I’m sure in a few weeks, a lot of runners will be wishing for the kind of weather the 2019 Marine Corps Marathon had – heavy rains punctuated by muggy pauses. But we’ve had six months to bemoan the loss of most marathons this year. This is a chance to look back at where we ran in 2019.
The number of domestic marathon finishes by D.C.-area runners fell slightly, with at least 12,939 different finishes in 294 of 697 U.S. races, down from 12,981 finishes in 278 races. Some individual runners doubled, tripled, quadrupled and more, but they all added up to 12,932 finishes and 339,001.8 miles, not counting the extra miles they logged because they couldn’t run the tangents.
Of the 697 total domestic marathons, 177 did not detail finisher residences, and that surely undercuts the total count, which likely exceeds 13,000 finishes. None of this analysis would be possible without MarathonGuide.
Name: Katelyn Engen
Self-described age group: 24-29
Residence: Kensington, Md.
Occupation: Collegiate athletic trainer
Volunteer roles in the running world: I ran my first race with Ainsleys Angels at the end of 2019, with hopes to do it more in 2020. Now my goal is to run more with them in 2021! They’re a group that organizes runners & chairs so everyone access to road racing. The National Capital Region group is fantastic.
How has your running changed in the last six months: I ran a ton the first few months, recently, since going back to work, I’m running a much more reasonable amount. I’ve found that more than ever, I run for my own well being & mental health, not just because I have a race to train for.
Why you run: Because I am way nicer & more patient on days I run!
Of all the things we do at RunWashington, one of my favorites is our Monumental Runner series. When I cold call someone and ask them if they’d like to be featured, most of them usually answer “why me?” That tells me that they probably have a lot more to say about their lives as runners than they thought, and I wind up really enjoying getting to know them (especially if they really are a stranger). Here are a few recent Monumental Runners from D.C., Maryland and Virginia.
- The MPSSAA released a plan for fitting three 2020-2021 school year sports seasons starting Feb. 1, 2021.
- The winter season, including indoor track, will go Feb. 1-March 27.
- The fall season, including cross country, will go March 15-May 8.
- The spring season, including outdoor track, will go April 26-June 19.
- The Coalition for the Capital Crescent Trail will hold its annual membership meeting remotely Monday, Sept. 21, 7 p.m – 8:30 p.m.
- Centreville alumnus and former Lake Braddock and Marymount coach Brian Cunningham will be the guest on this Wednesday’s Potomac River Running Instagram Live, from 8 p.m. – 9 p.m. Cunningham ran and coached track at the College of William and Mary, which has annouced plans to cut the men’s indoor and outdoor track teams, along with five other sports.
- D.C.’s Keshia Roberson was a guest on the Social Sport podcast, talking about the Womxn Run the Vote Relay.
- On this week’s Run Farther and Faster podcast, host Lisa Levin recounts running an actual marathon over the past weekend.
Bowen Shuttleworth left for Williamsburg last month, eager to join the dozens of young men from Northern Virginia who, over the years, made their academic and athletic marks while running for the College of William and Mary.
Last Thursday, he skipped a physics lab to make a mandatory track team meeting. There, Athletic Director Samanta Huge told the men’s indoor and outdoor track athletes that their teams, along with men’s and women’s swimming and gymnastics and women’s volleyball teams, would be cut at the end of the school year, attributing the decision to budget pressures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Huge abruptly hung up the video call, Shuttleworth said, taking no questions.
- Arlington Police charged David Marlowe with robbery, three counts of assault and battery and five counts of indecent exposure in connection with a series of incidents along Arlington County trails in August. More details are available here but they involve abusive language, assault and battery of trail users and several moonings.
- Bethesda’s Ben Beach completed his record-extending 54th Boston Marathon, albeit remotely, running from KenGar Park in Kensington into Washington, D.C. and Virginia.
- This week’s guest on the Potomac River Running Instagram Live, Wednesday from 8-9 p.m., is Saucony rep Ty Akins.
Name: Bryan Ego-Osuala
Self-described age group: 40-44
Residence: McLean
Occupation: Physician
How has your running changed in the last few months: Running less mileage and focusing on strength
Things cooled down a little in August, but the season break in humidity didn’t happen. As a result, there weren’t too many changes at the top of most of the DMV Distance Derby segments.
You can switch among the months using the tabs at the bottom of the screen. The segments are generally organized to fit compactly.
- Montgomery County Parks’ weekend closures of portions of Sligo Creek Parkway, Little Falls Parkway and Beach Drive will continue until further notice, and over Labor Day weekend will last until 7 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 8. Typically, the closures start at 9 a.m. on Fridays and last until 6 p.m. on Sundays.
- The 14th Street Pacers location is closed until further notice after a motorist drove a car into the storefront Aug. 29.
- Massage therapist (and 2016 Best of Washington Running Best Running Doctor or Therapist) Pete Sherry will be the guest on Wednesday’s Potomac River Running Instagram live, from 8 p.m – 9 p.m.
- Georgetown alumnus and UNC assistant coach Dylan Sorensen was a guest on the Convos Over Cold Brew podcast.
- Thomas Jefferson alumnus and former professional runner Chris Mocko was a guest on the BibRave podcast.
- Georgetown alumna Kate Landau was a guest on the Running for Real podcast.
- MedStar Health Sports Cardiology is looking for marathon runners diagnosed with atrial fibrillation to participate in a research study. If you are a runner with atrial fibrillation and want to learn more about your cardiac health by participating in an EKG, Echo-cardiogram and Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (VO2 max), please reach out to Arjun Kanwal or Kezia Alexander.
Name: Caroline Peterson
Self-described age group: 34
Residence: Woodbridge
Occupation: Graphic designer
How has your running changed in the last few months: I have been running more miles than I typically do during the summer. Between more frequently and just higher miles
Why you run: I run for my own mental and physical health.
When did you get started running: I was laid off from work at the beginning of 2013, and I learned about color runs, so I decided to train for a 5k and then just kind of grew from there.
