A Vote for the WPI Race to Representation 5K

By James Moreland
Washington, DC
November 5, 2011
For the Washington Running Report

Racers charge the final steps of the course on the grass.

The new race begins as a way to announce to the world that there is much more room for women in the political arena. The race director gave us a rundown of the percentage of women in many of the state and national public offices. As with racing these days there are a greater number of women than men and the thinking is that more of them should be in key decision making positions.

The course started on the quadrangle at American University where the playing field is completely level. One runner noticing that said, “This course looks real flat with two loops around here.” A more experienced Washingtonian said, “I already jogged the course and campus is on the side of the hill. We have to run all the way down to the track.”

On the course there were signs all along the way listing the countries of the world as well as .5 kilometer markers for both loops. About five minutes into the race flat turned to downhill as runners barreled around the corner to the track. Naturally the track was flat. Though the weather was windless and sunny with a near perfect racing temperature, there was actually ice on the inside lane of the track.

Leaving the track meant an uphill climb. “The course has a lot of turns but it is gonna be fun, said race winner Henry Wigglesworth, 53, of Washington, DC. Of course winning is fun. There were many walkers also in the event and on the second loop the faster runners caught up with them. Still, there was plenty of room for all.

Of the 346 finishers nearly three quarters of them were women. The top woman, Sally Okine, 20, won easily in 21:24. The top master was fourth overall Traci Siegel and the top grandmaster was Blake Rushin. For the men, Wigglesworth was tops in all three spots.

At right, Dana Arvanites, 23, strides home.

The age group prizes were very nice but perhaps the coolest prize was the random prize from Panera promising weekly loaves of for a year. The prizes were only for the top runner in each division, though we listed second place below as well. Overall went three deep.

After the race there was hot coffee and tea as well as lots of fresh bagels and trays upon trays of pastries.

Nearly everyone has a camera today and Jamie Shenk was there taking photos of his wife Kate (174), seen below finishing with Patsy Ashmore (173).

 

FEMALE OVERALL
Place Num   Name                   Ag City                  Gun T Net T Pace  
===== ===== ====================== == ===================== ===== ===== ===== 
    1   330 Sally Okine            20 Washington DC         21:24 21:02  6:47 
    2   550 Rachel Clattenburg     27 Washington DC         21:56 21:54  7:03 
    3   218 Katherine Sancken      24 Washington DC         23:00 22:55  7:23 

MALE OVERALL
Place Num   Name                   Ag City                  Gun T Net T Pace  
===== ===== ====================== == ===================== ===== ===== ===== 
    1   537 Henry Wigglesworth     53 Washington DC         17:53 17:53  5:46 
    2   335 Brian Beary            35 Washington DC         18:04 18:04  5:49 
    3    49 Eric Johnson           23 Washington DC         18:39 18:37  6:00 

FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 01 - 24
    1   392 Stefanie Claus         24 Washington DC         23:14 23:05  7:26 
    2    48 Elise Polentes         18 Washington DC         23:44 23:39  7:37 

MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 01 - 24
    1   551 Jay Cox-Chapman        24 Washington DC         19:19 19:18  6:13 
    2   309 Tommy Hunt             21 Washington DC         19:56 19:56  6:25 

FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 25 - 34
    1   373 Fisola Fasehun         25 Washington DC         23:20 22:59  7:24 
    2   219 Caroline Sancken       26 Washington DC         23:08 23:02  7:25 

MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 25 - 34
    1   541 Jason Carson           27 Bowie MD              18:39 18:39  6:01 
    2   245 Conor Shapiro          26 Washington DC         18:52 18:51  6:04 

FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 35 - 44
    1   387 Traci Siegel           40 Washington DC         23:15 22:58  7:24 
    2    81 Bettina Myers          42 Washington DC         23:42 23:39  7:37 

MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 35 - 44
    1   542 Rob Palmer             35 Silver Spring MD      19:22 19:21  6:14 
    2    24 Steven Kelts           39 Washington DC         20:03 20:01  6:27 

FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 45 - 54
    1   279 Blake Rushin           50 Vienna VA             23:25 23:21  7:31 
    2    69 Madelyn Leeke          46 Washington DC         28:57 28:29  9:10 

MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 45 - 54
    1   545 Jimmy Bisese           49 Washington DC         20:20 20:18  6:32 
    2   555 Allen Haywood          48 Washington DC         22:01 21:59  7:05 

FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 55 - 99
    1   282 Laura Bellis           56 Reston VA             24:58 24:54  8:01 
    2   351 Wendy Lesko            61 Kensington MD         33:03 32:32 10:29 

MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 55 - 99
    1   303 James Moreland         59 Gaithersburg MD       23:31 23:31  7:34 
    2   378 Mike Golash            68 Washington DC         25:04 25:01  8:04 

MALE FIRST TIME RACER: NET TIME - NET PACE 1 - 99
    1   296 Brian Tanenbaum        36 M Arlington VA          26:56 26:23  8:30 

FEMALE FIRST TIME RACER: NET TIME - NET PACE 1 - 99
    1   269 Sabrina Izzo           25 F Washington DC         26:18 26:15  8:27

 

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