Father's Day 8K Elite Field Announced

Photo by Jimmy Daly

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Most members of Georgetown Running Company’s racing team will be on the sidelines, not the starting line, during Sunday’s Father’s Day 8K. Their duties for the GRC-sponsored evening race - which raises funds for the racing team - will mostly include handing out water, organizing, timing, instructing and cheering on the race’s hoped-for field of 300 runners.

A few lucky members of GRC’s racing team – Dave Burnham, Susan Hendrick and Kate Dart - will do their teammates the honor of racing.

GRC’s Joe Wiegner won last year’s Father’s Day 8K, held on a hot night, in 24:52. He was followed by Michael Wardian - an Arlington, Va., resident and the world’s fast mega-marathoner – who picked up his youngest son Pierce near the finish and carried him across the line in 26:01.

Wiegner will not be back to defend his title, as he is tapering for a half marathon in Seattle the following Saturday. Wardian, however, will take another shot at victory on Sunday - just a day after he goes after an Olympic Trials qualifying time at Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth, Minn.

Burnham, a former All-Ivy League runner for Dartmouth College, took fifth at last Saturday’s Lawyers Have Heart 5K in 15:35. In the spring he posted 31:13 at the Pike’s Peek 10K and 51:46 at the Cherry Blossom 10 Mile Run. He has personal track bests of 14:14 for 5K and 29:41 for 10K.

Another recently-announced member of the men’s elite field is Andrew Dumm. The 2008 Marine Corps Marathon champion clocked 2:20:46 at the 2010 Bank of America Chicago Marathon, and has run under 30 minutes for 10K on the roads.

Dart took second at last Saturday’s Beat the Deadline National Press Club 5K in 18:22. She has a personal 10K best of 37:34.

Hendrick, who competed for Georgetown University during graduate school and was a two-time Ivy League champ for Columbia University, took third at the National Press Club 5K in 18:30. She also placed fourth at the recent Capitol Hill Classic 10K in 38:45. Her personal best for 5K is 16:50.

Kayley Byrne, a former runner for the College of William & Mary, took the women’s title at last year’s Father’s Day 8K in 30:38. As of press time, she was not registered to defend it.

Contested during National Men's Health Week on the C&O Canal Towpath Trail, the out-and-back, flat-and-fast race will start and finish in historic Georgetown.

Updates regarding the Father Day 8K’s elite field will be issued in coming days.