Patrick Fernandez

A pre-work sprint for the federal and media crowds

Published May 21, 2014 at 5:40PM | Updated June 25, 2015 at 4:51PM

Runners head out in the first mile of the ACLI Capital Challenge May 21 in Anacostia Park. Photo: Charlie Ban

A lot of federal and media employees found out what their coworkers looked like in shorts at the ACLI Capital Challenge.

[button-red url=”http://www.capitalchallenge.com/2001_cabinet/history2001.html” target=”_self” position=”left”] Results [/button-red]The annual three-mile run, a staple of many offices in Washington, featured strong individual performances from the Executive Branch, with Coast Guard’s Patrick Fernandez edging House aide Paul Balmer, and Erin Taylor of the General Services Administration outlasting Rachel Beckmann, another Coast Guard team member. The out-and-back course in Anacostia Park featured a slight headwind after the turnaround. Both Fernandez and Taylor train with the Capital Area Runners. Balmer lead Rep. Earl Blumenauer‘s (D-Ore.) Red White and Blumenauer team to the House championship for the fifth consecutive year.

Military Running: Patrick Fernandez

By Rachel Beckmann

Published October 30, 2013 at 12:35PM | Updated November 4, 2013 at 12:44PM

Patrick Fernandez duels Skeeter Morris during the 2013 Marine Corps Marathon. Photo: Cheryl Young

It’s frustrating when people attribute competitive athletes’ success to natural ability.

Anyone who dabbles in competitive endurance sports knows natural ability will only take you so far. The mind and the heart separate the good from the truly great. In every elite athlete there is a visible intensity with which they pursue nearly everything they do.

Off the Hill, into the Park

By Charlie Ban

Published May 20, 2013 at 5:33PM | Updated June 25, 2015 at 5:23PM

For one day, instead of putting their noses to the grindstone early, hundreds of federal employees from all branches of government showed up in Anacostia Park to run the ACLI Capital Challenge.

[button-red url=”http://www.capitalchallenge.com/2001_cabinet/history2001.html” target=”_self” position=”left”] Results [/button-red] Several members of Congress participated, and several acquitted themselves well over the three-mile course Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Kelly Ayotte (R- N.H.) finished first among U.S. Senators and Reps. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) were the first from the House to cross the line.