at the Women’s Distance Festival in Bluemont Park. Photo: DC Road Runners
[button-red url=”http://www.dcroadrunners.org/races/race-results/2013-results/2077-2013-womens-distance-festival.html” target=”_self” position=”left”] Women’s Race Results [/button-red][button-red url=”http://www.dcroadrunners.org/races/race-results/2013-results/2078-2013-run-after-the-women-5k.html” target=”_self” position=”left”] Men’s Race Results [/button-red]
Despite already rescheduling the Women’s Distance Festival 5k and Run After the Women 5k due to a scheduling conflict at Bluemont Park, dangerous temperatures nearing 100 degrees throughout the day almost left race director Alex Albertini with another predicament.
“If it was five degrees warmer, the race would have been called off for safety reasons,” Albertini said. “But everyone seemed to enjoy the race in tough conditions.”
The two races were part of the DC Road Runners Club’s Bunion Derby Series, consisting of eight races throughout June, July and August—some of the hottest months of the year. The series is free to the club’s members but in order to be eligible for a Bunion Derby age-group award in the fall, participants must volunteer with the club at least once.
Runners competed on the out and back course on the partly shaded Bluemont Park Trail in Arlington, Virginia. Though several runners had to dodge bikers on the trail, runners were satisfied with the low-key race that consisted of a steady uphill on the way out. Runners also seemed to enjoy the second half of the race, which started out with a water station and then took off on a steady downhill on the way back to the finish line.
First place finisher Anna Holt-Gosselin of Vienna, Va. did not seem bothered by the scorching temperatures while she bolted off the staring line from the rest of the pack. Holt-Gosselin held on to the lead all the way through the finish line, with a time of 19:44.
A graduate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Holt-Gosselin felt well hydrated after the race, adding that she drank much more water than usual to prepare for the heat.
The men’s race started 15 minutes after the women’s race, dubbing it the “Run After the Women 5K.” Rising senior Christopher Hoyle of Gonzaga College High School finished first in the men’s race, with six of his cross country teammates close behind him.
“This is my first road race of the summer,” Hoyle said. “I just wanted to go out and see what kind of shape I was in.”
The DC Road Runners Club, which was voted the best 2012 running club in the Washington area by RunWashington readers, is among several running organizations in the Washington Metropolitan Area. Well known for their Saturday long-runs that kick off at the Iwo Jima Memorial in Rosslyn, Va., runners noted that they chose DCRRC out of other clubs partly because of perks like competing in the Bunion Derby Series races.
“It’s an excuse to get out and meet people while having a great atmosphere,” said Adam Pearlman. “And I like the friendly competition during the races.”
Pearlman found some “friendly competition” during the evening race as he went head to head with another participant, each of them competing back and forth for 2.5 miles.
The Women’s Distance Festival 5k and Run After the Women 5k took place on one of the hottest days of the year so far. Participants’ goals in the two races varied throughout but one goal seemed to remain the same: get through the toughest months of the year to the fall running season.
Colleen Lerro is in the beginning stages of her training for the Marine Corps Marathon. She aims to qualify soon for the Boston Marathon—a goal she came short of two minutes in her most recent marathon. Lerro said that training and racing through the toughest months of the year won’t be as much as a challenge for her as it is for some.
“I’m the crazy one who likes the heat,” Lerro said.
Though Lerro does not dread the heat like others, she noted that she does take precautions, like eating pretzels in an effort to raise her salt intake.
As runners came in to the finish on the Bluemont Park Trail, many were groaning out-loud in pain caused by the heat. But many runners will continue to endure this type of pain that comes from the heat with an expectation that they will be rewarded later on in the cooler months of the year, when marathons take place. Even after they moan and chug down gallons of water throughout the summer months, runners all over the Washington Metropolitan Area will keep training and racing in events like the Women’s Distance Festival 5k and Run After the Women 5k to become more resilient.
“If we can get through this”, said DC Road Runners Club member Erica Holmes of Germantown, Md. “We can get through anything.”
While Josef Tessema and his three pursuers were sprinting through the streets of Reston in hopes of first prize at the We’ve Got Your Back 5k, Carly Rebeiz of Sterling, Va. was thrilled to just be running.
[button-red url=”http://prracing.racebx.com/files/results/4d9205ce-7a0c-46c1-8929-4f56c0a86522/51978d1c-157c-4a3e-845b-7d23c0a86524/2013%20We’ve%20Got%20Your%20Back%20Overall.htm” target=”_self” position=”left”] Results [/button-red] Three years ago, she ran into a goalie while playing soccer and herniated two discs in her neck. Her husband, Alex was there and saw her fly back six feet. After 10 months of testing and conservative treatment options, she opted for spinal fusion surgery, and bone from her hip replaced those discs. With therapy, strengthening and additional treatment, she has reclaimed her life and gotten back to [button-red url=”https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.660884560605446.1073741847.189448104415763&type=1″ target=”_self” position=”left”] Photo [/button-red]where she can play soccer several nights a week.
“It got to the point where it was so painful, you have to do something about it,” she said.
“My life was on hold for a few years, but I missed soccer too much to give it up, it was too much of a part of my life.”
Having that treatment option motivated her to come out to run the race, which benefitted the Spinal Research Foundation. Alex ran with her, a partner to her accident, treatment and recovery.
“I ran the whole time, I completed it,” she said. “Alex was with me through this whole three year journey: driving me to appointments, taking care of dinner, walking the dog. He was there for so much.”
She was excited by the number of people who came out to the race, and hopes they took the cause’s message to heart.
“It’s so important to have the right treatment options,” she said. “Living with that kind of pain should not be necessary you just want to live your life.
Up front, Tessema, of Springfield, gunned it, with good reason. With $300 in prize money, he was anxious to see if he had shaken an illness that had kept him under the weather for two weeks. He found out less than four minutes in that he was just fine. Splitting 4:30 for the mile and 9:11 for the two mile, he eased in to finish in 14:49, 21 seconds ahead of Reston’s Abu Kebede and Washington’s Demissia Gulti, who edged Washington’s Takele Gebrelul by one second to shut him out of the prize money.
Barbara Fallon Wallace of Alexandria returned to the race and retook her top spot in 17:27 from Vienna’s Anna Holt–Gosselin, who had defeated her here the year before. Holt-Gosselin moved up in the second mile ahead of Clifton’s Jackie Gruendel.
Fallon Wallace, a physical therapist, sends some of her patients to the Spinal Research Foundation and wanted to celebrate the cause.
Some of the foundation’s physicians helped bring the Stanciu family from Vienna out to the race. Michelle brought her children, Victoria and Daniel, who impressed her with their efforts.
“I’m so proud of them,” she said. “They didn’t train for it other than their normal daily activity, they got up early, chose to run the 5k instead of the mile, it’s so incredible.”
Victoria, who loved the portion of the race on the W&OD Trail, was so enthusiastic about finish that she sprinted from her mom, who was left holding her long-sleeved shirt with her timing bib on it, prompting Michelle to chase after her so her finish could be recorded.
Daniel ran ahead of them, capitalizing on the fitness he gained playing basketball and reveling in the event.
“I mostly like the running part,” he said. “I got to see my friends, it was fun.”
By Dickson Mercer
Washington, DC
November 13, 2011
For the Washington Running Report
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 12th 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?
Event host Capital Running Company, as it turned out, indeed offered its usual prize purse. And for at least one Ethiopian runner, it was a marathon, not a lack of prize money, which kept him off the starting line.
Last year Abiyot Endale won his second straight Veterans Day 10K the day after racing the HCA 8K in Richmond. While Endale was back in Richmond yesterday, this time it was for the SunTrust Richmond Marathon, in which he placed fourth in 2:19:19. That was enough to keep Endale away from attempting a potential three-peat, and the door was thus left open for top locals such as Rodriguez and Devar.
Devar’s 7th place finish last year came in a personal best of 30:40. This year he took control of the race early to win in a new personal best of 30:23, a per-mile average of 4:53.
Rodriguez, who was 2nd in 30:53, stayed with the eventual winner “until I couldn’t keep up with [him] anymore,” he said laughing.
For Rodriguez, the time was just a second off his personal best, set here last year, in what might also be the 32-year-old Arlington resident’s last local race before he and his wife move to Charlotte, N.C. in February. (He did announce plans to return for April’s Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Miler.)
Look back at the Veterans Day results for 2005 and you will see that Rodriguez was 10th in 33:01. The next year he was 8thin 32:42. The year after that Rodriguez was training with Pacers and shaping up into a top local runner.
Devar graduated last year from the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, VA. The 23-year-old Arlington native is working part time for Pacers while making a go at improving upon college bests of 8:13 for 3,000 and 14:10 for 5,000.
Georgetown Running Company’s Sam Luff, 23, of Rockville was third in 31:00. His teammate, Ryan Witters, 23, of Washington, DC was fourth in 31:17. The master’s crown went to Ray Pugsley, 42, of Potomac Falls, VA. His time of 32:44 put him just outside the top 10 overall.
For the women, this was Burla’s race from the start. Having recently moved to Falls Church from Missouri, the 29-year-old Olympic Trials qualifier took out the opening mile right around 5 minutes en route to a near event record breaking time of 33:04, a per-mile average of 5:19. Svetlana Zakharova set the event standard in 2000 with 32:53.
Burla’s Riadha running club teammate, Kristin Anderson, who was second in 35:04, a time good enough to win some years, admitted that Burla’s quick early pace took her away from her race plan, or at least partially away from it.
Anderson’s plan was to run five seconds off Burla through the mile. Thing was, she was expecting Burla to go through in 5:30.
“I tried to not get overwhelmed by it, just work hard,” Anderson said of her 5:10 opening mile. “I just tried to take a deep breath, and keep working for it. It helped when some guys came around. Actually, I kept picturing every guy was a girl.”
This was the 28-year-old adjunct college professor’s first race since track season, she said. After some time off, Anderson, of Arlington, said she went into a base building phase that has been greatly aided by the arrival of Burla, her new training partner.
Burla, who ran 2:37:06 at the 2010 New York City Marathon, is preparing for January’s U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials. After today’s race she set out for another hour of running, up-tempo, making her unavailable for an interview. Riadha’s Alisa Harvey, 46, of Manassas, VA was the top female master in 38:13.
The third place female, Anna Holt-Gosselin of Georgetown Running Company, knew better than to get mixed up in the early pace set by Burla and Anderson. Still, the 23-year-old Vienna, VA resident said, after clocking 35:39, that she had run her best race this year.
Many of today’s participants ran in honor of men and women serving in the armed forces. Members of a Howard County, MD based group of women who met each through LiveNow Fitness ran in honor of Delma Johnson’s husband, Eric Johnson, who is overseas with the U.S. Army.
Johnson, along with Lesley Smith, Evelyn Cooper, Kendra Booth, Grace Bristol, and Aixa Flanders push each other through boot camp-style workouts during the week, they said. On the weekends, however, they head to the races, where it is every woman for herself.
“We go, ‘Go team!’” explained Johnson. “Then it’s, ‘See you at the finish!’”
The 12th Veterans Day 10K benefited Luke’s Wings. A member of the Wounded Warrior Transportation Assistance Program, Luke’s Wings provides travel planning and complimentary airline tickets to wounded warriors and their families during the service member’s hospitalization and rehabilitation. This enables families to be with their loved ones at such a difficult time.
At the conclusion of the awards ceremony, Linda Duyen Nguyen of Annandale, VA won the grand random prize of a 7-day resort stay for two.
MALE Open
1 48 Frank Devar 23 Alexandria VA 30:23
2 15 Bert Rodriguez 32 Arlington VA 30:53
3 20 Samuel Luff 24 Rockville MD 31:00
4 22 Ryan Witters 23 Washington DC 31:17
5 1854 Tristram Thomas 24 Baltimore MD 31:50
6 28 Ryan Hanson 23 Rockville MD 31:55
7 3 Wilson Komen 33 Washington DC 32:12
8 5 Christopher Sloane 28 Rockville MD 32:15
9 1706 Dennis Wolff 29 Hartford CT 32:17
10 45 Dickson Mercer 30 Washington DC 32:19
MALE Masters
1 13 Ray Pugsley 42 Potomac Falls VA 32:44
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME - NET PACE 1 - 19
1 John Morgan 18 M ANNAPOLIS MD 33:18 33:18 5:22
2 Alexander Waldt 18 M BALTIMORE MD 34:05 34:05 5:29
3 Noah Howard 16 M WASHINGTON DC 39:50 39:27 6:21
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME - NET PACE 20 - 24
1 Jerry Greenlaw 23 M ALEXANDRIA VA 32:58 32:58 5:19
2 Alexander Wepsala 24 M WASHINGTON DC 36:40 36:39 5:54
3 Cole Ashcraft 20 M WASHINGTON DC 37:17 36:42 5:55
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME - NET PACE 25 - 29
1 Paul Guevara 25 M ALEXANDRIA VA 33:00 33:00 5:19
2 Andrew Ciarfalia 29 M RESTON VA 33:37 33:37 5:25
3 Andy Sovonick 25 M GAITHERSBURG MD 33:45 33:45 5:26
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME - NET PACE 30 - 34
1 Ben Ingram 34 M WINCHESTER VA 34:08 34:08 5:30
2 Steven Staats 33 M WASHINGTON DC 35:29 35:26 5:43
3 Dwayne Bax 30 M WASHINGTON DC 37:17 37:17 6:00
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME - NET PACE 35 - 39
1 David Wertz 35 M ARLINGTON VA 32:38 32:38 5:16
2 Eric Lavigne 35 M PHILADELPHIA PA 32:40 32:40 5:16
3 Marcos Galicia 36 M SILVER SPRING MD 36:10 36:08 5:49
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME - NET PACE 40 - 44
1 Matthew Frank 44 M LOUISVILLE CO 36:42 36:40 5:54
2 Andrew Pugh 42 M WASHINGTON DC 37:28 37:23 6:01
3 Dave Cahill 40 M ARLINGTON VA 37:58 37:55 6:07
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME - NET PACE 45 - 49
1 Derik Thomas 45 M ALEXANDRIA VA 34:53 34:53 5:37
2 Poul Wisborg 48 M WASHINGTON DC 38:35 38:22 6:11
3 Warren Djuric 49 M SPRINGFIELD VA 38:46 38:46 6:15
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME - NET PACE 50 - 54
1 Jean-Christophe Arca 50 M ROCKVILLE MD 35:48 35:48 5:46
2 Kevin Dix 52 M MANASSAS VA 40:00 39:58 6:26
3 Terry Basham 52 M DUMFRIES VA 40:46 40:38 6:33
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME - NET PACE 55 - 59
1 Paul Serra 55 M LUSBY MD 41:28 41:20 6:39
2 Ken Krehbiel 58 M WASHINGTON DC 41:47 41:47 6:44
3 Rod Devar 58 M ALEXANDRIA VA 42:20 42:10 6:48
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME - NET PACE 60 - 64
1 Malcolm Senior 60 M NEW MARKET MD 40:43 40:41 6:33
2 Jim Wright 62 M GAITHERSBURG MD 41:46 41:42 6:43
3 Jay Jacob Wind 61 M ARLINGTON VA 44:17 44:17 7:08
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME - NET PACE 65 - 69
1 Jim Noone 67 M FAIRFAX VA 44:59 44:57 7:14
2 Bob Chase 66 M FALLS CHURCH VA 45:29 45:23 7:19
3 John Sullivan 66 M WASHINGTON DC 53:57 52:53 8:31
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME - NET PACE 70 - 74
1 Gerry Ives 72 M WASHINGTON DC 45:56 45:44 7:22
2 Malcolm O'Hagan 71 M CHEVY CHASE MD 48:20 48:12 7:46
3 Chan Robbins 74 M ARLINGTON VA 50:57 50:55 8:12
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME - NET PACE 75 - 79
1 Skip Grant 76 M CHEVY CHASE MD 50:06 49:54 8:02
2 Alan Rider 75 M RESTON VA 56:01 55:50 8:59
3 Robert Gurtler 76 M THE PLAINS VA 63:16 63:02 10:09
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME - NET PACE 80 - 99
1 George Yannakakis 80 M SPARKS GLENCOE MD 52:49 52:44 8:30
2 Jack McMahon 80 M SILVER SPRING MD 58:26 58:14 9:23
MALE FIRST TIME RACER: NET TIME - NET PACE 1 - 99
1 1378 Mike Cahill 33 M Washington DC 39:58 39:42 6:24
FEMALE Open
1 1708 Serena Burla 29 Falls Church VA 33:04
2 1709 Kristin Anderson 28 Arlington VA 35:04
3 17 Anna Holt-Gosselin 23 Vienna VA 35:39
4 1704 Jacqui Wentz 23 Baltimore MD 36:07
5 7 Wendi Robinson 24 Washington DC 36:46
6 27 Maura Carroll 22 Washington DC 37:05
7 6 Lisa Thomas 35 Alexandria VA 37:10
8 8 Lindsay Wilkins 33 Arlington VA 37:30
9 19 Susan Hendrick 25 Washington DC 37:34
10 44 Laura O'Hara 31 Alexandria VA 37:42
FEMALE Masters
1 4 Alisa Harvey 46 Manassas VA 38:13
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME - NET PACE 01 - 19
1 Maggie Wood 14 F WASHINGTON DC 46:54 46:18 7:27
2 Christina Glasener 16 F WASHINGTON DC 46:36 46:18 7:28
3 Maria Luisa Navarro 19 F BALTIMORE MD 49:58 49:43 8:00
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME - NET PACE 20 - 24
1 Samantha Lee 23 F NEW PROVIDENCE NJ 38:51 38:48 6:15
2 Elizabeth Laseter 23 F WASHINGTON DC 39:33 39:27 6:21
3 Heather Jelen 24 F FALLS CHURCH VA 39:36 39:36 6:23
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME - NET PACE 25 - 29
1 Erin Swain 29 F ARLINGTON VA 38:31 38:31 6:12
2 Kelly Swain 26 F ARLINGTON VA 38:32 38:32 6:12
3 Ashley Palmer 28 F LYNCHBURG VA 39:25 39:25 6:21
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME - NET PACE 30 - 34
1 Christina Vanucci 33 F WESTLAKE OH 39:48 39:35 6:23
2 Jessica McGuire 31 F ARLINGTON VA 41:29 41:25 6:40
3 Ingrid Peterson 33 F WASHINGTON DC 41:50 41:35 6:42
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME - NET PACE 35 - 39
1 Barb Fallon Wallace 37 F ALEXANDRIA VA 37:46 37:46 6:05
2 Jackie Gruendel 36 F CLIFTON VA 38:08 38:08 6:09
3 Kristie Connelly 36 F ALEXANDRIA VA 38:41 38:41 6:14
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME - NET PACE 40 - 44
1 Samantha Cole 43 F ARLINGTON VA 39:23 39:23 6:21
2 Lisa Chilcote 41 F N BETHESDA MD 40:02 40:02 6:27
3 Julie King 44 F ALEXANDRIA VA 43:24 43:21 6:59
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME - NET PACE 45 - 49
1 Valinda Nwadike 46 F LEONARDTOWN MD 47:08 46:58 7:34
2 Mery-Angela Katson 47 F MCLEAN VA 47:58 47:34 7:40
3 Ellen Willison 45 F STAFFORD VA 47:56 47:47 7:42
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME - NET PACE 50 - 54
1 Patti Galleher 54 F DENVER CO 42:10 42:03 6:46
2 Carole Jones 54 F ASHBURN VA 44:38 44:27 7:10
3 Carla Freyvogel 54 F MCLEAN VA 50:12 50:01 8:03
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME - NET PACE 55 - 59
1 Betty Blank 58 F FALLS CHURCH VA 44:59 44:58 7:15
2 Liza Recto 55 F LEXINGTON PARK MD 48:50 48:48 7:52
3 Carol Brockschmidt 55 F WASHINGTON DC 52:20 51:56 8:22
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME - NET PACE 60 - 64
1 Ginny Hughes 61 F WARRENTON VA 49:14 49:05 7:54
2 Alice Franks 63 F ROCKVILLE MD 49:42 49:33 7:59
3 Mary Pultz 61 F SPRINGFIELD VA 66:06 64:38 10:24
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME - NET PACE 65 - 69
1 Joanne Murphy 66 F BALTIMORE MD 52:50 51:57 8:22
2 Karen Kautz 68 F SILVER SPRING MD 56:24 55:57 9:01
3 Nancy Malan 65 F WASHINGTON DC 68:04 67:43 10:54
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME - NET PACE 70 - 74
1 Jamie Wollard 73 F N BETHESDA MD 89:45 87:53 14:09
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME - NET PACE 75 - 79
1 Tami Graf 75 F LUSBY MD 61:47 61:42 9:56
FEMALE FIRST TIME RACER: NET TIME - NET PACE 1 - 99
1 1100 Dominique Gale 29 F Chantilly VA 50:57 48:15 7:46
By James Moreland
Fairfax, VA
October 30, 2011
For the Washington Running Report
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?
Runners were more than adequately warned and though there were a few slick spots, the morning blossomed into a near perfect fall wonder. With the dominating Tezata Dengara over in Arlington winning the Marine Corps Marathon, Hirut Mandefro (right)had to be considered the favorite. She returned back in the area earlier this year after having been the top ranked runner for much of the last three years. Already this fall she had two solid wins, twice breaking 17:00. She also ran a swift 58:21 at the Virginia Ten Miler. Still, there was a new gunslinger in town and Anna Holt-Gosselin already has a fine reputation with a fall win at the Run! Geek! Run 8K and a smartly done Army Ten Miler in 59:19.
An even newer face on the scene, sub master Kristie Connelly, 36, made them both work hard on the roller coaster ride around the shopping center. Mandefro quietly secured another victory in a very nifty 17:42 on an honest course that is too hilly to be really fast.
Holt-Gosselin (left) was standing tall in second place with WRR summer cover man Bob Briggs, 54, close behind. Briggs, a former Olympic class racewalker as well as a 29:00 10K runner, must prefer the cooler weather as he improved on his 18:18 at the inaugural Let Freedom Run 5K in July (18:18 2nd AG) to win his division in 17:57. He was the second best at the age graded table with 84.9%. Mandefro was fourth (83.6%) among the seven racers better 83%. Connelly took third overall in 18:05 with the seventh best age grade at 83%.
Two other women made that elite status and neither was a surprise. Top ranked master Alisa Harvey was sixth woman overall in 19:05 for an age graded 84.5%. Then there was Dee Nelson, 68. She capped off another excellent win for her 1,400th career race in an excellent 25:35, giving her the top age graded time for the event in 85.3%. Her best 5K of the year was more than two minutes faster.
At the awards ceremony, second place winner Gordon, 78, note, “I can’t stay with Tami.” Few can. Tami Graf has been looking to take down another Virginia State record. She has already raced faster but she has to have a certified course that also reports the race. Her 32:09 is more than two minutes faster than the current 34:26 and the more than generous Virginia has chosen to use net times, Graf’s was 31:50, to enhance the record book.
Former masters ranking champion Andres Wright (left) is back and already starting to produce times that earned him the title. At 44, his 16:56 was third best man at 83.1% but the prize goes to the fastest not the best age graded. He knew second master, Mike Colaiacovo, was the only one close at 17:02. Still wary, he was confident he would win. The third master was Jean Christophe Arcaz. At fifty, he can still hang with the young guys, racing 17:43, a step ahead in the age grading with 83.2%.
After the race Alan Rider, 75, noted that maybe the generous five-year age groups might go one more from 70 to 99 and include a 70 to 74 with the eldest being 75-99. That would have worked for him this year. Next year both Chan Robbins (25:15) and John Gluck (25:45) will have aged up from 74 and be gunning for top dog Skip Grant.
For the top men, Seife Geletu had been third overall in 16:01 last year. For nearly all the race it looked as if he had a chance to take the crown. The final quarter mile features a sharp turn cresting the long hill followed by a steep hundred meter downhill. From there it is two sharp turns to the final straightaway. Ryan Hanson(below) made the break early enough and jetted away to win in 15:43. Though Geletu was only five seconds behind, it was clear he would not be able to catch up.
After the race, most of the cold had gone away. The large crowd in the square ate hot dogs and listened for their number for the dozens of random prizes. The final prize was Redskins tickets. It did take quite a long time to hand out all the prizes that went three deep in five-year age groups. There were also team awards and costume awards. Next year’s event will be their 19th.
Awards Listing (No Duplicate Prizes)
FEMALE OVERALL
Place Num Name Ag City Time
===== ===== ====================== == ===================== =====
1 1520 Hirut Mandefro 30 Washington DC 17:42
2 951 Anna Holt-Gosselin 23 Vienna VA 17:55
3 713 Kristie Connelly 36 Alexandria VA 18:05
MALE OVERALL
Place Num Name Ag City Time
===== ===== ====================== == ===================== =====
1 1540 Ryan Hanson 24 Bethesda MD 15:43
2 1519 Seife Geletu 29 Washington DC 15:48
3 1262 Jerry Greenlaw 23 Alexandria VA 16:26
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 40 - 99
1 4 Alisa Harvey 46 Manassas VA 19:05 19:05 6:09
2 1436 Kim Isler 43 Oakton VA 20:17 20:17 6:32
3 1050 Karen Ashbrook-Barnes 41 Vienna VA 21:26 21:26 6:54
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 40 - 99
1 1548 Andres Wright 44 Frederick MD 16:56 16:56 5:27
2 1535 Mike Colaiacovo 42 Ellicott City MD 17:02 17:02 5:29
3 1426 Jean-Christophe Arcaz 50 Rockville MD 17:43 17:43 5:43
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 01 - 14
1 784 Morgan Wittrock 13 Vienna VA 21:23 21:23 6:53
2 1037 Emily Lichtenberg 12 South Riding VA 22:59 22:59 7:24
3 1298 Sierra Brooks 14 Clifton VA 23:07 23:07 7:27
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 01 - 14
1 1036 Tyler Lichtenberg 14 South Riding VA 17:27 17:27 5:37
2 1459 Nati Digafe 13 Centreville VA 20:36 20:36 6:38
3 1033 Kai Stephens 14 Fairfax VA 20:59 20:59 6:46
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 15 - 19
1 328 Christine Mayuga 15 Oak Hill VA 20:35 20:35 6:38
2 242 Jordan Lilly 19 Centreville VA 23:40 23:32 7:35
3 1538 Natalie Schlosser 18 Winchester VA 24:05 23:58 7:43
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 15 - 19
1 1163 Daniel Anderson 16 Falls Church VA 19:14 19:14 6:12
2 1111 Neil Totten 15 Herndon VA 19:35 19:35 6:19
3 1186 Alex Min 15 Burke VA 21:00 20:48 6:42
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 20 - 24
1 1215 Jenn Ennis 23 Richmond VA 18:35 18:35 5:59
2 1306 Maura Carroll 22 Washington DC 18:44 18:44 6:02
3 1094 Maria Cheshire 24 Bristow VA 21:44 21:44 7:00
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 20 - 24
1 11 Sean McLaughlin 24 Centreville VA 19:25 19:25 6:15
2 1029 Brian Amaya 23 Herndon VA 22:03 22:03 7:06
3 402 Timothy Kutz 24 Fairfax VA 25:32 23:37 7:36
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 25 - 29
1 96 Susan Hein 29 Chantilly VA 23:54 23:34 7:35
2 1319 Krystine Rivera 25 Ashburn VA 24:45 24:45 7:58
3 710 Martha Mishkin 28 Fairfax VA 25:01 25:00 8:03
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 25 - 29
1 1406 Jason Myers 26 Alexandria VA 16:32 16:32 5:20
2 783 Ryan Werner 27 Washington DC 19:44 19:44 6:21
3 1448 Joshua Pinedo 26 20:24 20:24 6:34
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 30 - 34
1 1419 Jessica McGuire 31 Arlington VA 21:01 21:01 6:46
2 1255 Taylor Poling 30 Arlington VA 21:18 21:18 6:52
3 1185 Megan Brummer 32 Washington DC 22:09 22:09 7:08
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 30 - 34
1 1420 Aaron Lyss 30 Washington DC 19:45 19:45 6:22
2 407 Jason Bryan 31 Springfield VA 19:53 19:53 6:24
3 51 James Brennan 32 Alexandria VA 20:29 20:25 6:34
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 35 - 39
1 150 Melissa Hardt 35 Arlington VA 22:08 21:55 7:04
2 735 Margaret Albaugh 36 Falls Church VA 23:11 22:58 7:24
3 1168 Ann Wessel 37 Vienna VA 25:55 25:20 8:09
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 35 - 39
1 1271 Keith Freeburn 37 Centreville VA 17:17 17:17 5:34
2 734 Bob Koeppen 35 Alexandria VA 18:13 18:13 5:52
3 1423 Tim Davis 37 Springfield VA 19:52 19:52 6:24
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 40 - 44
1 1300 Missy Salisbury 42 Lorton VA 24:34 24:34 7:55
2 544 Stephanie Hammond 44 Springfield VA 24:34 24:34 7:55
3 160 Melanie Massiah-White 42 Fairfax VA 24:43 24:43 7:58
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 40 - 44
1 1432 Rob Meadows 40 Leesburg VA 18:40 18:40 6:01
2 1275 James Lister 42 Falls Church VA 19:17 19:17 6:13
3 1508 Tom Powers 43 Kensington MD 19:22 19:22 6:14
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 45 - 49
1 1515 Annie Downer 46 Herndon VA 22:28 22:28 7:14
2 1032 Yoko Stephens 46 Fairfax VA 22:54 22:54 7:23
3 698 Angelika Kirkland 45 Oakton VA 24:41 24:26 7:52
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 45 - 49
1 927 Craig Greene 46 Manassas VA 20:15 20:13 6:31
2 472 Robert Martin 48 Fairfax Station VA 21:03 21:03 6:47
3 282 Tim Martin 47 Manassas VA 21:38 21:38 6:58
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 50 - 54
1 284 Sushila Nanda 50 Arlington VA 23:22 23:22 7:32
2 401 June Ring 50 Fairfax VA 23:37 23:32 7:35
3 1107 Sarah Buckheit 51 Reston VA 24:25 24:25 7:52
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 50 - 54
1 1505 Robert Briggs 54 Springfield VA 17:57 17:57 5:47
2 1506 Terry McLaughlin 51 Spotsylvania VA 18:21 18:21 5:55
3 1182 Peter Cini 53 Fairfax VA 21:22 19:55 6:25
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 55 - 59
1 1546 Heather Sanders 56 McLean VA 23:16 23:16 7:30
2 1247 Merrilee Seidman 57 Alexandria VA 25:51 25:51 8:20
3 377 Pat Warren 55 Kensington MD 26:44 26:44 8:37
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 55 - 59
1 1248 Paul Bousel 58 Alexandria VA 21:24 21:24 6:54
2 526 Stuart McFarren 55 Arlington VA 22:22 22:22 7:12
3 10 James Moreland 59 Gaithersburg MD 23:36 23:36 7:36
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 60 - 64
1 1507 Gail Contreras 60 Fairfax VA 33:32 32:50 10:34
2 13 Maureen Babcock 61 Cambridge MA 34:39 33:33 10:48
3 192 Claudia Tuller-Brooke 60 Annandale VA 34:55 34:50 11:13
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 60 - 64
1 850 Michael Wesbecher 63 Oakton VA 21:41 21:32 6:56
2 253 Gary Robinson 60 Bellaire TX 25:40 25:07 8:05
3 281 Paul Riede 60 Stafford VA 25:37 25:21 8:10
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 65 - 69
1 1568 Dee Nelson 68 Gaithersburg MD 25:35 25:35 8:14
2 427 Mary Schade 65 Arlington VA 47:24 46:33 14:59
3 491 Joannene Maynard 65 Kingsville MD 48:50 48:08 15:30
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 65 - 69
1 893 Mike Golash 68 Washington DC 24:06 24:03 7:45
2 189 Richard Wiley 67 Centreville VA 28:42 28:25 9:09
3 1132 James Verdier 69 Alexandria VA 29:54 29:47 9:35
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 70 - 99
1 1422 Tami Graf 75 Lusby MD 32:09 31:50 10:15
2 186 Winnie Gordon 78 Fairfax VA 46:59 46:18 14:54
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 70 - 99
1 1196 Chan Robbins 74 Arlington VA 25:15 25:15 8:08
2 916 John Gluck 74 Alexandria VA 25:45 25:34 8:14
3 9 Alan Rider 75 Reston VA 28:45 28:32 9:11
MALE FIRST TIME RACER: NET TIME - NET PACE 1 - 99
1 639 Andrey Gochev 26 M Springfield VA 22:46 20:48 6:42
FEMALE FIRST TIME RACER: NET TIME - NET PACE 1 - 99
1 242 Jordan Lilly 19 F Centreville VA 23:40 23:32 7:35
