Rumble in the jungle-like weather

Photo by John Whitridge

A year ago, Kerry picked Riley's Rumble as her first race back after a long bout with plantar fasciitis. In fact, it was her longest run in nine months.

In the time since that jaunt, she has PRed in the marathon, half marathon and 10 mile, returned to the track for an indoor 5k, and won the George Washington Parkway Classic. Though the course in western Montgomery County seems designed to break the spirit of anyone who feels up to racing, her dominant win in 1:27:49 -- a margin of more than 11 minutes and a course record since the race was moved to the Maryland Soccerplex in 2009. Amanda Tiernan ran 1:32:31 in 2009.

Kerry took everything the course threw at her -- a back-breaking 12th mile, muggy air, and no photographers near the popsicle station, and triumphed in spite of, or perhaps thanks to, it all. Only against the winds of adversity may a kite take flight.