8th Angel Kisses 5K – Mini is the Man

By James Moreland
Chantilly, VA
May 8, 2011
For the Washington Running Report

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.

“So, you wanna walk.”  “I am getting tired.” “Whoa, I almost ran into that parked car.” These were some of the things heard until the race crested the hill and reenergized. Youth runners are so resilient.

After the race there was lots of food. Some of it partially covered to protect for the tiny, harmless shower that started just before the race began. The race is known for having lots of random prizes. In fact, they have a separate bucket for adult and for children, both were full. Nearly everyone stayed around to – take a chance.

Before the award’s ceremony began we were told of why the race was originally created. This race was created in honor of a special little boy, Jeffrey Virostek, who lost his brave battle with leukemia on September 25, 2003, at the age of 4 1/2. Angel Kisses is a fund-raising 5K/2K Race to benefit the Jeffrey Virostek Fund.

Jeffrey’s cousin Tim raced well today finishing fifth overall in a time that would have won the race in some of the past years.

Then the microphone was handed over to six-year-old Timmy Tyrrell. He clearly explained why he decided to help raise money. A friend of his, Ella Day, needed help. She had gone through chemotherapy last year. He called her to the stage and she looked great. Her dad told us Timmy was “an adult in a little boy’s body.”

Timmy held up the check for the Virosteks and then reverted partly to being a kid with, “I have here a check for … for a lot of money.” Mrs. Virostek gratefully accepted the check for $3,541.92 that had been raised in just the past month.

Timmy Tyrell is one of the Featured Athletes on the Inspired Athletes Web Site.  With the assistance of Inspired Athletes, Mini has dedicated this season to racing for the Jeffrey Virostek Fund to contribute to the fight against childhood cancer.

Even with the light rain the field passed 2009 as the second largest field with 410 finishers in the 5K. Only twice has the time been faster than 17:00 minutes. Back in 2008 Abiyot Abebe toasted the field in 15:24 breaking Ryan Deak’s 16:07 record from the year before. This year it was clear that competition makes for fast times. Just past the turnaround at mile two, a trio of runners were jockeying for position with Jared Campbell looming in the background. Justin Fritzius, 26, of Purcellville had a slight edge and younger legs than 41-year-old Eric Sorenson. Unlike Derby runner Shackleford who faded to fourth after leading all the way, he would hold his lead and win in 16:37 for the third fastest time. The next three runners all broke 17 minutes. Sorenson destroyed the masters record with 16:42 with Byrce Wilk right on his heels in 16:45. Campbell was second in his division behind Wilk in 16:59.

For the women, Laura Friex (left)had won it all the first two years, 2004-5. Now on the cusp of being a grandmaster she would hold off Barbara Wigle, 44, by six seconds to take the masters title in 21:17. This was Wigle’s fourth year and she always finishes in the top six, winning the masters in 2007 before giving way to Linda Foley, another runner turning fifty this year. Foley won it all in both 2008 and 2009. Last year national class racer Alisa Harvey, 44, set the record in a runaway with 18:43 setting aside Jackie Gruendel’s 2006 record 19:10.

This year the two masters, Freix and Wigle had their own little battle while the top three runners dueled for the top spot. Jennifer Chapman had the honor of breaking the tape in 20:21. Julie Sapper, 38, a regular Ranked Runner, was next in 20:27. Meredith Samson took the third spot winning her age group in 20:40.

While many of the age group times were not competitive, even the 70 and older fields filled up, though both women traveled across the country for the event. Second for the men was one of the most prolific racers in the region, Bob Gurtler, 76, of the Plains, VA. Gurtler finished his 30^th 5K of the year with 52 totals races already in the bag for 2011.

                   Awards Listing (No Duplicate Prizes)

FEMALE OVERALL
Place Num   Name                   Ag City               Gun T Net T Pace  
===== ===== ====================== == ================== ===== ===== ===== 
    1   477 Jennifer Chapman       26 Centreville VA     20:21 20:18  6:32 
    2   471 Julie Sapper           38 Rockville MD       20:27 20:25  6:35 

MALE OVERALL
Place Num   Name                   Ag City                Gun T Net T Pace  
===== ===== ====================== == ================== ===== ===== ===== 
    1   484 Justin Fritzius        26 Purcellville VA    16:37 16:37  5:21 
    2    51 Eric Sorensen          41 Annandale VA       16:42 16:39  5:22 

FEMALE AGE GROUP:  1 - 10  (NET TIME)
    1    80 Nicole Re              10 Chantilly VA       25:09 25:06  8:06 
    2   232 Roshni Puli            10 Chantilly VA       30:02 29:56  9:38 

MALE AGE GROUP:  1 - 10  (NET TIME)
    1   249 Harrison Shay          10 Chantilly VA       23:41 23:38  7:37 
    2   209 Ted Ellis              10 Chantilly VA       24:21 24:20  7:50 

FEMALE AGE GROUP:  11 - 14  (NET TIME)
    1   243 Nora Raher             14 Centreville VA     22:24 22:11  7:09 
    2   253 Alexa McAnally         12 Centreville VA     23:17 23:12  7:29 

MALE AGE GROUP:  11 - 14  (NET TIME)
    1   420 Adam Huff              14 Chantilly VA       18:16 18:16  5:53 
    2    58 Connor Phillips        14 Oakton VA          19:50 19:46  6:22 

FEMALE AGE GROUP:  15 - 18  (NET TIME)
    1   163 Virginia Walsh         15 Chantilly VA       25:18 24:50  8:00 
    2   281 Kate O'Shea            15 Fairfield CT       26:50 26:41  8:36 

MALE AGE GROUP:  15 - 18  (NET TIME)
    1   122 Tim Virostek           15 Columbia MD        18:07 18:04  5:49 
    2   424 Kyle Hollcroft         17 Manassas VA        20:53 20:45  6:41 

FEMALE AGE GROUP:  19 - 29  (NET TIME)
    1   459 Karen Haddon           25 Aldie VA           21:28 21:27  6:55 
    2   246 Jessica Kelly          25 Arlington VA       23:09 23:07  7:27 

MALE AGE GROUP:  19 - 29  (NET TIME)
    1   247 Bryce Wilk             25 Arlington VA       16:45 16:43  5:23 
    2   463 Jared Campbell         25 Alexandria VA      16:59 16:57  5:28 

FEMALE AGE GROUP:  30 - 39  (NET TIME)
    1   458 Meredith Samson        30 South Riding VA    20:40 20:39  6:39 
    2    30 Susie Lynch            34 Annandale VA       22:48 22:29  7:15 

MALE AGE GROUP:  30 - 39  (NET TIME)
    1   321 Micheal Zurface        32 Fayetteville NC    19:09 19:05  6:09 
    2   485 Bill Pilkington        39 South Riding VA    21:20 21:17  6:51 

FEMALE AGE GROUP:  40 - 49  (NET TIME)
    1   356 Laura Freix            49 Centreville VA     21:17 21:15  6:51 
    2   455 Barbara Wigle          44 Centreville VA     21:23 21:21  6:53 

MALE AGE GROUP:  40 - 49  (NET TIME)
    1   461 Edward Siegfried       45 Fairfax VA         18:57 18:52  6:05 
    2   402 Eldon MacK             46 Centreville VA     19:51 19:51  6:24 

FEMALE AGE GROUP:  50 - 59  (NET TIME)
    1   497 Gigi Louden            59 Annandale VA       37:16 36:13 11:40 
    2   144 Paula Lovric           50 Fairfax VA         40:37 39:06 12:35 

MALE AGE GROUP:  50 - 59  (NET TIME)
    1    97 Myron Kremer           54 Winchester VA      21:51 21:50  7:02 
    2    14 Michael Ruth           51 Oak Hill VA        22:32 22:19  7:11 

FEMALE AGE GROUP:  60 - 69  (NET TIME)
    1    42 Kerry Rader            62 South Riding VA    40:00 39:29 12:43 

MALE AGE GROUP:  60 - 69  (NET TIME)
    1   271 Jack Harvey            60 Centreville VA     26:40 26:29  8:32 
    2   155 James Protiva          67 Locust Grove VA    35:16 35:06 11:18 

FEMALE AGE GROUP:  70 - 99  (NET TIME)
    1    70 Judith Phillips        72 Fresno CA          41:52 41:35 13:23 
    2   284 Nora O'Shea            75 Carol Stream IL    52:17 51:50 16:41 

MALE AGE GROUP:  70 - 99  (NET TIME)
    1   462 Chet Coates            71 Silver Spring MD   29:34 29:14  9:25 
    2   126 Robert Gurtler         76 The Plains VA      30:34 30:18  9:46