Defending the home turf: .US National 12k comes to town

In the wee hours of Sunday morning, many very talented runners will dart out-and-back on the GW Parkway in an attempt to prove their dominance over the D.C. running scene. For the second straight year, the .US National 12k is being hosted in Alexandria and the GRC couldn't be hungrier to take on the stiff out-of-town competition. Leading the way is Luke Meyer, who earned an invitation into the elite field based off of his 36:56 from last year. Yeah, I don't really know what 12k times mean either. Regardless, Coach Jerry Alexander thinks Luke is ready for a good one. Brimming with confidence, Coach Alexander reports,  "While Luke was disappointed with his race at Wilson Bridge Half, his training has been going great, and he's looking forward to mixing it up with the pros up front."

Also competing for the men will be Ryan Witters and Pat Kuhlmann. "Ryan got a very late start to his season, but he's rounding into excellent form," said Coach Alexander. "While 12k is at the far end of his range, he's looking to run hard and compete. Conversely, 12k is on the short end of Pat's range, but he's ready to measure himself against the best masters in the country."

It's not just all about the guys: Kristin Johnson will also toe the line on Sunday. "Kristin is fully recovered from her excellent performance in the half at Raleigh two weeks ago," Coach Alexander explained, "and she's ready to start focusing on shorter races as she prepares for Clubs."

Check back here on Sunday to see how these all-stars fared!