By Mollie Zapata
December 3, 2011
National Harbor, MD
For the Washington Running Report
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.
But before the chocolate party could commence, the runners had to complete the beautiful course, located along the Potomac River at the National Harbor.
First place out of 10,150 total finishers in the 15K went to top local Stefan Kolata, 30, of Washington, DC who led for most of the race and finished in 49:25.
“The course was good, very hilly, but it was nice having so many people cheering,” commented Kolata on the switch-back format of the route. Dustin Whitlow, 25, of Arlington, VA took second place in 51:24, and Mark Torres, 36, of Chevy Chase, MD finished third in 5:38.
Lisa Thomas, 35, of Alexandria, VA handily won the women’s division of the 15K race in 54:50 and it was also fast enough to place her 10th overall.
“It was tough, that’s a killer hill at the end,” said Thomas who is training for the U.S. Olympic Marathon Team Trials in Houston, TX this January. She described her race strategy as, “staying strong on the up hills and pushing it on the down hills.” Behind her, Felicity Brower, 22, of Cincinnati, OH took second in 57:21, and Barb Fallen-Wallace, 38, rounded out the top three in 57:36.
The only downside of the day was due to a combination of bad luck and race logistics. A traffic accident blocked the main route to the start, causing race organizers to delay both the 15K and 5K start times. Due to limited parking, race organizers provided a shuttle service from Crystal City Metro Station and required carpools for anyone parking at the National Harbor.
The 5K, which was scheduled to start at 7:30 a.m. went off at 8:15 a.m., which caused the scheduled 8:00 a.m. start for the 15K to be pushed to 9:00 a.m. Runners huddled and shivered and jumped and jiggled to stay warm as they waited for the gun on a brisk December morning. Despite the logistical setbacks, spirits remained high among many participants and an enthusiastic DJ kept the crowd excited.
In the 5K, 5,293 runners and walkers completed the course. Bert Rodriguez, 32, of Arlington, VA won the men’s’ race in 16:54, and Kelly Swain, 26, of Washington, DC won the women’s competition in 18:46. Both noted problems with course markings. “I didn’t feel really warmed up until a mile and a half in,” commented Swain. “I wasn’t quite ready to race a 15K, but maybe next year if they get the logistics figured out I’d do it.”
While there were a portion of runners disgruntled at the delayed start, one runner noted, “You had to look on Facebook, they actually did notify us of all the important information.”
Though 15K (9.3 miles) is not a common race distance, runners embraced it as a comfortable mid-way between 10K and Half-Marathon. Both races started on a downhill and ended with an uphill, adding an extra challenge to the event. “It’s probably the hilliest race in the area,” noted Swain.
“Once we got started, the course was beautiful and it was actually perfect running weather,” commented DC runner Cristina Burbach who competed in the 15K. “I wanted to get a good training run in,” she said.
Her sentiments were echoed by many of the runners, most who came with the goal of running a fun and pretty race. The entire morning was festive, with competitors running in costumes that ranged from cups of hot chocolate to Santa hats – “Why not? It’s fun and functional for the cold!” said 15K runner Patrick Kelly of Washington, DC.
One team of four particularly enthusiastic high school runners from the Osborne Park Cross Country Team ran the race in matching decorated T-shirts to celebrate the end of their racing season. “We loved it. It was a really fun time and people loved our outfits!” said Rachel Labella.
And, of course, the post-race party provided a well-deserved sugar high for all. Runners meandered around tents, enjoying fondue platters, and sipping hot chocolates. Most agreed that it was worth the effort, “It was the first year, so next year the logistics should be better. I’d definitely do it again,” concluded Burbach.
By James Moreland
Crystal City, VA
July 23, 2011
For the Washington Running Report
A look at the start before the runners lined up.
This race is an event. Wandering around the center you could easily see this event was fully prepared with food and drink, from Budweiser to Muscle Milk with a side of ice cold water in between. Some of the other events closed up shop with the record heat wave this week but Pacers knew that runners are a tenacious bunch.
They knew they would be coming in record numbers. Some would be reveling in the fact that it was so hot. Last weekend Rockville Rotary Twilight 8k proved that a well planned can handle just about anything. Those who did not know they could not handle it… handled it. Michael Wardian coming off a treadmill marathon the night before was all smiles before launching into a solid 16:24 that made him the top submaster.
Wardian, (left) among a long list of Chuck Moeser fans, echoed his credo that anything is possible just go after it was zest. Mega mile Mike has already qualified for the Olympic Trails qualifying PR at Grandmas (2:17:49). Still, he was justly even more proud of his third place finish at the where few dare to tread Bad Water Ultra Marathon where he ran 135 miles in 26:22.
Steve Hallinan, winner of last fall’s Capital Running Company Veterans Day 10k in 29:54, was the clear favorite as the massive field pressed across the starting line. Make no mistake even with tough conditions; this field like past years is packed with elite runners. Last year was nearly as hot as Julius Kogo hosed the field with an incredible 14:03. This year while much of the field was winding past the finish line at the halfway of the double out and back course, Hallinan was easily winning in the 11th time in the first four years that was faster than 15:00.
Seventy meters back Birhanu Feysa glanced nervously over his shoulder like he was making a jail break. Then he turned back realizing that he had number two in the bag with a swift 15:02. The next three came in with a rush, led by Fasil Bizuneh of Flagstaff, AZ. Frank Devar had his fastest time of three races in 15:10 though the first two years was a slightly different course that was perhaps slightly hillier.
This course is pancake flat though runners seem pleased by the downhill (maybe a foot) in the first mile versus the dreaded last mile (maybe two feet up hill). Maybe there were just a little more heated then ya think?
Fifth place Andrew Dumm may have felt the heat even more as the last two years he had been well under 15:00. His time of 15:13 was just ahead of Bert Rodriguez who had been faster than 15:00 when he won it all at the Clarendon 5K last fall.
The top master was no surprise though it was well off Edmund Burke’s overall win at the Crystal City Friday race in the spring. Anytime you have 25 men faster than 17:00 who know you have a competitive race.
For the women, before the race Alisa Harvey, 45, was alluding to how hard hot weather can be on racers. Modest but realistic, when she is not expecting to be the overall winner, you know you have a tough field. Last year another masters runner Elena Orlova won it all in 17:20, and she was 20th overall. Did we mention that it was hot this year? After the race Harvey was asked if she saw Orlova. Her answer was “Briefly at the start and then whoosh!”
Tezata Dengarsa has been dominating all year winning the spring rankings. She raced Pike’s Peek in 33:59 while Orlova has been regrouping for the first six months of the year and had a tepid race there in 38:12. Last week she ran the Twilight 8K to a masters victory in 29:36 but Dengarsa had a 5K victory in June at 16:42. At the gun Dengarsa pulled away to win in 17:11. That was the same time that Orlova ran in 2009 to finish third overall.
This year Erin Koch moved ahead at the finish in 17:36 to edge Orlova (17:38) and hard charging Lisa Thomas (17:41). Thomas had been third overall last week in Rockville with 28:47 so it is clear that Orlova is making her way back to the full speed that earned her the highest ranking for a master runner in 2010.
Alisa Harvey (left) is at her best in the first mile of a race with world class middle distance speed. Still her masters win in 18:34 would have made all but seven of the women jealous. She had been third overall in the inaugural year with 17:42.
For the grandmasters, Jean Christophe Arcaz continues to make it look easy with a blazing 18:25. Heather Sanders, 56, whipped all the runners 50-59 by at least a minute, and there were appropriately fifty of them.
Before the race runners were continuously warned about the heat. There were two water stations on the course as well as and sponge station and a mist making machine. We all sweated copiously anyway. At the finish there were many barrels of iced water bottles. Eager runners clustered around the first couple of barrels which were refilled a number of times. Smarter, stronger runners moved past them to the still full and ultra chilled barrels further back.
Just past the liquid was the food tent. After runners walked through grabbing chips and fruit there was a Muscle Mile stand. Following that was the McCafe truck and then the King of Beers as runners circled back around to their bag check area. Hundreds hung around listening to the invigorating music. Now the breeze seemed almost cooling in the shaded park in the middle of the square. That is where the awards started promptly at 9:30.
With plentiful free parking and all these amenities, it is no wonder why this twilight race continues to grow.
AWARDS LIST
FEMALE OVERALL RESULTS
Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time
===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ======== ========
1 2653 Tezata Dengarsa 29 Arlington VA 17:10.40 17:10.40
2 16 Erin Koch 23 Chevy Chase MD 17:35.79 17:35.79
3 2109 Elena Orlova 41 Gaithersburg MD 17:38.00 17:38.00
4 2075 Lisa Thomas 35 Alexandria VA 17:40.69 17:40.69
5 2375 Stefanie Slekis 23 Dumfries VA 17:58.69 17:58.69
MALE OVERALL RESULTS
Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time
===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ======== ========
1 11 Steve Hallinan 25 Washington DC 14:50.08 14:50.08
2 2650 Birhanu Alemu Feysa 29 Silver Spring MD 15:01.32 15:01.32
3 1153 Fasil Bizuneh 31 Flagstaff AZ 15:06.21 15:06.21
4 1152 Frank Devar 23 Washington DC 15:09.45 15:09.45
5 67 Andrew Dumm 26 Arlington VA 15:12.84 15:12.84
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 1 - 5
Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time
===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ========= =========
1 1607 Ella Harrison 5 Falls Church VA 44:43.6 42:20.0
MALE AGE GROUP: 1 - 5
Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time
===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ========= =========
1 1638 Alex Horowitz 5 Washington DC 37:43.4 34:55.0
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 6 - 10
Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time
===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ========= =========
1 2122 Anissa Cheikh 10 Annandale VA 30:45.5 30:30.4
2 1759 Michelle Emery 10 Arlington VA 34:11.9 32:53.5
3 2364 Olivia Nammo 8 Arlington VA 36:37.1 35:16.7
MALE AGE GROUP: 6 - 10
Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time
===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ========= =========
1 1610 Rheinhardt Harrison 7 Falls Church VA 24:27.3 24:13.2
2 1578 Blake Deterding 7 Alexandria VA 29:48.4 29:00.4
3 2946 Michael Halpern 7 Anchorage AK 32:50.4 32:19.1
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 11 - 14
Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time
===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ========= =========
1 2005 Brenda Rosas 12 Silver Spring MD 23:34.2 23:34.2
2 2035 Katie Rogers 13 Alexandria VA 24:17.7 23:55.8
3 2451 Adriana Rosas 11 Silver Spring MD 24:38.8 24:38.8
MALE AGE GROUP: 11 - 14
Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time
===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ========= =========
1 2381 John Rangel 14 19:43.0 19:42.4
2 1540 Alex Min 14 Burke VA 25:05.7 23:21.2
3 1921 Lozie Goolsby 14 Alexandria VA 24:03.5 23:40.9
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 15 - 18
Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time
===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ========= =========
1 1281 Amanda Parker 18 Burke VA 22:31.6 22:06.3
2 2053 Kendall Cowne 16 Chantilly VA 24:00.3 22:22.8
3 2413 Nina Srikongyos 17 Springfield VA 23:19.3 22:30.0
MALE AGE GROUP: 15 - 18
Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time
===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ========= =========
1 2909 Lou Colson 15 Alexandria VA 16:42.1 16:40.7
2 2048 Dagmawi Abebe 17 Gaithersburg MD 17:09.1 17:09.1
3 2113 Luke Levan 18 Burke VA 17:14.2 17:13.7
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 19 - 29
Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time
===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ========= =========
1 2649 Keneni Chala 28 Washington DC 18:24.4 18:24.4
2 2038 Erin Swain 29 Arlington VA 18:38.4 18:38.4
3 68 Laurel MacMillan 21 Arlington VA 19:07.5 19:07.5
MALE AGE GROUP: 19 - 29
Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time
===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ========= =========
1 60 Will Viviani 29 Arlington VA 15:24.0 15:24.0
2 57 Jeff Brannigan 22 Washington DC 15:27.2 15:27.2
3 2356 Ryan Foster 26 Arlington VA 15:33.4 15:33.4
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 30 - 39
Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time
===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ========= =========
1 2040 Lindsay Wilkins 33 Arlington VA 18:17.7 18:17.7
2 2929 Jackie Gruendel 36 Clifton VA 18:52.6 18:52.5
3 100 Annie Grondin 38 Arlington VA 20:22.6 20:17.4
MALE AGE GROUP: 30 - 39
Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time
===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ========= =========
1 1807 Bert Rodriguez 31 Arlington VA 15:18.4 15:18.4
2 2652 Tareku Bokan 30 Herndon VA 15:30.4 15:30.4
3 2248 Michael Wardian 37 Arlington VA 16:23.2 16:23.2
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 40 - 49
Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time
===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ========= =========
1 18 Alisa Harvey 45 Manassas VA 18:34.2 18:34.2
2 58 Kristi Markowicz 41 Arlington VA 19:09.5 19:09.5
3 1682 Corky Sturtevant 41 Springfield VA 22:51.7 22:36.3
MALE AGE GROUP: 40 - 49
Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time
===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ========= =========
1 53 Edmund Burke 42 Burtonsville MD 16:54.0 16:54.0
2 1446 Bill Pemberton 40 Alexandria VA 17:17.5 17:16.0
3 2666 Derik Thomas 45 Alexandria VA 17:38.6 17:38.6
Female Age Group: 50 - 59
Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time
===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ========= =========
1 2627 Heather Sanders 56 Mclean VA 23:40.4 23:33.4
2 2010 Linda Kennedy 50 Alexandria VA 24:52.0 24:08.7
3 2805 Dorothy Wright 53 Dumfries VA 27:18.0 26:56.1
Male Age Group: 50 - 59
Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time
===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ========= =========
1 2613 Jean-Christophe Arcaz 50 Rockville MD 18:25.1 18:25.1
2 1107 Peter Cini 53 Fairfax VA 19:57.1 19:55.2
3 1141 Scott Livingston 51 Pittsburgh PA 20:27.5 20:24.5
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 60 - 69
Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time
===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ========= =========
1 1755 Mary Kessler 62 Wallingford PA 26:41.9 26:30.4
2 1754 Melanie Brennan 61 Alexandria VA 32:20.2 32:07.9
3 1932 Wilma Uribe 61 Alexandria VA 35:48.4 34:49.8
Male Age Group: 60 - 69
Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time
===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ========= =========
1 2209 Bob Hersh 60 Arlington VA 25:20.9 24:39.6
2 1716 James Carey 60 Alexandria VA 27:28.7 26:47.9
3 2698 Richard Turner 60 Washington DC 28:25.7 26:49.9
Female Age Group: 70 - 99
Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time
===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ========= =========
1 1428 Frances Widmann 76 Chapel Hill NC 32:48.2 31:52.6
Male Age Group: 70 - 99
Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time
===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ========= =========
1 1515 Ken Quincy 73 Vienna VA 29:18.1 29:14.7
2 2134 Robert Gurtler 76 The Plains VA 33:40.0 32:54.6
3 1251 John Finney Jr. 71 Arlington VA 34:15.0 33:09.4
By James Moreland
Washington, DC
March 20, 2011
For the Washington Running Report
Below Gurmessa Megerssa breaks the tape.
In typical Washington Metro the weather juked us better than scoring guard in a NCAA March Madness tournament. Colder than normal most of the winter we were torched by nearly eighty on Friday. Saturday racers were greeted with wonderful spring weather in the mid sixties. Then as the real spring dawned at Freedom Plaza the temperatures dipped below freezing.
No matter; this race was all about awareness of a deadly cancer that can, in many cases, may be prevented by vigilant screening. The race was about raising money to find a cure. Just as with the other major “Cure” events, 05-01-11 Race for Hope – DC Presented by Cassidy Turley to benefit the Brain Tumor Society and Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure (Washington, DC) and the largest of all the Susan G. Komen Global Race for the Cure set for June 4, 2011 in Washington, DC, this event brings caring, sharing people who want to find a cure.
The event had close to 2,000 finishers and nearly twice as many men as women. Nearly all of the runners that moved down Pennsylvania Avenue after crossing the ChronoTrack starting mats were there to celebrate survival of loved ones and the determination to move forward to a cure.
There were some top flight racers there as well. Three women had been ranked first in the area. Two of the men had as well. At the start Bert Rodriguez, 31, of Arlington, VA looked over the field but he already had a plan to break 15:00. The weather was perfect and the flat course was, “almost like a track.” He was advised that the overall went just one deep and top ranked Gurmessa Megerssa was standing close by. Megerssa had finished a solid third overall at the Van Metere 5M in 24:49 just 24 hours ago.
Rodriguez, known as an 800M specialist, could not wait. The start was a 1-2-3 countdown by visiting Redskin Cheerleaders and he was off. He quickly took the lead, following by Adam Condit and Megerssa, who loped along after him like a dog playing in the park.
The race runs down to the Capitol and then does a loop on the eastern side before returning home. As runners approached that loop, many gasped and one shouted out in surprise as these two racing titans were already heading home, racing neck and neck. The wind was pretty mild. Still, Rodriguez lamented later that maybe he should have let Megerssa take some of the lead duties. At mile 2.25 Megerssa made his move which Rodriguez could not quite cover. Megerssa scored another overall win for the year in a very nice 14:55. Rodriguez broke the magic 15:00 barrier by a second.
Almost forgotten Condit (in photo) had a nifty 15:08 to take third overall and first in his age group. Fourth place is a former rankings champion who had won the St. Patrick’s Day race three times back when it was a 10K. Philippe Rolly, 38, of Arlington, VA has been training mega miles and is gearing up for next weekend’s National Marathon. He even ran the last year’s JFK 50.2 mile in a very credible 6:52:15. He lamented that he does not have much speed right now. His time of 16:42 would make most of the rest of us very proud. With abbreviated age groups, he settled into second behind Rodriguez.
Another Frenchman took the top masters spot. Jean Christophe Arcaz, 50, of Rockville, MD was a mortal lock in the traditional 50-54 division. Today the expanded set up with 45-59, he had his work cut out for him. He succeeded in 17:14 with a close battle from Robert Denmark, 45, of Arlington, VA flying home next in 17:26.
For the women, Susannah Kvasnicka, 36, of Great Falls, VA has had 34:30 10K speed. She might have been a co-favorite with Samia Akbar,28, of Herndon, VA the Army 10M record holder from 2009 with 55:25 or Claire Hallissey, 27 of Arlington, VA (below) who had won it all at the winter’s biggest 10K, the Jingle All the Way 10K in 35:17.
Kvasnicka has been absent and healing and is pretty much starting over. Her last race was sixth overall at the Kaiser Permanente Pike’s Peek 10K in April 2010 with 35:57. Akbar had finished second overall in the Fall Runner Rankings with her 27:00 overall win at the HCS 8K in the fall. Still it was clear Kvasnicka was just getting her feet wet and Hallissey only had to hold off Akbar which she did 17:52 to 17:56. Neither were ecstatic with their times but the season has just begun. Both will be faster than 17:00 by Memorial Day. Shortly after that Kvasnicka will be there too.
In the masters division, Lisa Chilcote, 40, of Oakmont, PA keeps moving up. She took the masters division by more than two minutes, finishing in 19:02. She was ninth in the fall Runner Rankings when she was listed as from Bethesda, MD. In the winter she moved up to fifth. He time today is her best masters effort…so far.
The stream of blue race T-shirts continued on for more than an hour. After the race, there were many nice refreshments for all of the participants.
Awards Listing
MALE OVERALL
Place Num Name Age City Gun T Net T Pace
===== ===== ====================== === ===================== ===== ===== =====
1 5 Gurmessa Megerssa 31 Washington DC 14:55 14:55 4:48
FEMALE OVERALL
Place Num Name Age City Gun T Net T Pace
===== ===== ====================== === ===================== ===== ===== =====
1 2329 Claire Hallissey 28 Arlington VA 17:52 17:51 5:45
MALE AGE GROUP: 1 - 19 (NET TIME)
1 1962 Jack Beecher 19 Washington DC 17:24 17:22 5:36
2 1075 Joseph Giammittorio 18 Falls Church VA 20:08 19:52 6:24
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 1 - 19 (NET TIME)
1 2604 Gillian Kramer 16 Cheverly MD 22:55 22:48 7:21
2 2519 Christine Downie 18 Arlington VA 26:09 23:32 7:35
MALE AGE GROUP: 20 - 29 (NET TIME)
1 747 Adam Condit 27 Ashburn VA 15:08 15:08 4:53
2 263 Neal Hannan 29 Washington DC 17:09 17:08 5:31
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 20 - 29 (NET TIME)
1 3 Samia Akabar 29 Oak Hill VA 17:56 17:55 5:46
2 1950 Nikeya Green 28 Centreville VA 19:11 19:10 6:10
MALE AGE GROUP: 30 - 44 (NET TIME)
1 2050 Bert Rodriguez 31 Arlington VA 14:59 14:59 4:50
2 1105 Philippe Rolly 38 McLean VA 16:42 16:42 5:23
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 30 - 44 (NET TIME)
1 2474 Kristin Murphy 30 Newton MA 18:19 18:19 5:54
2 1560 Lisa Chilcote 40 Oakmont PA 19:02 19:01 6:08
MALE AGE GROUP: 45 - 59 (NET TIME)
1 19 Jean-Christophe Arcaz 50 Rockville MD 17:14 17:14 5:33
2 2172 Robert Denmark 45 Arlington VA 17:27 17:26 5:37
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 45 - 59 (NET TIME)
1 1998 Patti Galleher 53 Denver CO 21:06 21:03 6:47
2 2334 Cathy Grable 45 Charlotte NC 21:21 21:17 6:51
MALE AGE GROUP: 60 - 99 (NET TIME)
1 2609 Bill Ference 60 Clifton VA 23:38 23:35 7:36
2 153 Michael Loney 60 Silver Spring MD 24:18 24:14 7:48
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 60 - 99 (NET TIME)
1 906 Deborah Schnabel 61 Fairfax VA 33:03 31:52 10:16
2 573 Stephanie Dalton 67 Washington DC 36:41 35:29 11:26
With the football season far away, Redskins Cheerleaders take a look at the new Washington Running Report.
