Friendly competition among teammates helped make the Have a Heart for Boston-Hoffman Elementary School 5k a fast race, despite chilly temperatures and a light drizzle.
[button-red url=”http://www.safetyandhealthfoundation.org/20130223.html” target=”_self” position=”left”] Results [/button-red]The Georgetown Running Club came out en force for the second straight year, sweeping the top five men’s spots and five of the six top women’s spots, including the top three. They showed up to support teammate and race director Samantha “Kirby” Cole, a teacher at the school. Cole credited Suzanne Paul with bringing the race together.
[button-red url=”http://youngrunner.smugmug.com/Race-Photo-Galleries/Have-a-Heart-for-Hoffman/i-v7c92fh” target=”_self” position=”left”] Photos [/button-red]Alex Benway, of Reston, led the blue-clad harriers out in a pack that split close to five minutes for the first mile of the out-and-back course on the Four Mile Run and W&OD trails, starting and ending in Arlington’s
Bluemont Park. The group slowed in the rolling middle mile, and Benway (15:47) took his leave of defending champion Arlingtonian Dave Wertz (16:00) with a mile to go. Third-place finisher Matt Hassett (16:11), of Washington, predicted as much before the race, “It will wind up being a two-mile warmup and one mile race,” he said.
“It is rare to find a person that enjoys racing when it is cold and raining,” Benway said. “But when your team comes out and does it with you, it makes it a lot more manageable.”
Centreville’s Keith Freeburn, off a two-week respite with a back injury, came to the race with a pair of buddies from The Running Store’s racing team. He was familiar with the course after having run the Kinhaven 5k and gave it high marks.
“It’s a straightforward course and you can run pretty fast on it if you do it right,” he said after finishing.
Fourth place finisher Natalie Young(18:15), of Dumfries, led the five-woman GRC pack through the first half beforeCatherine Campbell (18:01) of Bethesda moved ahead on the way back and and Lindsey O’Brien (18:08) and Maura Carroll (18:12) of Washington caught her in the stretch.
“It was a great opportunity for us to test out racing shape and gague what work needs to be done come spring,” Campbell said. “I particularly enjoyed having a great group of girls to run with for over half of the race.”
Boston-Hoffman teacher’s aid Liz Houston, who lives close enough to the park to run there regularly, finished her first 5k race that morning. She volunteered in 2012 and decided to run as part of her effort in the school’s “biggest loser” fitness challenge.
“It was very exciting to finish,” she said. “They put down mile markers, so I knew where I was in the race and it let me know I was pacing myself well.”
She ran by herself, tagging along with other runners at times but focusing on her music to motivate her. Nerves before the race forced her to forgo breakfast, so she appreciated the heart-shaped bagels awaiting finishers.
The experience has her sold on racing again.
“It made the rest of the day more cheerful,” she said. “All those endorphins…”
The race raised money for physical education equipment and to help fund Can You Imagine Me, an after school program which encourages children to make healthy choices and help them train toward running a 5k.
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
