Charlie Ban - RunWashington

Murphy wins Nike Cross Southeast, Lester makes Foot Locker final in a first for D.C.

Published November 28, 2016 at 1:44PM | Updated June 25, 2018 at 4:43PM

Six D.C.-area runners made the two national cross country championships, with Kate Murphy repeating as Nike Cross Southeast champion and leading Lake Braddock to its second straight appearance in the championship and Page Lester making history as the first female runner from Washington, D.C. to make the Foot Locker Cross Country Championships. Richard Montgomery’s Rohann Asfaw and Loudoun Valley’s Peter Morris both made the national meet on the boys’ side. A year after she missed out on the Foot Locker finals, George Marshall junior Heather Holt qualified by finishing second at the South regional. Along with Lester, from the National Cathedral School, Walter Johnson’s Abbey Green advanced from the Northeast meet.

Murphy was the first of seven local girls in the top 50 at the southeast meet in Cary, N.C., running 17:13. McLean sophomore Caroline Howley was 23rd in 18:35, with Lake Braddock senior Sam Schwers in 26th (18:39), Paint Branch junior Yasmine Kass one point and one second behind, Lake Braddock senior Taylor Kitchen another second back in 32nd place, Loudoun Valley junior Natalie Morris in 38th (18:47) and Lake Braddock junior Sarah Daniels in 18:49 for 41st place.

DCXC

Three D.C.-area runners, four teams win Va. XC titles

By Charlie Ban

Published November 13, 2016 at 12:49AM | Updated June 25, 2018 at 4:44PM

Loudoun Valley boys and Lake Braddock girls dominated their races while defending their Virginia state titles, while the James Madison boys and George Marshall girls won their first-ever championships.

Virginia High School League Championships

DCXC

New venue boosts DC championship turnout, newcomers win big

By Charlie Ban

Published November 5, 2016 at 8:37PM | Updated June 25, 2018 at 4:44PM

Gonzaga's Harry Monroe leads teammate John Colucci in the second mile of the 2016 DC state cross country championships. Photo: Charlie Ban

Fort Dupont Park offered a cross country course that is challenging, full of character and surprise for any spectators trying to follow the race through the winding trails.

DCSAA Championships

News

Nearly 20,000 finish Marine Corps Marathon

By Charlie Ban

Published October 31, 2016 at 11:51AM

Runners stream through the last few miles of the 2016 Marine Corps Marathon. Photo: Dustin Whitlow/DWhit Photography

Brian Lawton was finally on his way to the Marine Corps Marathon starting line. So were two guys named Miguel and Dan, strangers he and his dad picked up in Alexandria on their way to the Pentagon.

When he had to get to the start, Lawton figured taking Metro’s Blue or Yellow lines from his Alexandria home was too much of a gamble if the system didn’t open until 7 but the race started before 8.. But when he got to a hotel where he was supposed to catch a shuttle, he saw bedlam.

News

Vienna’s Perry Shoemaker wins Marine Corps Marathon

By Charlie Ban

Published October 30, 2016 at 10:15PM | Updated May 18, 2019 at 11:33PM

Perry Shoemaker (90) runs mile nine of the 2016 Marine Corps Marathon. Photo: Charlie Ban

Coming off her second straight runner-up finish at the Army Ten-Miler, Perry Shoemaker‘s confidence should have been peaking she started her taper for the Marine Corps Marathon.

But pain in her back and glute was starting to make her second guess her plans.

News

Kosgei beats back local elite to reclaim Marine Corps title

By Charlie Ban

Published October 30, 2016 at 8:26PM | Updated October 31, 2016 at 7:43AM

Samuel Kosgei tries to pull away from Desta at 25k of the Marine Corps Marathon. Photo: Dustin Whitlow/DWhit Photography

Most runners woke up the morning of the Marine Corps Marathon horrified to see the weather was humid and in the high 60s. Army Spec. Samuel Kosgei was thrilled.

Marine Corps Marathon

DCXC

Green, WJ, Asfaw defend Montgomery County titles

By Charlie Ban

Published October 24, 2016 at 11:33AM | Updated June 25, 2018 at 4:44PM

Rohann Asfaw builds on his lead over Adam Nakasaka in the third mile of the Montgomery County Cross Country Championships. Photo: Charlie Ban

Rohann Asfaw and Abbey Green both sewed up their individual Montgomery County championships with plenty of room to spare last year, and there was no indication anyone else racing would have made up much ground, but for a few miles on Saturday, Adam Nakasaka made things interesting.

Oct. 22, 2015- Bohrer Park, Gaithersburg

News

Different MCM courses, same rough finish

By Charlie Ban

Published October 21, 2016 at 2:18PM

[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”9″ gal_title=”MCM courses”]

Like many Marine Corps Marathon runners, Al Richmond fixated on a part of the course that he just couldn’t wait to finish. While running the race for the first time, he cursed the trip down the George Washington Parkway to Old Town Alexandria.

DCXC

The Kids on the Course

By Charlie Ban

Published October 16, 2016 at 9:25PM | Updated June 25, 2018 at 4:47PM

Jalen Bunch, Cort Merritt and Henry Reid race during the DCXC Invitational. Photo: Charlie Ban

There was big news spreading at the DCXC Invitational, after the elementary school races. Two girls were eager to share it.

“I got second place!”

News

Hating running, but doing it anyway

By Charlie Ban

Published October 16, 2016 at 9:17PM

Marla Westervelt glowers at her running shoes. Man, she hates them. Photo: Sara Alepin/Photos from the Harty

As two runners pass on an early morning shakeout, they nod and imagine saying to each other, “If nothing good happens today, at least we ran.”

Not Marla Westervelt.