Run to Break the Silence on Ovarian Cancer Race Report

By James Moreland
Reston, VA
May 14, 2011
For the Washington Running Report

The Reston Town Center is a great spot to hold an event. The Run/Walk to Break the Silence on Ovarian Cancer starts with a 5K and is followed by an untimed 1 mile. Long before the race got underway hundreds of participants gathered. Many wore special-colored shirt proclaiming that they were survivors. Groups of people formed almost spontaneously for photo opportunities. Nobody seemed to notice that it looked as if it were going to rain.

At the start, it was announced somewhat apologetically that the course was hilly. Not so! It really seemed as if the course spent all together too much time going down hill to really be a basically out and back course. There were cones all along the way so even with all the turns nobody was going to get lost. In the final mile many of the 5K runners were met head on by the walkers. It was only for one short block and the walkers, who far outnumbered the racers, parted along the side of the road to let them pass.

Before the race, regulars noted that there were no racing super stars. Though the morning was cool that is clearly best for fast running, it was also 99.9% with a fine mist, which it not so good for fast times. Many of the other races held in the region experienced slower than normal times as well.

This day would hold special meaning for many. The event collected more than $100,000 for the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition. For the racers there was a generous $200-100-50 for the top three places. None of the six winners would have predicted that they would have been going home with cash with their respective finishing times. Only two runners were faster than 20:00.

In photo, runners turn one of the final corners for home.

Five year age groups went two deep with gift certificates. Before the race runners could buy in for the raffle and some of those prizes were quite good.

* A one-night stay at the W Hotel in downtown Washington, DC
* Dinner for 2 at any of Chef Geoff’s four locations
* 2 premium seats to DC United game
* A $100 gift certificate for The Melting Pot
* $100 Gift certificate for the Dandy Restaurant Cruise Ships in DC

After Ken, a senior from South Lakes High School rendered a cappella a very nice rendition of our National Anthem, the show got underway.  The course left the town center going north and up hill and. Youngsters filled many of the top spots. Seniors got their satisfaction as they flamed out and with the help of a very generous down hill got to prove that some times slow and steady wins the day.

One dad turned to his son and said, “Remember to go steady. Oh and tell me if you need to stop.” The reply was a disappointed groan.

One young colt, who was clearly over dressed with a hood sweatshirt, would come jerking to a stop. He would walk until the next runner caught up and then bolt past him. He held on for more than half the race.

The course was not very wide at the start so many of the hundreds of racers started some time back. Net times are used for age groups but the top three runners (getting cash) are scored by gun time. Race winner Ellins Thomas, 30, of Gainesville, VA was right on the left edge of the ChronoTrack mat was the race began. The next three runners all started at least 11 seconds after the gun. Runner-up Evan Vahouny, 21, of Springfield, VA crossed the line nearly a minute ahead of third place Jacob McComb, 25, of Washington, DC (19:22-20:17). Net time they were much closer (19:33-19:55). Fourth place Paul Vetterick, 27, of Centreville, VA was only five seconds out of the cash with 20:22 and he got to see the later starting McComb catch up and pass him.

For the women, 17-year-old Katie Yensen of Falls Church, VA burst away from the field early to winning easily in 21:23. In the first half mile, two of the younger runners Michelle Brouckman, 13, of Oakton, VA and Rosalind Clayton, 19, of Alexandria, VA darted out with the leaders. They held on nicely but soon they were back in a pack of six runners who all finished between 23:22 and 23:44. Again none of these runners were right on the starting line.

In this case, the battle for the runner-up spot was extremely close. On each of the last three corners in the final quarter mile, excited course marshals urged on the closely battling competitors. Two sub masters pulled free in the final going with Kerry Turner of Great Falls winning in 23:22. Veronica Suhol, who had a slightly faster net time, was next in 23:26. The teens held on for the next two places with barely two seconds separating places 5-7.

In raw speed the only notable age group winner was Ken Quincy, 73, of Vienna, VA in 26:48. Not a big surprise, there were more than twice as many women in the 5K than there were men.

After the race there was plenty of food and water and the DJ kept the town Center hopping with music.

 

Awards Listing (No Duplicate Prizes)

FEMALE OVERALL
Place Num   Name                   Ag City                  Time  
===== ===== ====================== == ===================== ===== 
    1  1008 Katie Yensen           17 Falls Church VA       21:23 
    2   778 Kerrie Turner          35 Great Falls VA        23:22 
    3  1067 Veronica Suhol         35 Gainsville VA         23:26 

MALE OVERALL
Place Num   Name                   Ag City                  Time  
===== ===== ====================== == ===================== ===== 
    1   920 Ellins Thomas          30 Gainesville VA        19:06 
    2   661 Evan Vahouny           21 Springfield VA        19:33 
    3   516 Jacob McComb           25 Washington DC         20:17 

FEMALE AGE GROUP:  1 - 14  (NET TIME)
    1   317 Michelle Brouckman     13 Oakton VA           23:34 23:27  7:33 
    2   444 Hannah Huggins         12 Centreville VA      24:46 24:43  7:58 

MALE AGE GROUP:  1 - 14  (NET TIME)
    1   765 Michael McDermott      14 Reston VA           22:38 22:36  7:17 
    2   303 Matthew Bocharnikov    11 Oakton VA           24:01 23:57  7:43 

FEMALE AGE GROUP:  15 - 19  (NET TIME)
    1    22 Rosalynd Clayton       19 Alexandria VA       23:42 23:35  7:36 
    2   461 Bridget Kennerley      16 Burke VA            24:15 24:15  7:49 

MALE AGE GROUP:  15 - 19  (NET TIME)
    1   203 Nick Engquist          19 Annandale VA        23:32 23:27  7:33 
    2   205 Edward Flynn           17 Damascus MD         24:03 23:45  7:39 

FEMALE AGE GROUP:  20 - 24  (NET TIME)
    1  1102 Chelsea Zerrenner      23 Cresskill NJ        24:44 24:36  7:55 
    2   567 Krystal Pittelkau      24 Warrenton VA        25:09 25:05  8:05 

MALE AGE GROUP:  20 - 24  (NET TIME)
    1   662 Eric Vahouny           23 Springfield VA      22:53 22:43  7:19 
    2  1127 Eric Blackstone        20 Lorton VA           24:45 24:40  7:57 

FEMALE AGE GROUP:  25 - 29  (NET TIME)
    1  1070 Kristina Torpey        28 Herndon VA          23:43 23:38  7:37 
    2   579 Heather Rabinowitz     27 Arlington VA        24:04 23:56  7:43 

MALE AGE GROUP:  25 - 29  (NET TIME)
    1  1039 Paul Vetterick         27 Centreville VA      20:22 20:11  6:30 
    2   455 Tom Kaczmarek          26 Arlington VA        20:48 20:47  6:42 

FEMALE AGE GROUP:  30 - 34  (NET TIME)
    1   557 MacKenzie Phelps       34 Olney MD            25:41 25:34  8:14 
    2   637 Sarah Susco            32 Arlington VA        26:39 26:28  8:32 

MALE AGE GROUP:  30 - 34  (NET TIME)
    1   565 Stephen Pipino         30 Fairfax VA          21:50 21:48  7:01 
    2   636 Jeremy Susco           31 Arlington VA        22:52 22:41  7:19 

FEMALE AGE GROUP:  35 - 39  (NET TIME)
    1   992 Kaia Turner            38 South Riding VA     23:44 23:40  7:38 
    2   287 Teresa Beamer          39 Sterling VA         26:47 23:41  7:38 

MALE AGE GROUP:  35 - 39  (NET TIME)
    1   872 Jeffrey Phelps         36 Fairfax VA          20:33 20:32  6:37 
    2   715 Ben Moore              38 Wilmington NC       23:50 23:28  7:34 

FEMALE AGE GROUP:  40 - 44  (NET TIME)
    1  1024 Laura White            42 Leesburg VA         25:07 25:02  8:04 
    2   888 Maureen Walsh          42 Vienna VA           25:47 25:43  8:17 

MALE AGE GROUP:  40 - 44  (NET TIME)
    1   687 Jason Zocks            40 Washington DC       26:50 25:10  8:06 
    2  1030 Hal Perloff            42 Annandale VA        25:38 25:23  8:11 

FEMALE AGE GROUP:  45 - 49  (NET TIME)
    1   386 Cecelia Dwyer          49 Vienna VA           27:05 26:57  8:41 
    2   499 Leila P Lucas          48 Ashburn VA          28:13 27:59  9:01 

MALE AGE GROUP:  45 - 49  (NET TIME)
    1   732 Chip Hulbert           46 Reston VA           20:42 20:42  6:40 
    2   964 Clinton McCauley       47 Herndon VA          21:46 21:39  6:58 

FEMALE AGE GROUP:  50 - 54  (NET TIME)
    1   414 Stephanie Gilson       51 Arlington VA        26:18 26:02  8:23 
    2   660 Karen Vahouny          54 Springfield VA      27:24 27:06  8:44 

MALE AGE GROUP:  50 - 54  (NET TIME)
    1  1048 Michael Kortan         54 Reston VA           25:16 25:03  8:04 
    2   451 David Jones            51 Reston VA           26:43 26:35  8:34 

FEMALE AGE GROUP:  55 - 59  (NET TIME)
    1   575 Marlene Puglisi        56 Woodbridge VA       29:44 29:15  9:25 
    2   398 Lynde Engquist         57 Annandale VA        31:33 31:29 10:08 

MALE AGE GROUP:  55 - 59  (NET TIME)
    1   924 James Moreland         58 Gaithersburg MD     23:19 23:19  7:31 
    2   528 Richard Moore          55 Centreville VA      26:11 25:57  8:21 

FEMALE AGE GROUP:  60 - 64  (NET TIME)
    1    20 Rosalynd Clayton       60 Alexandria VA       39:39 39:33 12:44 
    2    57 Elizabeth Jenkins      60 Reston VA           40:44 40:21 12:59 

MALE AGE GROUP:  60 - 64  (NET TIME)
    1   477 Wayne Lapham           64 Herndon VA          27:23 27:06  8:44 
    2   148 John Stevens           64 Oak Hill VA         32:43 32:07 10:21 

FEMALE AGE GROUP:  65 - 69  (NET TIME)
    1  1027 Marcia Smith           65 Falls Church VA     55:39 54:18 17:29 
    2   534 Ellen Muddiman         65 Ophelia VA          65:37 63:57 20:35 

MALE AGE GROUP:  65 - 69  (NET TIME)
    1   292 Monty Bennett          66 Burke VA            47:52 46:25 14:57 
    2   348 Kyle Clifton           69 Fairfax Station VA  51:31 50:18 16:12 

FEMALE AGE GROUP:  70 - 99  (NET TIME)
    1   211 Sally Harper           71 Fayetteville PA     40:07 38:34 12:25 
    2   119 Judith Phillips        72 Fresno CA           43:20 42:49 13:47 

MALE AGE GROUP:  70 - 99  (NET TIME)
    1   993 Ken Quincy             73 Vienna VA           26:48 26:44  8:37 
    2   962 David Bailey           71 Sterling VA         57:45 56:02 18:03

 

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