RunWashington Spring 2018 by RunWashington Magazine

THE RUNNERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S SOURCE FOR THE DC AREA

WASHINGTON

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Cover: Cinnamon Baker, of McLean, set out to “run happy” at the George Washington Parkway Classic. Not only did she achieve that goal, she set a personal best in the process. She’s running the 10 mile again this year. Photo by Kyle Gustafson/Swim Bike Run Photography

EDITOR’S NOTE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 MARATHONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 RUNNER RANKINGS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DESTA MORAKA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CASHING IN ON A LIFETIME OF FITNESS . . . . . . . . . . GEORGE WASHINGTON PARKWAY CLASSIC GUIDE UPCOMING RACES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . FRIENDS BY THE FINISH LINE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A BANNER YEAR FOR CROSS COUNTRY . . . . . . . . . . THE STATE OF THE LOCAL RUNNING INDUSTRY . . . CELEBRATE RUNNING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . .

..8 . 14 . .17 . 20 . 32 . 35 . 38 . 43 . 48

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SPRING 2018 PUBLISHER Kathy Dalby RunWashington Media LLC EDITOR IN CHIEF Charlie Ban charlie@runwashington.com SENIOR EDITOR Dickson Mercer dickson@runwashington.com COPY EDITOR Katie Bolton CREATIVE / PRODUCTION AZER CREATIVE www.azercreative.com RUNWASHINGTON PHOTO BY ED LULL

First off, sorry it took so long to get to you. RunWashington will be publishing two issues a year from now on, in early April to also serve as a race guide for the George Washington Parkway Classic, and in mid August to kick off the cross country season. I’m torn, because producing an issue of this magazine is a chance to create an artistic vision to represent our dynamic local running community. It’s exciting to see it come out every few months and see how the stories affect people. On the other hand, it’s a ton of work. I invariably wind up with print deadlines in the middle of conferences for my day job and I wind up sleeping less and less. As we cut back from six issues to four in 2015, I actually had a harder time figuring out what should go in the print edition, because space was more limited. I feel like for the most part, I made the right call, but it was always tough. Oddly enough, I’ve found, with two issues. The other positive development is that, with a partnership with Local News Now, we have a new, much more functional website at runwashington.com. Chief among the improvements are a cleaner design, updated features like the race calendar. Also, photos are now scaled for phones, so we actually want people to look at them now. With all of that, we will be publishing a lot more frequently online, and that’s helping move two longtime print features — Off the Beaten Path and Military Running — online. We’ll be doing a lot more for both communities by publishing more stories. As for this issue, we present the annual runner rankings, the postseason honorees from a very successful cross country season, a look at where the local speciality running market stands as the industry shifts, and a story that continues to hit a theme for me when I think about RunWashington can do best. Rich Mendelowitz mentioned offhand what he has been dealing with (page 17), pointing out that his fitness has made the difference for him. He wanted to be sure the story did not elicit too much sympathy, and I don’t think it does. I think it paints the picture of a man who is better off as a runner than he would have been without the sport in his life. Though we’re likely all runners — unless you’re reading RunWashington out of some perverse curiosity in which case, we’re glad to have you — his story, at least for me, is motivation to encourage a healthier lifestyle for someone you and want to have around for a while. Anyway, Do you like these ideas? Am I a total idiot, screwing up at every turn? Do you have story ideas we’ve missed or ignored? Let me know. I like to hear from readers. Charlie@runwashington.com.

SALES DIRECTOR Denise Farley denise@runwashington.com 703-855-8145 CUSTOMER SERVICE office@runwashington.com BRANDING ORANGEHAT LLC The entire contents of RunWashington are copyright ©2016 by RunWashington Media, LLC. All rights reserved, and may not be reproduced in any manner, in whole or in part, without the written permission of the publisher. Unsolicited manuscripts, photographs, results, or other materials are welcome but are not returnable and are preferred via electronic communication to charlie@ runwashington.com. Please inform yourself of applicable copyright and privacy laws before submitting for publication; if we decide to publish your submitted material we conduct no such checks and you alone will ultimately be responsible for any violations of any laws including infringement and copyright. Views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the publisher, advertiser, or sponsors. Back issues are available for $5.00 for each copy to cover postage and handling. RunWashington is published four times yearly by RunWashington Media LLC, 4544 Eisenhower Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22304. Complimentary copies are mailed to subscribers, area businesses and events. Be advised that running is a strenuous sport and you should seek the guidance of a medical professional before beginning an exercise regimen.

See you out there! Charlie CONTRIBUTORS SARAH BETH HENSLEY (WHERE IS RUNNING GOING?) IS AN ENTHUSIASTIC RUNNER WHO LOVES TO TRAVEL, WRITE AND READ WHEN SHE ISN’T TRAINING FOR HER NEXT RACE. SHE’S A SENIOR DIGITAL EDITOR AT WTOP NEWS IN D.C. 2 | RUNWASHINGTON | RUNWASHINGTON.COM | SPRING 2018

@runwashington /runwashington @runwashington

BALTIMORE

SEVERNA PARK

WASHINGTON DC

ARLINGTON

In 2017, race crews across the country set up clocks, finish lines, traffic control and water stops for 703 marathons. D.C-area runners finished more than 291 of those races. In fact, more than 14,044 times, a local runner crossed the finish line. That’s nearly 500 more than 2016, when the region notched 13,576 finishes, but down from 2013’s 15,950 local finishes. Thirty-nine times, a local runner won. Once, a local runner was the only entrant. Thirty-four different locals won a marathon, with Desta Morkama winning four, and Tyler Andrews and Mike Wardian both winning two. All are from Arlington. The two biggest local marathons claimed the most local finishers, including the winners. Morkama and Sarah Bishop won Marine Corps, which had 5,378 local finishers, and Sam Doud and Christie Wetzel won Rock ‘n’ Roll D.C., which had 1,093 local finishers. All of this adds up to 367,874.2 miles of racing, not counting extra distance tacked on when runners didn’t hit the tangents. More than half of those finishes (7,615) came at a race within an hour’s drive of downtown Washington, D.C. A conservative estimate puts our total in race entry fees at $2.3 million. Almost 200 of those races did not include residence data for finishers, so these numbers are almost certainly higher.

4 | RUNWASHINGTON | RUNWASHINGTON.COM | SPRING 2018

All over the place: Four out of 10 U.S. marathons included a D.C.-area finisher COMPILED BY CHARLIE BAN

Of the 291 races: 72 had one local finisher 168 had 2-25 local finishers 38 had 26-99 local finishers 13 had more than 100 local finishers Those finishers came from Washington, D.C.: 3,110 Virginia suburbs: 7,804 Maryland suburbs: 3,028

MORE THAN 100 LOCAL FINISHERS

50-99 LOCAL FINISHERS

2-49 LOCAL FINISHERS

ONE LOCAL FINISHER

Arlington runners boasted 1,705 finishers, Alexandria runners finished 1,439 finishers, and Fairfax had 457. In Maryland, Silver Spring runners crossed 493 finish lines, Rockville runners crossed 277 and Bethesda runners finished 366 marathons. We had finishers in every state, but Iowa only had one finisher, Silver Springâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Adam Lazarus, who was third overall. He did win the BG26.2 in Kentucky. More statistics and an interactive map online at www.runwashington.com will show each race and the number of local finishers in each, along with what part of the D.C. area was represented. These statistics were based on results available on Marathon Guide, with more detailed information coming from individual race result websites and special assistance from Sheila Sutton, Anna Newcomb, Bart Rein, Francesca Conte, Kate Thompson and Lowell Ladd. Breaking3, conducted entirely to allow Chris Farley to run a sub-3 hour marathon, was not included in Marathon Guideâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s results, and was not an officially sanctioned event, but I included it anyway.

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SARAH BISHOP MOVES INTO THE LEAD DURING THE 2017 MARINE CORPS MARATHON. RUNWASHINGTON PHOTO BY DUSTIN WHITLOW/DWHIT PHOTO

LOCAL MARATHON CHAMPIONS RACE Charleston (South Carolina) Washington’s Birthday Washington’s Birthday Greenway Trail Rock ‘n’ Roll DC Rock ‘n’ Roll DC Lower Potomac River Instant Classic (Western Virginia) Shamrock B&A Trail Riverboat Series- Tennessee Big Sur North Face Endurance Challenge North Face Endurance Challenge Farm Park Farm Park Potomac River Run - May Potomac River Run - May Vermont City Big Elk Grant-Pierce Indoor Grant-Pierce Indoor Last Track to Boston Fenway Park Abebe Bikila Day Abebe Bikila Day Freedom’s Run Baltimore Marine Corps Marine Corps Potomac River Run - Oct Potomac River Run - Oct BG26.2 (Kentucky) Cross County Trail C&O Canal Towpath Soldier (Georgia) Hawk Indoor Hawk Indoor Breaking3

RUNNER Jeffrey Greene Toni Diegoli Mark Carter Chris Bain Christie Wetzel Sam Doud Desta Morkama Alexander Hetherington Jenny Paul Nicolas Crouzier Kriss Hinders Mike Wardian Audrey Velanovich Bobby Peavey Rodica Ursu Malcom Lester Julie Dickerson Desta Morkama Tyler Andrews Jacob Sinn Renee Metzger Butler Benn Thomas Kristen Jaremback Mike Wardian Alemtsehay Hailu Kakissa Desta Morkama James Pearce Silvia Baage Sarah Bishop Deta Morkama Li Fang Tyler Andrews Adam Lazarus Dung Le Joanna Waldo Julie Hartenbach Lindsey Hobson George Sefzik Chris Farley

TOP LOCAL MARATHONS Marine Corps Rock ‘n’ Roll D.C. Baltimore Runner’s Marathon of Reston North Face Endurance Challenge Greenway Trail Marathon Washington’s Birthday Marathon Potomac River Run - Oct Potomac River Run - May B&A Trail Marathon Abebe Bikila Day North Central Trail C&O Canal Towpath Cross County Trail Hawk Indoor Grant-Pierce Indoor Lower Potomac River Farm Park Last Track to Boston Breaking3

6 | RUNWASHINGTON | RUNWASHINGTON.COM | SPRING 2018

LOCAL FINISHERS 5,393 1,093 342 178 92 72 70 61 55 54 51 42 39 23 16 10 10 8 5 1

TIME 2:44:48 3:28:20 2:58:04 3:46:04 3:04:01 2:26:57 2:34:11 3:13:54 2:50:40 2:31:43 5;:01:22 2:30:29 4:14:03 2:55:56 4:00:03 3:35:35 3:07:46 2:37:22 2:19:41 3:44:09 4:04:43 2:58:26 3:30:23 2:53:54 3:18:09 2:39:55 2:47:36 2:58:29 2:45:07 2:25:14 3:35:16 2:25:08 2:58:04 4:24:10 4:05:40 3:07:29 3:43:33 3:01:41 2:52:53

HOMETOWN Leesburg Potomac Alexandria Cabin John Falls Church Washington, D.C. Arlington Vienna Washington, D.C. Gaithersburg Washington, D.C. Arlington Washington, D.C. Arlington Chevy Chase Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C. Arlington Arlington Arlington Bethesda Arlington Washington, D.C. Arlington Alexandria Arlington Rockville Rockville Fairfax Arlington Falls Church Arlington Silver Spring Herndon Bethesda Alexandria Alexandria Alexandria Arlington

TOP OUT OF TOWN MARATHONS Richmond Chicago Boston New York City Disney World Philadelphia Shamrock Pittsburgh Freedom’s Run Wineglass Rehoboth Steamtown Gettysburg North-South Coastal Delaware New Jersey Rock ‘n’ Roll Raleigh Grandma’s Twin Cities Erie Rock ‘n’ Roll Las Vegas San Francisco Los Angeles Charlottesville Rock ‘n’ Roll Country Music Miami OBX

LOCAL FINISHERS 841 639 605 581 447 354 188 101 100 81 76 74 67 65 61 60 59 58 55 52 48 47 45 42 41 37

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Stacking Up 2017’s runner rankings BY CHARLIE BAN

JOHN SCHROEDER AND ANDREW WHITACRE DURING THE ST. PAT’S 5K. PHOTO BY KYLE GUSTAFSON/SWIM BIKE RUN PHOTOGRAPHY

8 | RUNWASHINGTON | RUNWASHINGTON.COM | SPRING 2018

The 2017 racing season saw dramatic turnover in RunWashington’s runner rankings. Just one of the top 10 in 2016, Nicolas Crozier, ran enough races and scored high enough to finish in the overall 10 in 2017. It was an odd year, in that none of the top women’s average scores placed them in the top 10 overall. RunWashington’s runner rankings standardize performances on select races, between 5k and the half marathon, on certified courses around the Washington, D.C. area. A baseline pace is established for men and women, which is a composite of the course difficulty, the fastest historic times on the course and weather conditions on race day. That way, women and men’s performances can go head-to-head. To be ranked at the end of the year, runners need at least three ranked races between January and June and three races between July and December. If you moved into the area in the summer or moved away, or spent the Spring running on the track or racing outside of the D.C. area, that explains why you weren’t ranked. The system rewards a year-round dedication to our racing scene, which unfortunately leaves many accomplished runners out. Along those lines, typically, training for and racing marathons prevents a lot of people from qualifying for the year-end rankings. Not so for Arlington’s Desta Morkama, who balanced four local marathon wins (see page 15) with a schedule of 15 ranked races. Though he started the year off slow, Morkama turned the corner in June, and won 10 ranked races the rest of the year, losing only the Crystal City Twlighter 5k to secondplace Chris Sloane. After that, he was sure to save a little more when they raced after that. Sloane was no slouch himself, with a 14th place finish on an Army Ten-Miler morning that was so humid it could open an envelope. Top-ranked woman Kerry Allen, of Washington, D.C., also excelled that morning, finishing third. She also won the Rock ‘n’ Roll D.C. Half Marathon, after finishing second twice, and repeated as the Riley’s Rumble Half Marathon champion. She also fit in a robust road racing season while also training for marathons, as she ran both Grandma’s Marathon in June and the California International Marathon in December. Here are the top 25 men and women, along with up to 10 of the age group leaders outside of the top top in each gender. You can find a comprehensive and interactive list of rankings, including a tool to compare yourself to other runners, headto-head, at our website, runwashington.com/ rankings. We also have our list of ranked races for the 2018 season. Justin Azoff, Chris Farley, Josh Merlis and Kris Utt did the work maintaining, converting and calculating all of the data for these rankings.

TOP 25 MEN RANK 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

NAME Desta Beriso Morkama Christopher Sloane Kieran O’Connor Matt Deters George Galasso Gregory Mariano Denzel Ramirez David Wertz Graham Tribble Nicolas Crouzier Dickson Mercer Charlie Ban Jeffrey Redfern Tripp Southerland Vinnie DeRocco Andrew Whitacre Jerry Greenlaw Shlomo Fishman Nick Oltman David O’Hara Philip Rector Zak Miller Jonathan Finer Amos Desjardins Mikhail Proskurin

TOP 25 WOMEN RANK 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

NAME Kerry Allen Jessica McGuire Jennifer Paul Caitlyn Tateishi Michelle Capozzi Hannah Pearson Silvia Baage Jenn Dietz Cindy Conant Calesse Cardosi Elizabeth Clor Laura O’Hara Lisa Reichmann Cathy Ross Toni Diegoli Kathy Oprea Samantha Cole Julie Sapper Anita Freres Emilie Yeh Jennifer Sample Elyse Braner Yuko Whitestone Shannon Smith Christie Blanchard

AGE 32 34 30 32 26 32 34 42 29 32 36 35 34 33 38 32 29 26 30 41 30 31 29 36 27

AVERAGE 1004.67 1002.25 998.41 993.45 991.4 992.285 992.73 991.735 991.15 986.835 985.05 982.335 979 975.335 975.67 972.83 971.555 968.565 965.385 963.665 964.24 959.78 959.185 959.835 957.45

RACES 15 8 7 10 8 7 9 6 8 9 8 14 13 8 13 6 8 11 8 10 9 6 12 10 8

TOP RACE Crystal City Crystal City Love the Run You’re With First Down 5k Crystal City Pikes Peek 10k Crystal City Veterans Day 10k Love the Run You’re With MCRRC New Year’s Day 5k Crystal City Crystal City Friday #3 SOME Trot for Hunger 5k St. Pat’s 5k Twilight Festival 4 Miler St. Pat’s 5k St. Pat’s 5k Parks Half Marathon Crystal City Parkway Classic 5k Lawyers Have Heart 5k Clarendon Day 5k Alexandria Turkey Trot 5 Miler Crystal City Twilighter 5k Firecracker 5k

TIME 15:13 15:12 15:14 15:24 15:30 31:30 15:48 32:10 15:49 15:18 16:23 16:11 16:33 15:30 21:49 15:53 31:46 1:15:39 17:02 17:00 17:14 15:55 27:56 17:15 17:15

AGE 29 37 30 31 25 30 36 32 56 26 39 37 43 46 38 28 49 45 52 29 42 33 45 51 44

AVERAGE 986.83 980.67 977.665 977.56 969.13 966.46 966.875 960.075 952.2 952.755 945.12 943.665 940.89 941.5 939.005 933.38 933.36 932.78 928.935 928.08 925.705 923.05 919.13 920.07 919.05

RACES 9 11 11 9 13 8 10 9 10 9 13 13 10 10 8 7 6 10 10 7 8 19 11 7 6

TOP RACE Alexandria Turkey Trot 5 Miler Crystal City Twilighter 5K Crystal City Twilighter 5K Lawyers Have Heart 10K Turkey Day 5K Turkey Day 5K Veterans Day 10K Alexandria Turkey Trot 5 Miler Cherry Blossom 10 Miler PR Birthday Bash 5K Semper Fi 5K Veterans Day 10K Riley’s Rumble Half Marathon Twilight Festival 4 Miler Crystal City 5K Fridays #1 Lawyers Have Heart 5K Annapolis 10 Miler National Police Week 5K Turkey Day 5K Crystal City Twilighter 5K National Police Week 5K Crystal City Twilighter 5K Semper Fi 5K SOME Trot For Hunger 5K Annapolis 10 Miler

TIME 29:06 18:16 18:40 37:47 18:46 18:43 38:20 31:31 1:04:00 20:00 20:17 41:05 1:32:02 26:49 20:16 20:09 1:09:48 20:34 21:09 21:03 20:21 20:42 21:13 21:00 1:11:46

KERRY ALLEN (LEFT) AND JESSICA MCGUIRE, HALFWAY THROUGH THE ARMY TEN-MILER. RUNWASHINGTON PHOTO BY CHARLIE BAN

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JERRY GREENLAW EDGES CHRIS SLOANE AT THE ST. PAT’S 10K. PHOTO BY BRIAN W. KNIGHT/SWIM BIKE RUN PHOTOGRAPHY

GREG MARIANO DURING THE ARMY TEN-MILER. PHOTO BY CHERYL YOUNG

CINDY CONANT, THE USATF LONG-DISTANCE RUNNER OF THE YEAR FOR 55-59 YEAR-OLD WOMEN, AT THE RILEY’S RUMBLE HALF MARATHON. PHOTO BY JONATHAN BIRD

10 | RUNWASHINGTON | RUNWASHINGTON.COM | SPRING 2018

UNDER 20 MEN RANK 1

NAME Yug Kolla

AGE 10

AVERAGE 613.21

RACES 7

TOP RACE TIME Perfect 10 Miler 1:42:09

UNDER 20 WOMEN RANK 1 2 3

NAME Savannah Landefeld Elizabeth Carrigan Serheni’Te Johnson

AGE 17 15 17

AVERAGE 907.83 867.335 550.935

20-29 MEN RANK 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

NAME Vadym Yatsun Matthew Judd Aaron Richards Aaron McCray Stefan Richter Xiangwen Lai Philip Newman Ray Gorski Nathan Blustein Trevor Carlsen

AGE 27 28 27 24 28 27 29 24 29 27

AVERAGE 951.625 921.335 905.3 893.935 848.185 835.835 831.42 801.715 798.335 785.57

RACES 6 8 7

RACES TOP RACE 7 Crystal City Twilighter 5K 8 Arlington Turkey Trot 5K 10 Arlington Turkey Trot 5K 8 Cherry Blossom 10 Miler 7 Veterans Day 10K 7 First Down 5K 7 Autism Speaks 5K 6 Twilight Festival 4 Miler 10 Clarendon Day 5K 8 Love The Run You’re With 5K

20-29 WOMEN RANK 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

NAME Jocelyn Shworak Leigh Serroka Meryl Winslow Allison Scott Brittany Richardson Elizabeth Younger Lea Lubag Heather Detwiler Amy Christensen Allison Guindon

AGE 23 26 27 29 25 28 27 29 24 27

AVERAGE 876.01 852.345 850.115 843.345 842 839 833.165 825.32 817.245 809.165

30-39 MEN RANK 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

NAME Jason Dimauro Exavier Watson Jonathan Ferguson Ryan Groat Jacob Englander Lokesh Meena Milon Chakrabarti Kevin Hartman Kyle Edgerton Brian Murphy

AGE 37 38 36 32 33 30 31 34 37 34

AVERAGE 958.17 952.185 943.445 932.65 933.295 931.285 930.335 930.62 924.615 922.125

RACES 6 7 7 7 6 6 7 6 12 12

NAME AGE Kelly Buroker 36 Lisa Johnston 36 Brynne Keith-Jennings 35 Alexandra Jurewitz 31 Lindsay Trasko 31 Kerrianne Rouse 34 Rebecca Makely 38 Colleen Gallagher 34 Jennifer Forman 39 Laura Chipkin 37

AVERAGE 915.735 908.49 901.7 895.835 890.245 890.045 887.335 879 878.39 875.415

40-49 MEN RANK 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

NAME Michael Naff Antonio Eppolito Dave Cahill Stephen Crago Bill McNary Michael Rohlf Carlos Barcon Jim Frogue Russell Inman Stephen Davies

AGE 47 49 46 49 45 43 43 46 44 47

AVERAGE 949.79 944.545 937.91 935.87 932 921.11 916.1 903 898.17 885.515

RACES 14 7 8 8 10 16 8 8 10 7

NAME Anna Shariat Roxanne Caruso Julia Taylor Carole Kammel Karen Young Heather Jeff Andrea Keane-Myers Ann Wessel Jennifer Carrigan Rachel Miller

AGE 41 40 46 49 49 43 48 43 46 47

AVERAGE 905.255 885.165 881 876.02 867.83 867 859.87 855.55 852 849.075

TOP RACE Crystal City 5K Fridays #4 Reston 10 Miler The Parks 10K The Parks 10K Crystal City 5K Fridays #3 Run With Santa 5K Arlington 9/11 Memorial 5K Clarendon Day 5K Kentlands 5K Crystal City 5K Fridays #2

RACES TOP RACE 12 Clarendon Day 5K 7 Fort Hunt 10K 6 Crystal City 5K Fridays #3 16 Run With Santa 5K 8 The Parks 10K 7 Alexandria Turkey Trot 5 Miler 6 Race4Respect 5K 11 Crystal City 5K Fridays #4 6 Bethesda Turkey Chase 10K 6 Navy-Air Force Half Marathon

40-49 WOMEN RANK 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

TOP RACE MCM 10K For The Love Of It 10K Metropolitan Branch Trail 5K Frederick Half Marathon Reston 10 Miler Veterans Day 10K PR Birthday Bash 5K Firecracker 5K Run With Santa 5K Crystal City Twilighter 5K

RACES TOP RACE 13 Crystal City Twilighter 5K 9 Crystal City Twilighter 5K 8 Public Service 5K 11 Firecracker 5K 7 Run With Santa 5K 12 Kensington 8K 18 Crystal City Twilighter 5K 6 Crystal City Twilighter 5K 6 Alexandria Turkey Trot 5 Miler 8 Jingle All The Way 5K

30-39 WOMEN RANK 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

TOP RACE TIME Jingle All The Way 5K 21:00 Leesburg 5K 22:53 Navy 5-Miler 1:00:01

RACES 7 12 6 6 17 9 7 8 8 7

TOP RACE Race4Respect 5K Parkway Classic 10 Miler Cherry Blossom 10 Miler Turkey Day 5K Reston 10 Miler Crystal City 5K Fridays #1 Autism Speaks 5K South Lakes 10K Twilight Festival 4 Miler Rockville 5K

TIME 17:47 19:18 19:56 1:04:14 42:50 22:32 22:56 29:21 24:24 24:04

TIME 46:57 48:37 23:40 1:44:24 1:20:43 49:59 25:37 24:51 26:08 26:54

TIME 17:20 18:00 18:26 18:53 18:36 30:24 19:04 17:54 30:38 18:05

TIME 21:58 1:12:52 44:48 45:28 23:01 22:45 22:05 22:38 22:50 20:58

TIME 17:17 37:03 18:41 18:49 37:39 30:58 18:39 20:00 40:10 1:31:50

TIME 21:57 1:15:05 1:12:40 22:48 1:19:56 23:19 24:40 50:18 32:46 24:48

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PHIL RECTOR AT THE FAIRFAX TURKEY TROT. PHOTO BY SWIM BIKE RUN PHOTO

SILVIA BAAGE FINISHING THE VETERANS DAY 10K. PHOTO BY BRIAN W. KNIGHT/SWIM BIKE RUN PHOTO

LISA JOHNSTON AT THE NEW YEARâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S DAY 5K IN RESTON. PHOTO BY CHERYL YOUNG

12 | RUNWASHINGTON | RUNWASHINGTON.COM | SPRING 2018

50-59 MEN RANK 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

NAME Mark Neff Dennis Schemm Kevin D’Amanda Howard Frost Theo Haast Lee Firestone Craig Greene Pei Han Dirk Plante Matt Anderson

AGE 55 52 55 52 50 52 52 55 50 51

AVERAGE 953.95 937.335 922.9 920.2 918.82 917.035 910.835 899.175 896 892.285

RACES TOP RACE 8 Lawyers Have Heart 5K 10 Leesburg 5K 7 PR Birthday Bash 5K 8 Semper Fi 5K 7 PR Birthday Bash 5K 10 Annapolis 10 Miler 7 Mother’s Day 4 Miler 13 Twilight Festival 4 Miler 11 Crystal City 5K Fridays #3 9 Arlington 9/11 Memorial 5K

50-59 WOMEN RANK 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

NAME AGE Debi Strauch 50 Sushila Nanda 56 Margaret Kuhn 55 Janet Braunstein 51 Paula Galliani 57 Blake Rushin 56 Carolyn Birchfield 52 Courtenay Brinckerhoff 50 Kathy Cea 57 Maura Hackett 58

AVERAGE 899.835 896.83 869.43 864.16 861.82 856.835 850.47 845.815 845.305 843.335

60-69 MEN RANK 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

NAME Bob Deak Bill Loomis David Pinnick Manuel Rivera Kirk Gordon Tim Barnhart James Moreland Gary Morgans Lennie Carter Kenyon Erickson

AGE 63 63 60 62 61 62 65 64 64 63

AVERAGE 900.915 890.05 890.835 869.835 859.215 858.5 855.5 842.305 837.5 823.665

RACES 9 14 7 8 10 6 10 6 11 16

RACES TOP RACE 8 Veterans Day 10K 11 National Police Week 5K 14 PR Birthday Bash 5K 7 Race For Every Child 5K 9 Run After The Women 5K 13 Firecracker 5K 20 Mother’s Day 4 Miler 9 Arlington 9/11 Memorial 5K 8 Crystal City 5K Fridays #2 8 Leesburg 5K

60-69 WOMEN RANK 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

NAME AGE Elizabeth Baumgarten 61 Betty Blank 64 Lizzie Sadoff 68 Mary Fredlake 67 Merrilee Seidman 63 Myra Washington 60 Claudia Wolfe 66 Carol Hansen-Vessa 63 Rona Eisen 64 Melanie Brennan 67

AVERAGE 861.67 853.53 831.755 824 821.335 821.835 819.52 799.33 773.135 750.76

70-79 MEN RANK 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

NAME Jim Noone John Palmer John Churchman Bill Sollers Lou Shapiro Gregory Chaconas Rory Quirk Bob Eldridge Ryck Lydecker Rick Rice

AGE 73 72 75 78 76 72 74 77 73 71

AVERAGE 870.835 843 760.66 735.76 722.515 706.975 699.33 676.825 633.065 631.16

RACES 7 7 9 10 11 13 6 15 6 8

NAME Virginia Sielen Pat Welch Sandra Timmons Ecris Williams Mandy Whalen Barbara Quantrille Jeanette Novak

AGE 70 73 72 79 77 70 73

AVERAGE 794.325 737.81 724.315 712.67 671.385 653.835 579

80+ MEN RANK 1 2 3

NAME Maynard Weyers Ken Quincy George Yannakakis

AGE 81 80 85

AVERAGE 741 710.335 692.38

TOP RACE Run With Santa 5K Women’s Distance Festival 5K SOME Trot For Hunger 5K Capitol Hill Classic 10K Mother’s Day 4 Miler Run With Santa 5K Lawyers Have Heart 10K Turkey Day 5K New Year’s Day 5K (MCRRC) Parkway Classic 10 Miler

RACES TOP RACE 16 Run With Santa 5K 12 Crystal City 5K Fridays #2 9 Annapolis 10 Miler 7 SOME Trot For Hunger 5K 12 Kensington 8K 8 Langley 8K 9 SOME Trot For Hunger 5K 7 Veteran’s Day 5K 9 Autism Speaks 5K 7 Lucky Leprechaun 5K

70-79 WOMEN RANK 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

TOP RACE Twilight Festival 4 Miler Leesburg 5K Frederick Half Marathon Women’s Distance Festival 5K Poolesville Day 5K Clarendon Day 5K Love The Run You’re With 5K Reston 10 Miler Poolesville Day 5K SOME Trot For Hunger 5K

RACES 8 9 9 14 16 7 18

TOP RACE PR Birthday Bash 5K Pikes Peek 10K National Police Week 5K Run With Santa 5K National Police Week 5K Lucky Leprechaun 5K Lucky Leprechaun 5K

RACES TOP RACE 10 New Year’s Day 5K 13 Run With Santa 5K 7 Pikes Peek 10K

TIME 17:30 19:21 19:35 19:25 19:35 1:05:56 25:12 26:53 20:43 19:46

TIME 29:50 23:00 1:45:26 23:47 24:33 23:20 24:40 1:22:15 25:07 24:10

TIME 40:53 20:39 21:13 21:17 21:33 22:22 29:16 22:45 23:39 23:32

TIME 23:57 24:25 25:33 53:07 34:30 26:41 53:26 27:20 27:05 1:37:54

TIME 21:58 22:36 1:30:00 27:59 47:34 46:00 29:41 30:58 32:02 30:33

TIME 28:14 1:00:33 29:45 32:11 33:36 33:56 38:02

TIME 28:14 30:34 55:22

SPRING 2018 | RUNWASHINGTON.COM | RUNWASHINGTON | 13

14 | RUNWASHINGTON | RUNWASHINGTON.COM | SPRING 2018

Desta Beriso Morkama was in a hurry. After winning the Marine Corps Marathon last October, Morkama quickly packed up his belongings, accepted his trophy and rode his bike home, where he made himself a quick meal and jumped into bed for a 30-minute power nap. A few hours later, he would be reporting to his first shift at the local 7-Eleven convenience store. The celebration would have to wait. “Before I work, I just push myself, ‘Desta, go, go, go, go work,’” Morkama said. “I push my mind that I have to work.” This hectic, around-the-clock routine is nothing the 32-year-old Arlington resident can’t handle. Since arriving in the United States from Ethiopia on Sept. 12, 2016, Morkama has established himself as one of the best road runners in the Washington area. He finished the 2017 season as RunWashington’s topranked runner. In addition to the Marine Corps Marathon, he also won the Lower Potomac River Marathon, the Abebe Bikila Day Marathon, and May’s Potomac River Run Marathon. Morkama came to America to pursue running opportunities but also to escape persecution as a member of the Oromo ethnic group. According to the international non-governmental organization Human Rights Watch, Ethiopian security forces killed more than 500 people during protests in the Oromia and Amhara regions between November 2015 and October 2016. Morkama said his cousin was killed two months after he arrived in the United States. The reality back home is why Morkama cherishes each moment of his new life in America. He applied for asylum in December of 2016 and is currently in the adjudication process. “Virginia, I feel like, is my home,” Morkama said from the living room of his Arlington house. “I’m so excited. D.C. is home too. I feel like right now I forgot my country [Ethiopia]. Virginia is a welcoming place, so friendly. I’m just so excited.” Morkama arrived that September day at Washington Dulles International Airport with the clothes on his back, running shoes on his feet and $300 in his pocket. He had a poor grasp of English — it was his first time in America — and had no idea where he was supposed to stay. The only person who knew he was coming was Jay Jacob Wind, a local race director and runner who had invited Morkama to come run at his races. Over the years, Wind estimates he has invited hundreds of Ethiopian runners, and believes that around 40 to 50 have actually made it to the Washington area. When the two finally met, they shook hands and exchanged pleasantries. Wind asked Morkama about his personal bests. Morkama rattled off times that included a personal record of 2:13:48, which he ran at Poland’s Debno Marathon in 2013. Running gave the men, a 68-year-old American and a 30-something Ethiopian, a way to speak the same language. Five days after setting foot in America,

BY KELYN SOONG

SPRING 2018 | RUNWASHINGTON.COM | RUNWASHINGTON | 15

Morkama won the Clarendon Day 10K in 30:59 to earn his first American check of $200. A month later, he finished second at the Marine Corps Marathon in 2:24:29. “I have a very structured week,” Wind said, “where we do track training on Monday and Wednesday at 7 p.m., Pacers running group in Clarendon Tuesday and Thursday at 7 p.m., worship services every Friday evening and typically on the weekend I do one or two races. Very quickly, [Morkama] adapted to that program.” Through Wind’s friend, Karla McDuffie, Morkama had a place to stay, and for the first eight months, Wind paid for Morkama’s rent. Since receiving his work permit in the summer of 2017, Morkama has paid for his own rent and groceries. He takes English classes at the Arlington Mill Community Center four days a week. On Fridays and Saturdays, Morkama works the overnight shift at 7-Eleven from 11 p.m. until 7 a.m. On Mondays and Tuesdays, he’s there from 3 p.m. until 11 p.m. Somewhere in between, he finds time to run approximately 90 to 100 miles a week. “It’s easy for me now,” Morkama said. “I work. I run. I train.” Over the summer, he also helped coach Kerstin Fagerstrom, a 15-year-old sophomore at Trinity School at Meadow View in Falls Church. Under Morkama’s guidance, Gaterstrom ran her best season of cross country. Morkama met Kerstin and her mother, Cathie, at a Potomac Valley Track Club practice, and immediately impressed them with his dedication. He never once missed a practice and expected the same from his student. “I was really impressed that he was able to work that hard and set his goals to get them,” Kerstin said. Growing up in the farmlands of the Arsi Zone in Ethiopia, Morkama ran everywhere with his large family. Haile Gebrselassie, one of the most accomplished runners in the history of the sport, also hails from the same area. Morkama’s talent was identified early on and he dropped out of high school in ninth

16 | RUNWASHINGTON | RUNWASHINGTON.COM | SPRING 2018

grade to focus on his running career. He trained, despite his mother’s concerns, and kept racing. There were places that he would fear running into a government official, but he had no choice, Morkama told himself. He had to keep running. “My mom told me many times, don’t go in the forest, because [she feared for] me,” Morkama said, “but I [needed to run].” For a while, he bounced around Europe, running in places like Caen, France, where he placed first at the 2011 Liberté Marathon (2:15:54) and Riga, Latvia, where he ran a 2:14:32 at the 2014 Nordea Riga Marathon. The allure of the American marathons pulled at him. He just didn’t imagine that he would eventually be running, and winning, one of them. The Marine Corps Marathon may not offer prize money, but it gave Morkama something else — the recognition that comes with winning a big-city marathon. Last year, he overcame a two-minute deficit, and a nearly half-mile gap, to win the title in 2:25:14. “Right now, I’m a little bit famous,” Morakama said while laughing. “When I win Marine Corps, it was so nice. It’s my favorite right now.” This spring, he plans on running the Cherry Blossom Ten Miler in April, followed by the Boston Marathon. Wind will work with Morkama to come up with a race plan for the rest of the year. One thing, however, is certain: he intends to defend his Marine Corps title. On the desk in his bedroom sits a plaque with his Marine Corps Marathon medal flanked by two photos of him running. In one, Morkama is mid-stride, staring ahead with intense focus; in the other, he’s raising both arms triumphantly in the air as he crosses the finish line. Morkama, whose first name means happiness in Oromo, smiles at the memories he’s made in his short time in the U.S. There has been plenty to celebrate, and even more to be grateful about. “I don’t have any family here,” he said, “but the American people are my family.”

Following that race he took a 20-year break from marathoning, focusing his attention on on his family. His three sons grew up and the marathon bug bit him again. But, the right side was totally blank. Mendelowitz, 59, was completely in shock. He’s the president of DC Road Runners and has run 2,000 miles per year for most of his life — and doctors told him that’s why he wasn’t already dead. “The only reason I was alive was because of my fitness and running,” the Arlington runner said. Mendelowitz was at a routine eye exam in December 2016 when the doctor noticed his right eyelid was drooping and sent him to a neurologist for follow up. The neurologist ordered a MRI angiogram of his brain and Mendelowitz left the office expecting to hear back that results were normal in a few weeks. “You know you’re in trouble when the doctor calls you at 5 p.m. the night you took the test,” he said. “The doctor said: I have your results and it’s serious. We need to talk about it right now.” Doctors discovered that he had developed a vascular condition that caused a blockage in his right middle cerebral artery, killing off about 40 percent of the artery structure on the right side of his brain. As doctors tried to determine what had caused the problem, they discovered that he had heart disease. A block of his left renal artery, which supplies the kidney with blood, required surgery, suggesting he had a broader vascular disease. Despite the serious diagnosis, doctors urged Mendelowitz to stay active. “In the middle of it, they keep saying, you have to keep running. Don’t change anything, keep doing what you’re doing, because that’s the only reason you’re alive,” he said. He hopes people will prioritize their own fitness after hearing his story. “I encourage every one of you to keep running and to understand the benefit that it brings you. It may not stop something from happening…but it’s saving my life right now,” he said. “I would not be here so I strongly encourage everybody to understand the benefit of fitness. It can’t be ignored.” That message is one that’s easy for Mendelowitz to pass along, given his long passion for the sport. Running has been a part of his life for almost four decades. Mendelowitz started running during college at the University of Michigan, when a girl he was dating would run to stay in shape for soccer season. “I was worried about guys moving in, so I ran with her,” he said. But soon, he was hooked all on his own. He started running with roommates as well and got talked into his first race, a seven-mile run on Memorial Day in 1979. As he continued running, regularly placing in his age group, he set out on a quest to qualify for the Boston Marathon, a goal

Cashing in on a Lifetime of Fitness BY JACQUELINE KLIMAS

RUNWASHINGTON PHOTOS BY MARLEEN VAN DEN NESTE SPRING 2018 | RUNWASHINGTON.COM | RUNWASHINGTON | 17

he accomplished in 1988, completing a 2:50 marathon after multiple failed attempts that taught him a lot about the distance. Following that race he took a 20-year break from marathoning. He focused his attention on his family. Once his three sons got older, he was back to marathons. He turned back to long-distance running in 2009, when he ran the Marine Corps Marathon to try to qualify for Boston as a 50-year-old. But he fell far short, calling it “by far the worst race of my life.” The failed attempt pushed him to consider joining a running group to improve his training, and he began running with DC Road Runners. At the Marine Corps Marathon in 2010, he achieved his goal of qualifying for the Boston Marathon. In 2015, he did it again. Since his diagnosis, which doctors told him is incurable but treatable, Mendelowitz has focused on staying active however he can. Yet while running keeps him alive, it also wreaks havoc on his back. The drawback to his lifetime of running is four degenerated discs in his lower back. “The only reason I’m alive is due to running and fitness. At the same time the spine doctor is saying well I don’t think long distance running is in your future any time soon,” he said. That’s been tough on Mendelowitz, who calls running his top passion in life, outside of his wife and kids. He founded and led a 10mile group run every Monday morning for the past five years, and he participated in DC Road Runners’ long runs each weekend. He coaches the group on the track on Thursdays and has served as the group’s president for the last three years, a role from which he will soon step down. After receiving spinal injections to help control the pain, the spine doctor capped his running at five miles a day and said he might be able to pursue one more marathon training cycle in his life if things go right. In the meantime, Mendelowitz has substituted about two hours of pool running for hitting the pavement on his weekend long run and his Monday morning 10-mile run has been cut to single digits. The change in fitness schedule has had a huge impact on his social life. “It feels sort of empty not being able to do that,” he said of having to give up the 10mile run group he founded. “But I just evolved to ‘Okay, what can I do on Monday morning?’ If it’s a two- or three- or four-mile run, that’s what I’ll do….but I was alone, and it was really lonely and it’s still really lonely.” “I know hundreds of people. Most of them are runners in Arlington. So, most mornings if I see someone out running, I know them and get to yell and say hi, but I’m not with my friends,” he added. He’s also not giving up his days at the track, even if he can’t run alongside his friends right now. “I’m there running the stop watch and screaming at people,” he said. 18 | RUNWASHINGTON | RUNWASHINGTON.COM | SPRING 2018

race day event guide 8:00AM | APRIL 22, 2018 | ALEXANDRIA, VA PAC-688 GWPC RW Info Guide.indd 1

3/15/18 3:31 PM

welcome HAPPY RACE DAY RUNNERS, WALKERS AND SUPPORTERS! Welcome to the 34th Annual George Washington Parkway Classic! From the firing of the start gun to the finish line, history and nature await as you travel along the original segment of the parkway—the Mount Vernon Memorial Highway—later renamed the George Washington Memorial Parkway. The tree-lined route along the south bank of the Potomac River is part of a 25-mile scenic road managed by the National Park Service.

While George Washington Memorial Parkway is dotted with memorials commemorating important episodes in American history, there are also miles and miles of trails where one can exercise and enjoy the outdoors. The parkway actively supports the Healthy Parks, Healthy People initiative which harnesses the power of parks and public lands in promoting the health of people and the environment. National parks have always been revered for their symbolism and scenery. Today, national park sites like George Washington Memorial Parkway also play a vital role in healthy living, disease prevention, and therapy.

This year, George Washington Memorial Parkway partnered with former NFL player, entrepreneur, and philanthropist Darryl Haley to sponsor 50 members of the Boys and Girls Club of Alexandria, Virginia in the 5K race. Darryl, an advocate for healthy eating and lifestyles understands the importance of connecting children with nature. National Park Rangers and Darryl assisted the staff from the Boys and Girls Club train the youth for the race. He and several Park Rangers will be running/walking alongside the youth as they compete in today’s 5k race. The group as well as other race finishers will be greeted by Buddy Bison and George Washington Memorial Park Rangers at Oronoco Park.

Best of luck to all the participants and enjoy your national park—George Washington Memorial Parkway!

BLANCA ALVAREZ STRANSKY, ACTING SUPERINTENDENT GEORGE WASHINGTON MEMORIAL PARKWAY

experience old town from start to finish

Minutes from Washington D.C. on the Potomac River, Old Town Alexandria delights travelers from all over the world. A nationally designated historic district founded in 1749 that George Washington called home, Old Town Alexandria hums with more than 200 independent restaurants and boutiques alongside intimate historic museums and new happenings at the waterfront.

VISIT OUR BOUTIQUES

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HOTEL INDIGO RACE DAY SPECTATOR HOSPITALITY 220 South Union Street, Alexandria, VA 22314 8:00-11:00 a.m. Hotel Indigo Old Town Alexandria is Alexandria’s first waterfront hotel, delivering a stylish, local experience inspired by the city’s picturesque waterfront, and paying homage to its maritime roots. During the George Washington Parkway Classic, Hotel Indigo Old Town Alexandria will serve as a meeting area for spectators, offering poster-making stations to help cheer on race participants. Additionally, the hotel will feature a “refuel bar” offering racers healthy refreshments as they pass through.

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STAY IN ALEXANDRIA It’s not too late to book your weekend getaway hotel package. Check out local hotels and unique activities from our partner Visit Alexandria! www.visitalexandriava.com/parkwayclassic

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Stroll the streets and pick up some goodies during our packet pick ups or race weekend. Download the race app for details on boutique and restaurant Parkway Classic specials!

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Food & Kitchen

Hooray for Books Pacers Running Olio Tasting Room fibre space™ Acme Mid-Century + Modern 6. Stitch Sew Shop 7. Pink & Brown 8. Red Barn Mercantile 9. Current Boutique 10. Bellacara 11. Bishop Boutique

Craft

Kids & Home & Beauty Shoes Fashion Babies Design

12. Duchess M 13. Periwinkle Boutique 14. Vintage Mirage 15. The Dog Park 16. Fleurir Chocolates 17. TSALT 18. Mint Condition 19. 529 Kids Consign 20. Sara Campbell 21. The Shoe Hive 22. Hysteria

23. The Spice & Tea Exchange 24. Gossypia 25. La Cuisine 26. The Hive 27. She’s Unique 28. lou lou 29. The Christmas Attic 30. Coco Blanca A. Podolsky Group, 1701 Duke Street Suite, 100

Pets

Gifts

Jewelry

Dining

B. Lena’s Wood-Fired Pizza & Tap, 401 E. Braddock Rd. C. La Fromagerie D. Braddock Commercial Real Estate, 1018 Wythe St. E. The Majestic F. Misha’s Coffeehouse G. American Advertising, 708 Pendleton St. H. S. Freedman & Sons, 3322 Pennsy Dr.,

Water Taxi & Tours

Business Partner

Landover, MD I. a la Lucia, 315 Madison St. J. LizLuke K. Vola’s Dockside Grill L. Union Street Public House M. Virtue Feed & Grain N. Potomac Riverboat Company

RUN WITH US AT PORT CITY BREWING The award-winning Port City Brewing Company may be our beer garden partner at the Parkway Classic but did you know most Mondays Pacers Running and Port City host our popular Joggers + Lagers, a free community fun run! Jog with new friends followed by spirits in the Port City tasting room. Visit runpacers.com/calendar for details on our next run.

CHOW DOWN ON SOME DONUTS Be sure to stop by our partner, Sugar Shack, for some pre- or post-race fuel. Sugar Shack is the proud host of our Sugar Shack Kid’s Dash. sugarshackdonuts.com

THIS CAMPAIGN WAS MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH THE SUPPORT OF THE ALEXANDRIA MARKETING FUND.

RACE DATE: SUNDAY, APRIL 22, 2018 START TIME: 8:00 AM AWARDS (MAIN STAGE): 10:00AM KIDS DASH START TIME: 10:30 AM 10M START: MT VERNON ESTATES

GEORGE WASHINGTON

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PLEASE NOTE: Bag check and claim areas are manned by volunteers and staff. The event is not responsible for lost or stolen items. Leave at your own risk. Any items not picked up by the end of the event are taken to the Pacers Alexandria store and may be retrieved there. Items left after seven days will be tossed or donated to charity.

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» After the races start (8:00am), all checked items will be waiting for you at bag claim in the finish festival area.

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» There is a bag drop for both the 10 mile race (Mt Vernon) and the 5K race (Belle Haven) located at the start area.

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> > > > 5K Runner’s Path

1. November Project

YOU MUST USE THE CLEAR BAG CHECK BAG GIVEN TO YOU AT PACKET PICK UP. ABSOLUTELY NO GYM BAGS OR BACKPACKS.

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HANDLED WITH CARE BY TWO MEN AND A TRUCK

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We will have a sag bus manned by a nurse following the last runner. You must maintain a 15 minute pace to not be placed on SAG. You will also be asked to board if you fall behind our course time limits. If you feel like you cannot complete the event for any reason, please board the sag bus.

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Course time limits — from the gun start GWPC runners must arrive at each mile mark by the time of day noted: Mile 1: 8:30am; Mile 2: 8:45am; Mile 3: 9:00am; Mile 4: 9:15am; Mile 5: 9:30am; Mile 6: 9:45am; Mile 7: 10:00am; Mile 8: 10:15am; Mile 9: 10:30am; Finish 10:45am.

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COURSE PACE & SAG BUS

Amenities for runners at the start line include: coffee, heat sheets & light refreshments.

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RUNNER AMENITIES

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FINISH

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Race schedule

THERE ARE PLENTY OF EVENT OPTIONS TO PERSONALIZE YOUR RACE SCHEDULE. C

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naughtical beer mile CLARENDON RUN

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TURKEY TROT

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transportation » The buses load at 700 N. Fairfax Street in Old Town Alexandria. » Buses will stretch from Wythe to First Street along Te le

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Fairfax Street. ALEXANDRIA GPS INSTRUCTIONS TO FINISH AREA (FOR SPECTATORS): 100 North Pendleton Street, Alexandria VA 22314 TO PARKING AT CANAL PLAZA: 99 Canal Plaza, Alexandria, VA 22314 TO DROP OFF AT BUS LOADING ZONE: 700 North Fairfax Street, Alexandria, VA 22314

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ALEXANDRIA (EISENHOWER) BUS LOADING ZONE

» The buses load on the corner of Hooffs Run Drive and Eisenhower Avenue

ARLINGTON BUS LOADING ZONE

» Please have your ride or taxi take Richmond Highway (Route 1) to Mt. Vernon Memorial Parkway. » Head north on Mt. Vernon Memorial Parkway towards Mt. Vernon Circle. » Get dropped off at post office parking lot just west of Mt. Vernon Circle. » Be cognizant of traffic for drop offs. » This area is not manned by volunteers or police.

» The buses load at South Hayes Street and Army Navy Drive.

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» Ample parking is available for race participants at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office: 600 Dulany Street, Alexandria, VA 22314 (please follow signs to parking).

PROPER DROP-OFF INSTRUCTIONS

» Parking is available at the public Pentagon lot located across from the mall. N Patrick St

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TO PENTAGON PARKING LOT: 800 Army Navy Drive, Arlington, VA 22202

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ARLINGTON GPS INSTRUCTIONS TO BUS LOADING: South Hayes Street & Army Navy Drive Arlington, VA 22202

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5K START: BELLE HAVEN

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» NO CARS ALLOWED IN THE MT. VERNON CIRCLE. » Only buses will be allowed to enter the circle after 6:00AM. » The GW Parkway will shut down at or before 6:30AM. » THERE IS NO TRANSPORTATION BACK TO THE START LINE OF THE 10M FROM THE FINISH LINE.

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» METRO does not open early for this event. » Please make alternate arrangements. » There are bike racks in and around the finish area.

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» THERE IS NO TRANSPORTATION BACK TO THE START OF THE 5K FROM THE FINISH LINE.

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» The buses load 1200 G Street NW at the Metro Center Station, south side in front of Macy’s.

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» The 5K race starts at 8:00AM. » The starting line is located approximately at the intersections of Belle Haven Road and GW Parkway; near the Belle Haven Marina. » The GW Parkway will shut down at or before 6:30AM » Parking may be limited in and around the start of the 5K, so we suggest either taking the shuttles to the start line, or being dropped of by another person.

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YOU MUST HAVE YOUR BIB NUMBER WITH YOU WHEN BOARDING THE BUSES. THIS IS YOUR IDENTIFICATION AS A REGISTERED RUNNER. PLEASE MAKE PERSONAL TRANSPORTATION PLANS TO ARRIVE AT THE START IF YOU WILL BE PUSHING A STROLLER. WE CAN ACCOMMODATE STROLLERS IN THE FINISH SHUTTLES BUT NOT PRE-RACE.

G Street Northwest

F Street Northwest

The Parkway Classic 10M & 5K is a point to point race starting at Mt. Vernon Estates and Belle Haven, respectively, and finishing in Old Town, Alexandria at Oronoco Bay Park. Because the race is point to point, runners may take advantage of one of the transportation options outlined below.

BUS TRANSPORTATION DETAILS We are providing transportation from Old Town, Alexandria, Eisenhower Avenue, Alexandria and Pentagon City, Arlington. Please see below for important details. Duke St

EISENHOWER AVENUE SHUTTLES

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» The buses will pick up on the corner of Hooffs Run Drive and Eisenhower Ave Duke St

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» The first bus from Eisenhower Avenue will depart at 5:30AM Ave

» The last bus from Eisenhower Avenue will depart at 7:00AM

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» We strongly suggest boarding the bus by 6:30AM to avoid a lengthy wait in line.

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» This pickup location has ample parking in the Patent and Trademark Office East Garage and the Hoffman Monument Lot located across from the Hoffman AMC Theater. » 5k and 10 mile runners welcome. You will board different buses. See signs. Duke St

ALEXANDRIA SHUTTLES AT FAIRFAX STREET (MAIN STAGING)

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Eisenhower Avenue

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Bus Loading Area

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» We suggest boarding by 6:15AM or you will encounter a wait to board. Jamieson

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» 10 Mile and 5K runners will be transported from Alexandria to Mt. Vernon and Belle Haven via race-provided bus transportation.

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» Alexandria bus transportation begins at 5:30AM

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SPECIAL NOTE: The 5K and 10 Mile board DIFFERENT buses. 10 Mile runners will board on the west side of Fairfax Street; 5K will load on the east side of Fairfax Street. Look for signs.

» The Alexandria stops are located along North Fairfax Street at Wythe Street. » THE LAST BUS IN ALEXANDRIA WILL LEAVE AT 7:00AM. Late runners will not be accommodated.

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d St

Restrooms

Pendleton

» Bus transportation will begin at 5:30AM

N Colum

Oronoco

» The last bus will leave at 6:30AM

N Union

bus St

Tobacco Quay

N Fairfa

k St N Patric

Oronoco

N Royal

N Pitt

St x St

N St Asaph

N Lee St

St Queen

Princess

N Fairfa

N Colum

Brocketts Alley Queen

Quay St

d St

Muirs Ct

Princess

St ington

N Wash

bus St

N Patric 1

Princess

N Royal

N Pitt

St N St Asaph

ron St

MACY’S

G Street Northwest

11th Street Northwest

12th Street Northwest

Queen

Came

DC SHUTTLES

N Alfre

Queen

13th Street Northwest

» Sorry 5K participants, this bus route does not pass the 5K start.

x St

N Alfre

Mt. Verno

Closed Road

k St

Princess

N Royal

Pendleton Ct

FINISH

N Colum

n Trail

N Alfre

d St

Bus Loading Area

Francis

AREA

Walking Path for Parking

>>>>

N Royal

Madison

Oronoco

» We are providing complimentary shuttles for 10 Mile runners ONLY from Pentagon City.

n Trail

Montgome ry

Old Town Alexandria Wythe

Pendleton

n Trail

N Fairfa

> >

ARLINGTON SHUTTLES (PENTAGON CITY)

Mt. Vernon

>St >

St N Pitt

Mt. Verno

x St

> N> Royal >

x St

orial Pkwy >

N Fairfa

N Colum

k St

y St

1st St

N St Asaph

George Washingto n Mem

bus St

N Henr

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N Patric k St

n St

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Madison

wh Po

N Alfre d St

N Henr

1st St

» Bus transportation from DC for 10 mile participants only » Sorry 5K participants, this bus route does not pass the 5K start. G Street Northwest

» Bus transportation will begin at 5:30AM

F Street Northwest

11th Street Northwest

12th Street Northwest

13th Street Northwest

F Street Northwest

Bus Loading Area

» The last bus will leave at 6:30AM

transportation (CONT,D) PARKING

POST-RACE SHUTTLES

PARKING AT EISENHOWER AVENUE (ALEXANDRIA)

Shuttles will be available from 8:00AM – 11:45AM on race day to shuttle participants to King Street METRO, Pacers Alexandria, Eisenhower Avenue and Pentagon City (pick up located on Fairfax Street).

Ample parking at the Patent and Trade Office West Garage (29 Elizabeth Lane, Alexandria, VA 22314) and the Hoffman Monument Lot (2430 Eisenhower Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22314)

PARKING AT CANAL PLAZA (OLD TOWN, ALEXANDRIA)

These buses will run on a 10-15 minute loop. There are no post-race shuttles back to either start.

ue Pl B e l lv

N Roya

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Complimentary event parking is available at 99 Canal Center, courtesy of American Real 2nd S t Estate Partners. N Fai

N Pitt

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3rd St

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Canal Ce

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11 CANAL CENTER

FULL BUILDING OPPORTUNITY

Mt. Vern

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N Fairf ax St

N Roya

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1st St

Montgom

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N Fairf ax St

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N Roya

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Madison

Experience Alexandria’s premier office destination on the Potomac River.

Mt. Vern

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N St A

PLEASE NOTE: Pre-race complimentary bus service is for registered runners only Family, friends and spectators WILL NOT be allowed to board any of the pre-race shuttle buses. Friends and family may board the post-race shuttle but must be accompanied by a runner.

BUS LOADIN G AREA

Madison

Oronoco Bay Park

OLD TOWN, ALEXANDRIA STREET PARKING Limited street parking is available in and around the finish area. To avoid delay, consider parking west of Washington Street and walking the handful of blocks to bus loading.

66 CANAL CENTER 3,000 - 10,500 sf

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For Leasing Information Contact JLL Northern Virginia Agency Leasing Team 703.485.8800 | CanalCenterVA.com

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Parkway Classic Special:

3/15/18 3:31 PM

GEORGE WASHINGTON

Parkway classic FINISH LINE FESTIVAL

ARLINGTON/ PENTAGON CITY SHUTTLE

LEGEND

5 21

TENT 19

9 18

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21.

D C

B A

ALEXANDRIA SHUTTLE

6 V

6 3

6 4 10 17

20 2

16 15

14 1 13

VIP ENTRANCE

MEDICAL

TRASH CAN

BATHROOM

SHUTTLE STOP

LIGHT TOWER

WAYFINDER

10M / 5K FINISH CHUTE EXIT (SECURED) MEDICAL VIP LOUNGE BAG DROP RESTROOMS BEER GARDEN ENTRANCE BEER GARDEN EXIT SPONSOR TENTS INFORMATION TENT BEER TENT BAND STAGE TIMING TRUCK SOUND POST-RACE WATER POST-RACE MEDALS POST-RACE FOOD & HYDRATION TENT POST-RACE MASSAGE BOUNCE HOUSE PHOTOBOOTH STAFF TENT

I P

sugar, shack KID S DASH

INSTRUCTIONS FOR PARENTS AND KIDDOS! » Meet at the Parkway Classic finish line for the Sugar Shack Kid’s Dash at 10:30am. First wave will step off shortly after. » You may enter the start line from the finish chute exit (see #2 on Finish Line Festival Map); please make sure your child has their bib number to show security for access. » Due to crowding, we request only one parent per participant at the start/finish line. Parents are allowed to run along their children.

Legend >>>>

» Medals and Sugar Shack donuts are distributed to kid’s dash participants with valid runner bibs only. We regret we will not have product for parents or non-registered kids dash participants.

Runner’s Path Runner’s Turnaround Start/Finish

Pacers Running

RacIng With KIDS! Kids who run are happy, healthy kids! Here is the schedule of Pacers Running races as well other local events that both welcome and champion the smallest runners. Grab your kids and make memories out there! 5/20

Capitol Hill Classic 10k, 3k and Fun Run

6/9

Lawyers Have Heart 10k, 5k and Fun Walk

6/3

Girls on the RunDC Spring 5k

6/16

Kids Superhero Dash for Dad (ZERO Prostate Cancer Run/Walk)

7/21

Crystal City Twlighter 5k

9/22

Clarendon Day Run 5k, 10, Double, and Kids Dash

9/29

DCXC Project

11/22

Fairfax Turkey Trot

3/15/18 3:32 PM

thank you

FROM PACERS RUNNING

We want to thank you for participating in this year’s Parkway Classic. Your run helps support our local chapter of the Boys and Girls Club raising funds for their annual operating needs. We are also thrilled that over 50 club members have trained for months to participate in this year’s event! The Parkway Classic is rooted in the Alexandria community, produced by Alexandria’s preeminent running retailer, Pacers Running, and with such noted partners as Alexandria’s own Port City Brewing, Sugar Shack Donuts, the Old Town Boutique District, Jillian Keck/McEnearny Associates, the City of Alexandria, Mount Vernon Estates, and the National Park Service. We would like to invite you to not just run the race but walk our streets and explore our amazing city restaurants and shops, as featured by our partner the Old Town Boutique District and Visit Alexandria. Be sure to check our race app for great deals from local boutiques, restaurants, and hotels. On behalf of our staff, partners, vendors, volunteers, and beneficiaries, we wish you a wonderful race experience at Alexandria’s Hometown Race!

KATHY DALBY

CEO// PARTNER PACERS RUNNING

CHRIS FARLEY

OWNER// GENERAL MANAGER PACERS RUNNING

PACE THE NATION!

save the date

A weekly DC running podcast featuring @runpacer, @jotoriousdc, and @williamedocs

No one knows your running life like you do. And no one knows running like Pacers Running.

e h t ce N

Pace the Nation podcast. Listen to your inner pacer.

paAT I O

FIND US ON ITUNES AT PACE THE NATION PAC-688 GWPC RW Info Guide.indd 12

35th Annual SUNDAY, APRIL 21, 2019 3/15/18 3:32 PM

Every Saturday

April 15

April 28

PARKRUN 5K

RUN FOR JUSTICE 5K

BRIGHT BEGINNINGS 5K

ROOSEVELT ISLAND, FLETCHER’S COVE,

FAIRFAX, VA

WASHINGTON, D.C.

ANACOSTIA, D.C.; COLLEGE PARK,

PRISON BREAK 5K/10K

DRAFT DAY DASH 5K

KENSINGTON, MD

LORTON, VA

LANDOVER, MD

April 8

April 20

RUNNERS MARATHON OF RESTON

CRYSTAL CITY FRIDAY 5K

MARATHON,

ARLINGTON, VA

WATERFORD TRAIL 5K

HALF MARATHON AND RELAY

WATERFORD, VA PALIO DI SIENA 5K GREAT FALLS, VA METROPOLITAN BRANCH TRAIL 5K

April 21

WASHINGTON, D.C.

LOUDOUN 8K

RESTON, VA

ASHBURN, VA

RUN FOR THE CHILDREN 8K

April 12

HEALTHY STRIDES 5K/10

FAIRFAX, VA

BURKE LAKE, VA

MANNA 5K

VICTIM’S RIGHTS 5K

HIGHLANDER 5K

WASHINGTON, D.C.

FAIRFAX, VA

MCLEAN, VA

FARLINGTON 5K

CAPITAL FOR A DAY 5K

ARLINGTON, VA

OLNEY, MD

SPRINGBURST 8K

STEP SISTERS’ RIBBON RUN

GREENBELT, MD

ASHBURN, VA

GLOW RUN

LIVE WELL 5K/10K

SOUTH RIDING, VA

April 14

MANASSAS, VA

STENWOOD 5K

DAMCI 5K

VIENNA, VA

BEN’S RUN 5 MILER/5K

UPPER MARLBORO, MD

HOLY FAMILY FALCON 5K

RESTON,VA WOLFTRAP ELEMENTARY 5K VIENNA, VA

April 13 CRYSTAL CITY FRIDAY 5K ARLINGTON, VA

SILVER SPRING, MD ARLINGTON BUNNY HOP 5K ARLINGTON, VA BISHOP O’CONNELL 5K ARLINGTON, VA SEABEE 5K/10K WASHINGTON, D.C. NATURE CENTER 5K RESTON, VA VAN METRE 5 MILE ASHBURN, VA ORAL CANCER FOUNDATION 5K SILVER SPRING, MD

COURTNEY SCHILLING MEMORIAL 5K

WOODBRIDGE, VA

April 22 GEORGE WASHINGTON PARKWAY CLASSIC 10 MILE/5K

NORTH FACE ENDURANCE CHALLENGE STERLING, VA

ALEXANDRIA, VA

April 29

LOUDOUN HALF MARATHON

NEW JERSEY MARATHON

ASHBURN, VA

OCEANPORT, N.J.

TENLEY TIGER TROT 5K

PIKE’S PEEK 10K

WASHINGTON, D.C.

ROCKVILLE, MD

EVERY HEART COUNTS 5K

NATIONAL WOMEN’S HALF MARATHON/8K

FAIRFAX, VA

WASHINGTON, D.C. VETED 5K SORTIE

TILLMAN HONOR RUN

April 27

WASHINGTON, D.C.

CRYSTAL CITY FRIDAY 5K ARLINGTON, VA RUN ROCKVILLE 5K ROCKVILLE, MD

FAIRFAX, VA MERCY 5K WASHINGTON, D.C. MIGHTY MILE RESTON, VA MANASSAS RUNWAY 5K/10K MANASSAS, VA

32 | RUNWASHINGTON | RUNWASHINGTON.COM | SPRING 2018

May 5

May 12

May 20

IN THEIR SHOES 5K

ADAM’S ANGELS 5K

CAPITOL HILL CLASSIC 10K

ALEXANDRIA, VA

FAIRFAX, VA

WASHINGTON, D.C.

SUPERHERO 5 MILER

RUN AWARE 5K

SUPERHERO 5K

FAIRFAX STATION, VA

BETHESDA, MD

LEESBURG, VA

OAK HILL 5K

SEMPER FI 5K

HISTORIC HALF

OAK HILL, VA

WASHINGTON, D.C.

FREDERICKSBURG, VA

KIDS ON THE RUN

TEEN RUN DC 5K

MELANOMORE 5K

GAITHERSBURG, MD

WASHINGTON, D.C.

STERLING, VA

ASHBURN VILLAGE FIESTA 5K/10K

POLICE WEEK 5K

CELEBRATE SIMPLE JOYS 5K

ASHBURN, VA

WASHINGTON, D.C.

FAIRFAX, VA

GET SMART! 5K

SPRING BURKE LAKE 5K/10K

RUN FOR REMEMBRANCE

LEESBURG, VA

FAIRFAX STATION, VA

CHANTILLY, VA

May 13

May 27

MOTHER’S DAY 4 MILER

ALEXANDRIA RUNNING FESTIVAL HALF

RESTON, VA

MARATHON/5K

BULL RUN GOLF CLUB MOTHER’S DAY 5K

ARLINGTON, VA

HAYMARKET, VA

GEORGETOWN 5K/HALF MARATHON

TRICIA DAVIS 5K

WASHINGTON, D.C.

LA MILLA DE MAYO GAITHERSBURG, MD CLIFTON CABOOSE TWILIGHT 5K CLIFTON, VA WOODSON 5K FAIRFAX, VA FARM PARK CHALLENGE DERWOOD, MD

WASHINGTON, D.C.

May 6

RUN FOR ELIZA 5K

LOUDOUN LYME 5K/10K

RUN 4 YOUR MOM MOTHER’S DAY 4 MILE

BRAMBLETON, VA

WASHINGTON, D.C.

ARLINGTON, VA

HOPECAM 5K RESTON, VA FREDERICK HALF MARATHON FREDERICK, MD OATH 5K DULLES, VA PUBLIC SERVICE 5K WASHINGTON, D.C. BREAK A SWEAT FOR A HOMELESS PET SPRINGFIELD, VA RACE FOR HOPE 5K WASHINGTON, D.C. POTOMAC RIVER RUN MARATHON/ HALF WASHINGTON, D.C.

May 28 JEREMY’S RUN 5K/10K OLNEY, MD RINGING IN HOPE 5K/10K

May 19

ASHBURN, VA

GERMANTOWN 5 MILER

ROCKVILLE, MD

MEMORIAL 4 MILE

GERMANTOWN, MD STERLING STRONG 5K STERLING, VA HOLY SPIRIT SCHOOL 5K SPRINGFIELD, VA PHILLIPS PROGRAMS 5K BURKE, VA

June 2 RACE4RESPECT 5K WASHINGTON, D.C. COLLEEN’S BA 5K KENSINGTON, MD

June 3 GENEROCITY DC 5K ARLINGTON, VA

SPRING 2018 | RUNWASHINGTON.COM | RUNWASHINGTON | 33

June 10

July 21

Sept. 8

CELEBRATE FAIRFAX 5K

CRYSTAL CITY TWILIGHTER 5K

ARLINGTON POLICE, FIRE & SHERIFF 9/11

FAIRFAX, VA

ARLINGTON, VA

MEMORIAL 5K

WOMEN’S DISTANCE FESTIVAL/RUN AFTER

ROCKVILLE TWILIGHT 8K

ARLINGTON, VA

THE WOMEN 5K

ROCKVILLE, MD

ABEBE BIKILA DAY MARATHON/ HALF

ARLINGTON, VA

MATTHEW HENSON TRAIL 5K

WASHINGTON, D.C.

SILVER SPRING, MD

June 16 RUN FOR ROSES SILVER SPRING, MD

June 17 RUN WITH DAD 5K RESTON, VA

DC ROAD RUNNERS TRACK CHAMPIONSHIPS WASHINGTON, D.C.

July 22

ROCKVILLE, MD

PR BIRTHDAY BASH 5K

MOUNT VERNON, VA

FAIRFAX, VA

RILEY’S RUMBLE HALF MARATHON/8K

RESTON, VA

RUN 4 YOUR DAD FATHER’S DAY FOUR MILE

BOYDS, MD

POOLESVILLE DAY 5K

WASHINGTON, D.C.

MIGHTY MILE

POOLESVILLE, MD

FAIRFAX, VA

LAKE NEEDWOOD XC DERWOOD, MD

Aug. 3

WASHINGTON, D.C.

GOIN GREEN TRACK MEET

Sept. 16

GAITHERSBURG, MD

NAVY-AIR FORCE HALF MARATHON/5 MILE WASHINGTON, D.C.

SUDS & SOLES 5K

Aug. 7

ROCKVILLE, MD

STEVE THOMPSON 8K

LITTLE BENNETT XC

Aug. 11

CLARKSBURG, MD

GREAT AMERICAN NAUGHTICAL BEER MILE WASHINGTON, D.C.

July 1 Upcoming races is not a

FREEDOM 5K

Aug. 12

comprehensive listing of

FAIRFAX, VA

GROOVIN’ WOODSTOCK XC DICKERSON, MD

July 4

by race directors on the free online race calendar at

KENSINGTON 8K KENSINGTON, MD

Sept. 23 BETHESDA, MD

EASTERN COUNTY 8K

AGE-HANDICAP 4 MILE

SILVER SPRING, MD

WASHINGTON, D.C.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD

July 14 BASTILLE DAY 4 MILER

July 18 BLUEMONT 5K

between September 2018 and April 2019 listed in

PAUL THURSTON 4.5 MILE

POTOMAC RIVER RUN MARATHON/ HALF

FAIRFAX STATION, VA

WASHINGTON, D.C.

Aug. 26

Sept. 30

SOUTH LAKES 10K

PERFECT 10 10K/10 MILE

RESTON, VA

calendar by July 15.

Sept. 1 KENTLANDS 5K GAITHERSBURG, MD,

Sept. 2 LARRY NOEL 15K GREENBELT, MD

Sept. 3 GREAT AMERICAN 5K

RUNWASHINGTON PHOTO BY DUSTIN WHITLOW 34 | RUNWASHINGTON | RUNWASHINGTON.COM | SPRING 2018

BOYDS, MD

PRINCE WILLIAM HALF MARATHON/5K

our next print edition, please add it to our online

Sept. 29 BLACK HILL 10K

ARLINGTON, VA

your race being run

ALEXANDRIA, VA

Aug. 21

WASHINGTON, D.C.

registering for an event.

If you would like to have

ARLINGTON, VA

RESTON, VA

to the calendar as soon as

to change.

CLARENDON DAY 5K/10K

CABIN JOHN KIDS RUN

MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S MILE

Date and times are subject

Sept. 22

LEESBURG, VA

advised to add their races

with organizers before

LEESBURG, VA

FIRECRACKER 5K

July 13

to confirm event details

MIGHT MILE

LEESBURG 20K/5K

Race directors should be

in this listing. It is wise

FALLS CHURCH, VA

RUN! GEEK! RUN! 5K

www.runwashington.com.

possible to aid inclusion

RUN FOR THE SCHOOLS 5K

Aug. 19

AUTISM SPEAKS 5K POTOMAC, MD

on information provided

SUSCO 8K

HUGH JASCOURT 4 MILE

June 30

Listings are based largely

Sept. 15

LEESBURG, VA

SPRINGFIELD, VA

Washington, D.C. area.

GEORGE WASHINGTON PATRIOT RUN 5K/10K

July 29

June 23

for their proximity to the

PARKS HALF MARATHON

FOX TROT FATHER’S DAY 5K

June 21

road races, but are chosen

Sept. 9

FAIRFAX, VA

BRISTOW, VA NATIONAL CAPITAL 20 MILER/5 MILER WASHINGTON, D.C. BOO! RUN FOR LIFE 10K WASHINGTON, D.C.

After dealing with injury, the 2017 Chicago Marathon was supposed to be Kathy Hoenig’s big return back to marathoning after a fiveyear hiatus. At mile 13, she felt awesome. At mile 14, she felt like death. “I never thought I was never going to finish a marathon,” said Hoenig, of South Riding. “But I didn’t think I was going to finish this race.” Her legs hurt and her stomach felt queasy. She switched to straight walking around mile 16, as it was the only way to keep moving forward. Finishing the race felt out of reach. Her goal switched from one of time to one of simply crossing the finish line. Twenty-two miles in, she heard the kind words, “Are you okay?” Michael Reidy approached her. “I told him I wasn’t okay and that I wanted to finish. I wanted that medal.” The memories are still raw. Hoenig choked up telling her story. “He tells me I’m going to finish.” “I consider myself a coach before a runner,” Reidy said via email. “With my last three marathons, I ran to help or pace someone else. I would gladly miss a session myself to assist or coach a runner. I have achieved all I wanted to achieve concerning marathons and that day was no different.” Reidy, a part-time running coach who traveled from Kilcock, Ireland, spent the next four miles with his hand gently on Kathy’s back, helping her get to the finish line. They talked about their kids, careers and other topics. She cried, she said. “He totally trashed his marathon and got me to the finish,” Hoenig said. “Without him I would not have finished.” “What struck me about Kathy was this inner strength and the willpower to do whatever necessary to complete the Chicago Marathon,” Reidy said. During a race, a person can be emotionally vulnerable. They’re often physically hurting and possibly waging an inner battle against negative voices. It’s a raw kind of emotion, something many people don’t even let their closest friends see. Yet on that first meeting, runners bare their souls to complete strangers. Because of that connection rooted in running, friendships created at races are different. Nobody truly understands the eccentricities of runners better than runners. They understand the training commitment and just how crazy it is to willingly run all those miles at early hours of the day. Runners empathize with the blisters, constant hunger and desire to sign up for yet another race. “The problem I feel that a lot of adults have is not being constantly around people in your own age group,” Sara Gordon said. “As adults, it’s harder to make new friends in the city.” Like meeting neighbors at a dog park or a fellow sports fan at a local team bar, races allow adults to connect with those of shared interests.

Fast Friends Making Connections While Sweaty, Hungry and Tired BY BETH ROESSNER

SPRING 2018 | RUNWASHINGTON.COM | RUNWASHINGTON | 35

BRANDI NEIFERT AND SARA GORDON GET TOGETHER FOR A RUN THROUGH GEORGETOWN. RUNWASHINGTON PHOTO BY MARLEEN VEN DEN NESTE 36 | RUNWASHINGTON | RUNWASHINGTON.COM | SPRING 2018

“I was able to meet my running buddy, and find somebody that shared my interests,” Gordon, of D.C., said. “From that one interest sprung a whole bunch of other things we had in common.” When Brandi Neifert of Fairfax, Va. approached Gordon at the 2014 Parkway Classic, Neifert just wanted a little distraction from the race. She did not anticipate the friendship that would blossom from that chance meeting. Gordon helped Neifert, a new runner, find comfort in the running community. “She’s basically picked me up and put me back together sometimes,” Neifert said. When Neiftert was training for the Berlin Marathon in 2014, Gordon ran portions of her training runs. They’ve met for Harry Potter trivia at local D.C. bars and talk to each other about their craft projects—Neifert is a quilter and Gordon an avid crocheter. And they still try to meet at the Parkway Classic every year. Throughout the race, a runner wears their emotions on their compression sleeves, so when a distraction comes in the form of conversation, all topics are on the table. In a sense, it fast tracks the friendship. “These kinds of friendships happen much faster than any of my other friendships,” Neifert said. “Just being ultra runners and the athletes that we are… we both knew how big a part of our lives running is,” said Beth Spalding. “There has always been a mutual respect and encouragement for the other person.” Spalding didn’t just make a new friend at the 2017 North Face Endurance Challenge; she got a fiancé. The Reston, Va. resident was running the 50-mile race and after splitting up with her friend, she was approached by a friendly runner, Marc. They started chatting about running; he split off from her but she periodically saw him throughout the course. “At the end of the race, I was crossing the finish line,” Spalding said. “He was actually waiting at the finish line. He runs up and cheers me on as I run across the finish line. I just thought that was the coolest thing and I got it on video.” By using her bib number he connected with her via Facebook. They started dating in June and for the last 20 miles of the Devil Dog 100 in early December, Marc ran right along with her. “At the end we crossed the finish line and he proposed,” Spalding said. “It was incredibly emotional. I was really struggling those last 20 miles…and for him to propose, my heart just melted.” Although it’s early in their engagement, Spalding doesn’t think they’ll marry at an ultra race. But, because trail running and ultras have been such a huge part of their relationship, she imagines incorporating a trail run somehow.

SPRING 2018 | RUNWASHINGTON.COM | RUNWASHINGTON | 37

Fast, Smart and Totally in Control

COLTON BOGUCKI (BLURRED) LEADS, FROM LEFT, JACOB HUNTER, CONNOR WELLS, PETER MORRIS, CHASE DAWSON AND KEVIN CARLSON SECONDS INTO THE NIKE CROSS NATIONALS RACE. PHOTO: STEVE KLOTZ/ YOUTH RUNNER 38 | RUNWASHINGTON | RUNWASHINGTON.COM | SPRING 2018

BY CHARLIE BAN

In what seems like an annual refrain, it was a good season for D.C.-area cross country. Loudoun Valley won Nike Cross Nationals in Portland, becoming the first local team to do so, and with the best boys’ score in meet history behind senior Peter Morris’ 12th place finish. Along the way, the Vikings also recorded the first perfect score in Virginia state meet history, sweeping the top five spots in the 4A race. Edison’s Yared Mekonnen joined them as an individual qualifier. In San Diego, Abbey Green, a senior from Maryland’s Walter Johnson High School finished 12th at the Foot Locker Cross Country Championships, and Page Lester, of D.C.’s National Cathedral School, was two spots behind. Lester became D.C.’s first female qualifier last year, and Green trails only Wildcat alumna Sally Glynn for best Maryland finish by a girl at Foot Locker. On the state level, Walter Johnson won its fifth straight Maryland 4A title, behind Green’s individual crown. Bethesda-Chevy Chase’s Adam Nakasaka won his first title in the boys’ 4A race, running the fastest time on Hereford’s new course. Poolesville senior Ryan Lockett won his second individual title, this year in 2A, after winning in 3A in 2016. In Virginia, aside from Loudoun Valley’s boys’ state meet win, led by junior Sam Affolder, their senior leader on the girls’ side, Natalie Morris, kicked her way down the final stretch to win the 4A individual title. Lake Braddock swept the boys’ and girls’ 6A titles, and Tuscarora’s girls reclaimed the 5A title for the third time in four years. South Lakes senior Olivia Beckner won the 6A title after spending most of her first two seasons injured. In D.C., Gonzaga sophomore Gavin McElhennon took the lead for the Eagles, who find themselves with a strong cadre of underclassmen likely leading the team for the next few years. Behind Lester on the girls’ side, Cady Hyde and a growing St. John’s team took the state title. Strategy played into most of the success our runners enjoyed. Mekonnen took his lumps early in the season with his focus on the Nike Cross Southeast meet. Same with Green, as she recovered from an illness that kept her from running much over the summer. Loudoun Valley drew on Morris’ experience on the Nike course to plan out a strategy to keep them out of harm’s way in a crowded field. Being fast helped, but running smart about it put our runners over the top.

Choosing the team The RunWashington coaches panel once again selected the postseason All-RunWashington team primarily based on championship race performances. That group represents the 10 best overall boys and girls in the D.C. area. They also selected teams of seven to represent D.C., Northern Virginia and Montgomery and Prince George’s counties in Maryland. When available, head-to-head race results broke impasses if there SPRING 2018 | RUNWASHINGTON.COM | RUNWASHINGTON | 39

ALL-RUNWASHINGTON Sam Affolder Olivia Beckner Colton Bogucki Edward Cerne Julia Ghiselli Max Greczyn Abbey Green Ava Hassebrock Heather Holt Jacob Hunter Page Lester Ryan Lockett Yared Mekonnen Natalie Morris Peter Morris Adam Nakasaka Janet Scott Garrett Suhr Laura Webb Emma Wolcott

Jr Sr Sr Jr Fr Jr Sr Jr Sr Jr Sr Sr Sr Sr Sr Sr Sr So Jr Sr

Loudoun Valley South Lakes Loudoun Valley Lake Braddock Annandale Bishop O’Connell Walter Johnson Tuscarora George Marshall Loudoun Valley National Cathedral Poolesville Edison Loudoun Valley Loudoun Valley Bethesda-Chevy Chase Walter Johnson Richard Montgomery Woodbridge Tuscarora

2ND, NIKE CROSS SOUTHEAST 1ST, VIRGINIA 6A 37TH, NIKE CROSS NATIONALS 6TH, VIRGINIA 6A 2ND, VIRGINIA 6A 1ST, DCXC JUNIOR 12TH, FOOT LOCKER FINALS 5TH, VIRGINIA 5A 7TH, FOOT LOCKER SOUTH 43RD, NIKE CROSS NATIONALS 14TH, FOOT LOCKER FINALS 12TH, FOOT LOCKER NORTHEAST 8TH, NIKE CROSS SOUTHEAST 1ST, VIRGINIA 4A 12TH, NIKE CROSS NATIONALS 1ST, MARYLAND 4A 5TH, MARYLAND 4A 4TH, MARYLAND 4A 5TH, VIRGINIA 6A 12TH, FOOT LOCKER SOUTH

was a debate whether a runner was named to any of the teams. The coaches panel consisted of John Ausema, Gonzaga; Anthony Belber, Georgetown Day School; Steve Hays, Walt Whitman; Kevin Hughes, Georgetown Visitation; Mike Mangan, Lake Braddock; Chris Pellegrini, West Springfield; Kellie Redmond, T.S. Wootton; Scott Silverstein, Winston Churchill and Cindy Walls, Bishop O’Connell.

D.C.

Hoos running in college?

MARYLAND

If you want to keep track of the D.C. area’s graduating top runners, you can easily do it by bookmarking the University of Virginia athletics site. Colton Bugucki, Green, Lockett, Mekonnen and Peter Morris, of our All-RunWashington postseason runners have committed to the Cavaliers to add to the eight underclassmen on the roster this year, along with All-RunWashington preseason picks Ahmed Hassan of Oakton and Derek Johnson of Tuscarora.

Best ever? Loudoun Valley’s dominant win at Nike Cross Nationals, a meet held only since 2004, prompts the question of whether they are the best in D.C.-area cross country history. With the strongest competitor in the 1995 West Springfield team, Spartans coach, alumnus and historian Chris Pellegrini came down in favor of the Vikings, by virtue of their depth. “They’re the best ever,” he said, “The ‘95 West Springfield team had two Foot Locker finalists, back when they only took eight (to the finals), but their number five was inferior to what Loudoun Valley’s five was.” Pellegrini said West Springfield’s Sharif Karie would win a hypothetical matchup, with Loudoun Valley’s Sam Affolder and Peter Morris competing with WS’s Chris Banks, and Mike Halla tangling with LV’s Jacob Hunter, with Hunter’s teammates Connor Wells, Chase Dawson and Kevin Carlson racing Spartan number four, Arun Pankaj. You can read about the 2017 cross country season on our website, www.runwashington.com.

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Allison Barker Fr Sidwell Friends Cullen Capuano So Gonzaga Anna Cestari Jr St. John’s Julian Dixon Sr Sidwell Friends David Giannini Jr Gonzaga Sophia Hanway Fr St. John’s Cady Hyde So St. John’s Michaela Kirvan Sr Georgetown Visitation Gavin McElhennon So Gonzaga Ava Nicely So Woodrow Wilson Allie O’Brien Sr Woodrow Wilson Luke Tewalt So Washington Latin Arjun Thillairajah So Sidwell Friends John Travis Sr Gonzaga

Aaron Bratt Jr Walt Whitman Morgan Casey Sr Montgomery Blair Heather Delaplaine Sr Damascus Genevieve DiBari Sr Stone Ridge Obsaa Feda Jr Northwood Nicholas Karayianis So Winston Churchill Yasmine Kass Sr Paint Branch Alicia Lauwers So Walt Whitman Simeon Mussie Sr Albert Einstein John Riker Jr T.S. Wootton Nandini Satsangi Jr Poolesville Chris Thoms Sr Quince Orchard Jessica Trzeciak Jr T.S. Wootton Mark Unger Jr Richard Montgomery

VIRGINIA Natnael Asmelash Sean Casey Sarah Coleman Sarah Daniels Andrew Delvecchio Ricky Fetterolf Isabelle Gulgert Zach Holden Chase Kappeler Jack Leech Silas Matthew Ben Nibbelink Senca Willen Elizabeth Wu

Sr Sr Jr Sr Sr Fr Jr Sr Jr Jr Jr Sr Jr Sr

J.E.B. Stuart South Lakes West Springfield Lake Braddock Lake Braddock Loudoun Valley South Lakes James Madison West Springfield W.T. Woodson James Robinson Tuscarora James Robinson James Madison

LOUDOUN VALLEY’S SAM AFFOLDER ON HIS WAY TO WINNING THE OATLANDS INVITATIONAL. RUNWASHINGTON PHOTO BY CHARLIE BAN

ABBEY GREEN CROSSES THE FOOT LOCKER CHAMPIONSHIPS FINISH LINE IN 12TH PLACE. PHOTO BY PHOTORUN

POOLESVILLE’S RYAN LOCKETT, WINNING THE GLORY DAYS INVITATIONAL. RUNWASHINGTON PHOTO BY CHARLIE BAN

EDISON SENIOR YARED MEKONNEN AT THE VIRGINIA 5A CHAMPIONSHIPS. RUNWASHINGTON PHOTO BY BRUCE BUCKLEY

PAGE LESTER AT THE DCXC INVITATIONAL. RUNWASHINGTON PHOTO BY DUSTIN WHITLOW/DWHIT PHOTOGRAPHY

LOUDOUN VALLEY’S NATALIE MORRIS EDGING BLACKSBURG’S KAITLYNN WOLFE FOR THE VIRGINIA 4A TITLE. PHOTO BY ED LULL

OLIVIA BECKNER LEADING JULIA GHISELLI AND HEATHER HOLT DURING THE VIRGINIA 6A CHAMPIONSHIPS. RUNWASHINGTON PHOTO BY BRUCE BUCKLEY

BETHESDA-CHEVY CHASE SENIOR ADAM NAKASAKA, PULLING AWAY FOR THE MARYLAND 4A TITLE. RUNWASHINGTON PHOTO BY CHARLIE BAN

SPRING 2018 | RUNWASHINGTON.COM | RUNWASHINGTON | 41

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Where is running going? Local running specialty stores keep pace against national trends BY SA R A H BET H H E N S L E Y

It doesn’t take long in the D.C. area to see a flyer for a 5K, a social media post about a group run or a specialty running store. There are dozens of local outlets for runners, but the specialty running store industry is facing a changing landscape, as online competitors siphon business and customers adopt new shopping habits. Potomac River Running is one of many stores that has felt the pinch. Owner Ray Pugsley said over the last five years, sales have been down 15 to 20 percent. He attributes some of that decline to a shift in consumer habits: more people are turning to online and big-box retailers for lower prices and convenience. “Customers get used to something that’s always on sale and feeling like they’re getting ripped off if things aren’t on sale or marked down,” Pugsley said, adding that brands often limit the discounts running stores can put on their items. “We cannot, as a brickand-mortar company, say we are going to compete directly on price — but we can compete in other ways.” It’s a change in consumer habits and expectations — where the discounts and convenience associated with online and bigbox shopping can outweigh benefits offered by smaller retailers, Pugsley said. Many specialty running stores are having to rethink their strategies as more and more people turn to their computers to land their next pair of running shoes. In 2016, 31 percent of runners purchased their running shoes online, according to that year’s National Runner Survey, which gathered data from more than 10,000 runner responses. That number was up from the 2015 National Runner Survey, where 27 percent of respondents said they purchased their shoes online. The 2017 National Runner Survey did not delve into running shoe buying habits. Pacers Running, with five locations in the D.C. area, has lost customers to internet sales, said president and owner Chris Farley. In the past five years, he estimates about 20 percent of the store’s customers have turned to online or big-box shopping. He suspects customers may shop once at a Pacers store and then go

SPRING 2018 | RUNWASHINGTON.COM | RUNWASHINGTON | 43

elsewhere — often online — for their next pair. “Overall, the internet is our biggest competitor. The internet has endless aisles of every single color, size, style, whatever you want. There’s an unlimited amount of inventory,” Farley said. He added that overhead costs favor online retailers too. The internet has taken on another of duty that used to fall to local running stores: providing information to runners. When Farley started working at Pacers about 18 years ago, he said athletes came to the store for information about local races. They relied on the store to network with other runners and coordinate running groups. And getting someone in the door is the first step to making them a customer. “We kind of cornered the market on information and running community [then],” he said. “It’s different now. It’s a more challenging time for us as retailers.” Pugsley said he hopes that community engagement and knowledgeable staff translate to sales and customer loyalty, but ultimately, profit margins are at the top of his mind. “We watch the bottom line every single day and think about it every single day. But it’s a constant struggle. It may not have been for the past decade; now it is for all retail.”

How races factor into profit One way that specialty running stores have supplemented their earnings and engaged in the communities is by organizing their own road races. “Races are an extension of retail that really are a huge part of who we are. It’s an opportunity for our customers to celebrate their journey and accomplishments — and that’s a huge thing for us,” Farley said. Pacers runs more than a dozen races a year in D.C., Virginia, Maryland, and New Jersey. However, over the past few years, fewer runners are participating in local races, according to data gathered by RunWashington. An examination of D.C.-area race results from 2013–2016, for timed races that catered to adult runners, found that after

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hitting a high in 2014, the number of local finishers dropped off by 5 percent in 2015, then fell nearly 10 percent more in 2016. The 334,376 registered race finishers in 2014 fell to 284,400 in 2016, a 15-percent drop. At the same time, the 654 races in 2016 nearly equalled the 668 held in 2015. “Most everything we do has to end up as a profitable venture,” Farley said. “We want to reinvest in our employees and our stores and our communities... and you have to make money to do it.” Outreach like hosting races or timing for other large events helps Pacers connect with their target audience, Farley said. He estimates about 40,000 unique runners participate in Pacers’ races every year. RnJ Sports, with two locations in Montgomery County, Md., partner with races in the county, and holds group runs typically in spring and summer. “We’ve always participated in races,” said RnJ Sports’ owner Reu Scherf. “You would hope that [runners] look at that and think about it and the advantages of shopping at the store.” Local running groups set up by specialty running stores can add value to runners’ experiences and create brand loyalty. Thirtyfour percent of runners who participated in the 2017 National Runner Survey trained with a local running group; but 40 percent of the more than 6,800 respondents were not involved in a running group. Farley said getting someone involved in a Pacers running group can be a portal: it can draw them in to future events, push them to sign up for new races, help them meet new people or encourage them to listen to the company’s podcast, Pace the Nation. “Our goal is to get people into a couple of those communities,” he said. “Our best customers are people who are involved in every single one of those. We have to find ways to connect with people on many different levels, with the ultimate goal to inspire them to run.” “If you do stay authentic and stay super passionate about [running], that’s going to lead to sales.”

POTOMAC RIVER RUNNING’S VIENNA STORE IS THE NEWEST IN THE CHAIN’S EIGHT LOCATIONS IN D.C. AND NORTHERN VIRGINIA. PHOTO COURTESY OF POTOMAC RIVER RUNNING SPRING 2018 | RUNWASHINGTON.COM | RUNWASHINGTON | 45

Competition around every corner “Runners are no longer just running,” Farley also said. Around the D.C. region, boutique gyms such as solidcore, Orangetheory fitness and Pure Barre are gaining popularity. The trend has reverberated through the specialty running store business, Farley said, grabbing the interest of runners who are looking to mix up their workouts. “Around every corner there is something that you don’t need shoes — or the shoes that we are selling — to do,” he said. “We have to be bold, try new things, put ourselves out there, connect with runners who are trying new things.” For Pacers, that means working with some of these businesses and being prepared to “diversify what we are doing and who we are.” Meanwhile, Potomac River Running is working to rebrand itself as a “fitness place,” Pugsley said. It’s reaching out to schools, corporations, fire departments, walkers — anyone who wears shoes — to let them know “we aren’t just for runners,” he said. “Everybody has a pair of athletic shoes in their closet, and everyone wants them to be comfortable, so every one of those people is a target audience for us,” Pugsley said. Performance sneaker sales were down 1 percent in 2017, but casual sneaker sales were up, said Andy Polk, Senior Vice President at Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America, a trade organization. The rise of what Polk calls “brunch shoes” are a reflection that “America is becoming more casual, but not more performance driven.” Trendwatching like that is high on RnJ Sports’ priority list. Knowing what’s hot and keeping a product selection that reflects it is one of the things Scherf strives for. “We are constantly learning new things and keeping up with what’s happening,” Scherf said.

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What are runners looking for? So what exactly are runners looking for in a shoe- or apparel-buying experience? Pugsley said all customers value price, convenience and service — the last of which is where specialty running stores can thrive. Farley has a similar philosophy: “We have to be more purposeful and our connections with individuals, more than ever. When you come into our store, we have to make a connection and make a memorable experience. It has nothing to do with sales, but that’s the key to meeting our bottom line.” The D.C. market is a different one, too, Pugsley added. Because of its transient nature, it’s difficult to establish a large core group of loyal customers. Also, D.C. is a timestretched, commuting population where people want to know “if they stop in our store, we will have what they are looking for and with great service and a good experience?” “People spend so much time commuting around here they don’t seem to want to be wasting any extra time getting what they want where they want it,” he said. Potomac River Running’s answer is an online store where customers can shop the and reserve a shoe to try on later at the store or complete their purchase and have it shipped directly to their house. “We want people to come in when it’s convenient and then blow them away with our service,” Pugsley said. Looking toward the future is crucial for all store owners, Farley said. He envisions a world where running stores “are no longer going to be just at the corner of your Main Street anymore.” They will have to come to the customers… and be available on their smartphones, too.” “More than that, we have to bring connection, personality and authentic energy for running to you. I think that’s where we really win,” Farley said. “But if we can figure out a way to deliver authentic energy to you the same day in a box, we can’t be beat.” Despite the new challenges they’re facing, one place where competition is not flourishing is between the local specialty running stores, Pugsley said. “I’m a cheerleader for all of us,” he said. “By having other strong specialty running stores in the general geography, it really builds a strong community and helps all of us in the long run.”

PACERS OWNER CHRIS FARLEY ESTIMATES ABOUT 40,000 UNIQUE RUNNERS PARTICIPATE IN PACERS’ RACES EVERY YEAR. PHOTO BY BRIAN W. KNIGHT/ SWIM BIKE RUN PHOTOGRAPHY SPRING 2018 | RUNWASHINGTON.COM | RUNWASHINGTON | 47

BY MAGGIE LLOYD

MIKE KATZ AND HIS POÄNG, ALONG WITH HIS RACE MEDALS. RUNWASHINGTON PHOTO BY STEVE LAICO 48 | RUNWASHINGTON | RUNWASHINGTON.COM | SPRING 2018

What started as an innocent IKEA chair purchase in 2014 has turned into quite the display of race medals for Mike Katz of D.C. His springy bentwood Poäng, which he pronounces POE-ayng, is adorned with 32 pieces of hardware from marathons, half marathons, relays, ten milers and more. He layers them on with the completion of each race, hoping (with mixed success) they stay in chronological order. His favorite? The 2014 Rock ‘n’ Roll USA (now Rock ‘n’ Roll DC) Half Marathon medal has good aesthetics and was the first medal he draped onto the Poäng while unpacking in an otherwise unfurnished apartment in 2014. Another notable design includes the 2015 Parks Half Marathon medal featuring a wine stopper welded onto the bottom. His memento from the 2016 Santa Barbara Veterans Day Half Marathon is a round aluminum pendant that a friend hung on a candy necklace with “Good Job Running Boy” written on it in Sharpie. The Poäng makes an appearance on Katz’s social media accounts from time to time, captioned with some variation of “Another medal for the Poäng!” and the occasional race report. “I’m gonna need a new medal chair soon if I keep making these terrible choices,” he wrote in 2015. If it gets to that point, he has his sights set on the children’s version of the Poäng as a contingency.

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