News - RunWashington

Pacers Events Acquires Capital Running Company

Published February 3, 2012 at 1:28PM | Updated September 17, 2013 at 2:31PM

by Kathy Dalby

Pacers Events, the region’s leading boutique race management company, has acquired Capital Running Company, the area’s most esteemed road race management and promotions company. The merger of these two companies will result in the creation of the area’s largest road race management and promotions company with a portfolio of more than 60 road races, 75,000 yearly participants, and the Mid-Atlantic region’s primary source for running news and events through the Washington Running Report: The Runner’s Source for DC, MD, and VA and www.runwashington.com.

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.

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.

Jingle All the Way Gets Too Big for the Park and Moves Downtown

By Dickson Mercer

Published December 11, 2011 at 1:48PM | Updated September 17, 2013 at 2:33PM

It only took the Jingle All the Way 10K six years to outgrow its out-and-back course in Washington, DC’s West Potomac Park. This year, with more than 6,000 registered runners, Capital Running Company moved the race downtown to the same venue that hosts its annual St. Patrick’s Day 8K. The new 8K, which starts on Pennsylvania Avenue and, as with Occupy DC, is staged at Freedom Plaza, was held in cold, yet calm conditions that probably seemed perfect to those who braved last year’s cold drizzle.

If you are wondering how a road race typically held on a frigid day has become such a popular race, look no further than the costumes. At the Jingle All the Way 8K, Santa got the top-seeded number and knee-high candy cane socks paired with elf caps were the opposite of an exception. Today’s oddballs were ever-serious front-runners wearing their usual racing kits.

Hot Chocolate 15K and 5K Takes on December in Washington, DC

By Mollie Zapata

Published December 3, 2011 at 2:04PM | Updated September 17, 2013 at 2:27PM

This event certainly had some problems. WRR plans to follow up on these in our upcoming Jan/Feb issue.

More than 15,000 runners competed in the Inaugural Hot Chocolate 15K and 5K at National Harbor just across the Woodrow Wilson Bridge from Washington, DC on Saturday, December 3. The Hot Chocolate race series, tagged as “America’s sweetest race” already exists in five major U.S. cities and made a chocolate splash at its 2011 DC debut. Runners’ packets include racing jackets. The post-race party promised Ghirardelli hot chocolate and a chocolate fondue fountain for all competitors in both the 15K and 5K races.

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.

Howard County Runners Predict Their Thanksgiving Day 10K Times

By James Carbary

Published November 24, 2011 at 2:21PM | Updated September 17, 2013 at 2:29PM

Race winner Rick Scholfield crosses the finish line 3.56 too late to be perfect in photo courtesy of Chris Farmer

The registration for the Howard County Striders Turkey Trot 10k started promptly at 9:00 am on Thanksgiving Day. Without the benefit of any timing devices, the competitors attempted to run the appointed 10K course through the Jeffers Hill and Long Reach communities so as to finish at exactly 11:00 a.m. the winner being the runner who finished closest to the hour. Even if you did not win you still received a Dunkin Donut with cider or orange juice. The problem was that there were 216 donuts (18 dozen) and 349 finishers.

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.

More than 1,000 Runners Finish Inaugural Norfolk Freedom Half Marathon

By Brenda Barrera

Published November 13, 2011 at 2:44PM | Updated September 17, 2013 at 2:25PM

The Norfolk city banner flags were flapping with a breeze coming out of the southwest as 1,202 runners took off for the inaugural Freedom Half Marathon in ideal conditions on Sunday. Navy Lt. j.g. Erik Bates, 25, from Virginia Beach, VA won in 1:21:05 and Jennifer Quarles, 39, from Merrimac, VA was the first woman in 1:29:00.

It took less than a mile for Bates and Frank Sprtel, 39, from Silver Spring MD to separate from the field. Bates made a decisive move at mile 6 when Sprtel grabbed a drink from the aid station. That is when he threw in a surge and the race was in his command as he pulled away for the win.

12th Annual Veterans Day 10K

By Dickson Mercer

Published November 13, 2011 at 2:32PM | Updated September 17, 2013 at 2:25PM

Frank Devar and Serena Burla each won $500 for winning today’s Veterans Day 10K on a cool, blustery morning in Washington, D.C.’s West Potomac Park. Early on, though, the men’s winner was a tad confused.

“Where are the Ethiopians?” Pacers Racing Team member Bert Rodriguez said to his teammate, Devar, on the starting line of this always competitive race. The question set Devar to wondering: Was the 12^th annual Veterans Day 10K – contested on an out-and-back, flat-and-fast course starting on Ohio Drive – not offering its generous 10-deep prize purse?