Charlie Ban

Luke Tewalt’s #RunToStillwater started long before Nov. 19, 2022

Published January 23, 2023 at 11:00AM | Updated June 8, 2023 at 10:33AM

Luke Tewalt finishes the 2019 DCXC Invitational. Photo: Charlie Ban

Note: This profile was written by Wake Forest University student Cooper Sullivan, I just can’t get his name to show up on the byline.

It’s only a few minutes after 11 o’clock. For what seems like an hour, they wiggle their fingers over their wristwatch’s START/STOP buttons. They twist their toes digging their metal spikes deeper into the dry Oklahoma dirt. It’s completely silent if you ignore the 255-heart drumline beating heavily in anticipation. Everyone is waiting for the trigger.

News

Running Shorts

By Charlie Ban

Published November 29, 2022 at 1:00PM | Updated November 29, 2022 at 3:56PM

An artist's conception shows the planned divided lanes in East Potomac Park.

Divided lanes coming to Hains Point, safety measures in the works for the Mount Vernon Trail, three locals make national high school XC meet, local collegians race at NCAAs.

News

St. Albans wins first DC title, St. John’s girls win third straight

By Charlie Ban

Published November 9, 2022 at 11:00AM | Updated June 8, 2023 at 10:04AM

Pierre Attiogbe leads the DCSAA Championships. Photo: Charlie Ban

Jim Ehrenhaft has coached his share of fast runners in his career, but the runners who made up his DCSAA-winning St. Albans team have been ahead of the curve.

Senior Pierre Attiogbe and sophomores Sebi Hume and William Strong, the first (15:52), second (16:43) and fourth place (15:50) finishers, have all been varsity contributors since their freshman years, and those strong finishes, along with sophomore Laszlo Wolfe in 10th (17:43) and seniors John Rhee and Jack Thomas in 13th (18:01) and 14th (18:03) helped the Buldogs to their first DC title, a 30-54 win over resurgent Gonzaga.

DCXC

Running Shorts

By Charlie Ban

Published November 8, 2022 at 11:00AM | Updated November 10, 2022 at 3:37PM

Beach Drive in November 2022. Photo: Charlie Ban

Beach Drive remains closed to through traffic year-round, locals win conference, USATF titles.

Military Running

Kyle King, Chelsea Baker manifest strength to win Marine Corps Marathon

By Charlie Ban

Published October 30, 2022 at 10:00PM | Updated November 1, 2022 at 2:51PM

Kyle King leads the 2022 Marine Corps Marathon in mile 17. Photo: Charlie Ban

All alone on the Marine Corps Marathon course, Kyle King had a lot of time to think. Even as he led Jon Mott by a minute in the 16th mile, he reflected on the extensive research he had done on his rival, specifically Mott’s recent 2:17 at the Berlin Marathon.

“I stalked him pretty hard before the race, and he ran some 5:05s in his last 10k at Berlin,” King said. “I started hurting early on, my calf started acting up in mile 12, so I knew I didn’t have a safe lead because he was gunning for me. I was running scared from 16 to 23.”

Running Shorts

By Charlie Ban

Published October 12, 2022 at 4:45PM

Looking northbound on the new "zoo loop" in Rock Creek Park. Photo: Charlie Ban

Zoo loop reopens, Sullivan finishes sixth at Chicago.

News

Fairfax County Police make arrest in connection with W&OD Trail assaults

By Charlie Ban

Published September 13, 2022 at 3:41PM

Fairfax County Detectives have arrested and charged a 42-year-old Herndon man with crimes related to indecent exposures near the Washington and Old Dominion Trail in August, the department reported.

The county’s Fugitive Track and Apprehension Unit arrested Juan Alfaro Rodriguez, of Herndon, Sept. 8 for warrants from another state. Through an investigation by our Major Crimes, Cyber and Forensics Bureau and the Herndon Police Department, Alfaro Rodriguez was charged with three counts of indecent exposure. Rodriguez was taken to the Adult Detention Center and remains held without bond.

DCXC

Monroe Parker Invitational photos

By Charlie Ban

Published September 13, 2022 at 3:06PM

Fairfax County schools and a few local guests raced at Burke Lake Saturday, with the Potomac School’s Charlie Ortmans and W.T. Woodson and Herndon’s Gillian Bushee and West Springfield leading the way.

News

Running Shorts

By Charlie Ban

Published September 7, 2022 at 3:52PM

An artist's rendition shows the proposed bridge linking Arlington's Long Bridge Park and DC's East and West Potomac Parks.

Military Running

Marine Corps Marathon Director Rick Nealis to retire in January

By Charlie Ban

Published August 25, 2022 at 11:00AM | Updated August 25, 2022 at 4:52PM

Marine Corps Marathon Race Director Rick Nealis (right) with Col. H.C. "Barney" Barnum Jr., a member of the race's Ad Hoc committee. Photo: George Banker

Rick Nealis made some choices on the fly while running the Marine Corps Marathon in 2020.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic forced the race he has directed since 1993 to go virtual, he crafted his own course, though without his usual authority to close down roads he was accustomed to. He meandered the W&OD and Mount Vernon trails in Northern Virginia to get his 26.2 miles. With a course change after a mental remapping, a detour into Alexandria and a stop for refreshments in Old Town, he took what the day threw at him. It fit the perspective that has helped make his race a pillar of the American running community.