James Moreland

Komen Global Race for the Cure 5K Race Report

Published June 2, 2012 at 4:21PM | Updated September 16, 2013 at 11:28AM

The storms were thunderous the night before but the dawn brought a perfect morning. Ten of thousands of runners, walkers, and spectators came out for the serious business of raising money for the Cure. More than $11 million dollars was a proudly ambitious amount that was achieved. Much of the success of the huge event comes from the powerfully optimistic view of the people involved.

With work being done on the mall, the event began in a new spot with the running portion heading north on 15^th street in the shadow of the Washington Monument and turning west onto Constitution. A little further along the way the walkers, who made up 80% of the field, waited for their turn onto the course that circled back around before heading south to Independence and back down to the regular finish line at 5^th Street.

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10th Cascades Firechase 10K

By James Moreland

Published May 26, 2012 at 4:31PM | Updated September 16, 2013 at 11:30AM

Fun run start .

For the last nine years this special race that starts underneath the ladders of two fire trucks in Sterling, has acted like the official start of the summer season. Raced on Memorial Day weekend the region usually blasts out a ninety degree day to test the runners. The course is a two loop jaunt around the Community Center. After cresting the first long hill at the end of the second mile runners get to run under an uncapped fire hydrant. A quick look at the times will tell you that the first real scorcher of 2012 took its toll on the nearly 500 10K finishers.

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20th Van Metre 5 Mile Run Race Report

By James Moreland

Published March 10, 2012 at 12:48PM | Updated September 17, 2013 at 2:31PM

In its 20^th year this popular 5 mile race upgraded yet again. First, they certified the course (over the years the race has started from a quite a few different sides of the course). The race has already been famous for its prolific random awards. This year the race expanded to five year age groups to make the age challenge even more fair. The food has always been fun with dozens of doughnuts and coffee to go along with the healthier apples and bananas. This year there were scores of commemorative cupcakes with eatable logos. Comparing the different types for taste was an enviable task.

Last year David Nightingale battled Karl Dusen for the title winning in 23:56. Dusen’s 24:03 was solidly ahead of third place Gurmessa Megressa’s 24:25. Last year the event was a week after the mammoth St. Patrick’s Day 8K, which had been won by Demesse Tefera. Tefera started but dropped last year. This year Tefera battled New York’s Teklu Deneke, pulling away in the final sixty meter down hill charge to finish in 24:55. Dusen finished third this year in 25:53, all alone with fourth place Charlie Ban arriving nearly two minutes later. The certified course was about 250 feet longer than last year but that hardly explains the slower times. The sunny day was cool with a more than just pleasant breeze. The top reason may be that tomorrow will be national class competition at the massive (7500 person) St. Patrick’s Day 8K. Tefera will be there to defend his title.

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Love the Run You’re With 5K Race Report

By James Moreland

Published February 12, 2012 at 12:59PM | Updated September 17, 2013 at 2:31PM

The largest race series in the area run by Pacers and sponsored by the National Guard got [button-red url=”http://www.swimbikerunphoto.com” target=”_self” position=”left”] Photos [/button-red]underway as runners got literally blown across the starting mats for the third annual Love the Run You’re With 5K. The event started a few yards away from the Pentagon City store, one of six Pacers stores in the area.

The race was again posed to get larger as it started with 1,314 finishers in 2009 and grew to 1,694 last year. Nearly 2,000 runners signed up and with winter being timid this year and giving us the second meager snow storm on Saturday, things looked really good. Then the winds descended from the top of Army-Navy Drive seemingly challenging runners in both directions. The thermometer dipped to one of the lowest of the year, about 21 degrees as the race got underway. At 964, the number of women nearly doubled the 494 men, for a total of 1,458 finishers.

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15th Annual Rehau Rotary Resolution 10K Adventure Brightens the New Year

By James Moreland

Published January 1, 2012 at 1:35PM | Updated September 17, 2013 at 2:32PM

Truth be told, of all the races held on the turn-of-the-year weekend, this one offers the most adventure. Through the years, the wacky weather has been anything from a warm but heavy rain to a blistering cold wind chill where hiding on the down side of one of its many hills is actually a plus. Or perhaps we could have a storm of the century as we did at the start of 2010 where no one even dreamed of trying to leave the house. The voting is in and this year’s sunny, windless day with close to sixty degrees of warmth has been chosen for the race’s official weather.

December had been mild but when the sun continued to shine on the New Year many people still had time to head down to Ida Lee Park and sign up for the 10K that started at 10:40 or the 4K fun run that started twenty minutes before that. The 4K was an untimed event but when the race announcer started the event, about 400 happy people bounded down and across the opening field. Most of them looked as if they were going for a fast time. As is custom when the 10K starts, runners will begin meeting returning 4K runners near the bottom of the ¼ mile hill. This year the start was rushed so we could get going before the 4K winner (and he did receive an award) crossed the starting line.

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Ringing In Hope 10K and 5K Settles in as a Player

By James Moreland

Published December 31, 2011 at 1:41PM | Updated September 17, 2013 at 2:33PM

The Hogettes helped out in the fun run. They also noted that a race about hope would fit in nicely with the Washington Redskins.

This the third iteration of the Ringing in Hope races that began last New Year’s Eve. It was followed by an early summer rendition started just down the road. After having a 3K to accompany the main event 10K last year, the races moved to a more logical 5K-10K format.

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Drumstix Dash 8K Race Report

By James Moreland

Published November 26, 2011 at 2:11PM | Updated September 17, 2013 at 2:28PM

No times for brakes as the race starts at the top of the hill.

The glorious weather continues to reign (not rain) throughout the busiest weekend of the year. Many runners took a break from the busiest racing day of the year to eat dinner and go out shopping. Friday seemed like Sunday. Then Saturday was almost perfect. Locals even thought it was almost too warm, while a few slender Caribbean transplants announced that anything colder than 70 degrees was too cold.

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The National Capital Hydrocephalus 5K Gets it Right on the First Try

By James Moreland

Published November 20, 2011 at 2:26PM | Updated September 17, 2013 at 2:26PM

Organized Chaos even changed the words of a popular Clapton tune to match the race.

This first year race planned for everything down to perfect racing conditions. Not only did they have a D.J. but they even boasted a live band, Organized Chaos, as well. They got the National Park Service to relent and allow parking along Ohio Drive to allow the nearly six hundred participants to have a shorter walk to the start just north of West Basin Drive. With spacious parking across from the Tidal Basin, less than ¾ of a mile along Independence Avenue past the brand-new Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, the race is likely to grow in size next year.

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36 Years and Counting – Rockville 10K/5K Race Report

By James Moreland

Published November 6, 2011 at 3:05PM | Updated September 17, 2013 at 2:23PM

The Rockville 10K big claim to fame is that it is the longest running event in Montgomery County. As noted by Maryland State Senator Jennie Forehand, the event started as a ten mile race. For many years the race was run from Montgomery College as only a 10K. After racing in the local neighborhoods until 1991, the race raced south on the Pike to the Rockville Town Center, which was still in an earlier iteration. In 1995, the race added a 5K that circled the campus, while the 10K stayed on a similar path, though there were minor variations. That year the random prize was a week vacation and it was hoped that would bring the numbers up. The race had usually stayed around 500 finishers in good weather or bad.

By the late 90s the race moved to Piccard Drive near today’s 2 mile mark in the 10K. King Farm was still really just a farm. The course meandered back and forth between Gude Drive and Gaither Road. Then King Farm was completed and the event raced back and forth through the new community. The course has changed a number of times for both the 5K and the 10K. Mercifully, the 5K starts after the 10K now and takes a different route so there is no longer as much confusion as runners get to the finish line.

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A Vote for the WPI Race to Representation 5K

By James Moreland

Published November 4, 2011 at 3:24PM | Updated September 18, 2013 at 2:34PM

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.