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.
D.C. private school runners won both individual varsity races at the Landon Invitational in the first large cross country race for many runners in almost two years.
St. Albans senior Pierre Attiogbe was the first of five D.C. school runners across the line, running 17:25 to Sidwell Friends senior Michah Lachman’s 17:44. Attiogbe broke away in the third mile and relied on the focus he had practiced most days during the height of the pandemic.
“I ran a lot of time trials, so I got used to running hard alone,” he said. “The rest of the guys slowed down in the second mile, but I kept going. I tried to practice feeling comfortable leading.
“Training last year helped me feel more at home running on my own. Getting to do it in a race felt right.”
- The Army-Ten Miler has canceled its in-person race, originally scheduled for Oct. 10, transferring all in-person runners to a virtual race and giving then $30 credits for the 2022 race.
- Fairfax’s Matt Rodjom, whom RunWashington profiled in 2016, was a guest on the Run Farther and Faster podcast.
- Georgetown alumnus Jon Green was a guest on the Morning Shakeout podcast.
- Georgetown alumna Josette Norris was a guest on the Pace the Nation podcast.
Kenyan Edwin Kimutai left the American field behind to fend for itself at the rescheduled Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile, pulling away in the third mile and cruising to a 32-second win in 45:45.
Behind him, Abbabiya Simbassa and Augustus Maiyo battled for the U.S. 10 mile championship, with Simbassa gapping Maiyo, the 2012 Marine Corps Marathon champion, by five seconds, finishing second overall in 46:18.
“I felt good,” said Kimutai, 28, who has a 1:00:57 half marathon PR. “The course was good. It was flat, and I like racing on the roads. I was good the whole time. I normally run the marathon but wanted to run some speed. I’m running the Paris Marathon, so it was time for me to come see if my speed was good.”
It was indeed good.
Apparently finishing second at the state meet at the end of an abbreviated freshman season didn’t give Sailor Eastman much confidence.
It wasn’t until she was battling Olympic Trials 800 meter runner Juliette Whittaker in the last mile of the Oatlands Invitational that she realized she belonged in the race.
“I kept thinking they were all going to catch me and outkick me,” Eastman said. “I just decided to fake it until I make it.”
- The Coalition for the Capital Crescent Trail will hold its annual meeting at 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 13. The guest speaker will be John Noel, Deputy Superintendent of the C&O Canal National Historical Park, which is responsible for the DC section of the CCT. RVSP here
- The Active Transportation Advisory Group (ATAG) wants your input regarding improving bicycling and walking in Prince George’s County. M-NCPPC staff will update attendees on bicycle and pedestrian-related initiatives, opportunities for input regarding specific projects. ATAG also wants to hear your concerns, ideas, and recommendations on improving bicycling and walking in the county.
- George Washington’s Olivia Syftestad was named the Atlantic 10’s rookie performer of the week for her third place finish at the Mount St. Mary’s Duals
- GW has also hired the District Track Club’s Quamel Prince as an assistant coach.
- American University hired Samford University volunteer assistant Tyra Massey as an assistant coach.
- Former D.C. resident Brittany Peterson has written, directed and edited a short film about two runners completing ultramarathons in D.C. during the pandemic. Learn more here
- The public comment period for the Beach Drive through traffic closures ends at 11:59 p.m. Aug. 22. To provide comments online or get additional information on the project, visit https://parkplanning.nps.gov/beachdrive.
- Georgetown alumna Sam Nadel has been hired as the assistant track and cross country coach at George Washington University.
It takes an hour to get here from Washington, D.C.
You head north on Interstate 270, pass by the main exits for Frederick and continue onto U.S. Route 15. Catoctin Mountain comes into view. And as Cactus Flats Roadhouse passes by on your left, be on the lookout for your exit: Mountaindale Road.
You wind down through fields, passing by Mountaindale Convenience Store. When you have to choose right or left, choose left, and continue on what is still Mountaindale (Putnam Road is to the right). If you start seeing log cabin-inspired homes and the Cold Deer Hunting and Fishing Club, you chose correctly, and are almost there.
In November of 2010–fewer than four months after he conquered the legendary Western States 100 mile endurance run in under 27 hours, and about a month after being diagnosed with stage four lung cancer–Mike Broderick passed away peacefully just days shy of his 54th birthday.
Those closest to Mike, knew him as an avid ultra-runner with a sharp wit, a big smile and an abundance of enthusiasm for all things running. For the rest of the running community, he was best known as a coach, a mentor and a teacher. He was a bit of an evangelist, preaching his love of running to everyone who made his acquaintance. Mike, to his running disciples, was well known for his ability to respond in deep scientific detail to very simple yes or no questions.
That legacy has kept a popular training group in his honor – Broderick to Boston, going eight years after his passing.
Race directors, as you start to solidify plans for 2021 events, don’t forgot to add them to our free race calendar.
If you’re interested in advertising, contact Denise Farley at [email protected].
