Valvoline Instant Oil Change Goblin Gallop 5K

By James Moreland
Fairfax, VA
October 30, 2011
For the Washington Running Report

After all these years could this perennial race be doomed to success? Competing against the massive Marine Corps Marathon with its little sister race 10K with nearly seven thousand finishers, the ‘gallop’ keeps roaring along, for equestrians note that of the four gears-–walk, trot, canter, and gallop–gallop is the fastest. With nearly five hundred races in the region between Labor Day and Veterans Day, the Goblin Gallop expanded again to nearly 20% more finishers than last year. Maybe it is because discerning runners and walkers alike see that the race has what it takes.

Tons of free parking close by is a wish come true. As soon as you get out of your car you already hear the Spark Plugscranking out tunes. While the songs are mostly from my generation, they are so lively that people could easily forget the first white Halloween. Naturally, the media made it seem scarier than the scores of hundreds of costumes worn by the participants. Everybody from Fairfax east ducked the near freezing soaking that cut many of Saturday events’ participation in half. Nine inches in western Maryland barely ranked a notice. The question was how are the corners of Fairfax Corner? How are the slopes of Random Hills?

Runners were more than adequately warned and though there were a few slick spots, the morning blossomed into a near perfect fall wonder. With the dominating Tezata Dengara over in Arlington winning the Marine Corps Marathon, Hirut Mandefro (right)had to be considered the favorite. She returned back in the area earlier this year after having been the top ranked runner for much of the last three years. Already this fall she had two solid wins, twice breaking 17:00. She also ran a swift 58:21 at the Virginia Ten Miler. Still, there was a new gunslinger in town and Anna Holt-Gosselin already has a fine reputation with a fall win at the Run! Geek! Run 8K and a smartly done Army Ten Miler in 59:19.

An even newer face on the scene, sub master Kristie Connelly, 36, made them both work hard on the roller coaster ride around the shopping center. Mandefro quietly secured another victory in a very nifty 17:42 on an honest course that is too hilly to be really fast.

Holt-Gosselin (left) was standing tall in second place with WRR summer cover man Bob Briggs, 54, close behind. Briggs, a former Olympic class racewalker as well as a 29:00 10K runner, must prefer the cooler weather as he improved on his 18:18 at the inaugural Let  Freedom Run 5K in July (18:18 2nd AG) to win his division in 17:57. He was the second best at the age graded table with 84.9%. Mandefro was fourth (83.6%) among the seven racers better 83%. Connelly took third overall in 18:05 with the seventh best age grade at 83%.

Two other women made that elite status and neither was a surprise. Top ranked master Alisa Harvey was sixth woman overall in 19:05 for an age graded 84.5%. Then there was Dee Nelson, 68. She capped off another excellent win for her 1,400th career race in an excellent 25:35, giving her the top age graded time for the event in 85.3%. Her best 5K of the year was more than two minutes faster.

At the awards ceremony, second place winner Gordon, 78, note, “I can’t stay with Tami.” Few can. Tami Graf has been looking to take down another Virginia State record. She has already raced faster but she has to have a certified course that also reports the race. Her 32:09 is more than two minutes faster than the current 34:26 and the more than generous Virginia has chosen to use net times, Graf’s was 31:50, to enhance the record book.

Former masters ranking champion Andres Wright (left) is back and already starting to produce times that earned him the title. At 44, his 16:56 was third best man at 83.1% but the prize goes to the fastest not the best age graded. He knew second master, Mike Colaiacovo, was the only one close at 17:02. Still wary, he was confident he would win. The third master was Jean Christophe Arcaz. At fifty, he can still hang with the young guys, racing 17:43, a step ahead in the age grading with 83.2%.

After the race Alan Rider, 75, noted that maybe the generous five-year age groups might go one more from 70 to 99 and include a 70 to 74 with the eldest being 75-99. That would have worked for him this year. Next year both Chan Robbins (25:15) and John Gluck (25:45) will have aged up from 74 and be gunning for top dog Skip Grant.

For the top men, Seife Geletu had been third overall in 16:01 last year. For nearly all the race it looked as if he had a chance to take the crown. The final quarter mile features a sharp turn cresting the long hill followed by a steep hundred meter downhill. From there it is two sharp turns to the final straightaway. Ryan Hanson(below) made the break early enough and jetted away to win in 15:43. Though Geletu was only five seconds behind, it was clear he would not be able to catch up.

After the race, most of the cold had gone away. The large crowd in the square ate hot dogs and listened for their number for the dozens of random prizes. The final prize was Redskins tickets. It did take quite a long time to hand out all the prizes that went three deep in five-year age groups. There were also team awards and costume awards. Next year’s event will be their 19th.

 

Awards Listing (No Duplicate Prizes)

FEMALE OVERALL
Place Num   Name                   Ag City                  Time  
===== ===== ====================== == ===================== ===== 
    1  1520 Hirut Mandefro         30 Washington DC         17:42 
    2   951 Anna Holt-Gosselin     23 Vienna VA             17:55 
    3   713 Kristie Connelly       36 Alexandria VA         18:05 

MALE OVERALL
Place Num   Name                   Ag City                  Time  
===== ===== ====================== == ===================== ===== 
    1  1540 Ryan Hanson            24 Bethesda MD           15:43 
    2  1519 Seife Geletu           29 Washington DC         15:48 
    3  1262 Jerry Greenlaw         23 Alexandria VA         16:26 

FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 40 - 99
    1     4 Alisa Harvey           46 Manassas VA           19:05 19:05  6:09 
    2  1436 Kim Isler              43 Oakton VA             20:17 20:17  6:32 
    3  1050 Karen Ashbrook-Barnes  41 Vienna VA             21:26 21:26  6:54 

MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 40 - 99
    1  1548 Andres Wright          44 Frederick MD          16:56 16:56  5:27 
    2  1535 Mike Colaiacovo        42 Ellicott City MD      17:02 17:02  5:29 
    3  1426 Jean-Christophe Arcaz  50 Rockville MD          17:43 17:43  5:43 

FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 01 - 14
    1   784 Morgan Wittrock        13 Vienna VA             21:23 21:23  6:53 
    2  1037 Emily Lichtenberg      12 South Riding VA       22:59 22:59  7:24 
    3  1298 Sierra Brooks          14 Clifton VA            23:07 23:07  7:27 

MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 01 - 14
    1  1036 Tyler Lichtenberg      14 South Riding VA       17:27 17:27  5:37 
    2  1459 Nati Digafe            13 Centreville VA        20:36 20:36  6:38 
    3  1033 Kai Stephens           14 Fairfax VA            20:59 20:59  6:46 

FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 15 - 19
    1   328 Christine Mayuga       15 Oak Hill VA           20:35 20:35  6:38 
    2   242 Jordan Lilly           19 Centreville VA        23:40 23:32  7:35 
    3  1538 Natalie Schlosser      18 Winchester VA         24:05 23:58  7:43 

MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 15 - 19
    1  1163 Daniel Anderson        16 Falls Church VA       19:14 19:14  6:12 
    2  1111 Neil Totten            15 Herndon VA            19:35 19:35  6:19 
    3  1186 Alex Min               15 Burke VA              21:00 20:48  6:42 

FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 20 - 24
    1  1215 Jenn Ennis             23 Richmond VA           18:35 18:35  5:59 
    2  1306 Maura Carroll          22 Washington DC         18:44 18:44  6:02 
    3  1094 Maria Cheshire         24 Bristow VA            21:44 21:44  7:00 

MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 20 - 24
    1    11 Sean McLaughlin        24 Centreville VA        19:25 19:25  6:15 
    2  1029 Brian Amaya            23 Herndon VA            22:03 22:03  7:06 
    3   402 Timothy Kutz           24 Fairfax VA            25:32 23:37  7:36 

FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 25 - 29
    1    96 Susan Hein             29 Chantilly VA          23:54 23:34  7:35 
    2  1319 Krystine Rivera        25 Ashburn VA            24:45 24:45  7:58 
    3   710 Martha Mishkin         28 Fairfax VA            25:01 25:00  8:03 

MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 25 - 29
    1  1406 Jason Myers            26 Alexandria VA         16:32 16:32  5:20 
    2   783 Ryan Werner            27 Washington DC         19:44 19:44  6:21 
    3  1448 Joshua Pinedo          26                       20:24 20:24  6:34 

FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 30 - 34
    1  1419 Jessica McGuire        31 Arlington VA          21:01 21:01  6:46 
    2  1255 Taylor Poling          30 Arlington VA          21:18 21:18  6:52 
    3  1185 Megan Brummer          32 Washington DC         22:09 22:09  7:08 

MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 30 - 34
    1  1420 Aaron Lyss             30 Washington DC         19:45 19:45  6:22 
    2   407 Jason Bryan            31 Springfield VA        19:53 19:53  6:24 
    3    51 James Brennan          32 Alexandria VA         20:29 20:25  6:34 

FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 35 - 39
    1   150 Melissa Hardt          35 Arlington VA          22:08 21:55  7:04 
    2   735 Margaret Albaugh       36 Falls Church VA       23:11 22:58  7:24 
    3  1168 Ann Wessel             37 Vienna VA             25:55 25:20  8:09 

MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 35 - 39
    1  1271 Keith Freeburn         37 Centreville VA        17:17 17:17  5:34 
    2   734 Bob Koeppen            35 Alexandria VA         18:13 18:13  5:52 
    3  1423 Tim Davis              37 Springfield VA        19:52 19:52  6:24 

FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 40 - 44
    1  1300 Missy Salisbury        42 Lorton VA             24:34 24:34  7:55 
    2   544 Stephanie Hammond      44 Springfield VA        24:34 24:34  7:55 
    3   160 Melanie Massiah-White  42 Fairfax VA            24:43 24:43  7:58 

MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 40 - 44
    1  1432 Rob Meadows            40 Leesburg VA           18:40 18:40  6:01 
    2  1275 James Lister           42 Falls Church VA       19:17 19:17  6:13 
    3  1508 Tom Powers             43 Kensington MD         19:22 19:22  6:14 

FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 45 - 49
    1  1515 Annie Downer           46 Herndon VA            22:28 22:28  7:14 
    2  1032 Yoko Stephens          46 Fairfax VA            22:54 22:54  7:23 
    3   698 Angelika Kirkland      45 Oakton VA             24:41 24:26  7:52 

MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 45 - 49
    1   927 Craig Greene           46 Manassas VA           20:15 20:13  6:31 
    2   472 Robert Martin          48 Fairfax Station VA    21:03 21:03  6:47 
    3   282 Tim Martin             47 Manassas VA           21:38 21:38  6:58 

FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 50 - 54
    1   284 Sushila Nanda          50 Arlington VA          23:22 23:22  7:32 
    2   401 June Ring              50 Fairfax VA            23:37 23:32  7:35 
    3  1107 Sarah Buckheit         51 Reston VA             24:25 24:25  7:52 

MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 50 - 54
    1  1505 Robert Briggs          54 Springfield VA        17:57 17:57  5:47 
    2  1506 Terry McLaughlin       51 Spotsylvania VA       18:21 18:21  5:55 
    3  1182 Peter Cini             53 Fairfax VA            21:22 19:55  6:25 

FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 55 - 59
    1  1546 Heather Sanders        56 McLean VA             23:16 23:16  7:30 
    2  1247 Merrilee Seidman       57 Alexandria VA         25:51 25:51  8:20 
    3   377 Pat Warren             55 Kensington MD         26:44 26:44  8:37 

MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 55 - 59
    1  1248 Paul Bousel            58 Alexandria VA         21:24 21:24  6:54 
    2   526 Stuart McFarren        55 Arlington VA          22:22 22:22  7:12 
    3    10 James Moreland         59 Gaithersburg MD       23:36 23:36  7:36 

FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 60 - 64
    1  1507 Gail Contreras         60 Fairfax VA            33:32 32:50 10:34 
    2    13 Maureen Babcock        61 Cambridge MA          34:39 33:33 10:48 
    3   192 Claudia Tuller-Brooke  60 Annandale VA          34:55 34:50 11:13 

MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 60 - 64
    1   850 Michael Wesbecher      63 Oakton VA             21:41 21:32  6:56 
    2   253 Gary Robinson          60 Bellaire TX           25:40 25:07  8:05 
    3   281 Paul Riede             60 Stafford VA           25:37 25:21  8:10 

FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 65 - 69
    1  1568 Dee Nelson             68 Gaithersburg MD       25:35 25:35  8:14 
    2   427 Mary Schade            65 Arlington VA          47:24 46:33 14:59 
    3   491 Joannene Maynard       65 Kingsville MD         48:50 48:08 15:30 

MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 65 - 69
    1   893 Mike Golash            68 Washington DC         24:06 24:03  7:45 
    2   189 Richard Wiley          67 Centreville VA        28:42 28:25  9:09 
    3  1132 James Verdier          69 Alexandria VA         29:54 29:47  9:35 

FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 70 - 99
    1  1422 Tami Graf              75 Lusby MD              32:09 31:50 10:15 
    2   186 Winnie Gordon          78 Fairfax VA            46:59 46:18 14:54 

MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 70 - 99
    1  1196 Chan Robbins           74 Arlington VA          25:15 25:15  8:08 
    2   916 John Gluck             74 Alexandria VA         25:45 25:34  8:14 
    3     9 Alan Rider             75 Reston VA             28:45 28:32  9:11 

MALE FIRST TIME RACER: NET TIME - NET PACE 1 - 99
    1   639 Andrey Gochev          26 M Springfield VA        22:46 20:48  6:42 

FEMALE FIRST TIME RACER: NET TIME - NET PACE 1 - 99
    1   242 Jordan Lilly           19 F Centreville VA        23:40 23:32  7:35

 

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