Despite meeting just two weeks ago, Andrew Brodeur and Landon Peacock have established quite the rivalry. The Pacers-New Balance teammates participated in last week’s St. Patrick’s Day 8k, where Brodeur edged Peacock to claim a first-place finish (24:30).

Saturday’s Four Courts Four Miler yielded similar results for the two as Brodeur once again bested Peacock to earn first-place honors in the fifth annual St. Patty’s Day weekend race.

But the two former collegiate runners claim that their competitive running days are behind them.

“I’m done with that part of my life,” Brodeur, 23, said with a laugh. “I don’t want any more rivalries. I’m just trying to have fun right now. We’re on the same team.”

[button-red url=”http://www.albanyrunningexchange.org/results/search.php?ID=3782″ target=”_self” position=”left”] 4M Results[/button-red]Brodeur (19:33) averaged 4:54 per mile to set a course record previously held by Frank DeVar, who finished the 2011 race in 19:44. Brodeur recently moved to Bethesda, Md., from New Jersey, and Saturday’s Four Courts race was his first.

“I went out really quickly because the first mile is all downhill,” the former Duke University cross country runner said. “If my watch was correct, I came through in 4:16. I really like the fact that it’s an out-and-back course. You have people cheering for you the whole way back so that makes it really cool and easy to keep going.”

More than 1,550 runners converged on Wilson Boulevard to participate in the fifth annual Four Courts Four Miler in Arlington, Va., on Saturday, March 15. The race, which earned its fifth consecutive sellout, attracted both competitive and casual runners from around the area. The course ended just a few yards from Ireland’s Four Courts restaurant, where an awards ceremony awaited runners at the conclusion of the race.

Saturday’s Four Courts Four Miler was also Peacock’s (20:17) first. The former University of Wisconsin at Madison runner said he found the course challenging.

“I didn’t really know what to expect; it’s kind of an extreme course because the first half of the race is downhill, and then it goes right back uphill,” he said. “I was a bit deceived in that I felt really good running downhill, but I was just hurting on the way back up. That part of the course was a little less fun.”

Arlington resident Claire Hallissey (23:19) finished first among females runners and averaged 5:50 per mile. The 2012 Great Britain Olympic team member had an additional reason to celebrate an already special weekend.

“I’ve always enjoyed St. Patrick’s Day weekend, especially since I was born on St. Patrick’s Day,” Hallissey, 30, said. “It’s nice to kick the weekend off with a good race. It’s such a fun atmosphere out here today.”

Hallissey said she was well-prepared to tackle the course’s daunting uphill finish.

“I ran the race last year and I live nearby, so I’m kind of used to running up and down the hill,” she said. “I kind of knew what to expect. I tried not to go out too quickly, but you really can’t help yourself. It feels nice and easy, but then you remember that you have to run right back up it at the end.”

The race wasn’t exclusive to competitive, seasoned runners like Hallissey, Peacock and Brodeur.

Jackson Gurdak (31:58) and his father Mike stood near one of the orange traffic cones on North Wilson Boulevard shortly after Jackson finished just his second competitive race. The two watched as others crossed the finish line.

“He has a very nice running stride, so I thought this would be a good race for him,” Mike Gurdak, 51, said. “He runs at home, but races like these are fun for him and he gets to see what these types of races are like.”

Jackson Gurdak, 12, said the race offered a nice change of pace from the usual running he does around his family’s Vienna, Va., neighborhood.

“There weren’t that many turns and the downhill part of the course really helped a lot,” the young runner said. “This is only my second competitive race. I like running because it lets me see how fast I can go; it’s something I want to continue to do.”

Mike Gurdak was pleased with his son’s effort.

“He set a time for himself and he beat it by a couple of seconds. He wanted to break 32:00, and he did. So that’s a good baseline. Running allows him to stay fit and healthy.”

As with any St. Patrick’s Day weekend event, runners went heavy on the Kelly green and sported everything from green shamrock earmuffs to green-and-black running tights.

Jonathan Harvey showcased perhaps one of the more unique outfits as he donned a Kelly green kilt. The Franconia, Va., father of two ran the race with his two-and three-year-old son and daughter, who he pushed along in a tandem stroller.

“I really enjoy running. It’s something I get a lot out of, so I try to expose my children to it every chance I get,” the 36-year-old Army reservist said. “This is the first time they’ve done a race with me, but I run with them all of the time in my neighborhood. My daughter will go to the track sometimes and just run in circles. She has a pair of running shoes that she’s proud of. She’s competitive, so when we race I always have to lose.”

Amy Laskowske (23:55), a Pacers employee, placed second among female runners. The Midwest transplant thoroughly enjoyed her first Four Courts Four Miler experience.

“This is definitely a great community race and it’s just really fun to be a part of it,” Laskowske, 26, said. “I moved here about a year ago from Minnesota and wanted to get back into racing. My roommate is really good and I saw how much fun she was having with doing all of the different races, and I decided to do it too. I hope to run it again next year.”

The leaders at the Rock ’n’ Roll USA Marathon left no doubts. Across the board, between the half marathon and the full 26.2 miles, both the men’s and women’s races held little suspense. Local runners represented the area well in the top groups of finishers, and after an endless winter, runners rejoiced for sunshine and warm temperatures on race day.

HALF MARATHON

[button-red url=”http://running.competitor.com/cgiresults?eId=54&eiId=174″ target=”_self” position=”left”] Results [/button-red] Abiyot Endale allowed a costumed Superman to lead the pack down Constitution Avenue, but Endale and a group of three other runners raced away from the field. Even then, the race effectively ended under the Kennedy Center overhang as Endale stretched his lead with a relentless, effortless-looking stride.

By the time he crested Calvert Street hill, the other runners couldn’t be seen and Endale ran alone. A smile and a wave to the drum corps outside Howard University served as a rare indicator he was even aware of the surroundings on his way to a 1:06:27 win in the men’s half-marathon.

Endale has proven himself as a capable winner before. He won the 2012 ING Hartford Marathon in Connecticut and set a course record that day.

Ayele Kassaye (1:08:29) finished in second on Saturday. Matt Rand (1:09:24) took third in his debut half marathon and finished as the first local man in the race.

On the women’s side, Christine Ramsey made the trip down from Baltimore to secure the only close race of the day, a 1:19:27 win in the women’s half marathon, ahead of locals Kerry Allen (1:19:46) and Teal Burrell (1:21:37). Ramsey improved on her third-place finish in this race last year.

Locals from Virginia and D.C. made up more than half of the approximately 25,000 registered runners, but the race still included participants from all 50 states and 33 foreign countries.

Dick Whitfield, Newark, Ill., drove to the nation’s capital for the weekend to visit family. He sat with Laura Whitfield, who lives in Baltimore, for an picnic with post-race snacks in the RFK parking lot.

“She sent me an email and said there was a fun run out here,” he said as he pointed to Laura. “Our winter’s been so terrible. I haven’t run all winter. I’m going to start training Monday,” he said with a laugh.

Laura said she hasn’t run much either. “We knew we’d finish. We weren’t out there for time.”

Weather typically sits at the top of the list for boring conversational riffs, but runners from across the country admitted that their training had suffered in some way from the barrage of snow and sub-zero temperatures this winter.

“We’ve run through snow, ice,” said Aubrey Brown, of Richmond. He faced the challenge of training with a friend in another city, Melanie Sala, who lives in D.C.

“We ran through the polar vortex,” Sala said.

The two embraced after the finish line. They ran all 13.1 miles together. The pair started training in November, and Brown completed his first race at this distance.

“We’ve known each other for a while,” Brown said, “and it was the next thing in line.”

“We decided this was an experience we wanted to share together,” Sala said. “Step by step.”

“I had to slow her down just a little bit,” Brown said. “Every time a band came or a small child appeared, she felt like she needed to speed it up a little bit,” he said, laughing. “I had four goals: the first goal was to start.”

“That is the most important thing,” Sala said. “Begin and then continue. That’s all you have to do.”

Brown’s other goals included avoiding injuries during the race, finishing and having fun with his friend.

“All the boxes checked,” he said.

Friends and families served as great motivators for many runners at this distance.

Erin Leo, D.C., tore her ACL playing basketball in college, and that’s when she started running half marathons. Her younger sister Kate Waldon, Boston, cheered for her sister during that first race.

“I thought she was crazy when she ran her first one,” Waldon said.

“And now she’s done like 15,” Leo said, “and is trying to get me to do a full.”

The sisters have run nine half marathons together, beginning with the D.C. half marathon race four years ago.

For Courtney Cecere, McLean, the Rock ’n’ Roll half marathon served as her first race after a new addition to her family, a now 13-month-old daughter. She trained for the event with a local group called Moms Run This Town.

“A baby changes the training time,” she said. “Not so much that it’s physically more challenging, but just the time juggling. Making sure my husband can be home if I run real early and adjusting when I run.”

Many finishers rushed for the coveted medal, a signifier of achievement, but Cecere had another idea.

“I’m excited to go see my daughter.”

FULL MARATHON

A former Olympian led the full marathon field from miles three to 11 on her way to the women’s title. Nuta Olaru ran 2:43:00, fresh from taking the crown at the 2014 USA Cross Country Championships, where she won the masters women’s 6k in February.

“I pushed when the men caught me,” she said. “I didn’t realize I was also first place. When the men caught me, I knew, oh my gosh, I was first overall.”

Olaru, competing for her native Romania, finished 13th in the women’s marathon at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. She now runs for the U.S. and trains in Longmont, Colo.

She said the Rock ’n’ Roll Marathon fit well with her training schedule because she’s headed to Boston in April. She finished more than 10 minutes ahead of second place, Rebecca Bader (2:53:10). Kristin Johnson (2:57:54) finished third and crossed the line as the first local woman.

“I didn’t actually realize she was running the marathon until I actually passed her and saw her bib,” said men’s marathon winner Adam Doherty.

Full marathon racers wore red bibs, and half marathoners wore bibs with a blue stripe.

“Success on every front,” said Doherty, who locked in his first place spot by about the halfway point and cruised to a 2:33:52 finish in his debut marathon.

“Definitely tough mentally,” he said of running by himself. “Just clicking off splits. That was really what I was looking for. I was hitting 5:50s pretty much the entire second half.”

Doherty, of Charlottesville, Va., said he wanted to run the marathon distance after his collegiate racing schedule ended with graduation last June.

“I’m really competitive, so I wanted to be in a race I could actually compete for,” he said. “I’ve knocked it off the bucket list I guess.”

Brian Benestad (2:36:32) took second. Eric Senseman (2:39:52) finished third and matched his place in last year’s race.

Several runners mentioned the timing of the Rock ’n’ Roll race because it happenes early enough to provide a firm benchmark between winter training and the Boston Marathon.

Dara Dalmata lives in Hopkington, Mass., the town where the famed marathon starts. She finished seventh in the women’s field on Saturday in her first race since Boston in 2011.

“I didn’t hit the wall at all,” she said. “I left the pace team at 23 miles. The pace team was great. You didn’t have to think. I would definitely recommend that to people if they want to break a time.”

The pacing groups received praise from many runners who credited the teams with providing a needed boost on the long course.

“That was fantastic,” said Veronica Mazariegos, D.C. “It’s lighthearted, keeping together, helping each other. And at the end, if you feel like you can, you push a little harder.”

Mile pacing and Boston’s big event were also on the mind of Mindy Ko, of Arlington. Her twin sister, Phebe will run Boston next year, so Mindy needed to qualify.

“This is the perfect course to do it because I don’t have to travel, don’t have to worry about those logistics. It’s kind of in my backyard as much as you can get.”

Although Ko has finished two Ironman triathlons, she’d never completed a marathon by itself.

“This is the first that I’ve done without walking and without biking and swimming first. In the middle of it, it was funny because you get these thoughts in your head. You see the Metro. You see the busses. And you’re like, oh my god, it’s so tempting. But you keep on running. You build this unspoken camaraderie in the second half.”

Marathoners split from the half marathoners near RFK Stadium, which brings them just within sight and sound of the finish line.

That tantalizing glimpse becomes a right turn toward another long stretch of road.

“It didn’t matter,” said Nico Gomis, D.C. He runs only two races every year, both marathons: Rock ’n’ Roll and Marine Corps. “After 20 miles, it’s all heart.”

 

 

FAST STATS

 

25,000 entrants

24,000 bottles of Gatorade

13,000 feet of fencing

6,625 latex gloves

3,600 Band-Aids

2,500 volunteers

2,500 road cones

375 Port-o-Johns

 

Susanna Sullivan forgot her watch Sunday morning when she headed to the line for the St. Patrick’s Day 8k.

“I don’t think it changed my approach to the race going in,” she said. “If anything, it made me stay aggressive in the middle of the race. I didn’t have any objective feedback so I probably pushed harder than I usually do in the middle.”

Whether or not that removed any racing inhibitions and improved her performance was up for debate, but what wasn’t up for debate was the dominance with which she won — running 26:51 for what is currently the fastest American women’s 8k so far in 2014, according to the Association of Road Racing Statisticians.

[button-red url=”http://www.albanyrunningexchange.org/results/search.php?ID=3772″ target=”_self” position=”left”] 8k Results [/button-red]She was almost two minutes ahead of Claire Hallissey (28:42) and positioned herself well for a run at the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials qualifying standard for the half marathon (1:15:00) at the Shamrock Half Marathon March 15 in Virginia Beach. However helpful not having a watch ended up being, she doesn’t want to forget it next weekend.

Sullivan, appropriately enough a Notre Dame alumna to match the Irish atmosphere, had some help along the way on a really windy day on Pennsylvania Avenue.

“There was a tall gentleman ahead of me,” she said, referring to Washington’s Scott Anderson, who measures in at 6 feet, 6 inches. “He blocked the wind for me and he was a huge help. At 3.5 miles (on Independence Avenue) there was a cone, and a sign and I didn’t know where to turn, but he told me to stick to the cone.”

On Sunday, she averaged 5:24 per mile. At Shamrock, she’ll have to average 5:43. The 8k time was certainly encouraging as she tries to hit the standard that has eluded her in a few attempts. 

“Something seems to go wrong every race, but I think I’ve covered a lot of things–I can drink water while running, take nutrition while racing, so I think I’m ready,” she said, mentioning the training Capital Area Runners coach George Buckheit has prescribed for her. Her teammate, Erin Taylor, finished third in 29:20.

Andrew Brodeur (first place in 24:30) also had some help against the wind, from three Pacers-New Balance teammates- Landon Peacock (second, 24:40), Mark Leininger (third, 24:47) and Mark Allen (DNF), who exchanged the lead through four miles until Brodeur ran away for his second local road race win of the year, following February’s First Down 5k. The three finishers edged last year’s champion Jordan McDougal (fourth, 25:08).

“The wind got really bad in mile four, we slowed down to 5:10 around then,” he said. “I was surprised we all ran as fast as we did after that second half.”

Lisa Gallagher was the first person to finish the race wearing a tutu, in 32:57. It was a green one, with bright green tights.

“The costume was really motivating,” she said. “When you look good, you can sprint faster, with confidence. Guys came up to me and complimented me, I got a lot of cheers and it couldn’t help but make me run fast.”

Gallagher has been competitive in the past, she was part of an NCAA Division II runner-up cross country team at Edinboro University, but after some time out of racing is making a steady comeback, but this time she’s enjoying the fun in racing a little more.

“I just wanted to prove (my friend) wrong that you could run fast in a costume,” she said. “We raced with glitter in high school and we were fast then, so it held up.”

The Americanized celebration of the patron saint of Ireland raised some eyebrows for Jake Lee and Conall Patton, two Irishmen in town for the Pro Bono Institute conference. They both live in London and participate in weekly 5ks in city parks there. Unlike those 5ks, they were dressed in leprechaun outfits for the 8k.

“It’s very different from the way we celebrate in Ireland,” Patton said. “My father speaks Gaelic at home. He hates leprechauns, he thinks they’re completely un-Irish. If he saw me dressed like this right now, he would be so annoyed, in America it seems to fit right in.”

“Sadly enough we did bring these suits all the way from Ireland,” Lee said. “My sister lives in Dublin and she posted us these suits when she found out we were doing the run.”

While running the race, Conall chose venue-appropriate music — the themes from The West Wing and House of Cards. The pair had no plans to take a train from the Cathedral Heights metro station.

We talk a lot about walls in marathoning. We push through them–effortlessly or gasping for breath–on our way to the finish line. Race over.

One problem: the finish line is the real wall. No negotiations. This requirement doesn’t move for any of us. We must change, not the race. The most successful marathoners don’t break through this final barrier–they hit it, full force.

Ethan Coffey has a unique relationship with walls: by his own admission, when he faces the mystique of the 26.2, he’s still trying to hit the mark.

His January 2014 victory in the Charleston (S.C) Marathon in 2:34:06 set a new personal standard for a runner who “used to throw up from nerves before races in high school,” while a student at Chantilly.

“When I won the Charleston race,” says Coffee, “I realized I really had the potential to win marathons. I’d like to train for more.”

A few weeks and a few more miles later, Coffey still has staying power.

On March 1, Coffey, now a Knoxville resident, definitively won the USATF 50k Road Championships at Caumsett State Park on Long Island, N.Y., posting a new course record of 2:53:32.78 and upsetting four-time champion Michael Wardian‘s (Arlington, Va.) 2008 record of 2:55:05 in the process. Ethan estimated Wardian to be his most likely competitor for many reasons, with the veteran runner’s historically consistent performances topping the list.  However, Wardian finished the race with a time of 2:59:31.69, placing second after progressively slowing past mile 10.

“At mile seventeen, I knew I was feeling good. No wall or anything.” says Coffey, “When [Wardian] realized he wasn’t going to beat me, he dropped off.”

Adding to Coffey’s victory, back-to-back reigning champion Joseph Gray (Renton, Wa.) held strong in an initial three-man pack, but began back-pacing with Wardian, only to quit the race entirely. This was an unexpected underperformance, considering Gray’s near record setting win in 2013.

“In the last 10k it was just me,” says Coffey, “My legs really felt good. I was able to just keep going after everybody else dropped off.”

Coffey also easily beat out Josh Ferenc (Saxtons River, Vt.) who trailed into a late third place with a time of 3:04:16.91.

After besting two juggernauts of the 50k distance, one would think a runner like Coffey would be relatively satisfied. He broke through several barriers, right? He set a course record. He went farther, faster. He won.

But, perhaps unsurprisingly, like all winners, Coffey looks to past runs to understand his potential for performance. He judges himself by his failures as much as his successes. And, though a 50k is not a marathon, he uses what he knows about his relationship with the two distances to define and redefine himself as a runner.

“I’ve never been intimidated by the distance of a marathon. I just kind of went past that distance pretty easily. But my marathons haven’t always gone very well for me,” he says. “I think my 50ks, though, have gone better than my marathons. In the 50k, I don’t usually struggle with the wall. But I think I have been lucky.”

The 50k winner knows, though, that luck isn’t everything. And sometimes a perceived weakness at one distance can be a distinct advantage in a different race. Clearly, Coffee’s perceived struggles with the marathon have forced him into a different running bracket and led him to his most recent victory; however, he expresses mixed emotions about his relationship with the more iconic distance.

“People have tried to blame my poor marathon performance on getting too worked up,” he says. “But that’s not it. I’m definitely calm. I take it all seriously. But with the longer distance, I feel more in control of the run. I’m not sure why.”

Not getting “worked up” allows Coffey the opportunity to run smarter and take down opponents like Wardian and Gray. “I had done the math beforehand. Basically, I went out to win. I think that’s why things went pretty well for me,” he says, “I knew I had a chance. In general, I’m able to pace myself better in the 50K.”

But there is also a residual part of Coffee that still does want to get worked up. Wants to hit a wall. Hard.

“My goal is to break 2:20 in the marathon,” he says, “The real goal is to run an Olympic goals qualifier. And I think I could do that. I see myself able to do that.”

One more thing Coffey will be doing in the near future will be running the Boston Marathon. And, of course, he has set very specific goals–goals that speak to the hybrid nature of his marathoner/ultramarathoner identity. “I’ll be running Boston, but I’m going to do it a little differently,” he says, “I’m planning on running the course twice. 52 miles in less than six hours. That’s my goal.”

With such a decisive 50k win and undoubtedly promising marathon potential at his feet, perhaps it would be easy to wonder why Ethan Coffey doesn’t just pick a side of the 26.2 and run with it. But why should he have to? Coffee may, indeed, be the kind of runner who can hit a barrier and then run past it. Maybe he is that lucky.

Or maybe, as he’s figuring out how to deal with the path ahead, he is just listening to his own confident advice. “I just kind of realize that nobody outside of myself can tell me how I should run,” he says, “What I do is impressive enough.”

When you think of Valentine’s Day, what comes to mind? How about waking up early on a frigid Sunday morning to run a 5k dressed in a frilly pink tutu? No? Anybody?

For the eleven hundred who showed up to run the Love The Run You’re With 5k in Pentagon City, it became abundantly clear that there’s more to this “Hallmark holiday” than flowers, chocolates and overly expensive dinners that require a reservation six months in advance.

[button-red url=”http://www.albanyrunningexchange.org/results/search.php?ID=3745″ target=”_self” position=”left”] Results[/button-red]The below-freezing temperatures and overcast sky didn’t seem to put a damper on the prerace atmosphere as hundreds gathered for the annual Valentine’s-themed 5k along Army Navy Drive in Pentagon City.  In addition to all of the festive running garb, including tutus, cupid wings and heart-shaped headwear, participants signed up according to relationship status: green bibs for the singles, or “stupid cupids,” as they’re affectionately known and red, meaning “stop right there, I’m taken,” for the codependents.

“We signed up as ‘Stupid Cupids,’” said Lisa Pare, an elementary school teacher from Frederick County who ran as part of a group of teachers donned in homemade shirts and heart-adorned headbands, sunglasses and leggings.  “We do a 5k once a month. It’s brings us together.”

For Pare and her group, “Love the Run You’re With” isn’t necessarily the venue for a romantic encounter but more an opportunity to display their creativeness. “We like the theme – we like having group craft time,” she says with a chuckle and showing off her outfit.

When asked if Pare and the group would ever go beyond a 5k she said, “sure. We’d have to work up to it but we wouldn’t be opposed to doing a 10k or longer.”

For couple Melissa and Eric, the socialness of the race stopped at registration. They signed up together but had no plans to run together.

“We signed up together but we definitely won’t be running together,” Melissa said as they waited inside Champps Sports Bar to stay warm before the race. “He’ll be way ahead of me.”

Others, like Herman Blount of Back On My Feet was simply there to set a PR. “We have different colored bibs?” He asked before the start of the race. “I’m just looking to set a PR, 22 minutes to beat my old time of 25.” Though he finished in 23, he seemed content. “It felt good out there—I enjoyed it.”

The course, which is an out-and-back along Army Navy Drive, isn’t necessarily optimal for PR-seekers.

“There was a big hill at the very beginning,” said Gordon Atkins of New York City who was in town visiting his girlfriend. Both wore red bibs. “I wasn’t ready for that.”

Despite the tough course, he spoke very highly of the race. “It’s cold but people seem to be in good spirits. I’ve done races like this before but I’ve never seen anything like this—there are a lot of smiling people. It’s a great atmosphere.”

Finishing in first place with a time of 14:56, a very humbled Chris Kwiatkowski hadn’t run this course but didn’t seem too fazed by its sharp incline or out and back route. “There are so many hills in the D.C. area, you just kind of expect it.”

Kwiatkowski barely edged out Mark Allen, fellow member of the Pacers-New Balance Racing Team.

While this particular race is set in what is typically referred to as the area’s harshest weather month, it is well timed for those looking to get some training in for bigger races come spring.

“I ran 20 miles yesterday,” said Ali Smith, who was there in support of the 31 Back On My Feet participants. “So today was a little rougher than I would have expected.” Smith is preparing for the Rock n’ Roll USA Marathon next month.  “But it was fun—it went well.”

Yarshay Thorpe, another “Stupid Cupid,” was using the race as a way to get back into the sport.

“I’m coming off a few injuries,” she said as she stretched and bounced around to keep warm. “I used to run with the Pacers 3k groups, which was pretty fun. But today my goal is just to finish. I’m looking to get back into [running].”

Others like Drew Biederman, a Georgetown student and his girlfriend Jennifer Lynn were running their first race together.

“I ran cross country in high school but haven’t run a race since. This is a fun way to get back into it and this is now something for us to do together,” Biederman said.

Lynn, who looked cold but in good spirits chimed in, “I really enjoyed it. I’d definitely do another,” she said.

Mary Baroch, a D.C. resident donned in a green bib was simply out for a little physical fitness with friends.

“I’m not much of a runner,” she said. “I ran with a couple friends, which was fun. I’m going on vacation to Mexico this week so I thought I’d try to get some exercise in before.”

At precisely 9am, the start gun went off, echoing between the shops and buildings on Joyce Street. Three minutes later, when the droves had disappeared, a couple running arm in arm, dressed in festive reds and pinks, crossed the start line, turned back to the cameramen and shouted, “we’re getting married!”

Whatever your relationship status: green bib, red bib, or “it’s complicated,” Sunday’s race proved that running transcends boundaries and brings people together.

“People are out there for so many different reasons,” said Jeff Leon, a middle-of-the-packer who exceeded his expectations in his first 5k. “But it’s cool to see them out there, running together.”

Feb. 2? Outdoors? Not in the deep south? It seemed like a risk, especially as the week progressed, with a fresh coat of snow and plunging temperatures. On the other hand, unpredictable conditions are part of the sport’s charm, challenge and character.

If you were looking on insight into the New Jersey-hosted Super Bowl XLVIII, you’re in the wrong place. The inaugural First Down 5k managed to luck out with weather and draw a big crowd, fast times and the kind of race that usually comes around months later.

[button-red url=”http://www.albanyrunningexchange.org/results/search.php?ID=3734″ target=”_self” position=”left”] Results [/button-red]The flat out-and-back course starting and ending in West Potomac Park greeted runners with still winds and temperatures in the low 40s, a far cry from Wednesday’s coat of ice and snow in East Potomac Park. The Potomac River, however, remained still, covered in a layer of ice. Those favorable conditions did little to help runners who undertook the day’s second challenge- the Pacers Combine, which presented a four-part physical fitness challenge.

Seconds after breaking the tape in 15:12, Bethesda’s Andrew Brodeur turned to his right and got to work on the grass. First up, 20 pushups, most of them admittedly pretty lame.

“I’m glad the pushups came first,” he said. “I can’t really do them when I haven’t run a 5k right before, so they got pretty ugly at the end. Situps are more my thing, they’re part of most runners’ routines anyway.”

He got a boost when Pacers-New Balance training partner Matt Kroetch, who resembles “Friday Night Lights” quarterback Matt Saracen.

After crossing the combine’s finish line, dazed competitors had a chance to make a heads-up play, when race volunteers would toss them a football. Lisa Lazarus, a Washington resident, pulled hers in like Josh Gordon of her native Cleveland Browns. The race was a step in her year of progressive goal setting. In January, she decided she would start training, finish a 5k and with hope, enjoy it.

“I’ve never really enjoyed running, but I decided it was something I should be able to do,” she said. She enjoyed it.

One of her biggest challenges, as it turned out, was dressing for the race. After bracing for cold weather throughout January, when she ran mostly outside, the temperatures in the low 40s were a pleasant surprise. But she survived, thrived and is now looking forward to the St. Patrick’s Day 8k in March.

“She was driven throughout the whole thing and didn’t need any encouragement,” said friend Renee Baiorunos. “She knew what she wanted to do and what it took to get there.”

Lorne McLaughlin, of Brandywine, Md., used the race to jump-start his running for the year, after a New Year’s Day 5k in Calvert County.

“I used it as a training run, and it was a great time,” he said. “There were a lot of runners, but it wasn’t too crowded. I didn’t expect the weather would be so nice.”

He is working his way up from the 5k-10k range to the half marathon this year, with hopes of the Marine Corps Marathon or Richmond Marathon in 2015.

Alexandria’s Meghan Murphy took advantage of the great day to run a seven-minute PR.

“I want to improve by seven minutes every time now,” she said, with a determined but self-deprecating look in her eye. “In a few races, I’ll be finishing in six minutes and break records.”

Getting to the race might have helped booster her adrenaline. She slept in and woke to the sound of a friend banging on her door.

“That definitely got me started today, but J-Tim (Justin Timberlake) on my iPod helped,too.”

Mike Shields of Bethesda dressed the part, wearing a Rod Woodson jersey from his time with the Pittsburgh Steelers. One of the fastest players in NFL history, Woodson won All-America honors in the hurdles and qualified for the Olympic Trials while at Purdue.

“I like finishing on Ohio Drive,” he said. “You can see the finish line getting closer and just start kicking.”

For most of the 1,300 runners gathered in Fairfax on Dec. 31, a four mile race was less a distraction from their New Year’s Eve plans and more an integral part.

Even for people who haven’t run much. Megan Davisson hasn’t been that attentive to her running since injuring herself during the 2012 Marine Corps Marathon. But with her fifth straight Fairfax Four coming up, she went for it anyway.

“I just ran with some friends, we talked and had a good time,” she said. “I’m planning to get back into running, but I needed a break.”

Paul Heinold of Alexandria also hoped to make the race a watershed moment in his running life as of late.

“I haven’t been running that much and I’ve been eating way too much, so I was surprised it went so well. It was one of my lowest mileage years in 15 years.”

But if the race is a harbringer of things to come in 2014, Matt Kroetch has to be excited. Having gotten back into running after a few post-collegiate years off, the new Pacers-New Balance runner, and coach at James Madison High School, shed 28 pounds and propelled himself to the top spot, running 20:44 for more than a minute’s margin over Edmund Burke. He went hard from the gun and maintained a consistent 5:11 pace throughout the rolling hills around George Mason University’s campus.

“I got out aggressively and felt alright, but I dialed it back when my calf got tight,” he said. “I’m hoping to get back around my college times. It’s been a while since I’ve seen a PR.”

Brad Holwart of Fairfax saw a bunch of PRs in 2013, and his return to the Fairfax Four Miler was another in the series.

“It’s an awesome way to end a year, put a cap on it and send things into the new year on a good foot,” he said. “I PRed, so I was excited about that.”

In 2013, he PRed at Boston, the Veterans Day 10k, and Virginia Run Turkey Trot 5k.

“It’s been one of those years where everything comes together, no injuries,” he said. “I want to keep that going next year.”

 

The arrival of December means a month filled with holiday parties for most people. However, the enthusiastic turnout at local races over the past two weekends shows that for many local runners December is also a time for festive races, and of course costumes. With gray skies and rain in the forecast, it looked like the weather might be in danger of dampening the festivities at the inaugural 12ks of Christmas Holiday Run in Georgetown on Saturday. Luckily the morning turned out to be a dry one, although race director John Braithwaite admitted that he had been hoping for a dusting of snow to add a little bit more Christmas feeling to the race.

There was plenty of Christmas spirit on display among the 600 competitors in the sold-out races, and a large proportion had gone to a lot of effort to dress up for the occasion. Some of the non-running supporters joined in by wearing Christmas hats, and there was even a dog in a Santa suit. Creatively-named teams entered for the races included the Sugar Plums, Ugly Christmas Sweaters and Holiday Heroes, and a host of Santas, elves and reindeer could be seen gathered around the start-line.  The clear crowd favorite however, and pre-race costume award winner, was a warm and furry looking Rudolph.

Rather appropriately, the start-line was located under the watchful eye of a giant inflatable Santa on top of one of the nearby apartments. Also in keeping with the holiday theme, runners were entertained by Christmas music as they lined up for their races. The course for both the 5k and 12k was out and back along the C&O Canal, and patches of snow and ice along the narrow trail made for challenging racing conditions. This didn’t seem to slow down Craig Miller too much, as the Alexandria resident had a comfortable lead when he crossed the finish line to win the 5k race. Impressively, Miller was also the first costumed runner to finish as he embraced the German Christmas spirit by racing in a rather fetching Oktoberfest outfit. In a demonstration of near-equality, the top 10 finishers in the 5k included 4 women. The first of these, finishing fourth in the race overall, was Jessica Roberts of Virginia.

Miller’s European theme was continued in the 12k race as it was won by Lithuanian Vladas Navagrudskas. After moving to DC just six months ago, he has already been involved in a number of local races. The 47-year-old won his age category and finished 14th overall in the MCM 10k back in October, but this was Navagrudska’s first outright win in a DC race. Having started his running career as a track athlete and now being more used to racing on the roads, Navagrudskas said that he struggled a bit with the conditions underfoot on the C&O path. However, as with Miller in the shorter race, he seemed to cope with the course very well and managed to finish over 2 minutes ahead of runner-up James Smith. The third runner across the line in the 12k was also the overall ladies’ race winner, Hallyn Brewster of DC.

Of course Christmas is most importantly a time for giving, and the runners at today’s race could go home happy in the knowledge that they had helped to support the W.H.A.L.E.R.’s Creation Annual Foster/Adopted Youth Christmas Dinner. Money raised by the race will help offset the cost of hosting a Christmas week dinner for local foster kids at Olde Town Inn, Upper Marlboro. This event is organized every year by Donnell Long, owner and chef at the restaurant.

One final ingredient needed for a merry Christmas is a cup of festive cheer, and the race organizers dutifully obliged by providing eggnog and cider as part of the post-race refreshments. A fitting end to a fun morning of racing, and there is sure to be more of the same to follow as DC Running Club’s event calendar for 2014 includes the Island Rum Run Half Marathon & 5k in Puerto Rico.

Let it snow. You never know who might win.

Saturday, Dec. 8, was the first time Ethiopian Beyasa Moleta, 25, had ever run in the white stuff. Wait until we get to see what he can do in prime conditions.

Ayele Kassaye, 24, tried to catch him. For a moment, in the blinding drifts, it was impossible to tell which graceful countryman would tear the tape first. It all ended in a sliding, shoe-tearing lunge across the finish line, leaving both men on the ground.

“I think I finished first,” said Beyasa Moleta. He had.

Moleta hurled himself across the finish line of the Potomac River Running’s 2013 Run with Santa 5K in Reston, with an overall winning chip time of 15:26. The dramatic finish saw Kassaye cross officially at 15:27.[button-red url=”http://www.albanyrunningexchange.org/results/search.php?ID=3636″ target=”_self” position=”left”] Results [/button-red]

Moleta came to Saturday’s race to overcome challenges, to beat valid competitors, and to find out about running in future races.

“I had a good race today. I can do better with more practice, though,” said the winner. “This was my first time running on snow. I don’t have any practice running on this. But that’s okay.”

Moleta expressed respect for his fellow competitors, knowing they all faced tough conditions: “The other runners are very good. They made the race today very good. But the [snowy] conditions today were bad. I think maybe if they have had more practice on (slippery) roads, it is easier for them,” he said, grinning and shivering after his victory.

He may believe he needs more practice running on untried surfaces, but Moleta managed to beat an impressive field. In addition to Kassaye, who recently placed sixth in the 2013 Woodrow Wilson Bridge Half Marathon (1:06:51), the winner also beat out New York based Kenyan Abu Kebede, 23, finishing fourth with a time of 15:31.  As if the race between Moleta and Kassaye weren’t tight enough, the race’s third place finisher— recent George Mason track star and IC4A Qualifier Robert Reynolds, 23—logged the same net time of 15:31, but managed to steal third by a fractional margin.

In such uncertain conditions, Ethiopian Seife Gelatu, 31, was also a relevant contender for the win. However, with a time of 15:47, he would have to accept fifth.

Competition was fierce, but Beyasa Moleta was more than up to the challenge. “I felt good. My legs felt good. I ran a little slower because of the cold, yes. But everything felt good today,” he said.

This sentiment was echoed by local cross-country veteran Susanna Sullivan, 23, of Falls Church, Va. With a finishing time of 17:15, Sullivan easily beat her competition. Tezeta Dengersa, 33, grabbed second in 17:29. Selamawit Mekuria, 28, placed third in 18:02.

“I’m happy,” said Sullivan, “ I was hoping to break 17 minutes. My training has been going good. I have run three races in the past week. But I got out here today, and this felt good.”

Sullivan is definitely one of those cold weather runners Moleta dreams of being someday: “I jogged a little around the corners. But I ran for Notre Dame—I’m used to the snow.”

Like Sullivan, most local runners, competitive and recreational, were quite happy “it was beginning to look a lot like Christmas” during the race.

Andrea Nelson, 35, winner of the 35-39 age group in 20:25, claimed she was a bit out of her element at the Run with Santa 5K, but not necessarily because of the snow.

Nelson said, “I usually do endurance races. Marathons, ultra-marathons, Ironman. My last race was the Chesapeake Ironman.”

Finishing her September Ironman in 11:41:16, she found the 5k to be a different type of challenge: “I’d rather do a marathon any day because I know a 5k is going to be so intense. I know it is going to be 20 minutes of pure sucking,” she said, laughing.

Nelson called the wintry day “fun and magical,” clearly in high spirits.

The day’s magic-maker was none other than the big man in red, Santa Claus. Santa officially deemed the run a success, though he did admit that his personal time was “a bit slow” this year.

“I think it’s because Mrs. Claus tried to trip me. She’s a stinker, that Mrs. Claus!” said Santa. However, “All of the runners were very good, though. Nobody’s going on the Naughty List!”

This was probably good news for PR Running Store, Arlington’s group of naughty-but-nice elves, presents on legs, ugly sweater carolers, and one very large Gingerbread Man (played by Matt Ferguson). Before heading to the start, runners were lining up, waiting to have their pictures taken with the fun-loving group. This was the first year Ferguson and his friends from PR Arlington had joined the Reston Run with Santa 5K: considering their popularity, they should consider making this run an annual tradition.

Two young runners who definitely made Santa’s “Good List” this year were Cooper Girolamo and David Monserrate of the Yes You Can running team at Forestville Elementary School in Great Falls, Va. “This is our fifth 5K,” said Cooper, “The third time we’ve done the Run with Santa,” added David.

Both runners enjoyed running as a way to spend time with friends and family. And, of course, they both had wish lists for Santa. Cooper knew he had been good this year: “Yes!” As for David? An honest, “Maybe.”

So what’s on winner Beyasa Moleta’s wish list this holiday season? He’s already seen snow and a fortuitous win.

“Right now I don’t have a manager. I don’t have anyone to help me sign up for races for the future, so maybe I can find that,” Moleta said.

For a wish like that, winning a race with Santa can’t hurt.

Carissa Lee (48:11) and Pete Sumner (48:10) first met in 2004 at the West Point Triathlon in West Point, N.Y. Their love for running brought them together, and four years later, they married.

The Sumners participated in this year’s Jingle All the Way 8k. Only this time, they brought with them a new addition to the family.

With Chris Van Allsburg’s Polar Express as their inspiration, the Sumners donned pajamas and decorated their young daughter’s stroller with Christmas lights and silver tinsel to resemble the train in the famous children’s book.

[button-red url=”http://www.albanyrunningexchange.org/results/search.php?ID=3632″ target=”_self” position=”left”] Results [/button-red]“She didn’t really enjoy the last mile, so we were just running as fast as we could so we could finish the race and take her out of her stroller,” said Carissa, 30, when talking about her 23-month-old daughter Eloise. “We might pick some shorter races for her in the future. I think we were having a better time than her.”

More than 4,400 braved the frigid, 30-degree weather and snow to run the Jingle All the Way 8k Dec. 8.

They dressed in festive holiday attire that featured everything from elves and candy canes to reindeer and Santa Claus costumes and raced through the downtown Washington, D.C. course that took them past landmarks such as the U.S. Capitol and National Mall, before ending just a few hundred yards from Freedom Plaza.

Middle school social studies teacher Paul Thistle, who runs for the Pacers-New Balance team, raced Jingle All the Way for the first time. He decided to try his hand at the popular December event  and did quite well, winning in 24:14.

“It feels really good,” Thistle, 26, said. “I’ve been doing a lot of training and it’s paying off. I’m running faster than I’ve ever run before and these races are great opportunities to test the waters.”

While Sunday’s race was Thistle’s first, it was hardly such for Arlington resident Kerri Gallagher. She earned her second first-place finish among women runners in as many years after posting a time of 27:28. Gallagher said she monitored weather reports leading up to the race.

“I was kind of expecting the worst, so I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn’t raining when I started my warm-ups,” she said. “I just love how many people come out (for the race) and how they’re setting and accomplishing goals. I really love amount of support from the spectators who are part of the running community who are happy to see the women race. It’s just a great atmosphere.”

The inclement weather had minimal impact on course conditions and runner turnout.

“We watched all week and worked with the municipality partners,” race director Kathy Dalby said. “We were really lucky that the storm hit when it did. (The snow) actually added a bit to the festive feel of the event. This race always grows – we try to cap it at 6,000 – but the turnout was just a little lower than normal, because of the weather.

The fun wasn’t limited to veteran runners. The race was a family affair for the Kulps of Falls Church, who dressed as elves in a package, complete with shiny silver wrapping paper and green bows. The family of four participated in its second-consecutive Jingle All the Way 8k, but this year’s race was extremely memorable for 11-year-old Rachel (55:31).

“There were so many people dressed up in costumes. There was a guy who juggled and it was really cool,” she said. “There weren’t just all adults; there were a lot of kids who ran. And it’s really cool that it’s snowing too.”