 10th with a time of 38:11.

"I wanted to run in the low 34 range, ideally I would have liked to break 34 minutes. I was pleased and I raced as well as I could. My legs were a little weary from all of the mileage and training, so I was happy I ran as hard and fast as I did," stated Hanscom.

There was no concern about anyone else in the race, "I just wanted to do my best. That was my focus for this race, to push myself as far as I could go and see who else was around. I did not know I broke the record until Sharon asked," added Hanscom

In April in St. Louis, Hanscom will face the best in the country at the women's U.S. Olympic Trials. "I am really excited to race at the Trials, and under Coach Matt I have come a long way in the past year. I feel that I am in better shape than I was for the Marine Corps Marathon. I am just happy to be able to race against those girls and see what I can do."

"Today was a good test, I am happy it was a PR for me. I believe I did run too fast in the first mile and if I had been a bit more conservative, I would have had more left at the end. My splits were 5:44, 5:56, 6:10, 5:58, 5:50 and 5:57. In mile 4 to 5, I felt strong and in control and once I hit Pennsylvania Avenue for the finish - I died. I lost focus and couldn't stay with the guys that I was running with. It was a pretty painful finish," stated Thomas.

Mark Malander of Oak Hill, Virginia, was the leading master with a time of 33:52, which was the 13th fastest winning time. Chuck Moeser of Team Pacers/New Balance was second in 33:54. Moeser was the master's winner in 1992 (33:45), 1986 (33:32) and 1997 (32:41). In 1999 he was second in 32:59, second in 2000 with 33:53, third in 2001 with a 33:39, and second in 2002 with a 33:35. George Buckheit of Reston, Virginia, was third in 34:18.

Patti Shull of Potomac River Running is the masters event record holder and two-time winner (1999-37:12 Record, 2000-37:49). Shull was the first to go under 38 minutes. She took the race out hard and never looked back to capture win number three in 38:58 (11th place), the fifth fastest winning time and she is the only three-time winner. Brenda Walton of Cordova, Tennessee, was second in 40:05 (17th place). The 2002 winner (39:52), Win Persina of Washington, placed third in 41:00.

"I went as well as I could and I felt a little more comfortable today at the pace I was running. My first mile was 6:33, where I wanted to be. I need three to four more weeks of good running," stated Julie Hayden of Potomac River Running, the fourth master in 42:03 (28th place). Hayden placed third in 2002 (40:13) and last year second in 41:14.

"It was breezy going out and it was a good race and I did an even pace, a great start for the season. At mile five (at the U.S. Capitol) I wanted to ease up, it was mental and I had to grab myself. Once you start to fade it gets to be mental and I had to challenge myself," stated Terri Rath of Potomac River Running, the fifth master in 42:31 (33rd place). Last year, Rath was 24th in 41:46 (3rd 35-39 age group).

"Well, it was not quite what I wanted at St. Patrick's. I think I learned that I couldn't clean up an entire basement and stay on my feet for seven hours the day before a race. I had worked out hard that week too, so I was really tired. I felt it right from the first mile. It was a PR, but I had not raced a 10K in a while," stated Elizabeth Feldman of Chevy Chase, Maryland, 3rd in the age group 35-39, with a 39:15 (12th place).

The lads and lassies have set their plans into motion and will make the corrections for their next race. Green was the color of the day to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, but it was a time for friends and family to share in some of Washington's finest fitness. Why does the race continue to grow? The addition of the Marriott at Metro Center and Fleet Feet Sports of Adams Morgan for the expo are but two reasons. The key elements of the race, festive nature, good competition, certified course with accurate timing, post-race refreshments and let's not forget the volunteers and the numerous other sponsors and supporters also contribute to the race's growing popularity. It takes a year of planning for a one-day celebration. The April, May and June racing season will be a blast and there will many more PRs.

See complete results of the St. Patrick's Day 10K.

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