By James Moreland
Reston, VA
May 14, 2011
For the Washington Running Report
The Reston Town Center is a great spot to hold an event. The Run/Walk to Break the Silence on Ovarian Cancer starts with a 5K and is followed by an untimed 1 mile. Long before the race got underway hundreds of participants gathered. Many wore special-colored shirt proclaiming that they were survivors. Groups of people formed almost spontaneously for photo opportunities. Nobody seemed to notice that it looked as if it were going to rain.
At the start, it was announced somewhat apologetically that the course was hilly. Not so! It really seemed as if the course spent all together too much time going down hill to really be a basically out and back course. There were cones all along the way so even with all the turns nobody was going to get lost. In the final mile many of the 5K runners were met head on by the walkers. It was only for one short block and the walkers, who far outnumbered the racers, parted along the side of the road to let them pass.
Before the race, regulars noted that there were no racing super stars. Though the morning was cool that is clearly best for fast running, it was also 99.9% with a fine mist, which it not so good for fast times. Many of the other races held in the region experienced slower than normal times as well.
This day would hold special meaning for many. The event collected more than $100,000 for the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition. For the racers there was a generous $200-100-50 for the top three places. None of the six winners would have predicted that they would have been going home with cash with their respective finishing times. Only two runners were faster than 20:00.
In photo, runners turn one of the final corners for home.
Five year age groups went two deep with gift certificates. Before the race runners could buy in for the raffle and some of those prizes were quite good.
* A one-night stay at the W Hotel in downtown Washington, DC
* Dinner for 2 at any of Chef Geoff’s four locations
* 2 premium seats to DC United game
* A $100 gift certificate for The Melting Pot
* $100 Gift certificate for the Dandy Restaurant Cruise Ships in DC
After Ken, a senior from South Lakes High School rendered a cappella a very nice rendition of our National Anthem, the show got underway. The course left the town center going north and up hill and. Youngsters filled many of the top spots. Seniors got their satisfaction as they flamed out and with the help of a very generous down hill got to prove that some times slow and steady wins the day.
One dad turned to his son and said, “Remember to go steady. Oh and tell me if you need to stop.” The reply was a disappointed groan.
One young colt, who was clearly over dressed with a hood sweatshirt, would come jerking to a stop. He would walk until the next runner caught up and then bolt past him. He held on for more than half the race.
The course was not very wide at the start so many of the hundreds of racers started some time back. Net times are used for age groups but the top three runners (getting cash) are scored by gun time. Race winner Ellins Thomas, 30, of Gainesville, VA was right on the left edge of the ChronoTrack mat was the race began. The next three runners all started at least 11 seconds after the gun. Runner-up Evan Vahouny, 21, of Springfield, VA crossed the line nearly a minute ahead of third place Jacob McComb, 25, of Washington, DC (19:22-20:17). Net time they were much closer (19:33-19:55). Fourth place Paul Vetterick, 27, of Centreville, VA was only five seconds out of the cash with 20:22 and he got to see the later starting McComb catch up and pass him.
For the women, 17-year-old Katie Yensen of Falls Church, VA burst away from the field early to winning easily in 21:23. In the first half mile, two of the younger runners Michelle Brouckman, 13, of Oakton, VA and Rosalind Clayton, 19, of Alexandria, VA darted out with the leaders. They held on nicely but soon they were back in a pack of six runners who all finished between 23:22 and 23:44. Again none of these runners were right on the starting line.
In this case, the battle for the runner-up spot was extremely close. On each of the last three corners in the final quarter mile, excited course marshals urged on the closely battling competitors. Two sub masters pulled free in the final going with Kerry Turner of Great Falls winning in 23:22. Veronica Suhol, who had a slightly faster net time, was next in 23:26. The teens held on for the next two places with barely two seconds separating places 5-7.
In raw speed the only notable age group winner was Ken Quincy, 73, of Vienna, VA in 26:48. Not a big surprise, there were more than twice as many women in the 5K than there were men.
After the race there was plenty of food and water and the DJ kept the town Center hopping with music.
Awards Listing (No Duplicate Prizes)
FEMALE OVERALL
Place Num Name Ag City Time
===== ===== ====================== == ===================== =====
1 1008 Katie Yensen 17 Falls Church VA 21:23
2 778 Kerrie Turner 35 Great Falls VA 23:22
3 1067 Veronica Suhol 35 Gainsville VA 23:26
MALE OVERALL
Place Num Name Ag City Time
===== ===== ====================== == ===================== =====
1 920 Ellins Thomas 30 Gainesville VA 19:06
2 661 Evan Vahouny 21 Springfield VA 19:33
3 516 Jacob McComb 25 Washington DC 20:17
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 1 - 14 (NET TIME)
1 317 Michelle Brouckman 13 Oakton VA 23:34 23:27 7:33
2 444 Hannah Huggins 12 Centreville VA 24:46 24:43 7:58
MALE AGE GROUP: 1 - 14 (NET TIME)
1 765 Michael McDermott 14 Reston VA 22:38 22:36 7:17
2 303 Matthew Bocharnikov 11 Oakton VA 24:01 23:57 7:43
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 15 - 19 (NET TIME)
1 22 Rosalynd Clayton 19 Alexandria VA 23:42 23:35 7:36
2 461 Bridget Kennerley 16 Burke VA 24:15 24:15 7:49
MALE AGE GROUP: 15 - 19 (NET TIME)
1 203 Nick Engquist 19 Annandale VA 23:32 23:27 7:33
2 205 Edward Flynn 17 Damascus MD 24:03 23:45 7:39
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 20 - 24 (NET TIME)
1 1102 Chelsea Zerrenner 23 Cresskill NJ 24:44 24:36 7:55
2 567 Krystal Pittelkau 24 Warrenton VA 25:09 25:05 8:05
MALE AGE GROUP: 20 - 24 (NET TIME)
1 662 Eric Vahouny 23 Springfield VA 22:53 22:43 7:19
2 1127 Eric Blackstone 20 Lorton VA 24:45 24:40 7:57
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 25 - 29 (NET TIME)
1 1070 Kristina Torpey 28 Herndon VA 23:43 23:38 7:37
2 579 Heather Rabinowitz 27 Arlington VA 24:04 23:56 7:43
MALE AGE GROUP: 25 - 29 (NET TIME)
1 1039 Paul Vetterick 27 Centreville VA 20:22 20:11 6:30
2 455 Tom Kaczmarek 26 Arlington VA 20:48 20:47 6:42
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 30 - 34 (NET TIME)
1 557 MacKenzie Phelps 34 Olney MD 25:41 25:34 8:14
2 637 Sarah Susco 32 Arlington VA 26:39 26:28 8:32
MALE AGE GROUP: 30 - 34 (NET TIME)
1 565 Stephen Pipino 30 Fairfax VA 21:50 21:48 7:01
2 636 Jeremy Susco 31 Arlington VA 22:52 22:41 7:19
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 35 - 39 (NET TIME)
1 992 Kaia Turner 38 South Riding VA 23:44 23:40 7:38
2 287 Teresa Beamer 39 Sterling VA 26:47 23:41 7:38
MALE AGE GROUP: 35 - 39 (NET TIME)
1 872 Jeffrey Phelps 36 Fairfax VA 20:33 20:32 6:37
2 715 Ben Moore 38 Wilmington NC 23:50 23:28 7:34
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 40 - 44 (NET TIME)
1 1024 Laura White 42 Leesburg VA 25:07 25:02 8:04
2 888 Maureen Walsh 42 Vienna VA 25:47 25:43 8:17
MALE AGE GROUP: 40 - 44 (NET TIME)
1 687 Jason Zocks 40 Washington DC 26:50 25:10 8:06
2 1030 Hal Perloff 42 Annandale VA 25:38 25:23 8:11
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 45 - 49 (NET TIME)
1 386 Cecelia Dwyer 49 Vienna VA 27:05 26:57 8:41
2 499 Leila P Lucas 48 Ashburn VA 28:13 27:59 9:01
MALE AGE GROUP: 45 - 49 (NET TIME)
1 732 Chip Hulbert 46 Reston VA 20:42 20:42 6:40
2 964 Clinton McCauley 47 Herndon VA 21:46 21:39 6:58
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 50 - 54 (NET TIME)
1 414 Stephanie Gilson 51 Arlington VA 26:18 26:02 8:23
2 660 Karen Vahouny 54 Springfield VA 27:24 27:06 8:44
MALE AGE GROUP: 50 - 54 (NET TIME)
1 1048 Michael Kortan 54 Reston VA 25:16 25:03 8:04
2 451 David Jones 51 Reston VA 26:43 26:35 8:34
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 55 - 59 (NET TIME)
1 575 Marlene Puglisi 56 Woodbridge VA 29:44 29:15 9:25
2 398 Lynde Engquist 57 Annandale VA 31:33 31:29 10:08
MALE AGE GROUP: 55 - 59 (NET TIME)
1 924 James Moreland 58 Gaithersburg MD 23:19 23:19 7:31
2 528 Richard Moore 55 Centreville VA 26:11 25:57 8:21
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 60 - 64 (NET TIME)
1 20 Rosalynd Clayton 60 Alexandria VA 39:39 39:33 12:44
2 57 Elizabeth Jenkins 60 Reston VA 40:44 40:21 12:59
MALE AGE GROUP: 60 - 64 (NET TIME)
1 477 Wayne Lapham 64 Herndon VA 27:23 27:06 8:44
2 148 John Stevens 64 Oak Hill VA 32:43 32:07 10:21
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 65 - 69 (NET TIME)
1 1027 Marcia Smith 65 Falls Church VA 55:39 54:18 17:29
2 534 Ellen Muddiman 65 Ophelia VA 65:37 63:57 20:35
MALE AGE GROUP: 65 - 69 (NET TIME)
1 292 Monty Bennett 66 Burke VA 47:52 46:25 14:57
2 348 Kyle Clifton 69 Fairfax Station VA 51:31 50:18 16:12
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 70 - 99 (NET TIME)
1 211 Sally Harper 71 Fayetteville PA 40:07 38:34 12:25
2 119 Judith Phillips 72 Fresno CA 43:20 42:49 13:47
MALE AGE GROUP: 70 - 99 (NET TIME)
1 993 Ken Quincy 73 Vienna VA 26:48 26:44 8:37
2 962 David Bailey 71 Sterling VA 57:45 56:02 18:03
