News - RunWashington

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

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?

New Course Records and Great Conditions for Racing in Richmond

By Brenda Barrera

Published November 12, 2011 at 2:50PM | Updated September 17, 2013 at 2:23PM

It is not always the case, but sometimes everything just comes together perfectly on race day. Like ideal weather in the 40s on a historic course along lush fall scenery with a competitive field that pushes you to your best. That was the case for the many runners at this year’s SunTrust Richmond Marathon, McDonald’s Half Marathon and HCA Virginia 8K that set a record with 17,073 runners.

SunTrust Richmond Marathon

Run Through the Grapevine 8K – 17th Year

By James Carbary

Published November 6, 2011 at 3:17PM | Updated September 18, 2013 at 2:35PM

For 17 years, the Run Through the Grapevine 8K course at Linganore Winery was actually a little short, so this year an extra hill was added around another grapevine to satisfy a more exact measurement. The unofficial story for the route change, though, was that Mark Buschman vowed to beat the best time of Pekka Stenholm, a former racing team member who had moved back to his native Finland. Buschman and Stenholm had met at the Berlin Marathon earlier in the year and must have had a discussion about the Grapevine. Race director Jason Tripp decided the course should be as accurate as possible, so a course extension occurred, and Buschman failed by 20 seconds to beat the time (about 30:30). Everyone else reported slower times at the Grapevine 8K this year, too.

Race winner Carlos Renjifo far in front of the field.

Survivors and Supporters Drawn to National Race to End Women’s Cancer 8K

By Mollie Zapata

Published November 6, 2011 at 3:14PM | Updated September 17, 2013 at 2:23PM

More than 2,200 people from 34 states plus the District of Columbia gathered to show support, raise money, and compete in the National Race to End Women’s Cancer 8K and 1 Mile Walk in Washington, DC on Sunday, November 6, 2011. The event, in its second year, marks the 20^th anniversary of the Foundation for Women’s Cancer and raised funding to prevent, detect, treat, and defeat cancers unique to women.

Chris Juarez, 41, of Alexandria, VA, dominated the race, leading the field by more than a half-mile, winning in 26:13.

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.

Big Spirits, Bright Underpants for 2nd Annual Undy 5000

By Ashley Simpson

Published November 5, 2011 at 3:27PM | Updated September 18, 2013 at 2:38PM

Right at sunrise on Saturday with temperature in the 40s, 224 participants finished the 2^ndannual Undy 5000 in Washington, DC. The 5K event is part of a 13-city series that encourages participants to run in their underwear to draw attention to their bottoms – and colon cancer.

In keeping with the theme of the race to raise awareness, the Colon Cancer Alliance (race organizers) gave participants pairs of shorts to don instead of the traditional race t-shirt. Many did not put the blue race shorts over their spandex, though, because they already wore their own underwear on top of their running tights. It was a colorful sight with styles ranging from tropical print boxers to neon pink thongs.

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.

Ware and Dengera Claim Victories at 2011 Marine Corps Marathon

By Brenda Barrera

Published October 30, 2011 at 3:33PM | Updated September 18, 2013 at 2:34PM

Charles Ware wins it all in a near Olympic-class 2:19:16.

What a weekend with so many elements of drama. A rare fall storm hit the mid-Atlantic on Saturday bringing not only rain, but hail, sleet, slush, and snow. On Sunday, however, the skies cleared in time for the 36^th Marine Corps Marathon where Army 1^st Lt. Charles “Chad” Ware from Wheeling, IL won in an impressive 2:19:16 and Tezata Dengera, from Ellicott City, MD by way of Turkey, claimed the women’s title in 2:45:28.

Valvoline Instant Oil Change Goblin Gallop 5K

By James Moreland

Published October 30, 2011 at 3:30PM | Updated September 18, 2013 at 2:33PM

After all these years could this perennial race be doomed to success? Competing against the massive Marine Corps Marathon with its little sister race 10K with nearly seven thousand finishers, the ‘gallop’ keeps roaring along, for equestrians note that of the four gears-–walk, trot, canter, and gallop–gallop is the fastest. With nearly five hundred races in the region between Labor Day and Veterans Day, the Goblin Gallop expanded again to nearly 20% more finishers than last year. Maybe it is because discerning runners and walkers alike see that the race has what it takes.

Tons of free parking close by is a wish come true. As soon as you get out of your car you already hear the Spark Plugscranking out tunes. While the songs are mostly from my generation, they are so lively that people could easily forget the first white Halloween. Naturally, the media made it seem scarier than the scores of hundreds of costumes worn by the participants. Everybody from Fairfax east ducked the near freezing soaking that cut many of Saturday events’ participation in half. Nine inches in western Maryland barely ranked a notice. The question was how are the corners of Fairfax Corner? How are the slopes of Random Hills?