By Dickson Mercer
Fairfax, VA
July 4, 2011
For the Washington Running Report
In the Lea Gallardo photo above, Laura O’Hara powers to the win with top 40-44 winner Matteo Mainetti on her shoulder and racing legend Alisa Harvey a few strides behind.
Runners in this region say the best way to prepare mentally for a summer race is to expect the absolute worst. In that event, more than 1,500 runners who participated in Capital Running Company’s inaugural Let Freedom Run 5K only had to deal with conditions that were roughly par for a rolling course: Independence Day morning offered overcast skies, temperatures below 80 degrees, and a humidity level which – around here, anyway – would only qualify for the not-so-bad category.
Wearing the No. 1 race bib, Aaron Church, 35, of South Riding, VA set the early pace from the start in Fairfax Corner Shopping Center in Fairfax, VA. The Potomac River Running racing team member proceeded to race head to head with Jordan McDougal, brother of former NCAA champ Josh McDougal, for most of the opening mile. (Although the race itself was new, the roller coaster ride-like course was familiar to those who had run the annual Goblin Gallop.)
By 2K, McDougal, 24, (left) had established a narrow gap he would more or less hold the rest of the way. He won the race in 15:46, with Church only 11 seconds back. Bennett Stackhouse, 27, of Arlington, VA took 3rd in 16:19.
McDougal graduated from Liberty in 2008 and now works for The Running Store in Gainesville, VA. For Let Freedom Run, the store put together a seven-person team that also included McDougal’s wife, Leah.
“You can never be disappointed with a win,” said McDougal, who only recently resumed full-time training following a break from an ultra-filled spring season. He won the 50-miler at the North Face Endurance Challenge in Bear Mountain, NY in May and was second to Matt Woods of Falls Church, VA at June’s 50-mile North Face Endurance Challenge Mid-Atlantic Regional in Washington, DC.
The women’s race was a close one, too. The winner, Laura O’Hara, 31, of Alexandria, VA was running with a pack of men in the final mile when she heard someone cheer for the well-known – not to mention speedy – Alisa Harvey, 45, of Manassas, VA.
“I tried to get on my horse and hold her off,” O’Hara said.
O’Hara won in 18:23. Harvey, the clear-cut taker of the female masters’ crown, clocked 18:29. Jacqueline Gruendel, 36, of Clifton, VA claimed third in 18:44. In photo left, she leads top 45-49 finisher Matt Anderson to the finish.
The Let Freedom Run 5K was O’Hara’s third 5K of the summer and she admitted afterward that she was hoping to run closer to 18 minutes. Still, all things considered, coming as it did at the end of a long holiday weekend, O’Hara said she was happy to pick up the win. Her husband, Dave O’Hara, 35, (below) was fourth overall in 16:44.
Chuck Moeser, 59, of Sterling, VA took the masters title in 17:42, a time that also put him seventh overall.
Numerous runners celebrated the July 4 race – a sendoff to barbecues, parties and fireworks – with red, white, and blue racing uniforms, American flag bandanas, and all sorts of patriotic headbands.
In fact, for some veteran runners, July 4 is the one day they break out what might very well be the finest in old school-meets-patriotic running shorts their collections have to offer.
Racing two weeks shy of his 80th birthday, Larry Dickerson of Burke, VA (325th, 29:13) broke out red, white, and blue shorts he only wears once a year. A runner of nearly 50 years, Dickerson recalled that he got the shorts “somewhere along the line” while a member of Lockheed Martin’s corporate team.
John Carmichael, 49, of South Riding, VA (76th, 22:21) recalled that he picked up his own pair of red, white, and blue racing shorts sometime in the late 1980s. At Let Freedom Run, Carmichael raced alongside numerous friends as well as family, including his 21-year-old nephew, Dave Carmichael of Grantham, NH.
Dave Carmichael was in town to celebrate his grandmother’s 80th birthday, he said. He ran his first race, a marathon, in January.
“I’m passing on the family torch,” said John Carmichael, who was passed by his nephew with two turns to go. “He’s now the best runner in the family.”
Regarding best-runner-in-the-family status, with Dennis and Kathleen Hogan, both 57, the race is still too close to call. The Annandale, VA couple finished their third 5K together today in about 36 minutes. Since mutually deciding to become more active, the Hogans have been entering 5Ks while training together four or five mornings per week.
Perhaps it was the race’s first-timers division that attracted so many new runners. Among them was Eric Korn, 33, who finished his first 5K in 36:41. “Three months ago I could barely run 60 seconds,” he said.
The Harrisonburg, VA resident ran the race with his father, Bill Korn, 66, of Fairfax. His dad, Korn said, ran marathons in 28 states, his 50-state goal eventually disrupted by hip issues. Korn, who got started with a “Couch to 5K” plan, now dreams of picking up the quest where his father left off.
This was the first race in the Capital Running Race Series, which will culminate with the Veterans Day 10K on November 13 and the Jingle All the Way 10K on December 11. Participants can accumulate points for top 10 overall finishes and for placing in the top ten for three masters age group categories, 40-99 – master, 50-99 – grandmaster, & 60-99 – senior. Runners gain additional premium points by finishing in the top ten of division younger than their own.
Combining all three races the awards will go five deep in the open and three deep in the three age groups.
Sponsors for the Let Freedom Run 5K included Mission Springs, a local water company that produces biodegradable bottles; Uncle Julio’s Mexican restaurant, which awarded all racers a $10 gift certificate for race day; Crunch Fitness; Giant; Fairfax Corner, and California Pizza Kitchen.
Awards Listing (No Duplicate Prizes)
ChronoTrack Timing and Scoring
by Capital Running Company
FEMALE OVERALL
Place Num Name Ag City Gun T Net T Pace
===== ===== ===================== == ===================== ===== ===== =====
1 1015 Laura O'Hara 31 Alexandria VA 18:23 18:22 5:55
2 2 Alisa Harvey 45 Manassas VA 18:29 18:28 5:57
3 885 Jacqueline Gruendel 36 Clifton VA 18:44 18:43 6:02
4 1033 Kaitlin Sheedy 28 Washington DC 19:08 19:04 6:09
5 1248 Ashley Kollme 28 Washington DC 19:16 19:14 6:12
6 485 Morgan Price 17 Gainesville VA 19:51 19:49 6:23
7 384 Jennifer Chapman 26 Centreville VA 19:54 19:53 6:24
8 1021 Jessie Hartman 20 Centreville VA 20:16 20:15 6:32
9 856 Kate Weaver 27 Alexandria VA 20:20 20:18 6:32
10 1229 Dorothy Beal 29 South Riding VA 20:28 20:27 6:35
MALE OVERALL
Place Num Name Ag City Gun T Net T Pace
===== ===== ===================== == ===================== ===== ===== =====
1 236 Jordan McDougal 24 Culpeper VA 15:46 15:46 5:05
2 1 Aaron Church 35 South Riding VA 15:57 15:57 5:08
3 325 Bennett Stackhouse 27 Arlington VA 16:19 16:18 5:15
4 1016 David O'Hara 35 Alexandria VA 16:44 16:44 5:24
5 371 Rob Bell 22 Gainesville VA 16:58 16:58 5:28
6 639 Jeff Poindexter 21 Dumfries VA 17:29 17:29 5:38
7 11 Chuck Moeser 59 Sterling VA 17:42 17:42 5:42
8 572 Frank Spicer III 19 Clifton VA 17:53 17:53 5:46
9 298 Keith Freeburn 37 Centreville VA 17:55 17:55 5:46
10 3 Eric Makovsky 38 Washington DC 17:59 17:58 5:47
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 1 - 19
1 575 Hayley Djuric 17 Montgomery AL 22:50 22:27 7:14
2 380 Margaret Schroeder 15 Palm Beach FL 24:01 23:15 7:29
3 239 Theresa Tweedie 19 Woodbridge VA 24:08 23:50 7:41
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 1 - 19
1 1235 Alex Kerr 17 Ashburn VA 18:11 18:10 5:51
2 1190 Malik Wheeler 17 Decatur GA 18:33 18:30 5:58
3 1328 Matthew Thatcher 16 Manassas VA 18:57 18:57 6:06
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 20 - 24
1 205 Hannah Roller 24 Vienna VA 21:49 21:44 7:00
2 1022 Stephanie Gresalfi 23 Arlington VA 22:07 21:52 7:03
3 969 Susanne Shannon 24 Arlington VA 22:37 21:59 7:05
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 20 - 24
1 43 Nathaniel Altom 22 Eau Claire WI 20:16 20:14 6:31
2 1111 Danny Phillips 21 Chantilly VA 22:06 21:50 7:02
3 867 David Carmichael 21 Grantham NH 22:52 22:21 7:12
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 25 - 29
1 935 Melissa Wisner 28 Washington DC 21:38 21:23 6:53
2 1023 Maria Solomon 27 Cordova TN 21:47 21:32 6:56
3 646 Lauren Shaub 27 Arlington VA 22:07 22:01 7:05
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 25 - 29
1 413 Adam Roggia 26 Stafford VA 19:04 19:03 6:08
2 385 Jarrell Warthen 28 Ashburn VA 19:15 19:14 6:12
3 1172 Nhan Bui 25 Springfield VA 20:08 20:03 6:28
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 30 - 34
1 113 Shauna Hanley 30 Falls Church VA 20:55 20:47 6:42
2 965 Carol Mattos 30 Raeford NC 22:39 22:29 7:15
3 702 Amy Mark 31 Waldorf MD 22:38 22:29 7:15
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 30 - 34
1 35 Ellins Thomas 30 Gainesville VA 18:21 18:20 5:54
2 892 Luke Ryan 33 Oakton VA 19:07 18:57 6:06
3 1058 Jesse Izdepski 32 Mandeville LA 19:38 19:38 6:19
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 35 - 39
1 312 Cathy Ross 39 Burke VA 20:37 20:30 6:36
2 696 Cristina Burbach 37 Washington DC 20:48 20:44 6:41
3 594 Michelle Andrew 39 Topeka KS 21:20 21:18 6:52
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 35 - 39
1 997 Christopher Carney 37 Falls Church VA 18:20 18:19 5:54
2 934 Eugene Huang 35 Chicago IL 19:49 19:46 6:22
3 662 Keith Nelson 36 Reston VA 20:13 20:07 6:29
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 40 - 44
1 1178 Carmen Chireix 41 Oakton VA 21:43 21:38 6:58
2 70 Cheryl Young 41 Reston VA 22:04 21:59 7:05
3 226 Charmaine Reed 41 Springfield VA 23:01 22:57 7:23
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 40 - 44
1 1218 Mateo Mainetti 41 Fairfax VA 18:26 18:25 5:56
2 110 Dennis Billings 42 Woodbridge VA 18:32 18:28 5:57
3 689 Brandon Hirsch 41 Rockville MD 18:57 18:54 6:05
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 45 - 49
1 1054 Brenda MacKintosh 45 Springfield VA 22:36 22:28 7:14
2 1337 Annie Downer 46 Herndon VA 23:29 22:57 7:24
3 498 Ellen Willison 45 Stafford VA 24:08 24:03 7:45
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 45 - 49
1 1250 Matt Anderson 45 Fairfax VA 18:49 18:49 6:04
2 1228 Eugene Holmes 46 Arlington VA 19:06 19:02 6:08
3 577 Warren Djuric 49 Montgomery AL 19:11 19:10 6:10
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 50 - 54
1 743 Tamara Smith 53 Falls Church VA 26:28 26:15 8:27
2 109 Becky Moor 51 Alexandria VA 28:11 27:17 8:47
3 223 Kate Alleman 50 Springfield VA 28:49 27:26 8:50
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 50 - 54
1 15 Jean-Christophe Arcaz 50 Rockville MD 18:04 18:04 5:49
2 1181 Bob Briggs 54 Springfield VA 18:19 18:17 5:53
3 417 Tom Moriarty 51 Vienna VA 18:53 18:52 6:05
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 55 - 59
1 1233 Kathy Manzo 56 Casanova VA 25:46 25:12 8:07
2 1065 Dianne Beville 55 Oak Hill VA 27:20 26:23 8:30
3 704 Barbara Schmidt 57 Clifton VA 28:34 27:49 8:58
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 55 - 59
1 571 Frank Spicer 59 Clifton VA 22:22 22:20 7:12
2 1273 Dan Garner 56 Falls Church VA 23:41 23:33 7:35
3 1092 Bill Bristow 58 Burke VA 24:41 24:37 7:56
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 60 - 64
1 1081 Judy Snellgrove 64 Manassas VA 32:15 31:14 10:03
2 287 Janice Cooper 64 Annandale VA 36:56 36:05 11:37
3 813 Kathryn Fanelli 61 Annandale VA 36:49 36:28 11:44
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 60 - 64
1 13 Richard Adams Jr. 60 Herndon VA 19:56 19:56 6:25
2 14 Malcolm Senior 60 New Market MD 20:27 20:22 6:34
3 705 Donald Hodgen 61 Arlington VA 23:13 23:10 7:28
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 65 - 69
1 251 Mary Wallace 65 Reston VA 45:57 44:25 14:18
2 544 Victoria Parra 65 Falls Church VA 59:48 58:37 18:52
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 65 - 69
1 335 Jim Noone 67 Fairfax VA 22:05 22:02 7:06
2 681 Mike Golash 68 Washington DC 23:48 23:42 7:38
3 154 Tommy McVean 66 Naples FL 28:22 28:15 9:06
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 70 - 74
1 804 Ann Feder 71 Oakton VA 61:09 59:09 19:03
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 70 - 74
1 759 John Gluck 73 Alexandria VA 25:59 25:54 8:21
2 1070 Bob Spiller 71 Fairfax VA 41:02 40:21 13:00
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 75 - 79
1 1341 Ruthie Fulton 77 Washington DC 50:52 49:36 15:58
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 75 - 79
1 1213 Maynard Weyers 75 Alexandria VA 27:33 27:31 8:52
2 16 Alan Rider 75 Reston VA 28:03 27:59 9:01
3 12 Larry Dickerson 79 Burke VA 29:24 29:13 9:25
FEMALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 80 - 99
1 591 Barbara Carmichael 80 South Riding VA 51:14 49:58 16:05
MALE AGE GROUP: NET TIME 80 - 99
1 51 Dixon Hemphill 86 Fairfax Station VA 48:37 48:30 15:37
MALE FIRST TIME RACER: NET TIME - NET PACE 1 - 99
1 1190 Malik Wheeler 17 M Decatur GA 18:33 18:30 5:58
FEMALE FIRST TIME RACER: NET TIME - NET PACE 1 - 99
1 113 Shauna Hanley 30 F Falls Church VA 20:55 20:47 6:42
The center plaza with its water park is already known as a family spot. More than 200 fun runners in this first year race amde that even more so.
The top two teams also won awards.
Co-ed Team Results - Open Coed (score 4 by net time)
(at least one man and one woman)
1. 69:32 TRS Racing Team (17:23)
======================================
1 15:46 Jordan McDougal M
2 16:58 Rob Bell M
3 18:20 Ellins Thomas M
4 18:28 Alisa Harvey F
5 (21:46) Aaron Kapaldo M
6 (22:27) Leah McDougal F
7 (22:34) Solamite Santos F
2. 72:33 Capital Area Runners (18:09)
======================================
1 16:18 Bennett Stackhouse M
2 18:19 Christopher Carney M
3 18:52 George Buckheit M
4 19:04 Kaitlin Sheedy F
3. 76:11 Rogue Racers (19:03)
======================================
1 17:29 Jeff Poindexter M
2 17:55 Keith Freeburn M
3 19:03 Adam Roggia M
4 21:44 Hannah Roller F
4. 77:25 Team Scubner (19:22)
======================================
1 15:57 Aaron Church M
2 19:14 Jarrell Warthen M
3 19:53 Jennifer Chapman F
4 22:21 David Carmichael M
5 (22:44) John Carmichael M
6 (23:15) Margaret Schroeder F
7 (29:50) Mary Carmichael F
8 (30:25) Anna Schroeder F
9 (33:25) Donnie Carmichael M
10 (42:22) Mark Schroeder M
5. 92:17 team spicer (23:05)
======================================
1 17:53 Frank Spicer III M
2 22:20 Frank Spicer M
3 25:37 Edward Horkan M
4 26:27 Mary Spicer F
6. 104:10 Team Hungover (26:03)
======================================
1 23:45 Michael Campbell M
2 24:55 Kendall Scott M
3 27:23 Stephen Pierce M
4 28:07 Casey Custer F
5 (31:24) Melissa Kirby F
6 (34:55) Ryan Proppe M
7. 127:04 Neuronators (31:46)
======================================
1 25:49 Franz Hamilton M
2 32:59 Stephanie Schoenberger F
3 34:08 Gretchen Knaack F
4 34:08 Sarah Choi F
8. 127:39 SBA OIG (31:55)
======================================
1 27:18 Travis Farris M
2 28:22 Sydney Manning F
3 31:49 Jack Manning M
4 40:10 Dana Manning F
9. 134:30 Valdez (33:38)
======================================
1 31:28 Marta Depaz F
2 34:19 Abraham Valdez M
3 34:19 Jose Depaz M
4 34:24 Jose Valdez M
10. 135:30 Runners for Forrest (33:53)
======================================
1 29:25 Kasey Crowe F
2 30:02 Andy Monaco M
3 35:28 Vanessa Hatcher F
4 40:35 Gavin Forrest M
11. 157:45 Deadman (39:27)
======================================
1 38:53 Ann Deadman F
2 38:54 Isabelle Deadman F
3 39:59 Madeleine Deadman F
4 39:59 Hal Deadman M
12. 169:32 Texas (42:23)
======================================
1 41:04 Reagan Belvin M
2 41:05 Elena Jamison F
3 41:12 Ninfa Guerrero F
4 46:11 Lauren Belvin F
5 (46:15) Ryan Belvin M
6 (46:16) Stephanie Belvin F
