Linda Foley

Cascades Firechase 10K Race Report

Published May 28, 2011 at 5:06PM | Updated September 18, 2013 at 5:20PM

This is the weekend for the unofficial start of summer but it had cooled down greatly from Thursday’s 91 degrees. The gnats sticking on your skin told of the searing humidity that runners would soon be basting in. That does not sound for a recipe for a personal record on a two-loop course with rolling hills, long hills, and stairway hills. Before the race we caught up with consensus favorite Aaron Church, 34, of South Riding, VA. Church (in photo) had not run the course before but was in awe of Philippe Rolly’s 2005 30:40 course record. He knew all about Rolly towing to a split second photo finish C.W. Moran, who at age 19 had owned the course record set in 2004 at 32:34. Rolly, the sub masters record holder from 2008 and Ray Pugsley the masters record holder from 2009 were absent. Church smiled and noted that a course record was unlikely. This from a man coming off a 30:55 at the Kaiser Permanente Pike’s Peek 10K just a month ago and a blazing Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10M in 50:52 with a 10K equivalent of 30:36.

By then the announcer was getting runners set to dart under the traditional ladder arch made by the Sterling Fire Department. And they were underway. Church jack rabbitted around the corner quickly and was soon out of sight of the nearly seven hundred finishers. By the mile, he had a 150 meters lead and the race was for second place.

8th Angel Kisses 5K – Mini is the Man

By James Moreland

Published May 8, 2011 at 1:15PM | Updated September 25, 2013 at 11:51AM

This Mother’s Day event is for everyone as noted when race starter Kevin asked for a show of hands for everyone who had a mother. It was about older runners as five times for the women and twice for the men, a masters runner has won it all. But it was particularly about the young ones. There was a 2K fun walk as often occurs in family oriented race events but the 5K race was packed with young runners vying for top placement in the three youth divisions.

When the race began quite of few height challenged munchkins bolted up the tough hill to start the race that circled all the way around Point Pleasant Drive. Many flamed out on the opening hill, partly because the expended extra energy talking and laughing among themselves.

19th Annual Van Metre 5 Mile Run For Children’s National Medical Center 8K

By Brenda Barrera

Published March 19, 2011 at 3:52PM | Updated October 7, 2013 at 4:00PM

Elite racers get ready to rumble in Jon Hickman photo.

On the cusp of spring more than five hundred runners turned out for a glorious day. Scores of children enjoyed the one mile fun run. This race is famous for its scores of prizes for the young ones as well as the large amounts of money designated for Children’s National Medical Center. This year the check was for $65,000. In today’s race one young lady who you might have thought was more suited for the mile earned the “youngest, fastest award.” Ivy Richerson, just five-year-old ran the full five miles in 52:49.