By Steve Nearman
Rockville, MD
April 29, 2012
For the Washington Running Report
The Kenyans came from Chapel Hill, NC and from Royersford, PA. The Ethiopians came from the Bronx and Washington, DC. They all came in pursuit of a $1,000 first prize, not bad for running a 10-kilometer race not far from their home bases.
Credit the Kenyans from Ben Kurgat’s Chapel Hill camp with sweeping the overall win, but the Ethiopians sure showed depth at the 17th Kaiser Permanente Pike’s Peek 10K today in Rockville.
But the biggest winner of the morning goes to the weather. Some 1,307 men and 1,445 women who finished the downhill trek from the Shady Grove Metro to White Flint Mall down the usually car-congested Rockville Pike were treated with perfect weather – bright sun, 50s warming into the 60s, and a slight tailwind.
“It was nice weather, not as hot as last year,” said Kristin Rapp, who enjoyed a personal best 53:39 after running here in 2009 and 2011.
The elites made the best of the weather as well. Although the tailwind was not quite as strong as it was last year – producing seven of the nine fastest men’s times and six of the nine fastest women’s time in race history – the elite man still rewrote a bit of the record books today.
Julius Kogo successfully defended his 2011 title, falling just six seconds short of last year’s time in 28:12. His 28:06 is the event record, so now he owns the No. 1 and 2 fastest times. But he might have broken his record today had there not been slick pavement from overnight rain. Finishing shortly after Kogo was training mate Hellen Jemutai, who moved up from sixth last year to capture the victory in 32:54, the exact same time as last year and etching her name twice in the top 10 times ever.
Both earned $1,000 and a plaque for winning the Road Runners Club of America Eastern Regional 10K Championships.
The manner in which Kogo and Jemutai achieved their victories could not have been more different.
After the start was delayed about 10 minutes due to a fender-bender on Rockville Pike, Kogo, bearing bib #1, vaulted from the start with fellow Kenyans and the Ethiopians in pursuit. In fact, 12 East Africans were in the lead pack by one mile, swiftly passed in 4:35.
The pack, with its frequent lead exchanges, began to disintegrate to six members as they tackled a short uphill approaching the third mile marker and just four as they crossed the halfway point in 14:10. By the end of the fourth mile, Kogo and Ethiopians Abiyot Endale and Zenbaba Yigeze finally dropped another Ethiopian Fikadu Lemma, who would eventually finish sixth.
Then Kogo began to execute his plan.
“I felt good and I just started picking it up from four miles,” said Kogo, 26, who also was runner-up in 2010. “Then just approaching six miles, I picked it up again.”
Kogo gapped Endale and Yigeze by 10 meters through five miles and slowly was pulling away until Endale made a last-ditch effort to catch Kogo before the last steep downhill to the finish. Kogo was too fast.
“I know Kogo,” said Endale, who was training at altitude in Ethiopia for three months until arriving back in the Bronx last week. “He’s a very good runner. I’ve never been this close to him before. Around 4 ½ miles, I was pushing the pace. I made a mistake by pushing too early.”
Endale bettered his third-place finish last year but one spot in 28:16 for $750 and training mate Yigeze was third in 28:20 for $650. Endale’s time was the fourth-fastest ever here and Yigeze earned the #6 clocking all time.
Jemutai (in photo) left no doubt very early whose name was going in the $1,000 check. She bolted from the started and took a large lead by the end of first mile, hitting 5K in 16:16 and winning by 56 seconds. With no women to push her, she was ably paced by training mate Nicholas Kurgat, who was second last year but coming back from an Achilles injury.
Third-placer Tezeta Dengersa, a Washington-based Ethiopian, said it best about Jemutai’s fast start. “She said ‘OK, goodbye, thank you’!” mused Dengersa, a 31-year-old Turkish citizen born in Ethiopia.
Jemutai enjoyed the win but fell short of her goal. “I wanted to run 32 minutes today,” said the 30 year old from Kapsabet, Kenya. “I realized at mile four that I was starting to slow down. I felt like I needed more water.”
Yihunish Delelecha, a 30-year-old Washington-based Ethiopian, was second in 33:50 and Dengersa was eight ticks behind her. Elena Orlova, a 42-year-old Russian training in nearby Gaithersburg, was top master and sixth overall in an impressive 34:26.
Top male master was 41-year-old Chris Juarez of Alexandria, the 2002 Marine Corps Marathon champ, 14th overall in 30:46. Jack McMahon of Silver Spring was the second oldest finisher, at 81, running 56:58 and beating 422 younger men to the finish.
After the race in the White Flint Mall parking lot, runners did their share of sun-bathing, chatting with friends and family, and eating healthy foods such as Dunkin’ Donuts, Chinese fried rice, pizza, and Popeyes fried chicken.
Sean Dixon, 45, from Waldorf, MD, took some time to relax after the race.
“I’m glad I’m here,” said Dixon, newly retired from the Marines and Coast Guard but now working in Human Resources at the Office of Homeland Security while going to the University of Maryland Baltimore County for his degree in information systems management.
No wonder he does not have the time to train as he used to.
“This was my third Pike’s Peek 10K, but I’m nowhere near race shape,” said Dixon, whose wife Kristy stayed home with their three children Israel (15), Simone (13), and Ashley (12) so he could enjoy the morning. “I ran a pretty even race (51:26) but I’ve run faster here, 44 minutes in 2007, 46 minutes in 2010. My allergies, the pollen, have made me fatigued, under the weather. Threw my training out the window.” He said he does hope to participate in a sprint or Olympic triathlon this year.
Mark Malander also said he was not near race shape. He ran a stellar 33:05 here six years ago but has been hampered for the past year by an Achilles injury. However, the fiercely competitive Malander was happy to be able to run.
“Last year, I was injured and I was the driver for the elite athletes,” said the 54-year-old Malander of Herndon, a geologist for 30 years for Exxon Mobil. “This is the slowest I’ve run on this course (36:24). It’s frustrating to get clobbered by all those 50-year-old guys.” He said his training now turns to the New York City Marathon this fall.
Kristin Rapp, on the other hand, said she was in better shape than last year. Training for the Boston Marathon two weeks ago certainly helped, she said. And Pike’s Peek was the longest run she has had since the rather-toasty Patriots’ Day marathon in Beantown.
“I wasn’t trying to run a fast time,” said the 34-year Rapp, who lives in nearby Kensington and works close to the finish as an accountant at CAS. “I just wanted to get back out there after Boston.”
Open & Masters By Gun Time, Age Groups By Net Time
No Duplicate Prizes
MALE OPEN Gun Time
1 1 Julius Kogo 26 Chapel Hill NC 28:12# 1000
2 3 Abiyot Endale 25 Bronx NY 28:16# 750
3 76 Zenbaba Yigeze 29 Bronx NY 28:20# 650
4 25 Tariku Bokan 30 Herndon VA 28:48# 600
5 7 Kitema Nigusse 31 Bronx NY 28:49# 550
6 12 Fikadu Lemma 28 Bronx NY 28:54# 500
7 24 Birhanu Alemu Feyissa 30 Silver Spring MD 28:55# 450
8 4 Deresse Deniboba 29 Bronx NY 28:56# 400
9 15 John Itati 38 Royersford PA 29:00# 350
10 14 Kennedy Kemei 33 Chapel Hill NC 29:21# 300
# Under USATF OPEN guideline
FEMALE OPEN Gun Time
1 18 Hellen Jemutai 30 Chapel Hill NC 32:54# 1000
2 3216 Yihunish Deleiecha 30 Washington DC 33:50 750
3 19 Tezeta Dengersa 31 Washington DC 33:58 650
4 20 Tiringo Shiferaw 27 Washington DC 34:18 600
5 16 Gladys Asiba 34 Royersford PA 34:26 550
6 40 Elena Orlova 42 Gaithersburg MD 34:26* 500
7 22 Christine Ramsey 29 Baltimore MD 34:53 450
8 72 Lisa Thomas 36 Alexandria VA 35:48* 400
9 46 Laura O'Hara 32 Alexandria VA 35:54 350
10 37 Lindsay Donaldson 26 Washington DC 35:57 300
# Under USATF OPEN guideline
* Under USATF Age-Group guideline
MALE MASTERS Gun Time
1 1005 Chris Juarez 41 Alexandria VA 30:46* 250
2 2778 Douglas Woods 43 Gaithersburg MD 34:19 200
3 68 John Piggott 46 Williamsburg VA 34:40* 150
* Under USATF Age-Group guideline
FEMALE MASTERS Gun Time
1 45 Alisa Harvey 45 Manassas VA 37:35* 250
2 43 Denise Knickman 43 Baltimore MD 39:30 200
3 2863 Darcy Strouse 48 Frederick MD 39:34 150
* Under USATF Age-Group guideline
MALE GRANDMASTER Gun Time
1 50 Mark Neff 50 Derwood MD 35:00*
2 51 Greg Cauller 52 York PA 35:07*
3 65 Stephen Chantry 57 Williamsburg VA 35:26*
* Under USATF Age-Group guideline
FEMALE GRANDMASTER Gun Time
1 71 Cindy Conant 51 Kensington MD 39:47*
2 932 Win Persina 52 Washington DC 41:34
3 53 Alison Suckling 56 Arnold MD 41:39*
* Under USATF Age-Group guideline
MALE SR-GRANDMASTER Gun Time
1 60 Roland Rust 60 Bethesda MD 38:07*
2 66 Rick Platt 61 Williamsburg VA 39:02*
3 1083 Timothy Morgan 61 Damascus MD 39:36*
* Under USATF Age-Group guideline
FEMALE SR-GRANDMASTER Gun Time
1 301 Alice Franks 63 Rockville MD 46:39*
2 1472 Ann Rosenthal 62 Bethesda MD 50:32
3 2520 Joann Szczepkowski 66 Rehoboth Beach DE 51:41
* Under USATF Age-Group guideline
MALE AGE GROUP: 15 - 19 Net Time
1 3041 Stephen Alexander 15 Gaithersburg MD 36:05 75
2 715 Andrew Lu 18 Rockville MD 41:08 50
3 3291 Nicholas Miller 16 Arnold MD 43:16 25
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 15 - 19 Net Time
1 291 Abby Peterson 15 Rockville MD 46:08 75
2 683 Mary Marg Sheridan 18 Chevy Chase MD 46:18 50
3 649 Nina Geleta 16 Manassas VA 46:18 25
MALE AGE GROUP: 20 - 24 Net Time
1 2898 Gregory Decker 23 Rockville MD 35:04 75
2 2982 Kyle Grimm 24 Frederick MD 36:49 50
3 2550 Kevin Hom 24 Arlington VA 41:02 25
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 20 - 24 Net Time
1 57 Kelsey Budd 22 Oakton VA 37:17 75
2 2675 Elizabeth Laseter 23 Washington DC 37:44 50
3 44 Jillian Pollack 23 Arlington VA 37:59 25
MALE AGE GROUP: 25 - 29 Net Time
1 74 Eric Chirchir 28 Jackson Heights NY 29:38# 75
2 6 Worku Beyi 25 Bronx NY 29:41# 50
3 26 Karl Dusen 29 Rockville MD 30:05 25
# Under USATF OPEN guideline
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 25 - 29 Net Time
1 36 Susan Hendrick 26 Washington DC 36:23 75
2 35 Lauren Woodall 26 Washington DC 37:28 50
3 3052 Lindsay Larose 29 Arlington VA 39:39 25
MALE AGE GROUP: 30 - 34 Net Time
1 77 Seife Geletu 30 Washington DC 31:22 75
2 30 Jake Klim 31 North Bethesda MD 31:32 50
3 64 Dickson Mercer 30 Washington DC 32:31 25
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 30 - 34 Net Time
1 39 Elizabeth Young 32 Washington DC 36:11 75
2 249 Robin Wrightson 32 Washington DC 38:07 50
3 101 Kristin Andrews 30 Chevy Chase MD 38:21 25
MALE AGE GROUP: 35 - 39 Net Time
1 33 David Wertz 36 Arlington VA 31:58* 75
2 347 Philippe Rolly 39 McLean VA 32:19* 50
3 1072 Edi Turco 39 Arlington VA 33:14 25
* Under USATF Age-Group guideline
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 35 - 39 Net Time
1 1615 Mary Davison 39 Bristow VA 38:41 75
2 1014 Cristina Burbach 37 Washington DC 39:16 50
3 1708 Lisa Reichmann 38 Gaithersburg MD 39:33 25
MALE AGE GROUP: 40 - 44 Net Time
1 2545 Joerg Schroeder 44 Rockville MD 36:10 75
2 559 Kris Simms 40 Baltimore MD 36:14 50
3 3002 Scott Koonce 40 Gaithersburg MD 36:20 25
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 40 - 44 Net Time
1 876 Amanda Turner 40 Gettysburg PA 40:47 75
2 991 Sarah Johnson 41 Bethesda MD 42:10 50
3 1024 Janice Lunenfeld 42 Rockville MD 42:25 25
MALE AGE GROUP: 45 - 49 Net Time
1 2891 Frank Perna 49 Bethesda MD 35:01* 75
2 556 Jim Nielsen 46 Broadlands VA 35:35 50
3 67 Greg Dawson 46 Williamsburg VA 35:48 25
* Under USATF Age-Group guideline
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 45 - 49 Net Time
1 624 Sandra Griffin 45 Upper Marlboro MD 44:53 75
2 3078 Laura Gurney 47 Bethesda MD 45:02 50
3 2848 Janet Braunstein 45 Washington DC 45:54 25
MALE AGE GROUP: 50 - 54 Net Time
1 50 Mark Neff 50 Derwood MD 34:59* 75
2 51 Greg Cauller 52 York PA 35:06* 50
3 1009 Jean-Chri Arcaz 51 Rockville MD 35:46* 25
* Under USATF Age-Group guideline
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 50 - 54 Net Time
1 71 Cindy Conant 51 Kensington MD 39:44* 75
2 932 Win Persina 52 Washington DC 41:31 50
3 1553 Janeth Scott 50 Columbia MD 41:55 25
* Under USATF Age-Group guideline
MALE AGE GROUP: 55 - 59 Net Time
1 65 Stephen Chantry 57 Williamsburg VA 35:25* 75
2 2714 James Cooper 56 Potomac MD 35:50* 50
3 56 Dan Lawson 56 Gaithersburg MD 36:32* 25
* Under USATF Age-Group guideline
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 55 - 59 Net Time
1 53 Alison Suckling 56 Arnold MD 41:36* 75
2 3072 Debbie Flynn 55 Cross Hill SC 42:37* 50
3 2452 Betty Blank 59 Falls Church VA 44:49 25
* Under USATF Age-Group guideline
MALE AGE GROUP: 60 - 64 Net Time
1 60 Roland Rust 60 Bethesda MD 38:04* 75
2 66 Rick Platt 61 Williamsburg VA 39:00* 50
3 1083 Timothy Morgan 61 Damascus MD 39:33* 25
* Under USATF Age-Group guideline
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 60 - 64 Net Time
1 301 Alice Franks 63 Rockville MD 46:33* 75
2 1472 Ann Rosenthal 62 Bethesda MD 49:24 50
3 414 Nancy Avitabile 64 Bethesda MD 49:43 25
* Under USATF Age-Group guideline
MALE AGE GROUP: 65 - 69 Net Time
1 1316 Donald Hensel 67 Gaithersburg MD 45:54 75
2 2191 William Rowell 68 Olney MD 46:06 50
3 1259 Walter Brown 68 Montgomery Vill MD 47:13 25
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 65 - 69 Net Time
1 1042 Chris Craun 66 Bethesda MD 50:26* 75
2 2520 Joann Szczepkowski 66 Rehoboth Beach DE 50:36* 50
3 2957 Gretchen Bolton 66 Bethesda MD 55:50 25
* Under USATF Age-Group guideline
MALE AGE GROUP: 70 - 74 Net Time
1 3150 Gerry Ives 72 Washington DC 47:21 75
2 745 Jack Mangold 70 Chevy Chase MD 55:48 50
3 2860 Nils Borj Tallroth 70 Bethesda MD 59:50 25
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 70 - 74 Net Time
1 578 Linda Carter 70 Potomac MD 66:15 75
2 2432 Betty Smith 71 Rockville MD 68:03 50
3 1443 Jamie Wollard 73 N.Bethesda MD 84:29 25
MALE AGE GROUP: 75 - 79 Net Time
1 2958 Skip Grant 76 Chevy Chase MD 48:43* 75
2 2521 Alan Rider 76 Reston VA 54:28* 50
3 1327 Bob Archibald 79 Fayetteville PA 58:08 25
* Under USATF Age-Group guideline
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 75 - 79 Net Time
1 138 Pat Cuff 75 Montgomery Vill MD 66:42* 75
2 180 Marianne Parakkal 76 Gaithersburg MD 68:55 50
* Under USATF Age-Group guideline
MALE AGE GROUP: 80 - 99 Net Time
1 441 Jack McMahon 81 Silver Spring MD 56:58* 75
* Under USATF Age-Group guideline
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 80 - 99 Net Time
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