May the Wind Always Be at Your Back

By Jim Hage
Rockville, MD
Sunday, April 17, 2011

Kenyans Julius Kogo and Risper Gesabwa took advantage of a prevailing tailwind to set men’s and women’s course records of 28 minutes 6 seconds and 32:07 at the 16th Kaiser Permanente Pike’s Peek 10K in Rockville.

And while the point-to-point course notably features a net loss in elevation, give the winners, four new age-group record holders, the many who lowered their PRs, and all of the 2,558 finishers their due: Rockville Pike rolls down and up and the early-morning wind was gusty and changeable. The day the wind blows steadily from the north, even these formidable records will fall.

But for now, Kogo, 25, and Gesabwa, 22, are at the top of their games; gone are the old marks of 28:30 by Tesfaye Bekele (2009) and 32:45 by Jen Rhines (1998).  Last year at Pike’s Peak, Kogo was the runner-up – by one second–to Ethiopian Bado Worku, who won in 28:43.

Photo left: The men’s lead pack about 3.5 miles into the race. “I didn’t want to be second again,” Kogo (Bib #2) conceded, and with a quick third mile he winnowed a pack of 15 to just three. Only Nicholas Kurgat (#21), who trains with Kogo in Chapel Hill, N.C., and Abiyot Endale (#10), the affable Ethiopian from the Bronx, stayed close. Kurgat finished second in 28:14 and Endale took third in 28:19, a 55-second personal best established at last year’s race when he finished ninth.

“My dream was to break 29 minutes,” Endale said, “so I am very happy. I am recovered from a knee injury [chondromalacia] and am training good again.” Endale, 24, ran 29:18 and finished third at the Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10K in Richmond on April 4.

Another surprised but happy runner was Jeffrey Eggleston, 26, seventh and the first American in 28:34, a personal best by a whopping 83 seconds. “My PR was kind of soft, but I’m really excited,” said Eggleston, primarily a marathoner who is training for the World Championships in South Korea this summer.

“My plan today was to hang as long as I could. And we needed someone to represent the U.S.!” Eggleston added. “It was a great field but I wasn’t afraid. I beat Girma Tola [eighth in 28:45] who ran 10K at the Sydney Olympics. So that’s cool.”

Former Georgetown University track standout and now medical student Maggie Infeld, 25, was the top American woman, 10th in 34:07.

Gesabwa’s one-second win over Ethiopian Alemtseha Misganaw was another in a series of close races between not-quite-friendly rivals. Gesabwa complained afterward that Misganaw ran too close, clipping her heels repeatedly.

“She was right here!” Gesabwa said, slapping her hip. Gesabwa nearly won this year’s Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile, where Misganaw took fourth. Gesabwa also bested Misganaw by two seconds at the Azalea Trail 10K Run (Mobile, Ala.) in March.

Denise Knickman (photo left), 42, ran 37:02 to win the women’s masters race and Joseph Ekuom, 41, took the men’s masters title in 31:39.

Some 15 members of the Bethesda-Chevy Chase rescue squad–emergency medical technicians, firefighters, and paramedics–completed the race. Two more members rode bikes along the course to provide first aid support.

The rescue squad’s Craig Pernick, 50, from Chevy Chase, ran his first 10K, competing admirably if not quite finishing alongside team members such as Oliver Vickery, 18. “It was good to finish,” Pernick said. “I’ll do it again as long as my knees hold out.”

 

Award Winners

Open & Masters By Gun Time, Age Groups By Net Time 
 No Duplicate Prizes

 MALE OPEN Gun Time                                       $$$
 1     2 Julius Kogo           25 Chapel Hill NC       28:06# 1000 
 2    21 Nicholas Kurgat       31 Chapel Hill NC       28:14#  750 
 3    10 Abiyot Endale         24 Bronx NY             28:19#  650 
 4     7 Kumsa Adugna          24 Bronx NY             28:23#  600 
 5     4 Deresse Deniboba      28 Bronx NY             28:28#  550 
 6    13 Reuben Mwei           26 Marietta GA          28:32#  500 
 7     5 Jeffrey Eggleston     26 Flagstaff AZ         28:34#  450 
 8     6 Girma Tola            35 New York NY          28:45#  400 
 9    22 Kipyegon Kirui        30 Chapel Hill NC       28:47#  350 
 10     3 Tesfaye Assefa        27 Bronx NY             28:57# 300 
 # Under USATF OPEN guideline    

 FEMALE OPEN Gun Time
 1    16 Risper Gesabwa        22 Marietta GA          32:07# 1000 
 2    17 Alemtseha Misganaw    30 New York NY          32:08#  750 
 3    32 Aziza Aliyu           25 New York NY          32:22#  650 
 4    18 Malika Mejdoub        28 Jackson Heights NY   32:42#  600 
 5    20 Hirut Mandefro        25 Flagstaff AZ         32:48#  550 
 6    24 Hellen Jemutai        29 Chapel Hill NC       32:54#  500 
 7    35 Yihunlish Bekele      29 Washington DC        33:20#  450 
 8    23 Divina Jepkogei       25 Chapel Hill NC       33:22#  400 
 9    34 Tezeta Dengersa       30 Burtonsville MD      33:39#  350 
 10  1465 Maggie Infeld         25 Washington DC        34:07  300 
 # Under USATF OPEN guideline    

 MALE MASTERS Gun Time
 1    41 Joseph Ekuom          41 High Falls NY        31:39*  250 
 2    28 Elarbi Khattabi       43 Westchester PA       31:58*  200 
 3    43 Curtis Cox            43 Trinidad WI          32:02*  150 
 * Under USATF Age-Group guideline

 FEMALE MASTERS Gun Time
 1    42 Denise Knickman       42 Baltimore MD         37:02*  250 
 2    45 Alisa Harvey          45 Manassas VA          37:45*  200 
 3    25 Elena Orlova          41 Gaithersburg MD      38:12   150 
 * Under USATF Age-Group guideline

 MALE AGE GROUP:  15 - 19 Net Time
 1  2593 Dagmawi Abebe         17 Gaithersburg MD    34:10    75 
 2  2507 Patrick Ochoa         17 Derwood MD         40:14    50 

 FEMALE AGE GROUP:  15 - 19 Net Time
 1  1760 Allison Marella       15 Damascus MD        42:22    75 
 2  2485 Alex Starnes          15 Manassas VA        46:01    50 

 MALE AGE GROUP:  20 - 24 Net Time
 1    56 Andy Sovonick         24 Gaithersburg MD    32:16    75 
 2  2738 Benjamin Bartlett     23 Columbia MD        34:03    50 
 3   234 Alex Booth            23 Bethesda MD        34:29    25 

 FEMALE AGE GROUP:  20 - 24 Net Time
 1  1923 Rebecca Parks         22 Reisterstown MD    39:14    75 
 2  3029 Alison Case           23 Rockville MD       41:15    50 
 3   607 Amy Greenberg         23 Potomac MD         46:41    25 

 MALE AGE GROUP:  25 - 29 Net Time
 1    36 David Berdan          29 Owings Mills MD    29:30#   75 
 2    75 Birhanu Feysa         28 Silver Spring MD   29:34#   50 
 3    71 Tarikii Bokan         29 Herndon VA         29:34#   25 
 # Under USATF OPEN guideline    

 FEMALE AGE GROUP:  25 - 29 Net Time
 1    31 Dirbe Hunde           27 New York NY        34:09    75 
 2    69 Keneni Chala          29 Washington DC      34:36    50 
 3    33 Muliye Gurmu          27 Bronx NY           35:33    25 

 MALE AGE GROUP:  30 - 34 Net Time
 1     8 Kitema Nigusse        30 Bronx NY           29:24#   75 
 2    38 Mark Stallings        30 Atglen PA          30:06    50 
 3    15 Wilson Komen          33 Washington DC      30:18    25 
 # Under USATF OPEN guideline    

 FEMALE AGE GROUP:  30 - 34 Net Time
 1    30 Michelle Miller       30 Damascus MD        35:36    75 
 2   603 Elizabeth Young       31 Washington DC      37:30    50 
 3    60 Lynn Knothe           33 Wilmington DE      39:03    25 

 MALE AGE GROUP:  35 - 39 Net Time
 1    14 Michael Wardian       37 Arlington VA       30:21*   75 
 2    40 Troy Harrison         35 Waterfall PA       31:38*   50 
 3  1804 David Wertz           35 Arlington VA       32:03*   25 
 4  1295 Kris Simms            39 Baltimore MD       35:08    25 
 5  1113 Keith Freeburn        37 Centreville VA     35:49    25 
 * Under USATF Age-Group guideline

 FEMALE AGE GROUP:  35 - 39 Net Time
 1  2680 Brenda Schrank        39 Winchester         36:56    75 
 2  1256 Sandra Bonilla        35 Kensington MD      42:03    50 
 3  2657 Christie Yang         39 Falls Church VA    42:57    25 
 4   274 Kaari Lii Linask      37 Rockville MD       43:29    25 
 5  1651 Kimberly Price        38 Gaithersburg MD    44:26    25 

 MALE AGE GROUP:  40 - 44 Net Time
 1  2767 Mike Colaiacovo       41 Ellicott City MD   33:30*   75 
 2    44 Jordan Snyder         44 Rockville MD       33:52*   50 
 3  3008 Brian Davis           40 Rockville MD       36:39    25 
 4  1913 Joerg Schroeder       43 Rockville MD       37:04    25 
 5  2101 Eric Lawrence         43 Potomac MD         38:02    25 
 * Under USATF Age-Group guideline

 FEMALE AGE GROUP:  40 - 44 Net Time
 1    47 Paula Pels            43 Bethesda MD        40:34    75 
 2  2159 Cheryl Young          41 Reston VA          42:14    50 
 3  1639 Janice Lunenfeld      41 Rockville MD       42:52    25 
 4  2612 Theresa White         41 Annandale VA       43:36    25 
 5  2807 Alida Anderson        41 Potomac MD         44:18    25 

 MALE AGE GROUP:  45 - 49 Net Time
 1   382 Mark Neff             49 Derwood MD         34:41*   75 
 2    48 Jhonny Camacho        48 Torrington CT      36:55    50 
 3  2797 Howard Frost          45 Falls Church VA    37:40    25 
 4  1033 George Lane           45 Ashburn VA         37:43    25 
 * Under USATF Age-Group guideline

 FEMALE AGE GROUP:  45 - 49 Net Time
 1    49 Linda Foley           49 Oak Hill VA        39:08    75 
 2  3254 Leslie Anchor         48 Rockville MD       44:12    50 
 3   633 Lynn Zipf             46 Silver Spring MD   45:29    25 
 4  3018 Kris Barner           45 Rockville MD       46:06    25 

 MALE AGE GROUP:  50 - 54 Net Time
 1  1699 Henry Wigglesworth    53 Washington DC      34:20*   75 
 2    65 Dave Berardi          50 Baltimore MD       34:43*   50 
 3    51 Greg Cauller          51 York PA            34:44*   25 
 * Under USATF Age-Group guideline

 FEMALE AGE GROUP:  50 - 54 Net Time
 1  1359 Deedee Loughran       52 Oak Hill VA        40:01*   75 
 2  2420 Win Persina           51 Washington DC      42:09    50 
 3  1460 Paula Galliani        51 Gaithersburg MD    45:59    25 
 * Under USATF Age-Group guideline

 MALE AGE GROUP:  55 - 59 Net Time
 1    59 Chuck Moeser          59 Sterling VA        35:55*   75 
 2  1285 Roland Rust           58 Bethesda MD        37:36*   50 
 3    55 Peter Darmody         55 Gaithersburg MD    37:48*   25 
 * Under USATF Age-Group guideline

 FEMALE AGE GROUP:  55 - 59 Net Time
 1  2672 Betty Blank           58 Falls Church VA    44:11*   75 
 2  2571 Heather Sanders       55 McLean VA          45:14    50 
 3   324 Linda Mattingly       56 Hyattsville MD     48:17    25 
 * Under USATF Age-Group guideline

 MALE AGE GROUP:  60 - 64 Net Time
 1  2117 Timothy Morgan        60 Damascus MD        39:17*   75 
 2  1751 Richard Adams, Jr.    60 Herndon VA         40:06    50 
 3  2676 Jim Wright            61 Gaithersburg MD    40:42    25 
 * Under USATF Age-Group guideline

 FEMALE AGE GROUP:  60 - 64 Net Time
 1  2176 Nancy Avitabile       63 Bethesda MD        48:28    75 
 2  2458 Alice Franks          62 Rockville MD       48:28    50 
 3  2276 Anne Forsha           60 Derwood MD         50:53    25 

 MALE AGE GROUP:  65 - 69 Net Time
 1  2095 Donald Hensel         66 Gaithersburg MD    44:35    75 
 2   684 Michael Golash        67 Washington CA      45:19    50 
 3  1345 Gregory Chaconas      65 Washington DC      46:38    25 

 FEMALE AGE GROUP:  65 - 69 Net Time
 1  2517 Dee Nelson            67 Gaithersburg MD    49:37*   75 
 2   914 Joann Szczepkowski    65 Rehoboth Beach DE  49:44*   50 
 3  2143 Chris Craun           65 Bethesda MD        49:45*   25 
 * Under USATF Age-Group guideline

 MALE AGE GROUP:  70 - 74 Net Time
 1  2624 Gerald Ives           71 Washington DC      44:26*   75 
 2    61 John Elliott          72 Columbia MD        46:18*   50 
 3  2675 Chan Robbins          73 Arlington VA       51:39    25 
 * Under USATF Age-Group guideline

 FEMALE AGE GROUP:  70 - 74 Net Time
 1  2473 Betty Smith           70 Rockville MD       70:03    75 
 2  2189 Jamie Wollard         72 N.Bethesda MD      76:17    50 

 MALE AGE GROUP:  75 - 79 Net Time
 1  2515 Skip Grant            75 Chevy Chase MD     48:07*   75 
 2  1717 George Yannakakis     79 Sparksglencoe MD   51:31*   50 
 3  2725 Henry Guyot           76 Washington DC      54:03*   25 
 * Under USATF Age-Group guideline

 FEMALE AGE GROUP:  75 - 79 Net Time
 1  3016 Jacquelin O'Neil      79 Washington DC      77:37    75 

 MALE AGE GROUP:  80 - 99 Net Time
 1  1419 Jack McMahon          80 Silver Spring MD   54:39*   75 
 * Under USATF Age-Group guideline

 FEMALE AGE GROUP:  80 - 99 Net Time

 

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