News - RunWashington

Tired of the marathon? Try the mile!

Published February 14, 2019 at 11:00AM | Updated April 2, 2019 at 4:11PM

“I love the mile,” said D.C.’s Henry Wigglesworth, who considers it his favorite race distance. The 61-year-old has fallen in love with the mile after years as a distance runner.

Wigglesworth took up running after college when he moved to New York City and his friends encouraged him to run the New York City Marathon. He did not take the race too seriously but enjoyed it enough to run it again a few years later. During his second New York City Marathon, Wigglesworth even stopped in Central Park for a beer with his friends toward the end of the race.

Thistle, Basil lead 2018 rankings

By Charlie Ban

Published February 12, 2019 at 2:17PM

Jerry Greenlaw (right) leads Matt Deters (left) at the Cherry Blossom Ten Mile. Deters won that matchup, and wound up fourth, to Greenlaw's sixth, in the overall men's rankings. Photo: Dustin Whitlow

The top spot in the 2018 runner rankings probably came down to distance.

On Sept. 16, both Paul Thistle and Jeff Stein topped the podium near the Washington Monument. Thistle won the Navy 5-Miler, running 25:19 to score 1001.2 points in the RunWashington runner rankings system, which figures in race pace versus historical high-water marks for the same race. At the same time, Stein was winning the Navy-Air Force Half Marathon, running 1:10:21. The effects of a warm, humid day probably compounded over 13 miles, and although Stein recorded a 35-second margin of victory in his race, he scored only 992.79. In the end, Thistle’s average wound up 1.32 points higher than Stein’s, giving him the edge for the year.

Running Shorts

By Charlie Ban

Published February 12, 2019 at 10:00AM | Updated February 12, 2019 at 4:50PM

Detour coming next week to W&OD Trail near Custis Trail, local xc runners are Gatorade Athlete of the Year, Shoemaker, D’Amato, McArthur are Va USATF athletes of the year, Wardian runs 10 marathons.

Memory of fallen soldiers drove D.C. woman’s 53-marathon year

By Allison Bourg Sauntry

Published February 6, 2019 at 11:41AM | Updated February 14, 2019 at 5:18PM

Jennifer Hickey at the Sedona, Az. Marathon. At each race, she ran with a photo of the soldier whom she was running the race for.

When Jennifer Hickey completed last year’s Oklahoma City Marathon, there was a big surprise waiting for her at the finish line.

Hickey had dedicated the race to Army Sgt. Daniel Eshbaugh, a member of the Oklahoma National Guard who was killed in September 2008 in a helicopter crash while serving in Iraq.

Running love is in the air for these competitive runner couples

By Sarah Beth Hensley

Published February 5, 2019 at 12:51PM | Updated February 12, 2019 at 10:44AM

Erin and Greg Swiatocha

On a cold night in mid-January, Greg and Erin Swiatocha — like so many new parents — booked a babysitter for their 7-month-old son so they could get out of the house and spend time together.

Some couples may have seized the opportunity to visit a nice restaurant, see a movie or grab a drink.

Brooke Curran survives aneurysm to keep running

By Tess Stryk

Published February 4, 2019 at 10:53AM | Updated February 4, 2019 at 1:14PM

Brooke Curran running the 2018 Richmond Marathon. Photo: MarathonFoto

Brooke Curran should not be alive. On March 17 she should have been alone on a 3-hour training run at Prince William Park in preparation for a 100-mile race.

Luckily enough, the park was closed and she had to relocate to Fountainhead Regional Park where a group of women, total strangers from a Moms Run this Town group invited her to join them on a run. They were chatting about summer race plans and getting to know each other when Curran realized something was wrong, “all of a sudden, it was like a sledge hammer hitting my head.”

Last chance to check your 2018 runner ranking

By Charlie Ban

Published January 22, 2019 at 3:52PM

The 2018 Army Ten-Miler. Photo: Dustin Whitlow

We’re finalizing the 2018 Runner Rankings, but first we want to make sure everyone’s races have been counted. Check here and search for yourself and if you ran any of these races and they don’t match your listing, let us know at [email protected] by Friday, Jan. 25 at 5 p.m.

Where can you run on a snowy day?

By Charlie Ban

Published January 14, 2019 at 12:51AM | Updated January 15, 2019 at 3:55PM

Rock Creek Trail north of Peirce Mill around 11 a.m. Sunday. Photo: Charlie Ban

Can’t stand the treadmill? Me neither. You want to run outside after snowfall? Here’s a look at what (mainly paved) paths are looking like.

RunWashington’s 2019 ranked races

By Charlie Ban

Published January 8, 2019 at 12:53PM | Updated July 22, 2019 at 11:47AM

2018 Clarendon Day 5K/10K produced by Pacers Running. Arlington, VA. Saturday, 22 September 2018. Photo by Brian W. Knight/Swim Bike Run Photo.

With a new year comes a new slate of races for RunWashington’s runner rankings. We’ve shuffled some around, added some, shed a few others.

Each of these races is run on a certified course (but it’s up to you to make sure you don’t run too far). To be ranked for the year, runners must run at least six races, three before July 1 and three after. Why? It’s the most fair (and manageable) way to help put together a list of the runners who have made a commitment to road racing in the Washington, D.C. area.

Allison Bourg Sauntry

By Allison Bourg Sauntry

Published January 8, 2019 at 12:50PM | Updated November 6, 2019 at 9:11AM

Name: Allison Bourg Sauntry

Self-described age group: One year away from being able to run in the Masters category