If tailwind and the downhill course weren’t enough to get people rolling at the Pike’s Peek 10k in Rockville, five days of pent-up tension led to a moment of silence on the starting line to honor the victims and their families affected by the Boston Marathon bombing.
[button-red url=”http://www.mcrrc.org/pikes-peek-10k-5″ target=”_self” position=”left”] Results [/button-red]Race director Jean Arthur said that Monday’s tragedy created anxiety for her with less than a week until the race.
“It added a few extra steps,” Arthur said. “But it went off okay. People showed up and I’m happy about that.”
An impressive group made up the elite competition and led the way through some heavy wind conditions and a cool breeze. But runners seemed to enjoy the near-ideal running conditions downhill along the Rockville Pike to White Flint Mall.
First place finisher Girma Gebre and second place finisher Ayele Feisa, both of whom came from New York
City to compete, pulled away from the leading pack near mile three. Less than a mile later, Gebre was able to widen the gap even farther and brought home a $1,000 check with a winning time of 28:23. Washington, D.C.’s very own Tumicha Horsa also had an impressive finish with a time of 28:45, placing third and winning $650.
The women’s competition came down to Tsehay Getiso, a 19-year-old visiting from New York City for the race, and Jane Murage of Royersford, Pa. Both Getiso and Murage led the close-knit women’s pack for the majority of the race.
Getiso, who recently overcame an injury, is currently working toward qualifying for the 2016 Olympics. And despite her best attempt to hang on, Murage took home the $1,000-winning prize money by crossing the finish line two seconds faster than Getiso. Trailing less than a minute behind the first two women was third-place finisher Hirut Mandefro of Washington, D.C. Mandefro brought home $650 with a fast finish of 33:13.
The race’s additional security included K9 dogs at the start and finish and motorcycles that drove up and down the course. Though every year requires a strong police presence, which involves coordinating several large road closures, this year’s race implemented heightened security measures in the wake of recent events.
Caroline Thompson of Rockville, Md., who has been running with a group of five other friends, said that she noticed some anxiety in the air.
“I think everybody had such a great spirit about it,” Thompson said. “I didn’t hear anyone wanting to drop out and not run.”
While the 18th Annual Pike’s Peek 10k marked Thompson’s second time competing in the race, she ran the course seven minutes faster than she did in 2012.
Pike’s Peek marked Calvin Baxter’s first 10k race. A runner since 2001, Baxter of Silver Spring, Md. competed in a Superman t-shirt, the same shirt that his son wore for the Kids Fun Run. Though Baxter was a little nervous about competing in a race that he had signed up for only one day prior, he said he found himself wanting to pass people on the course.
“I just wanted to compete in the race to bring my son out here so that he could do the kid’s race,” Baxter said. “I didn’t realize that when you get out here, it gets kind of competitive.”
Tradition is important for Pike’s Peek, a race that celebrates finishing with a festival area full of food, family activities and live music. Thirteen years ago, Lieutenant Pedro Meneses competed beside his recruiting class when he was enrolled in the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Training Academy. On the day of the Pike’s Peek 10k, Meneses led his own group of recruits to the race as head of the recruit fitness department for the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service, a tradition that he said has been going on for at least 13 years.
“This is culminating a lot of the training they’ve been going through at the academy,” Meneses said with recruits around him. “They’ve got another 10 weeks to go.”
Despite race security concerns throughout the country, the tradition and timeless racing spirit led to another successful Pike’s Peek. The event proceeds went to the Montgomery County Youth Recreation Fund, Rockville Youth Recreation Fund, Scleroderma Foundation of Greater Washington DC and the RRCA Road Scholars.
By James Moreland
Broadlands, VA
March 10, 2012
For the Washington Running Report
In its 20th year this popular 5 mile race upgraded yet again. First, they certified the course (over the years the race has started from a quite a few different sides of the course). The race has already been famous for its prolific random awards. This year the race expanded to five year age groups to make the age challenge even more fair. The food has always been fun with dozens of doughnuts and coffee to go along with the healthier apples and bananas. This year there were scores of commemorative cupcakes with eatable logos. Comparing the different types for taste was an enviable task.
Last year David Nightingale battled Karl Dusen for the title winning in 23:56. Dusen’s 24:03 was solidly ahead of third place Gurmessa Megressa’s 24:25. Last year the event was a week after the mammoth St. Patrick’s Day 8K, which had been won by Demesse Tefera. Tefera started but dropped last year. This year Tefera battled New York’s Teklu Deneke, pulling away in the final sixty meter down hill charge to finish in 24:55. Dusen finished third this year in 25:53, all alone with fourth place Charlie Ban arriving nearly two minutes later. The certified course was about 250 feet longer than last year but that hardly explains the slower times. The sunny day was cool with a more than just pleasant breeze. The top reason may be that tomorrow will be national class competition at the massive (7500 person) St. Patrick’s Day 8K. Tefera will be there to defend his title.
On the women’s side which has now become the larger of the two sexes in most races, the course saw seven runners more than a minute faster than last year’s champion. Runner-up and former Runner Rankings champion Hirut Mandefro could not keep pace with Askale Merachi, a new face in town. Mandefro ran a very nice 29:02 but she was closely shadowed by two new faces, Anna Gosselin, 23, in 29:10 and Maura Carroll, 22, in 29:13. Merachi turned the final corner in seventh overall at 28:28. If the course had been a few meters longer she would have finished her rundown of sixth place man Bryan Young 28:26.
Peggy Yetman, 43 of Leesburg, VA was testing the waters again in her first race since surgery in December. Everyone in the field was amazed by her excellent 29:16, staying with the lead pack the whole way. She will tell you she was delighted with the race .She will thinking, “Another month of recovery and I could have one it all.” One of her first races after she arrived from Texas was right here just five seconds short of the title in 29:01. Mandana Mortazavi, 48, (in photo) was the second master in 35:47.
After the race, there were lots of folks to thank for the race’s continuous success and checks for Children’s National Medical Center. The race won a special award to get an additional $75,000 to add to the already massive $106,000 they had gathered from the proceeds of the event.
Awards
FEMALE OVERALL
Place Num Name Age City Time
===== ===== ======================= === ===================== =====
1 4 Askale Merachi 24 Washington DC 28:28
2 536 Hirut Mandefro 26 Washington DC 29:02
3 617 Anna Gosselin 23 Vienna VA 29:10
MALE OVERALL
Place Num Name Age City Time
===== ===== ======================= === ===================== =====
1 5 Teklu Deneke 32 New York NY 24:55
2 3 Demesse Tefera 29 Washington DC 25:00
3 615 Karl Dusen 29 Mt Airy MD 25:53
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 1 - 14
1 556 Logan Cunningham 14 Ashburn VA 39:32
2 123 Campbell Brown 13 Herndon VA 44:21
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 1 - 14
1 482 Jonathan Kerr 13 Ashburn VA 39:10
2 381 Andrew Bouras 13 Ashburn VA 39:29
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 15 - 19
1 289 Melissa Saunders 19 Potomac Falls VA 32:04
2 26 Amelia Jones 17 Baltimore MD 33:16
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 15 - 19
1 481 Alex Kerr 18 Ashburn VA 30:13
2 329 Steven Hurwitt 19 Ashburn VA 30:23
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 20 - 24
1 613 Maura Carroll 22 Washington DC 29:12
2 270 Elisabeth Flores 21 Sterling VA 35:34
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 20 - 24
1 107 John Baldwin 20 Reston VA 31:09
2 630 Jim Bradshaw Jr 20 Springfield VA 35:04
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 25 - 29
1 616 Susan Hendrick 26 Washington DC 30:01
2 299 Jessie Yester 27 Richmond VA 30:31
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 25 - 29
1 614 Charlie Ban 27 Falls Church VA 27:48
2 407 Nyandusi Omurwa 28 Kingston PA 28:02
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 30 - 34
1 233 Erica Cline 33 Leesburg VA 35:59
2 247 Kathryn Hessen 32 Ashburn VA 37:07
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 30 - 34
1 612 Brian Young 33 Washington DC 28:25
2 635 Ryan Parks 33 Fairfax VA 32:40
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 35 - 39
1 239 Kathleen West 36 Chantilly VA 37:54
2 181 Sally Stevenson 38 Ashburn VA 38:38
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 35 - 39
1 601 Gregory Stemberger 35 South Riding VA 28:43
2 602 Brian Szabos 38 South Riding VA 29:33
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 40 - 44
1 494 Peggy Yetman 43 Leesburg VA 29:15
2 323 Jill Benhart 43 Broadlands VA 40:06
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 40 - 44
1 467 Andrew O'Brien 41 Centreville VA 30:51
2 550 Atle Nesheim 43 Ashburn VA 32:42
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 45 - 49
1 604 Mandana Mortazavi 48 Leesburg VA 35:27
2 487 Stephanie Cappiello 48 Ashburn VA 39:27
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 45 - 49
1 619 Jim Nielsen 46 Ashburn VA 29:11
2 549 Jeff Gilliland 47 Clifton VA 32:34
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 50 - 54
1 25 Judy Graham 54 Baltimore MD 37:03
2 399 Sarah Buckheit 51 Reston VA 37:59
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 50 - 54
1 542 Martin Calhoun 50 Herndon VA 30:18
2 24 Nicholas Jones 52 Baltimore MD 32:37
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 55 - 59
1 40 Elizabeth Baumgarten 55 Stone Ridge VA 38:14
2 497 Carol Beaupre 55 Ashburn VA 45:50
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 55 - 59
1 129 Kevin Apsley 55 Herndon VA 35:22
2 448 Rob Colburn 56 Ashburn VA 37:01
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 60 - 64
1 310 Linda Leatherbury 60 Great Falls VA 69:20
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 60 - 64
1 334 Bill Koetter 63 Ashburn VA 42:36
2 434 Ting Yi Oei 63 Reston VA 43:56
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 65 - 69
1 254 John Baxter 65 Fairfax VA 41:37
2 219 Donald Burnham 65 Aldie VA 48:42
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 70 - 99
1 362 Chan Robbins 74 Arlington VA 40:20
2 125 James Chapman 71 Herndon VA 41:17
MALE FIRST TIME RACER: NET TIME - NET PACE 1 - 99
1 390 Dimitri Shanin 35 M Springfield VA 34:16
FEMALE FIRST TIME RACER: NET TIME - NET PACE 1 - 99
1 389 Regina Pace 41 F Springfield VA 41:05
