- Heritage alumna Weini Kelati broke the America 10k road racing record Sunday at the Boston 10k for Women, running 31:18.
- Sherwood High School is celebrating Dan Reeks’ more than 50 years in coaching Nov. 6 from 1 p.m.-4 p.m. Read more about his coaching career here.
- George Mason University’s Jack Ikenberry and Annabelle Eastman were named Atlantic 10 Performers of the Week for their races at the Princeton Invitational.
- American University’s Oscar Counsell was named Patriot League Rookie of the Week for his race at the Pirate Invitational.
- St. John’s coach Desmond Dunham was a guest on Pace the Nation, talking about his book Running Against the Odds.
- Construction on a new pedestrian bridge over Wiehle Avenue is set to begin sometime next summer, Reston Now reported.
In a moment, Ava Gordon knew something was wrong.
While training over the summer, she took a breath and realized things weren’t quite right, which lead to a positive COVID-19 test and a few weeks off of running while she recovered.
In another moment, she knew things would be alright. That was while she was trailing Herndon’s Gillian Bushee in the second half of the Third Battle Invitational. She felt raindrops, and knew her fortunes were turning.
“I just love running in the rain, and I started feeling really good,” Gordon said. “I figured out I had COVID because I could only run about 10:00 pace.”
- A total of 346 local runners finished the Boston Marathon.
- Reston’s Susanna Sullivan finished as the fourth American at the Boston Marathon, running 2:33:22.
- D.C.’s Nathan Bickell, an Annapolis native, was the fastest local runner in 2:29:54.
- Silver Spring’s Jordan Tropf, who won the 2019 Marine Corps Marathon, finished his third marathon in three days, running 2:27:22 at the Baltimore Marathon, 2:31:54 at the Chicago Marathon and 2:32:13 in Boston, after driving to Detroit from Chicago after his first flight to Boston was canceled.
- Bethesda’s Ben Beach extended his Boston Marathon record for consecutive finishes at 54.
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The new dual trail portion of the W&OD Trail is open in Falls Church, nearly 1.5 miles of trail from Little Falls Street to North West Street. The altered section of trail features an 11-foot-wide path for cycling, an 8-foot-wide path for walkers, and a 2-foot-wide colored and textured median between the two paths to separate trail users traveling at different speeds.
- Powerline work by Dominion Energy along the W&OD Trail in Ashburn will require a five-mile detour Oct. 18 – 22, with a chance it could take up to a week longer.
- The Richmond Marathon, seen as Marine Corps fallback option, has sold out, though the race plans to expand the field somewhat.
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The Montgomery County Planning Board will review and provide advisory comments to the Montgomery County Department of Transportation on the Capital Crescent Surface Trail and Tunnel on Oct. 14. Sign up to testify and send in comments.
- The Road Runners Club of America will hold its 2022 one mile national championship at the Loudoun Street Mile May 30 in Winchester, Va.
- Oakton and American alumna Keira D’Amato finished fourth at the Chicago Marathon.
- Herndon alumna Hiruni Wijayaratne was a guest on the Run Eat Sleep Show.
- Arlington resident and former Georgetown coach Julie Culley was a guest on the I’ll Have Another podcast.
- Sidwell Friends alumna Taylor Knibb was a guest on the Inside Tri podcast.
- Knibb will participate in a DC Triathlon Club discussion Oct. 14 at 7 p.m. Register here
Mud changes the dynamic at Glory Days Invitational
Thais Rolly, Gillian Bushee and Anna Macon Corcoran were content to cruise along during the Glory Days Invitational, working together to push the pace and covering ground.
Then the ground got involved.
It may have taken nearly 18 months, but marathon runners are returning to Boston this weekend for the delayed 125th Boston Marathon, including upwards of 417 local runners.
The elite field will include two locals and three others who have been among RunWashington’s Trials Fever marathoners who ran in the 2020 Olympic Marathon Trials and have ties to D.C. area. Woodbridge native Alex Taylor, University of Maryland alumnus Patrick Reaves and Howard County native Brian Harvey are in the men’s elite field Reston’s Susanna Sullivan, fresh off a 1:10:50 half marathon in late September looks to lead the local women, with Alexandria’s Bethany Sachtleben and Arlington’s Nina Zarina also in the race
“I’ve always wanted to run Boston, and I wanted to do it when I could be part of the elite field. I just didn’t think it would happen so soon,” Sullivan said. “It’s not nessarily a PR course, but I think with my fitness right now, it’s realistic to expect that if I execute well, I should PR.”
Sullivan had considered the New York City Marathon, but thought an early November race would extend her season beyond her comfort level.
“I was eager to get going this spring, so I’ve been training for a while,” she said.
And running for a while. In her previous marathon buildups, she had only recorded two 100-mile weeks. This time, she’s done at least eight.
“I’ve been racing on somewhat-tired legs all year, so I’m not sure how to approach my taper,” she said. “I thrive when I stick to a routine.”
Sullivan ran 2:33:27 at the Marathon Project last December in Arizona, and also set PRs in the track 10k (32:42.28), road 10k (33:02) and 10 miles (54:22) since working with George Mason University coach Andrew Gerard a year ago.
Here’s who else is registered for Boston, though not everyone will race:
- Joan and Drew Hunter were guests on Pace the Nation.
- George Mason’s Annabelle Eastman was named Atlantic 10 Performer of the Week for her race at the Paul Short Invitational.
In her first full season of high school cross country racing, Grace Finnegan is trying to balance her early success with recognition that she still has a lot to learn.
After a few open races during her freshman year at Richard Montgomery, she’s facing new runners every week and trying to pick up tips and process each experience.
“I was trying to read everyone else’s energy,” she said. “It’s a skill I’m still learning.”
She figured it out at the Octoberfest Invitational at Great Meadow, running 17:59 to win over Herndon junior Gillian Bushee (18:14) and hit her first sub-18 cross country 5k.
- American freshman Oscar Counsell was named Patriot League Rookie of the Week following his race at the Jasper Fall XC Invitational.
- Oakton alumnus Garrett Woodhouse, running for Utah State, was named Mountain West Freshman of the Week following his 14th place finish in the Montana State Cross Country Classic.
- Loudoun Valley alumna Kyra Holland was named William and Mary Student-Athlete of the Week following her ning place finish at the Virginia Invitational.
- George Washington junior James Glockenmeier was named Atlantic 10 Performer of the Week folliwng his win at the James Madison University Invitational.
- George Washington first-year Olivia Syftestad was named Atlantic 10 Rookie Performer of the week following her ninth place finish at the James Madison University Invitational.
Avery Graham didn’t even recognize a fellow Montgomery County runner at the Oatlands Invitational, where she finished three seconds behind Poolesville sophomore Daisy Dastrup.
When Graham, a Sherwood freshman, saw her two weeks later at the Georgetown Prep Invitational, she restructured her goals for the race.
“I wanted to stay with her no matter what,” Graham said. “There were a few times I fell back a little, but I just kept running until I caught back up.”
Graham held on behind Dastrup until roughly 150 meters to go before kicking for a 19:55-19:57 win in the unseeded race.
