By James Moreland
Manassas, VA
May 7, 2011
For the Washington Running Report
Year number ten for this runner friendly race featured the year’s nicest weather. Mother’s Day weekend is usually the busiest of the spring with more than fifty races scheduled in the region. This race was a dandy. Joining this lovely neighborhood was for this year’s continued renaissance was the indefatigable Chuck Moeser, 59, of Sterling, VA (left). Never timid and always bare-chested even on cold days, some have speculated that he does not like shirts at all. Not so, after the race he was sporting a tie dye cutoff from the sixties.
For this smallest race of around 200 finishers, even at 59, Moeser was the prohibitive favorite to win it all. After the race, he noted that he really enjoyed the downhill first mile. He had to do it all alone because by the first intersection, 200 meters in the race, he was gone. Though new to the course, there was no chance to get lost. The course meanders through the neighborhood streets, with a nary a moving vehicle to be found, but the signage was so clear even the novice runner could not get lost.
The final mile of the course was the only place where there was anything resembling a hill. Moeser cruised in with a very solid 17:54 that was clearly a win, not a charge for a fast time. Third place David Rauser, 39, was the youngest runner in the top five by five years. Runner-up Peter Coppolino, 44, pulled away from him to finish in 19:42, a third of a mile behind Moeser.
Sarah Draper, 37, (right) rushed out with the leaders in the opening quarter mile. After that she settled back into the second pack running around a 7:00 pace. Colleen Seres, 34, stuck with her for nearly two miles before giving way. Trudy Dalton, 25, finished soon after her. Draper had finished third in 2009. Last year she won in 20:14, the fourth fastest runner overall and ahead of this year’s men’s runner-up. Coppolino returned the favor this year.
Laurel Clement, 62 of Haymarket, VA edged out Robin Lott, 43, of Centreville, VA for the top masters spot in 26:06. She was sixth overall and the only woman with a Ranked Runner qualifying time. Most everyone else was having too good a time to hurry.
The race was family oriented with a number of youngsters joining with parents to race. The awards featured three divisions 19 and younger. Of the older runners, the omnipresent Bob Gurtler, 76, of the Plains, VA was finishing his 50th race of the year, 28th 5K in a very solid 30:00.
The event had two walks that followed a slightly different course but runners returning to the ChronoTrack mats at the finish line passed many of the walkers. The road was plenty wide enough with the volume of runners so that there was no hint of crowding between events.
The team event was won by the NVRA runners led by Draper who won the women’s race.
Coed Team Results - PUBLIC SAFETY COED (Score 3 by Net Time)
At least One Man and One Woman
1. 69:38 NVRA RUNNERS (23:13)
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1 22:14 Sarah Draper F
2 23:37 Colleen Seres F
3 23:47 Matt Schneck M
4 (38:10) Christine Windness F
2. 73:57 FOP BATTLEFIELD LODGE TEAM II (24:39)
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1 21:45 Jesse Hempen M
2 23:03 Matthew Todd M
3 29:09 Renee Colombo F
4 (29:09) William Belfour M
3. 76:44 MANASSAS CITY POLICE (25:35)
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1 21:53 Justin Lehman M
2 23:01 Caleb Herschler M
3 31:50 Tab Pavalok F
4. 84:53 FOP BATTLEFIELD LODGE TEAM I (28:18)
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1 24:04 John Craig Walsh M
2 25:17 John Zampino M
3 35:32 Nicole Kephart F
5. 97:08 FOP BATTLEFIELD LODGE TEAM III (32:23)
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1 31:49 Tony Midgett Jr M
2 32:39 Erin Golden F
3 32:40 Brandon Batkins M
After the race there was los of great runner’s food, including Bottled water, Gatorade, and hot coffee to rehydrate as well as Oranges, apples and bagels and cream cheese. Dozen’s of doughnut were on hand for the sweet tooth in many. Runner got a nice finisher medallion. Along with a race T-shirt runners got a jumbo bag clip with next year’s race date to help runners remember when the 11th annual race, May 5, 2012, would be.
Awards Listing (No Duplicate Prizes)
Age Groups by Net Time
FEMALE OVERALL
Place Num Name Age City Time
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1 398 Sarah Draper 37 Manassas VA 22:15
MALE OVERALL
Place Num Name Age City Time
===== ===== ======================= === ===================== =====
1 408 Chuck Moeser 59 Sterling VA 17:54
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 1 - 9
1 391 Yoktan Tesfaldet 9 Woodbridge VA 40:39
2 486 Jenna Sweeney 8 Manassas VA 43:50
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 10 - 14
1 333 Elizabeth Bailey 14 Manassas VA 27:52
2 344 Katie Morrow 14 Manassas VA 29:06
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 10 - 14
1 376 Xavier Stelly 13 Remington VA 22:47
2 324 Andrew Hill 12 Manassas VA 31:28
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 15 - 19
1 424 Kiley Gannaway 16 Hamilton VA 26:28
2 412 Catherine Findlay 17 Bristow VA 27:07
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 15 - 19
1 411 Cameron Findlay 19 Bristow VA 25:20
2 447 Robert C Garcia 16 Leesburg VA 26:33
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 20 - 29
1 503 Trudy Dalton 25 Manassas VA 23:53
2 379 Mary Childs 25 Superior WI 26:49
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 20 - 29
1 436 Jesse Hempen 27 Manassas VA 21:45
2 495 Justin Lehman 23 Manassas VA 21:53
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 30 - 39
1 464 Colleen Seres 34 Fairfax VA 23:37
2 364 Katherine Lewis 32 Bristow VA 25:15
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 30 - 39
1 369 David Rauser 39 Bristow VA 20:12
2 372 Kevin O'Grince 34 Woodbridge VA 21:22
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 40 - 49
1 457 Robin Lott 43 Centreville VA 26:05
2 354 Laura Lewis 43 Manassas VA 26:53
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 40 - 49
1 465 Peter Coppolino 44 Gainesville VA 19:42
2 481 Ken Horlick 47 Manassas VA 20:46
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 50 - 59
1 469 Cheryl Byrne 52 Manassas VA 27:27
2 427 Ruta Bailey 56 Centreville VA 32:56
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 50 - 59
1 340 John Wojcik 50 Manassas VA 20:57
2 386 Paul Seehafer 51 Garrisonville VA 22:21
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 60 - 69
1 468 Laurel Clement 62 Haymarket VA 25:58
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 60 - 69
1 346 Louis Koff 63 Manassas VA 22:28
2 452 Paul Steinebach 61 Manassas VA 25:08
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 70 - 99
1 492 Robert Gurtler 76 The Plains VA 29:49
MALE FIRST TIME RACER: NET TIME 1 - 99
1 346 Louis Koff 63 M Manassas VA 22:28
FEMALE FIRST TIME RACER: NET TIME 1 - 99
1 348 Tara Koff 29 F Manassas Park VA 27:30
