"The benefit of the run is not the finish, but the preparation for it and the lifting of the spirit. It's good to see people finish who one year ago could not even run around the block, and you hear them say 'I feel better when I do this'," said Jeff Galloway, author and Olympian. Galloway was talking about the 10th McCormick & Schmick's St. Patrick's Day 10K (Sunday, March 15, 1998).

The race is part of a 28-event series sponsored by Home Depot; the mission is to benefit those local organizations, which help children at risk. The Big Brothers/Big Sisters of the National Capital Area are the local beneficiary. The organization is dedicated to helping girls and boys from single-parent homes reach their fullest potential.

The event started and finished in front of McCormick & Schmick's Seafood Restaurant at 16th and K Streets, NW. The event had record number of 3,800 registrants. The first year there were 1,112 registered with 983 finishers (274 females and 709 males).

At stake were bragging rights for the season opener for the runners. The front line was packed with potential winners and the 1997 defending champions, including Edmund Burke of Burtonsville, MD, an English professor at Montgomery College (Maryland), who was going for a three-peat. Last year the winning time was 31:06 and 1996 was 30:52. Jennifer Stearns of Stafford, VA was after win number two. Last year's time was 36:17. Linda Wack of Germantown, MD was defending the master's title of 39:06.

The morning chill was in the air and the winds were picking up and would prove an extra challenge for the runners. All were anxious, the sea of runners were released and Burke wasted no time in establishing that he was the one to beat. Tom Jeffrey of Charlottesville, VA and Tom Woods of Washington, DC set out to prove they could run with the best as they took up the chase. The two started matching stride as they attempted to reel Burke in.

The determination was in concrete going into the first mile at 11th and Pennsylvania Avenue with 4:41 on the clock. Woods and Jeffrey were not able to close a gap established by Burke and were five yards back but within striking distance. The other part of the race was fifty yards back with no chance of getting up with the leaders.

Burke had the pressure on as the trio raced up to North Capital Street and made a quick turn going into the second mile. Burke had relaxed the pace to a 4:59 mile split (9:40 elapsed time). The slowed pace had no effect; Jeffrey and Woods were still being held back at a safe distance. With each step, the two tried to reel Burke in a quickened pace to neutralize the efforts.

Pushing through the first mile was female leader Sharon Servidio of Arlington, VA, a teammate of Stearns from Pacer's of Old Town Alexandria, VA, who was out to set the pace. Servidio had ran 2:53:04 for second place at the Marine Corps Marathon in 1996, and was the winner of the PowerGel National Capital 20 Miler last September with 2:12:06. Stearns was four strides back and buying time and ready to strike at any moment. Servidio was not safe and this was going to be a battle of speed and strategy as the two faded into the pack.

Burke was controlling the race, another 4:59 mile (elapsed 14:39) going in to the third mile at 13th and Pennsylvania Avenue. The pace was devastating to Jeffrey and Woods, at the first mile they were shoulder-to-shoulder and Jeffrey had pulled away from Woods by mile three. The elapsed time at the halfway (5K) was 15:11 for Burke.

A sharp turn on to 15th Street and into a strong headwind for the next several blocks. Burke was keeping the pressure up and not taking any chances. Woods had slipped out of the hunt and was going to be bait for the fourth runner to attempt to seize the third place.

Stearns had bought some time and made a decisive move going into the third mile and passed Servidio, a brief challenge and the give in and the passing of the invisible baton. Closing in behind Servidio was Martha Merz of Annandale, VA, who was less than a minute back and was a player at that point. Stearns was in the right position with the added pressure of maintaining and preventing an aggressive Servidio from coming back. Speed, pace, strategy, and patience paid off.

As the runners continued to race up 15th Street to L Street, there was an added challenge - oncoming traffic, which caused Burke to dodge a few vehicles before getting to 17th Street. Burke, going into the fourth mile, had a 5:11 split (elapsed 19:50). The wind was taking a toll on the pace but it affected all of the runners. Jeffrey had fallen off pace and was out of contention of catching Burke.

The sea of runners continued to snake along the course for the possible largest 10K running event in Washington. There were stories being written as runners passed each other.

Going into the fifth mile, Burke was coming to grips that a win was in the air. The elapsed time was 25:02 (5:12 split). The challengers had been put away and the event was his to lose. The pace and the pressure were going to prevail. A few added surges and a quickened pace resulted in a 4:48 mile split (elapsed 29:50) going into the sixth mile.

The end of the story was at hand as Burke hit that last turn onto K Street to the reception of a cheering crowd to cross in a time of 30:50. Jeffrey held in for the second place with 31:18 and Woods maintained third with 32:23.

"I had planned to make my move at mile 4. I was worried about the runner behind me, and I could hear him coughing and I didn't look back. In the last mile, I had about a 100 yard lead and I started to lift my knees," said winner Burke. "I hate to sound selfish but after winning it three times I may want to give someone else a try next year. I'm glad they have this great race and they do a nice job and I hope they continue it," added Burke.

The runners continued to file in. The fourth position was captured by Philip Dickenson of Harrisonburg, VA with 32:32 and fifth went to Jonathan Corso of Arlington, VA with 32:37.

The winning master was Robert Marino of Annapolis, MD with 33:05 (7th pace). Dave Kannewurf of Mechanicsville, VA was second with 34:02. In third was Steven Ward of Reston, VA with 34:19.

Stearns, in the closing miles, maintained an even pace to control the closing miles. On the return down 17th Street, victory was only minutes away. The last surge, the last turn and the finish line and win number two with 36:49. After a valiant opening effort, Servidio held on to the second place after the third mile and finished with 37:32. Martha Merz was not able to reel in Servidio in the closing miles and settled in for third place with 37:49.

"I stayed up with her [Servidio] for three miles and she threw in a few surges but I saw that she was not pulling away from me. I wanted to run comfortable and I wanted to win. I was going to stay behind her about ten meters. I made my move at mile three. I wanted to run under 37 minutes," said winner Stearns.

"This was my first time running this event and I wanted to see what I could do. I tried to pull away [from Stearns] a few times and threw in a few surges. At mile three, Jennifer pulled away and I tried to maintain and stay with her but I couldn't," said Servidio.

Linda Wack took a successful defense of the master's title with 38:36 and fourth place. Hilary Cairns of Washington, DC was fifth with 38:53.

"My first mile was 6:01 and I was right behind the lead females, the wind was tough and I liked the course. My strategy was to run hard when I wasn't running into the wind. I wanted to try and maintain position and not worry about time. I did not see my usual competition," said Wack.

The second master was Susan Humphries of Potomac, MD with 41:52 and third was Sandra Adams of Winchester, VA with 43:35.

"I wanted to run under 40 minutes today. It was a little windy and a good race, but I was a little off today," said Humphries.

Taking charge of the age group 60-64 was Chan Robbins of Arlington, VA with 39:23. "It was not a real fast course but it was fair. I wanted to break 39 minutes and I was on pace for the first three miles with an elapsed time of 18:47 for 5K. I lost my pace in miles 3 to 4 due to the hills," said Robbins.

"I love it when there are faster runners in my age group. I'd rather run fast and lose than to run slow and beat someone," added Robbins.

The runner to watch was Dixon Hemphill of Fairfax Station, VA as several competitors chased Hemphill for the entire distance trying to reel him in. A 47:23 was clocked for the 73-year-old to take first in the 70-74 age group. In second was Ray Blue of Oxon Hill, MD with 50:46 and third was Bill Osburn of Bethesda, MD with 54:06.

Doralie Segal of Arlington, VA took the 65-69 age group with 52:40. "We were freezing out there. It was a great race. I felt good and I had trained and I was ready today," said Segal. "I try to do my best and not get injured. I am grateful that I came out in one piece," added Segal.

The winner in the 70 and over age group for the females was Evelyn Kerper of Chevy Chase, MD, clocking a 1:21:48 at age 75.

Visually impaired runner Malgosia Zelinska of Alexandria, VA, who was running with a guide, finished in 48:11. "The first mile was a little slower because of all of the people. I am training for the Boston Marathon where I hope to run under four hours," said Zelinska.

The winner of the Washington Business Journal Team Trophy was team DynCorp with a combined time of 2:50:52 (M. Calhoun, D. Thacker, S. Rix, and P. Zapple). In second was Arthur Andersen with 2:52:45 (E. Post, B. Hoyt, D. Turner, and T. Kelly). ABACUS was third with 2:57:34 (M. Davison, R. Smith, J. Guest, and A. Muir).

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