News - RunWashington

An Untimely Hiatus

Published September 8, 2015 at 11:49AM

Meghan Ridgley lives vicariously through the runners she coaches until she can, herself, run again. Photo: Dustin Whitlow/D. Whit Photography

In the months leading up to 2015’s Fall marathons, RunWashington will follow several local runners as they prepare for their races. We’ll chart their progress as they train their legs, lungs and minds for the challenges they’ll race on race day. Each week, we’ll catch up with our runners and see how they’re doing. Meghan Ridgley of Reston, Va., planned to run the Philadelphia Marathon, but has been forced to take the season off. Read the first article about Meghan Ridgley here and the second here.

Meghan Ridgley has a lot more time on her hands now that she’s out with a stress fracture and a torn labrum. Still immersed in running through her work at the Potomac River Runners store and as a coach, she insists that she’s ok being around people who are still able to get out and go running. It was actually harder when her ankle was injured because she technically could still run.

James Christopher Farley Jr. 1943-2015

By Charlie Ban

Published September 2, 2015 at 12:54PM | Updated September 4, 2015 at 6:38PM

Inside the body of a government worker beat the heart of an entrepreneur.

When James Christopher Farley Jr. had paid off his family’s house in Arlington, it just meant he was in a position to mortgage it again when his son, Chris, came to him with a plan to buy Pacers Running Store in Alexandria.

Attitude is Everything

By Emily Rabbitt

Published September 1, 2015 at 7:06PM

Joe Divel. Photo: Dustin Whitlow/D.Whit Photography

In the months leading up to 2015’s Fall marathons, RunWashington is following several local runners as they prepare for their races. We’ll chart their progress as they train their legs, lungs and minds for the challenges they’ll race on race day. Each week, we’ll catch up with our runners and see how they’re doing. This is the third story about Joe Divel, read the first and second.

On Their Marks, Making Their Marks

By Charlie Ban

Published August 31, 2015 at 6:08PM | Updated June 25, 2018 at 4:50PM

Photo: Dustin Whitlow

With remarkable depth and outright speed, Virginia’s harriers will be the toast of the D.C. area this cross country season, with several primed for big races on the national level. Of the 20 runners selected by the RunWashington coaches panel, 14 run for Virginia schools and another, a D.C. private school athlete, lives in Alexandria.

Maryland lost a few heavy hitters to graduation — Evan Woods, Diego Zarate, Nora McUmber, Kiernan Keller and Lucy Srour — but the state has rapidly-developing young talent moving up.

You Don’t “Stop Being Teammates”

By Dan DiFonzo

Published August 26, 2015 at 1:23PM | Updated June 25, 2018 at 4:50PM

Grace Dallapa (holding the shoe box) surrounded by family and teammates at the 2015 All-RunWashington pep rally. She was on the All-Maryland team for the second year in a row. Photo: Roger Colazzi

When Wootton’s Grace Dellapa finished the Maryland 4A West Regional Cross Country Championships, she was elated to have run a personal record 18:51 for sixth overall.

Dellapa knew she’d be representing Wootton once again at the state championships a week later. What she didn’t know was whether she’d be competing alone or with her team. All she could do was wait.

The Mental Marathon

By Charlie Ban

Published August 24, 2015 at 12:07PM

Photo: Dustin Whitlow/D. Whit Photography

In the months leading up to 2015’s Fall marathons, RunWashington is following several local runners as they prepare for their races. We’ll chart their progress as they train their legs, lungs and minds for the challenges they’ll race on race day. Each week, we’ll catch up with our runners and see how they’re doing. This is the third story about Will Etti, read the first and second.

For Will Etti, the marathon is a proving ground. But the physical rigors of marathon training are just a part of it. That part is going well. He has finished two 20 milers (his Garmin gave him 19.97 for one, but he’s rounding up). He is continuing with his stretching and foam rolling routines, and has added “body pump” to his cross training mix, along with spinning.

Running Shorts – Aug. 24

By Charlie Ban

Published August 24, 2015 at 11:37AM | Updated August 25, 2015 at 11:47AM

Georgetown alumna Emily Infeld earned a bronze medal at the IAAF Track and Field Championships 10k Monday, running 31:43.39 to edge Molly Huddle (fourth place) at the line. Along with […]

Former GMU teammates win Leesburg 20k

By Daniel O'Malley

Published August 18, 2015 at 12:25PM | Updated August 20, 2015 at 2:30PM

Runners head out toward the W&OD Trail at the start of the Leesburg 20k. Photo: Dustin Whitlow

At the finish line in quaint Leesburg under clear blue skies, recent-graduate and former George Mason University runner Jimmy Luehrs threw a jubilant fist-pump in the air after taking first place overall in the 27th annual Leesburg 20k in 1:07:20.

Winning the women’s division of the race in 1:15:32 was Bethany Sachtleben, another recent George Mason graduate, former George Mason runner, and friend of Luehrs’.

Attention to detail adds up for Matt Deters

By Emily Rabbitt

Published August 10, 2015 at 12:03PM

Matt Deters. Photo: Dustin Whitlow

In the months leading up to 2015’s Fall marathons, RunWashington will follow several local runners as they prepare for their races. We’ll chart their progress as they train their legs, lungs and minds for the challenges they’ll race on race day. Each week, we’ll catch up with our runners and see how they’re doing. This week, it’s Matt Deters of Arlington, Va., who is having a breakout year. Read the first article about Matt here.

Matt Deters can’t take the heat. Actually, that’s not true, he can, and has been, and will continue to do so, but he’s not a fan.

Adapt or…Nothing

By Emily Rabbitt

Published August 8, 2015 at 4:42PM | Updated August 10, 2015 at 12:13PM

Meghan Ridgley coaching some of her runners. Photo: Dustin Whitlow

In the months leading up to 2015’s Fall marathons, RunWashington will follow several local runners as they prepare for their races. We’ll chart their progress as they train their legs, lungs and minds for the challenges they’ll race on race day. Each week, we’ll catch up with our runners and see how they’re doing. This week, it’s Meghan Ridgley of Reston, Va., who is hoping for a chance at the Philadelphia Maraton. Read the first article about Meghan Ridgley here.

Meghan Ridgley has been churning out marathons at just over a six minute mile pace for a decade. Take a moment to consider your twenties vs. your thirties. Recovery time, ability to function on less sleep, general level of responsibility, metabolic function – all these things get a little bit stingier as the decades pile on. For those who were elite athletes in their teens and twenties, maintaining the peak shape they held at that age gets harder every year.