By James Moreland
December 31, 2011
Ashburn, VA
For the Washington Running Report
The Hogettes helped out in the fun run. They also noted that a race about hope would fit in nicely with the Washington Redskins.
This the third iteration of the Ringing in Hope races that began last New Year’s Eve. It was followed by an early summer rendition started just down the road. After having a 3K to accompany the main event 10K last year, the races moved to a more logical 5K-10K format.
This year the two races started together with the 5K racing one loop in reverse of last year and finding new ground. For the 10K which was run as an out and back prior, the course offered two loops with slight adjustment. In the final quarter mile of the 5K the 10K split off to circumnavigate the shopping center and surrounding neighborhood, while the 5K raced around the final two corners of the plaza to cross the ChronoTrack mats.
This made things easier than having 10K runners cross the mats twice. And as there were nearly 2,000 runners with the 1K fun run included, it was easier to score. Many of the participants chose to walk the 5K. Often with two distances runners decide to change their race afterwards and it does make scoring a little harder to do.
The really fast runners easily lapped the walkers and many of the 5K runners. A curious phenomenon of racing is that often slower runners make a brilliant burst of speed at the very end leaving one to wonder why it took them so long to finish. On the other hand the truly gifted artisans will ease up when they have verily achieved their victory.
Joshua Hardin, 20, of Sterling, VA started about seven seconds late but bolted past the leaders early. He coasted in the file half mile to win easily in 33:32. He trotted across the line in what one scorer called a “ten minute pace” and at first was thought to be a mid pack 5K finisher. He may have needed to slow to get past the multitude of 5K finishers as he was alone among the 10K runners. Doubters need only see his 32:23 overall win at the Leesburg 10K last August ahead of Seife Geletu who earned 23rd place in the Elite division of the Fall Runner Rankings. Aaron Church set the standard last year in 32:14 as well as winning the summer version in 33:02.
Jonathan Phillips, 19, was the runner-up in 34:49 and then three submasters battled for the third spot. Brian Szabos, 38, took command in the end with a pure 6:00 pace and 37:18 finish.
For the women, the standard was a very solid 30:24 in the summer by Sarah Bard and Anna Bernal had been tops a full year ago in 39:45. Today Melissa Saunders, 19, ran away from three ladies more than twice her age. Her nifty 41:00 even had her as the fifteenth 10K finisher of the day. Lisa Chilcote (left) has been a busy bee racing all around the region this year but usually just over the official border. In the fall she settled a bright colored flower at the Veterans Day 10K in 40:04 to earn the fifth masters spot in the rankings. It also made her the favorite today but not by much. Cathy Ross, 41, had run a very solid Richmond Half Marathon. Mandana Mortazavi, 48, had been used to ruling the Loudoun County races. These three did not begin to sort out until the second half of the race. Chilcote was runner-up in 41:39 on a reasonably flat course with a few deceptively tough hills. Ross was just a little way behind in 42:24 with Mortazavi cruising in with 43:05.
Ryan Hughes, 15, (left) battled three other runners for the 5K honors. His 17:08 is the second fastest time behind Axel Tarnvik, 18, who ran a 16:41 in the summer. Indeed the next 8 runners all bested the second fastest time of the summer. Last winter in the 3K only one runner beat 49-year-old Ted Poulos and his 10:55 and that was Tarnvik who ran 10:27.
Poulos, now 50, was sixth overall in 19:03 easily the top master as he enters his full first month as a grand master. For the year Poulos has run 170 races, just his tenth best yearly total. During one five- year stretch in the last decade he ran 1235 of his nearly 5000 career races. It has been many years since he has not had fifty overall wins in a year. This year his total is 64.
Just has in the summer the top three women included a record, with Amy Passeuer, 22, running 20:22 to reset the standard set by Karen Haddon in the summer, a teen with Jillian Stoddard, also faster than the old standard in 20:34, and a masters finisher. Cheryl Young, 42, just nipped Kathy Hoenig’s summer crown of 21:20 with a crown making 21:18.
For the seasoned runners, Alan Rider, 75, jovially promised a victory in the 10K. Then he had to run for his life to head off James Chapman for the title 57:14 to 57:38. Margaret Collie, 67 was the oldest female finisher, winning her division.
In the 5K Maynard Weyers, 75, (right) generally has his way and dominated in 27:45. Most likely Rider was a few strides behind him when they split directions at the 5K finish.
For the ladies, Lee Glassco, 80, was the beneficiary of expanded age groups of 80 & older for another victory. If you build the division, they will come. Barbara Potzick, 71, was lured out of racing retirement to give it a go. This was only her second event in five years. She predicted about forty minutes, and even running “easily to avoid injury” she finished in a marvelous 36:27. Now she is thinking about another race to earn a coveted spot in the Washington Running Report Winter Runner Rankings, which end the day before the 2012 St.Patrick’s Race in March.
Awards Listing for the 10K (No Duplicate Prizes) updated 1/6/12
MALE OVERALL
1 1835 Joshua Hardin 20 Potomac Falls VA 33:32 X
2 961 Jonathan Phillips 19 Oak Hill VA 34:49 X
3 1800 Brian Szabos 38 South Riding VA 37:18 X
FEMALE OVERALL
1 412 Melissa Saunders 19 Potomac Falls VA 41:00 X
2 829 Lisa Chilcote 41 N Bethesda MD 41:39 X
3 303 Cathy Ross 40 Burke VA 42:24 X
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 1 - 19
1 912 Nathan Blevins 10 Manassas Park VA X 40:27
2 1353 Marco Lim 15 Centreville VA X 40:38
3 1390 Steven Hurwitt 19 Ashburn VA X 41:49
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 1 - 19
1 1957 Rachel Laveson 16 Annandale VA X 48:34
2 247 Maddie Siegel 19 Aldie VA X 49:36
3 1327 Grace Howard 12 Leesburg VA X 51:16
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 20 - 29
1 1124 Auguste Boti Bigore 28 Silver Spring MD X 39:04
2 525 Alan Mendoza 29 Ashburn VA X 39:53
3 2919 Miguel Perez 29 Silver Spring MD X 40:45
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 20 - 29
1 269 Amy Franklin 26 Leesburg VA X 43:33
2 1861 Miranda Forte 26 Gaithersburg MD X 44:32
3 1462 Dawn Gilbert 29 Manassas VA X 45:33
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 30 - 39
1 1923 Jeffrey Hiott 38 Washington DC X 37:26
2 622 David Pattie 37 Ashburn VA X 39:02
3 191 Anthony Deluise 36 Ashburn VA X 40:03
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 30 - 39
1 179 Danielle Newcome 34 Round Hill VA X 43:59
2 403 Alison Gittelman 39 South Riding VA X 44:24
3 1323 Carrie Leestma 32 Ashburn VA X 44:37
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 40 - 49
1 1850 Craig Hymes 49 Reston VA X 38:09
2 286 Lawrence Kusko 42 Stephens City VA X 40:28
3 393 Chris Godesky 40 Arlington VA X 40:31
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 40 - 49
1 1925 Mandana Mortazavi 48 Leesburg VA X 43:05
2 2906 Christie Yang 40 Falls Church VA X 44:25
3 340 Leslie Knibb 48 Washington DC X 45:00
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 50 - 59
1 616 Jeff Bowers 50 Ashburn VA X 41:49
2 167 Timothy Scott 56 Sterling VA X 42:55
3 1948 Bill Stahr 51 The Plains VA X 43:42
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 50 - 59
1 1774 Carole Jones 54 Ashburn VA X 45:23
2 676 Elizabeth Baumgarten 55 Stone Ridge VA X 46:54
3 547 Rosalind Poe 54 Leesburg VA X 47:00
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 60 - 69
1 2950 James Hozik 66 Great Falls VA X 49:56
2 1258 Bill Koetter 63 Ashburn VA X 54:29
3 512 Mike Thorson 69 Reno NV X 55:53
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 60 - 69
1 1089 Margaret Collie 67 Vienna VA X 53:46
2 599 Janice Cooper 65 Annandale VA X 1:14:58
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 70 - 79
1 816 Alan Rider 75 Reston VA X 57:14
2 198 James Chapman 70 Lovettsville VA X 57:38
MALE FIRST TIME RACER: NET TIME - NET PACE 1 - 99
1 39:53 525 Alan Mendoza 29 M Ashburn VA 39:53
FEMALE FIRST TIME RACER: NET TIME - NET PACE 1 - 99
1 56:39 642 Noreen Holcomb 49 F Brambleton VA 56:39
Awards Listing for the 5K (No Duplicate Prizes)
MALE OVERALL
1 1083 Ryan Hughes 15 Ashburn VA 17:08 5
2 1842 Thomas Johnson 26 Arlington VA 17:16 5
3 1798 Gregory Steinberger 35 South Riding VA 17:22 5
FEMALE OVERALL
1 1276 Amy Passauer 22 Ashburn VA 20:22 5
2 655 Jillian Stoddard 18 Purcellville VA 20:34 5
3 1966 Cheryl Young 42 Reston VA 21:18 5
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 1 - 19
1 1434 Chris Schopper 16 Broadlands VA 5 18:46
2 1373 Matthew Celsa 16 Sterling VA 5 19:04
3 1067 Adam Fischel 17 Broadlands VA 5 19:44
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 1 - 19
1 1057 Ayan Adu 13 Brambleton VA 5 23:40
2 1367 Alyssa Coon 13 Ashburn VA 5 23:59
3 1951 Livia Sabloff 9 Leesburg VA 5 24:40
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 20 - 29
1 281 David Pittman 27 Washington DC 5 19:07
2 1904 Danny Haley 24 Grasonville MD 5 21:43
3 667 Evan Stoddard 22 Purcellville VA 5 22:37
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 20 - 29
1 1989 Brittan Holiday 22 Chandler AX 5 21:20
2 1410 Elisabeth Flores 20 Sterling VA 5 22:32
3 1123 Krystine Rivera 25 Ashburn VA 5 22:38
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 30 - 39
1 405 Adam Borbidge 33 South Riding VA 5 17:41
2 302 Glen Case 36 Ashburn VA 5 19:38
3 1929 Ben Jones 38 Ashburn VA 5 20:24
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 30 - 39
1 897 Nicole Knutson 32 Alexandria VA 5 21:21
2 1837 Shannon Nieves 30 Reston VA 5 23:12
3 1971 Elizabeth Clor 33 Chantilly VA 5 23:18
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 40 - 49
1 1873 David Sousa 40 Fairfax VA 5 20:28
2 1214 Eric Whitaker 43 Fairfax VA 5 21:12
3 1817 Jason Warde 40 Vienna VA 5 22:14
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 40 - 49
1 414 Kelly Saunders 42 Potomac Falls VA 5 24:49
2 1181 Constance Pullella 43 Leesburg VA 5 24:57
3 1256 Beth Alwin 48 Leesburg VA 5 25:46
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 50 - 59
1 1934 Ted Poulos 50 McLean VA 5 19:03
2 862 Tom Nealley 52 Reston VA 5 21:16
3 1253 Gary Dunlap 50 Leesburg VA 5 22:20
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 50 - 59
1 1987 Felice Berkowitz 52 Fairfax VA 5 24:22
2 2973 Shawn Miller 55 Ashburn VA 5 24:40
3 539 Cheryl Collins 53 Gainesville VA 5 26:28
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 60 - 69
1 765 Robert Driscoll 65 Chantilly VA 5 25:09
2 1131 Randy Latimer 61 Vienna VA 5 29:59
3 1142 Paul Behrs 67 Sterling VA 5 30:25
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 60 - 69
1 1224 Sherry Fitzsimmons 62 Ashburn VA 5 33:28
2 939 Kerry H Rader 62 Chantilly VA 5 41:22
3 646 Chris Ferrario 61 Fairfax Station VA 5 48:24
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 70 - 79
1 1292 Maynard Weyers 75 Alexandria VA 5 27:45
2 1098 Thomas Grisard 70 Reston VA 5 38:43
3 1876 Norm Wingard 75 Loveland CO 5 40:58
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 70 - 79
1 896 Barbara Potzick 71 Potomac MD 5 36:27
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 80 - 99
1 773 Lee Glassco 80 McLean VA 5 53:31
MALE FIRST TIME RACER: NET TIME - NET PACE 1 - 99
1 22:38 320 Chase Strait 16 M South Riding VA 22:38
FEMALE FIRST TIME RACER: NET TIME - NET PACE 1 - 99
1 24:34 381 Christina Lee 20 F Sterling VA 24:34
By James Moreland
Washington, DC
March 20, 2011
For the Washington Running Report
Below Gurmessa Megerssa breaks the tape.
In typical Washington Metro the weather juked us better than scoring guard in a NCAA March Madness tournament. Colder than normal most of the winter we were torched by nearly eighty on Friday. Saturday racers were greeted with wonderful spring weather in the mid sixties. Then as the real spring dawned at Freedom Plaza the temperatures dipped below freezing.
No matter; this race was all about awareness of a deadly cancer that can, in many cases, may be prevented by vigilant screening. The race was about raising money to find a cure. Just as with the other major “Cure” events, 05-01-11 Race for Hope – DC Presented by Cassidy Turley to benefit the Brain Tumor Society and Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure (Washington, DC) and the largest of all the Susan G. Komen Global Race for the Cure set for June 4, 2011 in Washington, DC, this event brings caring, sharing people who want to find a cure.
The event had close to 2,000 finishers and nearly twice as many men as women. Nearly all of the runners that moved down Pennsylvania Avenue after crossing the ChronoTrack starting mats were there to celebrate survival of loved ones and the determination to move forward to a cure.
There were some top flight racers there as well. Three women had been ranked first in the area. Two of the men had as well. At the start Bert Rodriguez, 31, of Arlington, VA looked over the field but he already had a plan to break 15:00. The weather was perfect and the flat course was, “almost like a track.” He was advised that the overall went just one deep and top ranked Gurmessa Megerssa was standing close by. Megerssa had finished a solid third overall at the Van Metere 5M in 24:49 just 24 hours ago.
Rodriguez, known as an 800M specialist, could not wait. The start was a 1-2-3 countdown by visiting Redskin Cheerleaders and he was off. He quickly took the lead, following by Adam Condit and Megerssa, who loped along after him like a dog playing in the park.
The race runs down to the Capitol and then does a loop on the eastern side before returning home. As runners approached that loop, many gasped and one shouted out in surprise as these two racing titans were already heading home, racing neck and neck. The wind was pretty mild. Still, Rodriguez lamented later that maybe he should have let Megerssa take some of the lead duties. At mile 2.25 Megerssa made his move which Rodriguez could not quite cover. Megerssa scored another overall win for the year in a very nice 14:55. Rodriguez broke the magic 15:00 barrier by a second.
Almost forgotten Condit (in photo) had a nifty 15:08 to take third overall and first in his age group. Fourth place is a former rankings champion who had won the St. Patrick’s Day race three times back when it was a 10K. Philippe Rolly, 38, of Arlington, VA has been training mega miles and is gearing up for next weekend’s National Marathon. He even ran the last year’s JFK 50.2 mile in a very credible 6:52:15. He lamented that he does not have much speed right now. His time of 16:42 would make most of the rest of us very proud. With abbreviated age groups, he settled into second behind Rodriguez.
Another Frenchman took the top masters spot. Jean Christophe Arcaz, 50, of Rockville, MD was a mortal lock in the traditional 50-54 division. Today the expanded set up with 45-59, he had his work cut out for him. He succeeded in 17:14 with a close battle from Robert Denmark, 45, of Arlington, VA flying home next in 17:26.
For the women, Susannah Kvasnicka, 36, of Great Falls, VA has had 34:30 10K speed. She might have been a co-favorite with Samia Akbar,28, of Herndon, VA the Army 10M record holder from 2009 with 55:25 or Claire Hallissey, 27 of Arlington, VA (below) who had won it all at the winter’s biggest 10K, the Jingle All the Way 10K in 35:17.
Kvasnicka has been absent and healing and is pretty much starting over. Her last race was sixth overall at the Kaiser Permanente Pike’s Peek 10K in April 2010 with 35:57. Akbar had finished second overall in the Fall Runner Rankings with her 27:00 overall win at the HCS 8K in the fall. Still it was clear Kvasnicka was just getting her feet wet and Hallissey only had to hold off Akbar which she did 17:52 to 17:56. Neither were ecstatic with their times but the season has just begun. Both will be faster than 17:00 by Memorial Day. Shortly after that Kvasnicka will be there too.
In the masters division, Lisa Chilcote, 40, of Oakmont, PA keeps moving up. She took the masters division by more than two minutes, finishing in 19:02. She was ninth in the fall Runner Rankings when she was listed as from Bethesda, MD. In the winter she moved up to fifth. He time today is her best masters effort…so far.
The stream of blue race T-shirts continued on for more than an hour. After the race, there were many nice refreshments for all of the participants.
Awards Listing
MALE OVERALL
Place Num Name Age City Gun T Net T Pace
===== ===== ====================== === ===================== ===== ===== =====
1 5 Gurmessa Megerssa 31 Washington DC 14:55 14:55 4:48
FEMALE OVERALL
Place Num Name Age City Gun T Net T Pace
===== ===== ====================== === ===================== ===== ===== =====
1 2329 Claire Hallissey 28 Arlington VA 17:52 17:51 5:45
MALE AGE GROUP: 1 - 19 (NET TIME)
1 1962 Jack Beecher 19 Washington DC 17:24 17:22 5:36
2 1075 Joseph Giammittorio 18 Falls Church VA 20:08 19:52 6:24
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 1 - 19 (NET TIME)
1 2604 Gillian Kramer 16 Cheverly MD 22:55 22:48 7:21
2 2519 Christine Downie 18 Arlington VA 26:09 23:32 7:35
MALE AGE GROUP: 20 - 29 (NET TIME)
1 747 Adam Condit 27 Ashburn VA 15:08 15:08 4:53
2 263 Neal Hannan 29 Washington DC 17:09 17:08 5:31
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 20 - 29 (NET TIME)
1 3 Samia Akabar 29 Oak Hill VA 17:56 17:55 5:46
2 1950 Nikeya Green 28 Centreville VA 19:11 19:10 6:10
MALE AGE GROUP: 30 - 44 (NET TIME)
1 2050 Bert Rodriguez 31 Arlington VA 14:59 14:59 4:50
2 1105 Philippe Rolly 38 McLean VA 16:42 16:42 5:23
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 30 - 44 (NET TIME)
1 2474 Kristin Murphy 30 Newton MA 18:19 18:19 5:54
2 1560 Lisa Chilcote 40 Oakmont PA 19:02 19:01 6:08
MALE AGE GROUP: 45 - 59 (NET TIME)
1 19 Jean-Christophe Arcaz 50 Rockville MD 17:14 17:14 5:33
2 2172 Robert Denmark 45 Arlington VA 17:27 17:26 5:37
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 45 - 59 (NET TIME)
1 1998 Patti Galleher 53 Denver CO 21:06 21:03 6:47
2 2334 Cathy Grable 45 Charlotte NC 21:21 21:17 6:51
MALE AGE GROUP: 60 - 99 (NET TIME)
1 2609 Bill Ference 60 Clifton VA 23:38 23:35 7:36
2 153 Michael Loney 60 Silver Spring MD 24:18 24:14 7:48
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 60 - 99 (NET TIME)
1 906 Deborah Schnabel 61 Fairfax VA 33:03 31:52 10:16
2 573 Stephanie Dalton 67 Washington DC 36:41 35:29 11:26
With the football season far away, Redskins Cheerleaders take a look at the new Washington Running Report.
