Gar Williams Half Marathon

At $5 to race, what a deal! Low key, we could turn it into a GRC tempo run.

I've done this race 2 out of the last 3 years and for 5 bucks, you typically end up walking away with some socks, a beer mug, and some other DC Road Runner goodies. They changed the location, it used to be down just south of Alexandria in Belle Haven, this year the race is at Carderock Recreation Area (not Park), Carderock, MD

Event Information

Gar Williams Half Marathon

This is race #1 of the Snowball Series.

Course: USATF certified course.

Registration: Online by clicking this link until noon the day before the race, or day-of-race on-location starting at 8:00 am. Note: Non-members must register in advance, as our race permit does not allow us to exchange money on National Park Service grounds.

Fees: Free for DCRRC members, $5 for non-members.

Refund policy for Snowball Series: In the event the race is canceled, pre-paid non-members will receive a credit to be applied to a future Snowball Series race.

Location: Carderock Recreation Area (not Park), Carderock, MD.

Directions: Take the Capital Beltway (I-495), to the Cabin John Parkway headed west, outside the beltway. Make a right on the first exit which is for both Carderock and the Naval Surface Warfare Center (Carderock Division). Turn left at the stop sign at the top of the ramp to cross the parkway. After passing under the canal, turn right and proceed to the third parking area on the left. Note: We normally hold races at the parking lot that is the first after you make the right, but continue onward to the end of the road.

Race Calendar

The race calendar for 2010 has been posted in the upper right corner of the blog. This is based on the input from the team meeting last week. For those new to the group or who were unable to attend the meeting, please add your name and any races not listed to the google spreadsheet and save your changes. Please let PMurph or Klim know if you have trouble accessing or editing the spreadsheet.

RUN TOMORROW

I am meeting colin and some others at Newton and 16th at 8am for a two hr run in Rock Creek Park. Murphy, Hughes and anyone else looking to do a run from NW and hit the park should join.


peace out

Max

Team Comp-Jingle All the Way

For those of you not running XC Club Nationals, the Jingle All the Way 10K is on December 13th. Who's in? I know I am. A team consists of at least four and up to ten registrants and must include at least one female and one male participant. The times of the top four finishers will be combined to determine the team's scoring time, and will include at least one member of each sex. The top three teams will be awarded a trophy. It'd be great to have a team to compete in one of the last big races of the year!

SAT MORNING RUN

the store will be open for the usual saturday morning run. come one and come all.

THANKSGIVINIG IS ABOUT THANKS FOR BEING ALIVE

Perhaps because I am an "old soul" so to speak, i have always seen action and behavior as a reason for something. What the something is, is perhaps a mystery or piece of info for a more tuned in brain to figure out. As for today, I woke up in the same bed I spent my youth in back in Cambridge, MA. As the morning broke, I looked out the window and saw neighbors who have stood the test of time and kept my old house company. I saw the same trees that i saw when i was 7 years old.

I got up and wandered about the house and then put on an old pair of Saucony shoes. These must have been 20 years old. Something I wore back in my early 20s to local dance clubs, perhaps. In any case, they were serviceable and somehow, still fit.

As I put them on, memories bounced into the brain of my early to mid 20s. Long before I really got into running I was an avid basketball player. I used to literally run from my house in Cambridge to Jamaica Plain or another neighboring town, to play in those courts. I would simply put on some shoes and jog three or four miles to a court where I would jump into pickup games with whoever happened to be there. I loved to play in the paint and though not tall, I enjoyed mixing it up down low. I used my running to give me more endurance on the court. After the games I would be exhausted but would manage to run or walk home.

As I ran along the river today, these memories and more popped into the head.

The parkway along the Charles is much improved than it was a few years ago. There is less trash and more wildlife.

Today, as I scuttled about, people were walking, jogging and just enjoying some fresh air and day off from the day to day routine they have become married to.

I enjoy the little moments like this more than ever and appreciate the fact that I can move the legs in order to make life and the day more enjoyable.

Happy Thanksgiving

Max

Turkey Trot Results Continued

Patrick HUGE and PMurph go 1-2 at Cortland, NY YMCA Turkey Trot 5k. HUGE ran 16:10 and PMurph ran 16:12. Both won delicious birds, pictured below.

GRC Wins Turkey Trots Up & Down East Coast

UPDATED

WIGGY Wins 5 miler in PA, 25:36

KLIM Wins 5k+ in MA, 15:59

Patricks HUGE and Murphy go 1 & 2 in NY, 16:10, 16:12

DUSEN Wins YMCA 10k in MD in 32:12, Mike Smith 4th (33:07), Sloane 8th (33:40), Matias 12th (34:28), Jake Marren (34:59), Emily Dusen (37:34)

JARRIN to Wed

Robert JARRIN, GRC's resident lawyer, will wed the Fetching Pilar Oberwetter sometime in the not-too-distant future. JARRIN got down on one knee last week and proposed after crisscrossing the country in search of the perfect ring. On top of that, JARRIN recently purchased a beautiful home in Washington. Congrats to you both!

Damn, he looks good in that picture!

GRC Happy Hour!

As we mentioned at the meeting on Saturday, a few of us will be getting together for a happy hour before we head in our different directions for the holiday. Let's plan to meet at Chef Geoff's (3201 New Mexico Ave NW, near American University) around 6:30 on Tuesday. Excellent burgers. SUPER mugs with a great selection on tap.

We especially encourage some of the new faces in the group to come out and get to know the rest of the team.

Here are the specials:

CHEF GEOFF'S ORIGINAL HAPPY HOUR

$5.95 Bistro & Next Burgers $8.95 Pizza Pies

$4.95 Bar Snacks

$7.95 Super Mugs (33.8 oz) $3 Long Necks $3 Pints

$5.95 Estrella Wines

DIX - 2:31!

BULLETIN: 2:31:34 for Dickson in Philly...11th place.

Dickson runs by the Rocky Steps on his way to the marathon finish. - Photo Courtesy of PMurphy

PMurphy runs 1:14 in half

NYC - Dusen 2nd at BAD BOY XC MEET in Vanny (26:22)...Towpath debuts in 27:45 good for 14th. Course was "a minute long"

Dickson's Turn

Dickson Mercer, seen here winning the Frederick Marathin in May, hits the streets of Philly tomorrow.

PMurphy is running the half.

Meanwhile, Dusen and Towpath are in NYC for the Bad Boy XC 8k at Vanny.

Difficult Run on Sunday?

Anyone want to meet at Difficult Run at 10am tomorrow? I am giving myself the extra hour per tonight's festivities.

REMINDER

TEAM MEETING TO FOLLOW STORE RUN TOMORROW

Meeting at Dean & Deluca, just a block or two from the store...at 10:30am (approx)
3276 M St NW, Washington, DC 20007


Items on agenda include, but are not limited, to:
- 2010 Race Calendar with special focus on spring - Natl, Cherry, Boston, Broadstreet
- Summer and fall races - Chicago 2010?
- Creating a "captain" for each race GRC runs as a team
- Training more/working out as a team specifically for these goal races
- Saturday Store runs, or Saturday workouts
- Sunday long runs
- Wednesday workouts
- Other GRC weekly runs
- GRC Profiles ~ anyone want to start on these again/amend current profiles?
- GRC Race ~ putting on a road race with the help of the Store to benefit our run club/race team


Others?

"One More Time" II

As many (most?) of you know, I am co-hosting a party on Saturday night. Some of you might have come to "One More Time" (named after the Daft Punk dance anthem from earlier this century) and got jiggy wit it until the wee hours of the morning. We're piggybacking off this theme and calling our next fiesta "1MT2". We'll have some great dance music and even better times.

Bring a 6-pack.

Dickson - you should bail on that marathon and come hang out instead!

Start Time:	Saturday, November 21, 2009 at 9:00pm
End Time:	Sunday, November 22, 2009 at 3:00am
Location:	MANSION DUFFYSNOW
Street:	3479 S. Stafford St., Units B-1 and B-2
City/Town:	Arlington, VA

Wednesday workout

Is BCC available? I am heading there tomorrow night if it is for a marathon dress rehearsal (3 miles at MP pace). Others will want to do a regular workout, but it would still be nice to have some company.

COACH KOMEN

I was speaking with Pat Hughes after the race on Sun and mentioned the possibility of using Wilson Komen as a coach. For those who want a program and want someone to provide some direction and gentle prodding, Wilson is an excellent coach. He took me, at age 36 from recreational jogger to 2:33 marathoner and made Chris Raabe, who was a good runner into a great runner. I see him daily with his clients, all of whom have gotten stronger.

His email is wilson@coachkomen.com and his website is www.coachkomen.com

If interested, just send the word to the email above. You can also check out his website for further info. Max

Bad Boy XC Race in NYC this Sunday

Hello GRC,

My old club, MTC, is putting on their annual XC race on Sunday at the historic Van Cortlandt Park in NYC. Peter and I are planning on going and if anyone would like to join us, please let me know. It should be a good time. We would take the bus from Bethesda to NYC early Saturday ($30 each way), hang out there, eat dinner with the MTC guys, and then they will house us that night. We'll then head to the course Sunday morning, race an 8K, and hang out for a while before heading back to Bethesda (or Arlington if you prefer) in the late afternoon. Call (215-859-8528) or e-mail (karl.dusen@gmail.com) me if interested. Thank you.

-Karl

Sloane Leads GRC Pack at Vets

RESULTS

16 5/181 17 Chris Sloane 26 GAITHERSBURG MD 33:54 33:53 5:28*
17 6/72 15 Patrick Hughes 23 WASHINGTON DC 33:59 33:59 5:29
18 5/144 18 Philippe Rolly 37 MCLEAN VA 34:07 34:07 5:30
19 6/181 16 James Marren 27 WASHINGTON DC 34:13 34:12 5:31

*23 second PR

Also, PMurphy wins Multiple Myloma Research Foundation (say that 3 times fast) 5k in 16:44

ERNST - 3:06:54!

LATE BREAKING FROM RICHMOND

48 year old GRCer Matt Ernst records gun time of 3:06:54...just 9 seconds off his PR. Net time to come...

MORE: JARRIN runs 3rd marathon in 1.5 months and runs 2:58

Sunday Run

We are meeting at Northern VA Regional Park at 9:30am...the "address" is HERE.

Directions from 495:

Take exit 44 onto Georgetown pike/ 193 W towards Great Falls, VA. Go 10.2 miles. Turn right onto Seneca Rd/State Route 602. Go 3.7 miles until you reach dead end/parking area.

Towpath and I are meeting at Difficult Run at 9:00-9:10am and will convoy/carpool from there to the run.

I know Dickson is also going. Post here if YOU are coming and where you plan to meet us so we know who to wait for.

Weekend Run

After a long absence, I'm heading to the Store on Saturday morning for a run. Who else is going? I heard there has been some big crowds...

Any ideas for a Sunday run?

6:30 Tonight

Reminder: Workout at BCC tonight. Can someone check will are OK to use the track? Who will be there?

RFF Promo

This is kind of funny. It's a "never before seen" promo for the Running Film Festival I worked on in 2008.

WRR Summer Rankings

GRCers in RED BOLD

COPYRIGHT - WASHINGTON RUNNING REPORT

As is often the case, the title was a nail biter. Using the Moreland Racing Factor for Elite Champion got a score of 93 and our runner-up had 95.

Daniel Too (33) of Elkton, MD was impressive with a tough field in the Bel Air Town 5K winning in 14:44, followed by his second place finish at Damien's Run for Recovery 5K in 15:09 where he was bested by Demesse Tefera (27) of Silver Spring, MD who took the gold in this first of four overall wins in 14:33. Tefera also added a solid 14:57 win at the African American Heritage Festival 5K on the 4^th of July.

Too was not far off the course record at the Rockville Twilight 8K winning in 23:53. That put him ahead of tenth place Dirk Van de Heer who was second in 24:46 and Jeff Gaudette who finished third in 24:51 and eleventh place Guy Alton who was fourth in 24:57.

The following week, Tefera beat a tough crowd at the Crystal City Twilighter 5K winning in 14:35. The race also included seventh place (former champion) Gurmessa Megressa who was third in 14:56 and ninth place Abiyot Abebe who was fourth in 15:00, as well as De Heer who came in fifth in 15:04.

The final weekend Too had an adequate 31:34 to finish second overall at the Knights of Columbus 10K behind Jeff Gaudette's 31:06. Tefera took the top spot against the Kentlands-Lakelands 5K field in 14:31 that same day to win the title.

David Cheromei of Marion, VA finishes fourth this period with two wins at the 5K: FAB Cross Country 5K in 14:55 and Coast Guard Day 5K in 15:01.

Fifth place Mouchine Outaleb won it all at the Dundalk Heritage 6K in 18:08, Kipchirchir Bitok is sixth racing the Survivor Harbor 7 Mile to victory in 35:20. Eighth place, Dave Berdan, was right behind him in 35:36.

Fifty-eight men earned a place in the Elite rankings.

PL	Name	Age	Hometown
1	Tefera, Demesse****	27	Silver Spring, MD
2	Too, Daniel****	33	Elkton, MD
3	Gaudehe, Jeff**	26	Baltimore, MD
4	Cheromei, David**	29	Marion, VA
5	Outaleb, Mouchine**	31	Baltimore, MD
6	Bitok, Kipchirchir*	29	Baltimore, MD
7	Megerssa, Gurmessa***	31	Washington, DC
8	Berdan, Dave**	28	Parkville, MD
9	Abebe, Abiyot**	22	Washington, DC
10	De Heer, Dirk	28	Silver Spring, MD
11	Alton, Guy**	25	Richmond, VA
12	Church, Aaron****	33	South Riding, VA
13	Wardian, Michael*****	35	Arlington, VA
14	Klim, Jake	29	North Bethesda, MD
15	Molz, Jon*	22	Richmond, VA
16	Wade, Robert*	27	Arlington, VA
17	Carroll, Ryan*10	26	Portsmouth, VA
18	Hunt, Patrick**	31	Virginia Beach, VA
19	Barresi, Matt**	26	Falls Church, VA
20	Picard, Jimmy	24	Midlothian, VA
21	Pugsley, Ray*	40	Potomac Falls, VA
22	Schaefer, Tim	31	Gaithersburg, MD
23	Dewitt, Daniel**	21	Frostburg, MD
24	Battaglino, Alexander*	23	Owings Mills, MD
25	Shirk, Kevin*	28	Winchester, VA
26	Degfae, Leoule	19	Springfield, VA
27	Mehmedovic, Izzy	25	Columbia, MD
28	Fritzius, Justin*	25	Purcellville, VA
29	Harvey, Brian*	22	Ellicott City, MD
30	Jubb, Greg	19	Westminster, MD
31	Hawkins, Jaron**	26	Frostburg, MD
32	Belford, Luke**	26	Bel Air, MD
33	Duncan, Andrew	42	Washington, DC
34	Green, Jake	25	Silver Spring, MD
35	Fortin, Matt*	25	Crofton, MD
36	Moyer, Tim	19	Baltimore, MD
37	Gaffney, Kyle	19	Silver Spring, MD
38	Ingram, Benjamin	32	Baltimore, MD
39	Angell, David***	32	Blue Ridge, VA
40	Saunders, Richard***	21	Richmond, VA
41	Horner, Randy*	25	Colonial Heights, VA
42	Probst, George*	35	Blacksburg, VA
43	Borghuis, Bart*	33	Arlington, VA
44	Reaves, Patrick	24	Silver Spring, MD
45	Mammen, Ryan	32	Woodbridge, VA
46	Jacoby, Bert*	26	Fredericksburg, VA
47	Tepovich, Danny	30	Virginia Beach, VA
48	Rissell, Ethan*	19	Alexandria, VA
49	Renijo, Carlos**	25	Columbia, MD
50	Ingham, George	24	Herndon, VA
51	Doan, Caleb	19	Virginia Beach, VA
52	Rooney, Brian*	19	Arlington, VA
53	Waldt, Alexander*	15	Baltimore, MD
54	McCabe, Brian	23	Washington, DC
55	Hannan, Neal*	27	Washington, DC
56	Askey, Billy	26	Arlington, VA
57	Mock, Doug	42	Columbia, MD
58	Sloane, Christopher	26	North Potomac, MD