By Dickson Mercer
Washington, DC
June 9, 2012
For the Washington Running Report
Four miles into this morning’s Lawyers Have Heart 10K, Barb Fallon Wallace started falling behind.
“Just a few steps,” she said. “I was getting tired.”
But with a little encouragement from her Pacers racing team teammate, Lisa Thomas, Fallon Wallace – a 38-year-old physical therapist who gave birth to twins just 18 months ago – summoned some reserve strength. Inside the final mile, the Alexandria, VA resident pulled away to claim the win and a new personal best of 36:10.
Thomas, 36, also of Alexandria, finished second in 36:18. Lisa Goldstein, 25, of Washington, DC was third in 37:54.
Thomas said she was pleased with how the race turned out and happy to make Fallon Wallace “earn it.”
She was also pleased with the conditions that featured a cooler-than-usual starting time temperature hovering in the mid-70s. (Last year’s race, which Thomas won, was shortened to 5K to spare runners from temperatures that soared well above 90 degrees.)
As for the men, this year’s Lawyers Have Heart 10K was Gurmessa Megerssa’s from the start.
“He took off right away,” said Pacers’ Jordan Zwick, 26, who placed 2nd in 31:36, ahead of 21-year-old Mark Allen, an American University runner who ran 31:44 in his first road 10K.
“Around 4 miles, [Megerssa] kind of slowed down a little and I tried to catch him,” Zwick added.
No such luck.
The Lawyers Have Heart 10K’s out-and-back courses starts and finishes in Washington, DC’s Georgetown neighborhood under the Whitehurst Freeway. And as Megerssa came into view on the downhill that returns runners to the finish, he unleashed a wild kick that carried him through the tape in 31:17.
In 2006, shortly after Megerssa moved to DC from his native Ethiopia, where he competed for the East African country’s national team, he ran 29:51 to set the event record.
Megerssa’s win today makes him the race’s third repeat victor in its now 22nd running. Philippe Rolly, 39, of McLean, VA, who ran 32:50 today, won three years in a row starting in 1999 and added a fourth title in 2004. Jim Hage won in 1993 and 1996.
But the Lawyers Have Heart 10K has its own story. Since 1991, the race has raised more than $8 million to benefit the American Heart Association.
And as Ted Boling, the Deputy Solicitor for Land Resources at the U.S. Department of the Interior, put it after the race, surrounding Lawyers Have Heart is a “whole subculture that trades around times.”
Teams are created as well. In the finishing area today, one saw an array of made-for-the-event shirts bearing the names of firms like Hogan Lovells and Sutherland and of course the U.S. Department of Justice. An Alexandria patent office team’s shirt read, “Landon IP Has Heart.”
Avid local runner Hanna Chouest, 29, of DC and Lisa Jones, 43, of Arlington, who both work at the law firm Sidley Austin, said that one of their co-worker’s office spaces is decorated with years worth of Lawyers Have Heart 10K memorabilia.
“That’s how I learned about it,” Jones said.
The support from the region’s legal community has helped draw thousands of runners annually to this race, making it the biggest 10K in Washington, D.C.
To lawyers like Ted Bennett, 47, who works for Williams & Connolly in DC, the race, he said, was about being with colleagues and friends while supporting a good cause.
Williams & Connolly’s team was 15 strong, Bennett said.
But for Bennett, who said he “used to be a runner,” this was his first time participating.
“I’ve been always been doing kid’s stuff,” he said. “I’ll do that later today.”
After the race, participants gathered in Washington Harbour for post-race snow cones, drinks, and music. Dogs, though not welcome on the course, were more than welcome here. Several restaurants were open for brunch.
Shannon Franks, 35, of College Park, MD was the top wheelchair athlete, covering the course in 31:07.
In the masters division, Stephanie Evans, 41, of Washington, DC posted a time of 40:16 to take the title by close to four minutes. Derik Thomas, 46, of Alexandria, was the top male master in 34:52.
At the post-race ceremony, awards were offered for age groups as well as special categories, including lawyers, legal assistants, law librarians, administrators, summer associates, law students, and survivors of cardiovascular disease.
FEMALE OVERALL RESULTS Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time ===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ========= ========= 1 3075 Barbara Fallon Wallace 38 ALEXANDRIA VA 36:09.4 36:08.7 2 30 Lisa Thomas 36 Alexandria VA 36:17.8 36:17.0 3 3105 Lisa Goldstein 25 WASHINGTON DC 37:53.1 37:53.1 4 3005 Kerry Allen 23 WASHINGTON DC 39:14.5 39:14.1 5 3272 Sarah Spalding 31 WASHINGTON DC 39:28.1 39:27.0 MALE OVERALL RESULTS Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time ===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ========= ========= 1 2388 Gurmessa Megerssa 32 WASHINGTON DC 31:16.4 31:16.4 2 3985 Jordan Zwick 26 ARLINGTON VA 31:35.4 31:35.4 3 3006 Mark Allen 21 WASHINGTON DC 31:43.4 31:43.4 4 3480 Andrew McCann 23 Washington DC 31:44.4 31:44.4 5 3511 Wilson Komen 34 WASHINGTON DC 32:10.1 32:09.8 FEMALE MASTERS RESULTS Place No. Name Ag City St Gun Time Net Time ===== ===== ===================== == ================== == ========= ========= 1 2468 Stephanie Evans 41 WASHINGTON DC 40:16.0 40:11.6 2 670 Julia Taylor 40 ARLINGTON VA 44:08.0 43:57.9 3 2528 Lynnette Simpson 40 WASHINGTON DC 45:17.0 44:36.0 4 1561 Carol Hobson 45 SPRINGFIELD VA 45:38.7 40:00.6 5 3599 Kristin McCann 40 ALEXANDRIA VA 45:49.1 45:45.5 MALE MASTERS RESULTS Place No. Name Ag City St Gun Time Net Time ===== ===== ===================== == ================== == ========= ========= 1 29 Derik Thomas 46 Alexandria VA 34:51.3 34:50.7 2 1808 Henry Wigglesworth 54 WASHINGTON DC 35:38.2 35:37.9 3 3160 Max Lockwood 42 WASHINGTON DC 38:04.2 38:04.2 4 2365 Reynolds Wilson 40 ARLINGTON VA 38:16.7 38:06.8 5 43 Peter Sloan 49 Silver Spring MD 38:45.3 38:44.0 ADAPTIVE ATHLETE RESULTS Place No. Name Ag City St Gun Time Net Time ===== ===== ===================== == ================== == ========= ========= 1 2831 SHANNON FRANKS 35 COLLEGE PARK MD 31:06:3 31:06.3 AGE-GROUP RESULTS Lawyers Have Heart 10K Benefiting The American Heart Association Saturday, June 09, 2012 Washington, DC (Georgetown Waterfront) 7:30AM raceDC Timing (www.racedctiming.com), Questions? [email protected] FEMALE AGE GROUP: 1 - 19 Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time ===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ========= ========= 1 3379 Anna Stone 17 Vienna VA 41:26.8 41:17.0 2 3380 Amanda Swaak 15 Vienna VA 44:39.1 44:29.2 3 3798 Katherine Salamido 15 MCLEAN VA 46:17.4 45:27.8 MALE AGE GROUP: 1 - 19 Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time ===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ========= ========= 1 813 Connor Ryan 18 WASHINGTON DC 33:27.0 33:27.0 2 3162 Ian Lutz 19 WASHINGTON DC 33:51.2 33:51.2 3 722 Mitch Clements 17 ASHBURN VA 38:34.1 38:12.0 FEMALE AGE GROUP: 20 - 24 Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time ===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ========= ========= 1 3811 Danielle Schaub 24 WASHINGTON DC 40:43.0 40:11.0 2 123 Angell Garrigan 24 ALEXANDRIA VA 46:31.5 41:12.6 3 2682 Kathleen Cave 23 BETHESDA MD 43:15.5 42:37.2 MALE AGE GROUP: 20 - 24 Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time ===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ========= ========= 1 3154 Mark Leininger 21 WASHINGTON DC 32:27.8 32:27.8 2 1483 Kyle Stanton 21 COLUMBIA MD 33:19.4 33:18.8 3 1049 Andrew Koehlinger 23 MIDLAND MI 34:40.3 34:39.7 FEMALE AGE GROUP: 25 - 29 Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time ===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ========= ========= 1 3281 Kelly Swain 27 ARLINGTON VA 39:49.8 39:48.7 2 3134 Melody Jones 28 ARLINGTON VA 40:24.5 40:20.8 3 2435 Julia Pudlin 27 WASHINGTON DC 40:33.0 40:30.8 MALE AGE GROUP: 25 - 29 Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time ===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ========= ========= 1 2382 Kumssa Ethicha Wodajo 27 WASHINGTON DC 34:58.4 34:58.4 2 3375 Tim Kogge 28 Arlington VA 35:43.4 35:42.0 3 1011 William Rawson 29 WASHINGTON DC 35:43.2 35:43.2 FEMALE AGE GROUP: 30 - 34 Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time ===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ========= ========= 1 571 Jillian Holmes 34 STAFFORD VA 45:12.7 40:38.9 2 2612 Robyn Bernardy 30 WASHINGTON DC 41:56.9 41:50.9 3 1294 Elizabeth Oyer 33 WASHINGTON DC 42:31.7 42:20.4 MALE AGE GROUP: 30 - 34 Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time ===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ========= ========= 1 2821 Colin Fishwick 34 WASHINGTON DC DC 32:56.8 32:56.8 2 671 Daniel Yi 32 ALEXANDRIA VA 34:53.5 34:53.1 3 3953 Clete Willems 32 WASHINGTON DC 34:57.3 34:56.8 FEMALE AGE GROUP: 35 - 39 Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time ===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ========= ========= 1 3061 Mary Davison 39 BRISTOW VA 40:05.1 40:03.3 2 815 Laura Zeilinger 39 WASHINGTON DC 40:29.0 40:26.7 3 1807 Julie Sapper 39 ROCKVILLE MD 42:06.6 42:00.0 MALE AGE GROUP: 35 - 39 Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time ===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ========= ========= 1 3784 Philippe Rolly 39 MCLEAN VA 32:49.9 32:49.7 2 3285 Matthew Thomas 37 ALEXANDRIA VA 34:05.4 34:05.4 3 3441 Scott Anderson 38 Washington DC 34:32.8 34:32.6 FEMALE AGE GROUP: 40 - 44 Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time ===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ========= ========= 1 2628 Colette Boulin 42 WASHINGTON DC 48:58.4 46:25.1 2 2160 Lisa Jones Foose 43 ARLINGTON VA 47:04.4 46:32.8 3 1989 Esther Lander 43 VIENNA VA 49:25.9 48:19.6 MALE AGE GROUP: 40 - 44 Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time ===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ========= ========= 1 3157 Malcolm Lester 44 WASHINGTON DC 39:25.1 39:24.1 2 2558 Andrew Goldfarb 43 CHEVY CHASE MD 39:29.4 39:27.6 3 710 Norman Wong 40 WASHINGTON DC 40:25.8 40:10.8 FEMALE AGE GROUP: 45 - 49 Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time ===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ========= ========= 1 3056 Patricia Cuff Donahue 47 ALEXANDRIA VA 46:14.7 45:56.3 2 2557 Janet Braunstein 46 WASHINGTON DC 46:18.1 46:04.6 3 3572 Brenda MacKintosh 46 SPRINGFIELD VA 47:24.9 47:06.4 MALE AGE GROUP: 45 - 49 Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time ===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ========= ========= 1 2124 Eugene Holmes 47 ARLINGTON VA 39:30.6 39:27.6 2 429 Jamey Burden 46 ALEXANDRIA VA 39:55.7 39:51.7 3 49 Alan Thatcher 48 Manassas VA 40:27.9 40:26.8 FEMALE AGE GROUP: 50 - 54 Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time ===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ========= ========= 1 1062 Maureen Mitchell 51 CURTIS BAY MD 51:23.7 47:51.6 2 366 Susan Hyre 53 ALEXANDRIA VA 49:57.4 49:51.8 3 3803 Isabela Sardas 50 MEQUON WI 50:43.2 50:05.3 MALE AGE GROUP: 50 - 54 Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time ===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ========= ========= 1 3679 Sean Oatmeyer 50 WILLIAMSBURG VA 41:17.8 41:06.5 2 2467 Robert Dunne 53 OAK HILL VA 41:31.2 41:26.6 3 3074 Stefan Falk 53 WASHINGTON DC 42:14.0 42:10.6 FEMALE AGE GROUP: 55 - 59 Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time ===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ========= ========= 1 2675 Manuela Carvalho 57 WASHINGTON DC 52:18.8 51:33.5 2 448 Mary Lopatto 57 WASHINGTON DC 54:51.5 54:32.3 3 2047 Nancy Kuhn 56 BETHESDA MD 56:05.2 54:51.2 MALE AGE GROUP: 55 - 59 Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time ===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ========= ========= 1 1528 Hugh Hilliard 55 WASHINGTON DC 41:43.9 41:18.2 2 1836 Gary Morgans 59 ARLINGTON VA 43:13.6 43:10.6 3 3973 William Xu 58 SPRINFIELD VA 43:34.7 43:20.0 FEMALE AGE GROUP: 60 - 64 Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time ===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ========= ========= 1 3088 Alice Franks 64 ROCKVILLE MD 47:35.7 47:27.6 2 3188 Linda Mills 62 SALISBURY MD 49:07.4 48:53.2 3 3434 Jane Serues 64 Cherry Grove Beach SC 49:07.3 48:54.1 MALE AGE GROUP: 60 - 64 Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time ===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ========= ========= 1 1722 Joe Hollingsworth 64 WASHINGTON DC 41:04.7 35:57.6 2 3968 Jim Wright 62 GAITHERSBURG MD 40:18.2 40:17.0 3 3942 Michael Wesbecher 64 OAKTON VA 43:50.6 43:29.0 FEMALE AGE GROUP: 65 - 69 Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time ===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ========= ========= 1 3870 Dianne Stoddard 66 VIENNA VA 1:05:31.7 1:02:38.2 2 497 Susan Crosson 66 HERNDON VA 1:09:13.7 1:04:10.2 3 2973 Wendy Jordan 65 WASHINGTON DC 1:07:10.6 1:05:48.5 MALE AGE GROUP: 65 - 69 Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time ===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ========= ========= 1 3350 James Daly 68 Alexandria VA 50:08.0 50:06.3 2 2696 John Churchman 69 ARLINGTON VA 51:09.2 50:39.6 3 2269 John Brittain 68 ALEXANDRIA VA 54:06.0 53:18.2 FEMALE AGE GROUP: 70 - 74 Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time ===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ========= ========= 1 3821 Rosemary Schwartzbard 70 ARLINGTON VA 1:03:36.2 1:01:16.1 2 1712 Martha Witebsky 70 SILVER SPRING MD 1:05:50.7 1:03:40.6 MALE AGE GROUP: 70 - 74 Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time ===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ========= ========= 1 2774 Mike Driskel 71 WASHINGTON DC 58:34.1 58:27.1 2 3647 Alan Morrison 74 WASHINGTON DC 1:03:31.8 1:01:48.4 3 1137 Skip Hartquist 70 WASHINGTON DC 1:05:16.7 1:04:55.6 FEMALE AGE GROUP: 75 - 79 Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time ===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ========= ========= 1 3055 Pat Cuff 75 MONTGOMERY VILLAGE AA 1:11:15.5 1:09:18.2 MALE AGE GROUP: 75 - 79 Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time ===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ========= ========= 1 3779 Alan Rider 76 RESTON VA 58:32.6 58:30.9 2 3586 Joe Marhoefer 76 RESTON VA 1:02:19.8 59:36.6 3 2891 Robert Gurtler 77 THE PLAINS VA 1:05:26.1 1:04:08.7 FEMALE AGE GROUP: 80 - 99 Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time ===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ========= ========= MALE AGE GROUP: 80 - 99 Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time ===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ========= ========= 1 63 George Yannakakis 80 Sparks Glencoe MD 1:00:26.8 1:00:23.1 2012 Lawyers Have Heart 10K CATEGORY AWARDS LIST CVD-SURVIVOR FEMALE AWARDS Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time ===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ========= ========= 1 1702 Elizabeth Westbrook 28 WASHINGTON DC 1:01:48.5 59:08.6 2 2796 Simone Elliott 40 WASHINGTON DC 1:01:10.2 1:00:45.7 3 3655 Deborah Muller 27 WASHINGTON DC 1:03:06.3 1:01:10.7 CVD-SURVIVOR MALE AWARDS Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time ===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ========= ========= 1 1274 Rod Vieira 44 CHEVY CHASE MD 48:20.5 46:26.8 2 2729 Darrell Darnell 53 WASHINGTON DC 51:55.5 51:09.9 3 1632 John Gifft 40 WASHINGTON DC 55:28.3 54:23.2 LAWYER FEMALE AWARDS Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time ===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ========= ========= 1 2468 Stephanie Evans 41 WASHINGTON DC 40:16.0 40:11.6 2 815 Laura Zeilinger 39 WASHINGTON DC 40:29.0 40:26.7 3 2435 Julia Pudlin 27 WASHINGTON DC 40:33.0 40:30.8 LAWYER MALE AWARDS Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time ===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ========= ========= 1 671 Daniel Yi 32 ALEXANDRIA VA 34:53.5 34:53.1 2 3953 Clete Willems 32 WASHINGTON DC 34:57.3 34:56.8 3 535 P.J. Martinez 31 WASHINGTON DC 35:32.9 35:32.9 LEGAL-ASSISTANT FEMALE AWARDS Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time ===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ========= ========= 1 571 Jillian Holmes 34 STAFFORD VA 45:12.7 40:38.9 2 556 Tracy Buro 25 ARLINGTON VA 43:15.5 43:04.1 3 945 Natalie Stoll 23 WASHINGTON DC 46:44.9 45:37.4 LEGAL-ASSISTANT MALE AWARDS Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time ===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ========= ========= 1 1787 Sam Araia 32 ALEXANDRIA VA 42:51.9 42:41.6 2 1564 Mike O'Donnell 24 WASHINGTON DC 42:55.4 42:42.0 3 1169 Jeffrey Nelson 24 WASHINGTON DC 46:17.2 45:25.6 LEGAL-SECRETARY FEMALE AWARDS Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time ===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ========= ========= 1 2628 Colette Boulin 42 WASHINGTON DC 48:58.4 46:25.1 2 1062 Maureen Mitchell 51 CURTIS BAY MD 51:23.7 47:51.6 3 2444 Bettina Myers 42 WASHINGTON DC 50:42.3 49:13.9 LEGAL-SECRETARY MALE AWARDS Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time ===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ========= ========= 1 1131 Todd Robinson 33 WASHINGTON DC DC 46:12.6 46:04.1 LAW-LIBRARIAN FEMALE AWARDS Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time ===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ========= ========= 1 670 Julia Taylor 40 ARLINGTON VA 44:08.0 43:57.9 2 583 Allison Rainey 32 ARLINGTON VA 49:45.2 48:44.0 3 1322 Carol Gruenburg 58 ALEXANDRIA VA 58:46.5 55:28.3 LAW-LIBRARIAN MALE AWARDS Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time ===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ========= ========= ADMINISTRATOR FEMALE AWARDS Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time ===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ========= ========= 1 123 Angell Garrigan 24 ALEXANDRIA VA 46:31.5 41:12.6 2 1398 Alyona Richey 33 ARLINGTON VA 44:06.7 44:04.2 3 199 Monica Phillips 38 WASHINGTON DC 46:37.9 46:12.9 ADMINISTRATOR MALE AWARDS Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time ===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ========= ========= 1 1297 Steven Claremon 27 WASHINGTON DC 40:26.5 40:15.6 2 2467 Robert Dunne 53 OAK HILL VA 41:31.2 41:26.6 3 148 Jeremy Phelps 36 CENTREVILLE VA 43:05.0 42:39.2 SUMMER-ASSOCIATE FEMALE AWARDS Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time ===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ========= ========= 1 3105 Lisa Goldstein 25 WASHINGTON DC 37:53.1 37:53.1 2 934 Tiffiney Carney 32 WASHINGTON DC 48:10.7 45:58.2 3 2174 Kelly Rosencrans 25 STANFORD CA 49:37.9 46:56.7 SUMMER-ASSOCIATE MALE AWARDS Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time ===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ========= ========= 1 2377 Daniel Riegel 28 WASHINGTON DC 39:14.7 39:10.4 2 2296 Gabriel Tabak 28 ANN ARBOR MI 40:12.5 40:10.1 3 2374 Stephen Bosco 30 ARLINGTON VA 41:54.8 40:34.1 LAW-STUDENT FEMALE AWARDS Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time ===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ========= ========= 1 890 Allison Federoff 25 BETHESDA MD 42:15.9 42:04.9 2 2272 Erin Herrero 28 WASHINGTON DC 48:45.1 45:59.4 3 600 Jessica Parisi 23 STATE COLLEGE PA 48:54.3 48:12.8 LAW-STUDENT MALE AWARDS Place No. Name Age City St Gun Time Net Time ===== ===== ===================== === ================== == ========= ========= 1 57 Terence Baptiste 28 Akron OH 36:33.3 36:32.7 2 892 Eric Johnson 24 HALF MOON BAY CA 37:27.6 37:14.8 3 2783 Peter Dysart 24 BURLINGTON VT 38:19.6 38:14.2