Tuesday practice, November 24

RACES

It was another big weekend for GRC in Philadelphia, as we had several athletes in action at various distances. Frances K got the weekend started with a bang, placing 3rd in the Rothman 8k in the excellent time of 26:26, which is yet another new club record. That Frances was able to run so well after only a handful of workouts since her return from injury is a great sign of things to come for her in 2016. In the half on Sunday, Teal made a promising return to competition, running 1:21:49 as a hard tempo. Teal has also just begun workouts after a serious injury, and she is well on her way to being ready to make some noise at the Trials. Also in the half, Keely ran a nice PR of 1:25:45, and former (and possibly future) GRC superstar Catherine Campbell ran a PR of 1:22:30. I was quite pleased with Keely's performance, and I'm looking forward to her continued development in the future. In the full marathon, Charlie ran 2:39:52, and Fridge ran 2:41:31. They both struggled with extremely windy conditions, and while neither of them was particularly pleased with the result, they were both in excellent shape, and will run much faster the next time out. In non-Philly results, Balmer tempoed a controlled 1:14:43 for second place at the Annapolis half on a hilly course.

WORKOUT

There is no practice on Wednesday, but I will be at BCC on Tuesday night for those of you who are looking to get in a workout this week. We're getting an early start, so meet for the warmup at 5:45, and we'll roll at about 6:15. If you want to come out and need to start later, that works too, so let me know.

The practice schedule leading up to Clubs is that we will be at BCC on Wednesday 12-2 for our final hard workout, and that's one you won't want to miss. We'll get on the grass for a moderate workout on Saturday 12-5, and we'll do a final light workout on Tuesday 12-8 at BCC.

Good luck with the turkey trotting, and enjoy your holiday.

Jerry

Philadelphia Marathon results

Fridge and Charlie hate running now.

Wednesday workout, November 18

RACES

We had some excellent performances at the USATF East Region XC Championship in Philadelphia on Sunday. The men scored 26 points to easily top the field, and Phil got the win in 26:26 on the very challenging Belmont Plateau course. Matt Rand ran a very solid 26:48, followed closely by Cabell in 27:00, Mike in 27:04, and Balmer in 27:06. The 40 second spread for our top 5 bodes very well for Clubs, and when we add in a couple of our top guys who were not in Philly, we will have an excellent shot to get back into the top 10. The women, who placed second, were led by Katie in a very strong 18:42, followed by Hannah in 19:12, Maura in 19:14, Frances L in 19:15, Susan in 20:14, and Chelsea in 20:44. The women are determined to improve on last year's 10th place finish, and I am confident that they will be ready to do so when the gun goes off in San Francisco.

The road highlight of the weekend was Kevin's triumphant return to action at the St Rita's 5k, where he ran a very comfortable 15:35. Kevin has been out of action since May due to injury, and while he has a ways to go to get back to his dominant form of last spring, he is well on his way to full fitness. Also at St Rita's, Wertz made his masters debut, running 15:53, followed by Chris in 16:02 and Dickson in 16:05. On the women's side, Kara got the win in 18:52. LTO ran 21:32, but despite her best efforts, she was the second woman in her own household, as she was edged out by a stroller length by young Greta.

GRC did not compete in the USATF 12k champs, but we were there in spirit. Alexi Pappas, a teammate of Nina's at Dartmouth, wore a Nina patch and finished 9th in the elite field. Nina would have been proud to be a part of such a great performance.

WORKOUT

We're at BCC for our normal 7:15 start on Wednesday, so meet for the warmup at 6:30.
I'll send the women's workout separately.

See you Wednesday at BCC.

Jerry

Wednesday workout, November 11

RACES

It was another big weekend for GRC, with numerous excellent performances. The Veterans Day 10k was a triumphant return to competition for Frances Koons, whose track season was cut short by a serious injury. With only a few weeks of running under her belt, and not much in the way of quality work, Frances ran the outstanding time of 34:12, which is a new GRC Club record. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say Frances just might have a knack for this whole running thing. Not to be lost in the hoopla over Frances's return is the excellent GRC debut of Stephanie Bryan, who placed second in 35:04, which was a huge PR, and puts her 4th on the GRC all-time list. Steph is going to be a major contributor to our track group, and I'm really looking forward to seeing what she can in 2016. Also at Vets Day, Hannah was fifth in 37:06, Frances L was sixth in 37:16, and Maura was seventh in 37:22. Nice work, ladies!

The men were in action at Vets Day as well, and Mike lead from the gun and got the win in a very strong 31:08. Mike is rounding into shape at the right time, so keep an eye on that young fella. Phil was third in a solid 31:32, followed by Balmer in fifth in 32:07, Sam in seventh in 32:15, Tom in ninth in 32:41, Zak in tenth in 32:42, and Wertz in eleventh in 32:43. I was extremely pleased with Zak's performance, which was not only a huge PR, but most likely the best race of his life. In non-Vets Day results, Matt Rand ran 31:15 for the win at the Rockville Centre 10k in New York, which is a 29 second road PR. To say Matt ran alone from the gun is an understatement--second place was over 3:30 behind him--making his run that much more impressive. Jerry Outlaw followed up his big PR in Philly last week with a controlled 1:11:53 at the Battlefield Half in Winchester, where he placed fifth in a competitive field.

We also had a wonderful example of community outreach this weekend, when Big City guided visually impaired athlete Matthew Rodjom to the win at the Race to End Women's Cancer 5k in 17:30. GRC has made a commitment to guide elite visually impaired athletes, and it's a service I'm very proud to see us continue to provide. Thanks to Chuck for upholding this wonderful tradition.

Finally, Brian Young scored a huge victory last week in a different venue, winning a conviction in an extremely complicated, high-profile, and important trial involving manipulation of the Libor interest rate. Many of us felt that Breezy was making a mistake when he put his lucrative and secure career as a professional runner on hold to follow his dream of being a DOJ lawyer, but it's now clear that his risky decision has paid off. Breezy is giving a new meaning to the term send 'em, as he is sending seemingly untouchable white collar crooks to the joint. Mazel tov on a job well done! http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/06/business/dealbook/two-former-traders-found-guilty-in-libor-manipulation-case.html?_r=1

WORKOUT

We'll be at BCC for our normal 7:15 start, so meet for the warmup at 6:30. Fall sports are concluded, so we will have smooth sailing on Wednesday nights at BCC for the rest of the year.

I'll send the women's workout separately.

See you Wednesday at BCC.

Jerry

Wednesday workout, November 4

RACES

I'm still trying to get my head around Kieran's amazing performance at the Philly RNR half marathon on Saturday, where he ran the truly outstanding time of 1:04:39, and qualified for the Olympic Trials Marathon with room to spare. To say Kieran had the race of his life would be an understatement, and I could not be more proud of his spectacular run. The research arm of GRC has swung into action to answer the compelling questions the media throng have been asking me since the moment he crossed the line. GRC historians are hard at work trying to determine if Kieran's race was the greatest performance ever by a GRC man. GRC statisticians are trying to calculate the odds that a guy who stated in his introductory email to GRC in May 2013 that he did "the bare minimum to get by" when he ran high school cross country, who did not run competitively until after he graduated college in 2009, and did not train in an organized setting until he joined GRC in the summer of 2013, could meet the very, very difficult Trials qualification standard out of the half marathon barely 2 years later. And GRC's aeronautical engineers are utilizing the latest wind tunnel technology to calculate how much faster Kieran would have run if he had shaved his beard. Whatever the answers to those questions prove to be, we can all take great pride in Kieran's magnificent accomplishment. Well done!

There were other notable performances in Philly. Blake Taneff made an excellent GRC debut by running 1:06:54, a PR of over 2 minutes, which puts him 4th on the GRC all-time list. Blake, a standout at Ohio State who has ran 29:12 for 10,000 on the track, hopes to join Kieran in LA for the Trials, and I like his chances to hit the standard when he takes his next shot in January. Jerry Outlaw ran a very nice PR of 1:09:35, which sets him up well for another marathon PR in Houston in January. Tex Paul ran a solid 1:10:32, which is a big step forward as he continues to return to full fitness. Last but not least, Chris ran a huge PR of 1:12:20, which I was particularly pleased with. When Chris joined GRC in May, I regarded him as a developmental runner who was going to need at least a year to progress to the level of accomplishment that we expect from our members, but Chris accelerated that timetable considerably with his major breakthrough on Saturday.

In non-Philly results, our men's class of 2015 ran the Parks 10k, and since each of them made their debut at the distance, it was PRs all around. Kyle W led the way, finishing 3rd in 33:06, followed by Lukasz in 4th in 33:09, and Greg in 6th in 34:02. Future GRC superstar Emily Potter was second in 36:39, and they combined to win the team title. Katie continued her winning ways at the Baltimore Trick or Trot "5k" where she ran 17:46 on a course that was at least 100 meters long. Finally, Teal made her return to racing in a low key "5k" in New Jersey, and her time over the indeterminate distance was 18:48. However far she actually ran, the important point is that Teal is healthy again and back in training, as she's got a race in February that is of slightly more consequence to get ready for!

WORKOUT

We'll be at BCC on Wednesday for our normal 7:15 start, so meet for the warmup at 6:30.

I'll send the women's workout separately.

See you Wednesday at BCC.

Jerry

Wednesday Workout, October 28

RACES

The big race of the weekend was the Marine Corps Marathon, and Dickson represented GRC with distinction, finishing 17th in 2:34:45. Dix had a great training cycle, and felt confident he could run close to 2:30, but the marathon is a unique and cruel event, and some days things don't quite go the way you expect them to. Dix gave it absolutely everything he had out there, and he was extremely pleased with the effort. I'm very proud of Dickson's execution of the race plan, and of his approach to the race in the weeks and months leading up to it. He did everything right in training, and ran with patience and toughness, and that's all I can ever ask of anyone. Well done!

We had several athletes in action at 5ks across the area. Kara won the Run/Walk to End HIV 5k in a very impressive 17:45. Maura and Susan ran the Goblin Gallop "5k" in Virginia, which turned out to be a little more than they bargained for when the course marshal mismarked a turn, resulting in the addition of approximately 250 meters. While the inaccurate course renders their times meaningless, they were second and third overall, and got to enjoy an awesome Halloween parade for their trouble.

ADMINISTRATIVE

We're good to go at BCC on Wednesday. Next week there may be a conflict, depending on the soccer playoffs. We may not get much advance notice on the potential conflict, so be sure to pay attention to the workout email next week. The backup location is the mall. After next week, it should be smooth sailing at BCC.

WORKOUT

We're set for our normal 7:15 start at BCC, so meet for the warmup at 6:30.

See you Wednesday at BCC.

Jerry

FLASH - GRC Men Win Gettysburg Invitational

Led by Cabell's 2nd place finish, the GRC Men's team took the overall victory at the Gettsyburg Invitational. Cabell was joined in the Top 10 by Paul B and Kyle W.

Team Results below:

1. 52 Georgetown Run (26:11.1 130:55.1 1:08.6)

=============================

2    Cabell Willis      25:38.3

4    Paul Balmer        25:46.5

8    Kyle Wagener       26:06.4

16   Lukasz Olenginski  26:37.0

22   Sean O'Leary       26:46.9

(30) David Wertz        27:05.0

(33) Gregory Olenginski 27:09.5

FLASH: Kuhlmann-- 2:31:28!

Patrick Kuhlmann finished the Bank of America Chicago Marathon today in 2:31:28. Although not a PR, his race was easily one of the best masters performances of the year, especially considering the warm conditions. And some might argue that he is solely responsible for Deena Kastor's record setting finish (everyone would agree that he was at least as responsible as Kastor herself). "Pat had an excellent training cycle and I know he gave it everything he had out there," said Coach Jerry Alexander. "I'm extremely proud of the effort, and the PR is going to come next time around."

The Glory Days

BReuters Wire Services -- Manassas, Va.

Sam Luff was first across the finish line at the Glory Days XC Invitational in Manassas this morning with a time of 16:22. Luke Meyer, followed by Cabell and Kyle W, were in the lead with 20 meters to go until Meyer, an Ivy League Alumnus, took a wrong turn, which added about 200 meters to their run.  Although the matter has been referred to the GRC Inspector General, who will determine whether Meyer was attempting to gain an unfair advantage over other racerunners (#wrongwaygate!), bystanders report that the mistake was eminently understandable and that the three runners competed hard today. Dangerous Dave Wertz came in eighth and this author salvaged a spot in the high teens. Best of luck to Dave O'Hara, whose HS team was also racing today at the invitational.

WEEKEND PREVIEW: From 5k to the Marathon

As RunWashington was so kind to remind us all this morning, we've only got a few months until this becomes a normal sight:

Fast forward Friday. This photograph is from the future.

A photo posted by RunWashington (@runwashington) on Oct 9, 2015 at 6:52am PDT

For now, we can revel in the fact that October plays host to prettier Instagram shots involving leaves and flannel. Oh, and I suppose that there's usually a long list of exciting races for our harriers to send 'em at. This weekend in particular sees the GRC tackle a wide variety of distances and surfaces.

On Saturday, a rag-tag group of guys will take to the hill and dale of Bull Run Regional Park in Centreville, VA for the Glory Days XC 5k. With just a hair over two months until Club Nationals, we've got Luke, Sam, Cabell, Kyle W, Wertz, and Breezy breaking in their spikes well in advance. The word on the street is that anyone who runs slower than the winning time of the high school race will not be allowed to ride back to DC with the rest of the group.

Sunday will see two strong groups take a 50-60 minute tour of the DC Monuments at the Army 10 Miler. On the women's side, youth and experience unite in the form of Hannah, Frances L, Maura, Keely, and Kerry. Hannah and Frances will be making their 10 mile debuts, and Coach Jerry is optimistic that they'll surprise themselves at this new distance. Coming off of a consistent summer of The Hard Training, Maura also looks more than ready for a breakthrough.

The men might see a larger team spread, but also send a strong field including Mike, Phil, Outlaw, Sean, Balmer, Tom, Charlie, and Kyle C. While the back half of that pack has some experience with the longer distances, Mike and Phil are making their 10-mile debuts. Tom gets Coach Jerry's "Athlete to Watch" distinction, and Mike gets the slightly-less-positive "Athlete to Keep an Eye On." Coach Jerry explains, "assuming Mike is successful in picking up his packet this time around, this will be his 10 mile debut. It's early in the season for him, but he should be ready for a solid performance." Mike hasn't e-mailed me in response to my offer to pick up his packet, so our fingers are crossed at this point.

Never one to be forgotten, ageless Pat Kuhlmann will also take a shot at a strong Sunday performance in the Chicago Marathon. According to Coach Jerry, "Pat has had a great training cycle, and if the conditions are conducive, he's got a real shot at a PR." The forecast looks a tad warm right now, but having seen Pat crank out fast mile repeats in peak DC humidity, he's conditioned well for the challenge.

Keep your dials tuned to this station all weekend for reports of greatness!

TUESDAY workout, October 6

RACES

It was another big weekend of racing, with strong performances at Paul Short and the Navy Mile. Our intrepid cross country crew was led by Frances Loeb, who was 7th in 21:54. On the men's side, Phil was 11th in 25:18, followed by our new twin superstars Luk and Greg in 26:31 and 26:58. The times were slow due to sloppy conditions, but I was quite pleased with all of these performances. The times were also slow at the Navy Mile due to a strong headwind for the out section of the out and back course, and sit and kick tactics from the pro milers that assembled for the huge prize purse, but our gang competed very well. Katie was 7th in 5:17 and Susan was 9th in 5:27. For the men, Stewart was 8th in 4:23, Cabell was 10th in 4:27, and Ryan was 14th in 4:31. I was particularly happy with Stewart's performance, as he was not intimidated by the very strong field, and he executed his race plan with the patience that has at times eluded him in the past. As Stewart learns to race at the highest levels, we are going to see great things from him in the future.

Several of our athletes planned to run the Wilson Bridge Half, but the weatherman had other ideas, and the race was cancelled. Zak made the best of it by winning the Boo Run for Life 10k in a very nice PR of 33:28. Considering that Zak was gearing up to run a half, and he won by 30 seconds, that is an excellent performance. In addition to those who planned to compete, Phil, Mike, and Tex Paul were going to serve as guides for elite visually impaired runners, which is a service I'm proud to say that GRC provides at Wilson Bridge every year. It's a shame that the guys missed out on the chance to serve, as it's always a great experience, and one I hope many of you will have the opportunity to enjoy in the future.

WORKOUT

We're at BCC TONIGHT for our normal 7:15 start, so meet for the warmup at 6:30. Next week, we're on the mall on Wednesday, and with any luck, after that we'll be back to Wednesday nights at BCC.

I'll send the women's workout separately.

See you TONIGHT at BCC.

Jerry

FLASH: Pennsylvania Ave. shut down this morning, but presidential motorcade nowhere to be seen

Joaquin-lite conditions contributed to a tough morning for fast running, but GRC athletes made the best of the Navy Mile. While crowds may have been sparse on an unusually chilly October morning, a generous prize purse ensured that both the men and women dealt with a healthy level of competition. Scuttlebutt heard around the event suggests that racing a mile in October feels weird. Don't worry folks, track season is only a few months away!

7th Katie  5:17.18 

9th Susan 5:27.97

8th Stewart 4:23.71

10th Cabell 4:27.4

14th Witty 4:31.16

(photo credit to Kyle Wagener)

FLASH: Paul Short 8k Results

A number of GRC harriers braved true cross-country conditions up in Lehigh, PA this morning. Joaquin who?

Women's Open Race

7th - Frances Loeb  21:54

 

Men's Open Race

11th - Phil  25:18

56th - Lukasz 26:31

102nd - Greg  26:58

Wednesday workout, September 30, ON THE MALL

RACES

The highly coveted and rarely awarded GRC Athlete of the Week goes to Kieran for his outstanding performance at Clarendon Day. In the 5k, Kieran ran 14:35, which is a new club record and a gigantic PR, and he came back a few minutes later to win the 10k in 31:42. Kieran is in the midst of training for the Philly RNR half, and that he was able to break the club record at a distance that is well outside of his wheelhouse without having done any speedwork is proof positive that he has an excellent shot at qualifying for the Olympic Trials in Philly. Well done, young fella!

There were many other fine performances at Clarendon Day. Katie won the women's race in 17:21, which was her fastest 5k since the Clinton administration, and puts her third on the GRC all-time list. Susan ran a very solid 18:08 in her season debut. For the men, former club record holder Witty made a promising season debut in 14:48, and considering that Ryan has only been running workouts for a few weeks, he will have an excellent chance of reclaiming the club record later this fall. Also of note in the 5k, Tom ran a big PR of 15:29. In the 10k, Mike made his season debut in 32:17, and we'll certainly see much faster times from him as the season progresses, and Kerry continued her comeback from injury with a solid 39:40.

Clarendon marked the GRC debut of three members of the GRC class of 2015, Kyle Wagener, Lukasz Olenginski, and Greg Olenginski. Kyle, who ran 15:39, is a recent graduate of St. Olaf, and he will be looking to make his mark in the 5000 and 10,000 on the track. Luk and Greg, who both recently graduated from Franklin and Marshall, were standouts at 800 and 1500 meters in college, and they will be looking to improve at 1500 while transitioning to the 3000 and 5000. Welcome aboard!

Last but not least, Maura ran a PR of 36:13 at the Great Race in Pittsburgh. Maura is in excellent shape, and we're going to see more PRs from her in the weeks and months ahead.

WORKOUT

We're ON THE MALL on Wednesday. Meet for the warmup at 6:30, and we'll get started as promptly at 7:15. I'll be out there by 6:30 to watch your stuff. As always, we will use the interior loop between 4th and 7th Streets, and we will muster on the 7th street side, on the north corner of the loop. If you're driving, there is ample parking on the roads around the mall. If you're taking metro, the Smithsonian stop is a few blocks to the west (exit on the mall and walk towards the Capital, cross 7th street, and the meeting spot is on the north side of the loop). If you're taking the red line, go to Gallery Place, exit at 7th street, and proceed south towards the mall. I'll send the women's workout separately.

I'll see you on the mall on Wednesday.

Jerry

TUESDAY workout, September 22

RACES

We got the season started in earnest with some very strong performances at the Navy 5 Miler and Half Marathon. The performance of the day came from Stewart, who won the 5 mile in 25:14, which was a 25 second PR. Stewart is in the best shape of his life, and he's going to keep the PR train rolling in the coming weeks. Also in the 5 mile, Luke was second in 25:22, Sam was third in 25:31, Cabell was fourth in 25:59, Tex Paul was seventh in 26:13, Balmer was eighth in 26:19, Outlaw was ninth in 26:29, and Dave O was eleventh in 27:41. I was particularly pleased with Sam's solid run as he continues to return to form after injury, and Cabell's very comfortable effort as he begins the encore to his huge breakthrough season in the spring.

The women were led by Hannah, who was second in 29:38, followed by Frances Loeb in third in 29:44, Kerry in fifth in 31:18, Keely in eighth in 32:18, and Mary Grace in 34:25. Rumor has it that Beth also ran, but since she isn't in the results, perhaps I just imagined seeing her run in the 31:30 range. Frances and Keely made their GRC debuts, and they both showed why they are going to be great additions to the team. Frances had an outstanding career at Johns Hopkins, where she was a 6-time All-American, and by the end of the spring I would not be surprised if the name Frances occupies the top 2 spots on the GRC all-time list in every distance on the track. Keely will be a major contributor to our marathon and road groups, and she has a bright future ahead in GRC blue.

In the half, Chris ran a very nice PR of 1:14:21. Chris has shown tremendous potential for improvement in his short time with GRC, and we're going to see many more PRs from him in the future. Kieran ran a very controlled 1:10:19 for second, and our fall marathon crew of Pat, Dickson, and Fridge used the race as a workout, finishing in 1:13:23, 1:17:29, and 1:17:58, respectively. They're all training well, and we're going to see breakthrough performances from them in the coming weeks.

EVENT FOR NINA

Mary Grace learned of an event in honor of Nina that will take place at Bicycle Space on September 28, which is next Monday, and it would be great if we have a strong GRC presence. This is the invitation to the event:

Please join us on Sept 28 at 7:30 for yoga in the Adams Morgan shop. This will be a special class, held in honor of Nina Brekelmans, who took classes with us at our 7th Street location, and perished in a fire in June in Dupont. She was a remarkable and accomplished woman, and we miss her spirit in class. More information on her here: https://ccas.georgetown.edu/brekelmans-scholarship-fund. BicycleSpace yoga classes are offered on a "give what you can" basis, and all proceeds raised over the summer will be donated to Nina's memorial scholarship fund on September 28. We will teach our regular "all levels vinyasa flow" class, followed by the donation of the funds to the representatives of the scholarship fund. Anyone who wishes to remember or speak in her honor Nina is welcome. To join us for class, please arrive by 7:30. To join for the reception, please arrive at 8:30.

WORKOUT

We're set for our normal 7:15 start on TUESDAY at BCC, so meet for the warmup at 6:30.

I'll send the women's workout separately.

Jerry

FLASH (ish - one day delay) - Navy Air Force 1/2 Marathon & 5 Mile Results

Summer is drawing to a close, but it doesn't seem like the GRC is going to be cooling down anytime soon. Sources indicate that the 'Skins dominating win yesterday was inspired by the clean sweeps from both the men and women in the various team competitions.

1/2 Marathon (Men)
Kieran 1:10:19 2nd
Pat    1:13:23
Chris 1:14:21 PR
Dix 1:17:28
Fridge  1:17:58

5 Mile (Men)

Stewart  25:14 1st (PR)
Luke 25:22 2nd
Sam 25:31 3nd
Cabell  25:56 4th
Tex Paul  26:13  7th
Balmer    26:19 8th
Outlaw  26:29 9th






5 Mile (Women)

Hannah    29:38 2nd
Frances Loeb  29:44 3nd (GRC debut)
Kerry  31:18  5th
Keely 32:18 8th  (GRC debut)

Wednesday workout, September 16

RACES

We had several fine performances this weekend at various distances, but the top story occurred off the track when Jake announced that he is retiring from racing. When the history of GRC is written, Jake will be featured prominently, both for his achievements as an athlete, which were impressive, and for his multitude of contributions to the team behind the scenes. It's not an exaggeration to say that Jake's vision and persistence formed the foundation of GRC, and we all owe him a huge debt of gratitude for his years of hard work and dedication. I urge all of you to read Jake's blog post, and to find inspiration in his story. I'm certain that I speak for the entire team when I say that he will be missed.

http://jakeklim.blogspot.com/2015/09/hanging-up-flats-spikes.html

As for the racing, we had a strong crew at the Parks half marathon, led by Kieran's 2d place finish in 1:11:40, Sam in 6th 1:13:17, Sean O in 7th 1:13:21, and Jake in 9th 1:15:43. Parks is a challenging course, and our guys ran it as a workout, so these results bode very well for fast times when the real racing starts. Phil got an excellent start to his fall season by finishing 4th at the Dartmouth XC Invitational, where he ran 24:31 for "8k." Phil is sure the course was a tad short, and he thinks his time is worth about 25 flat for the full distance, but that is still a very promising performance on a hilly course. Stewart is already in mid-season form, as he proved by winning the Frederick Market Street Mile in 4:15. Finally, Katie was second in the Shoebox Shuffle 5k in Baltimore in a very strong 17:52 on a hilly course.


WORKOUT

We're set for our normal 7:15 start at BCC on Wednesday, so meet for the warmup at 6:30.

I'll send the women's workout separately.

Jerry

Stewart in the FNP

Stewart Reich and his soon-to-be-wife Stephanie Bryan got some nice press after each winning the Market Street Mile in Frederick in 4:15 and 4:59. 

Stewart told the Frederick News-Post: "My whole fall is planned out, then, my season stops. My spring is an open schedule. Hopefully, we'll be running happily every after.

Wednesday workout, Sep 9, ON THE MALL

RACES

The men got into action this weekend with victories at Kentlands 5k, National Press Club 5k, and the Larry Noel 15k. At Kentlands, Mike, Kieran, and Stewart went 1-2-3 in 15:17, 15:18, and 15:19, with Sam 5th in 15:47, and Sean 6th in 16:04. This was Mike's first race of 2015, and he looks none the worse for wear after injury limited him in the spring. Indeed, Mike appears to be in better shape at this point in the season than in his previous two years with GRC, so we're going to see him make up for lost time this fall. Kieran is gearing up for his shot at qualifying for the Trials in the half, and his very comfortable effort on Saturday is more proof that he's on schedule for a major breakthrough in October. Stewart is already in mid-season form, and he's going to be ready for some big PRs in the coming weeks. Sam is also working his way back into shape after some nagging injuries hampered him in the spring, and this controlled effort was another step in the right direction. Sean is taking a patient approach in his training, and he will be ready to roll when the real racing starts. At the Press Club 5k, Pat K led from the gun, winning by over a minute in 16:33. Pat is getting ready for a big PR in Chicago, and while he was hoping for some competition on Saturday to push him, his training is right where he wants it to be. Dickson was equally dominant at the Larry Noel 15k, which he won by 4 minutes in a very controlled 54:33 on a hilly course. Dix is also in full marathon prep mode as he gets ready for a big effort at MCM.

WORKOUT

On Wednesday we will be ON THE MALL for a 7:15 start, so meet for the warmup at 6:30. The long-promised specifics are that we use the interior loop between 4th and 7th Streets, which is very, very close to 800 meters (it may not be exact, but as we like to say in that part of town, it's close enough for government work). The drill is that we muster on the 7th street side, on the north corner of the loop. If you're driving, there is ample parking on the roads around the mall. If you're taking metro, the Smithsonian stop is a few blocks to the west (exit on the mall and walk towards the Capital, cross 7th street, and the meeting spot is on the north side of the loop). If you're taking the red line, go to Gallery Place, exit at 7th street, and proceed south towards the mall. It's less than a 10 minute walk. I will be there at 6:30 to watch your stuff during the warmup.

I'll send the women's workout separately.

See you on the mall on Wednesday.

Jerry

Rollin' Down the Road to MCM

Two months out from his goal race at Marine Corps Marathon, Dickson Mercer rolls down the roads of Greenbelt en route to a first place finish at the Larry Noel 15k.

5k Saturday - Victories at Press Club and Kentlands

Pat Kuhlmann coasted to victory this morning in the Press Club 5k in 16:33.

Emily Dufton, mother of GRC mascot Bruno, continues to discover the benefits of doing the hard training and finishes 4th in 21:42.

In Richmond, Charlie takes 8th overall and is top alum -- would've been No. 2 man for his alma mater -- in the Richmond Spider Alumni Open.

And in later breaking news, Franklin, Kieran and Stu went 1-2-3 in the Kentlands 5k in 15:17, 18, and 19. Sam was 5th in 15:47 and Blur was 6th in 16:04.

This story is no longer developing. It is finished.

Wednesday workout, September 2

RACES

We had two strong performances at the Annapolis 10 Miler, with Tom finishing 4th in 55:59, and Chris finishing 5th in 56:41, a 65 second PR. Tom's time is significantly faster than he ran last year, and considering that Tom had an outstanding fall in 2014, we can expect big things from him in the weeks to come. That Chris was able to run a big PR on a hilly course in less than ideal weather is a sure sign of great results ahead.

WORKOUT

We'll get rolling Tuesday and Wednesday at 7:15 as normal, so meet for the warmup at 6:30.

See you at BCC.

Jerry

Wednesday workout, August 12

RACES

We had 3 strong performances in the mile at the MCRRC Going Green track meet on Friday night. New superstar Katie ran the second fastest track mile in GRC history, going 5:03.9. That was Katie's fastest mile since the Clinton administration, and now that she's reinvigorated her track career, she's going to make her mark on the all-time list at numerous distances. On the men's side, Stewart took the win in 4:25.9, followed by Tom in 4:27.6. Stewart led from the gun and looked controlled the whole way, which bodes extremely well for his fall season. Tom is steadily working his way back to fitness, and he will be ready to roll after Labor Day.

ADMINISTRATIVE

We'll be back at the cell tower field on Saturday morning. We had a very nice turnout this past week, and a good time was had by all, so don't be shy about joining the fun.

WORKOUT

We're set for Wednesday night at BCC. The forecast looks favorable, and we can go back to our normal 7:15 start time, so meet for the warmup at 6:30.

I'll send the women's workout separately.

I'll see you Wednesday at BCC.

Jerry

Wednesday workout, August 5

RACES

It was a light weekend of racing, but we had 2 very solid performances. Charlie got the win at Riley's Rumble half marathon in 1:13:46. While that may sound like a pedestrian time, on a challenging course in hot conditions it's quite impressive, and bodes well for some big PRs for Charlie this fall. In a slightly more competitive race in Maine, Matt Rand was 21st at the Beach to Beacon 10k, running 31:55. Matt finished directly ahead of the first woman, who was the bronze medalist in the 10,000 at the 2009 World Championships, and he's not saying whether he had to unleash his withering kick to edge her out.

WORKOUT

It's ladies night tomorrow. I'll send the women's workout separately.

Guys, we're set for Wednesday at BCC. Let's start at 7:30 again, to allow the sun to drop a bit further before we roll, so meet for the warmup at 6:45.

Ladies, I'll see you tomorrow. Guys, I'll see you Wednesday.

Jerry

Ban Rumbles

One week after a quality 5k at Crystal City, Charlie Ban Rumbled down the roads of Poolsville, Md to take top honors in the Riley's Rumble Half Marathon. He finished in 1:13:47 on what all agree is challenging and scenic course.

(photo credit: Facebook)

Wednesday workout, July 29

RACES

We had some very nice performances at Crystal City Twilight. Our women's team, led by our Virginia-based mom's club of Shauneen, Katie, and GRC superstar to be Sarah Bishop, prevailed over a field of teams so competitive that it reminded knowledgeable road-side observers of the rigors of a Diamond League meet. Shauneen ran 17:55 for second, Katie ran 18:03 for third, and Sarah ran 18:14 for fifth. The performance of the night on the women's side came from Mary Grace who made her triumphant return to the scene of the crime, and with her knee intact, cruised to a 22:22, which is the first step on her journey back to full fitness. The men's team placed second to our longtime nemesis and gracious host, led by Phil in a comfortable 15:27, followed by Charlie in a very solid 15:38, Stewart in 15:41, Pat K. in 16:11, Tom in 16:23, Chris in 16:34, and Zak in 16:48. I was particularly pleased with Tom's performance, which is another step on his return to fitness after injury ended his track season before it began, and Chris's solid GRC debut. Chris is going to be a solid contributor to our road group, and I'm looking forward to seeing steady improvement from him over the coming months.

WORKOUT

We'll be at BCC on Wednesday night. It's going to be a hot one, and I would suggest that we push the start time back to 7:30, so that we allow the sun to dip behind the tree line before we get rolling. It would also help alleviate some of the crowding on the track. If there's a groundswell of opposition to the later start time, let me know. Otherwise, we'll plan for a 7:30 gun, so meet for the warmup at 6:45.

See you Wednesday at BCC.

Jerry

FLASH - Crystal City Results

The GRC women’s team won the team competition at the Crystal City Twilighter 5k last night. Shauneen took a close second in 17:55 with Katie finishing third in 18:03.

The men’s team claimed second place in the team competition with Phil (4th in 15:27), Charlie (7th in 15:38), and Stewart (8th in 15:41) scoring.

Women

2. Shauneen - 17:55

3. Katie - 18:03

Men

4. Phil - 15:27

7. Charlie - 15:38

8. Stewart- 15:41

11. Pat K. - 16:11

15. Tom - 16:23

19. Chris -16:34
22. Zak - 16:48

Weekend Preview: Crystal City Twilighter

This Saturday night the place to be is on the streets of Crystal City, where a solid contingent of GRCers will race the Crystal City Twilighter 5K. The Pacers race, which boasts a fun team competition, has become one of the highlights of summer racing.

Katie, Shauneen, and Mary Grace are running for the women. Katie is fresh off her very strong GRC debut (last week’s 5:13 mile at the DCRRC mile championship) and ready to run a fast road 5K. Shauneen is also in good shape, and Coach Jerry says Katie and Shauneen will be a strong 1-2 punch. Mary Grace is ready to punch goodbye to injury and is excited to get back to running after recovering from a torn ACL.

The men’s crew includes Phil, Stewart, Tom, Dave O, Breezy, Charlie, Pat K, Zak, and Chris Van Es. Of special note is Chris, who is making his GRC debut. While training for the 2010 New York City Marathon and raising money for the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Chris was diagnosed with cancer himself. He ran the race despite the treatment and, following his recovery, has set a steady progression of PRs. Saturday will be just the beginning of an inspirational GRC career.

Send ‘em!

Wednesday workout, July 22

RACES

We had strong performances this weekend at the DCRRC Mile Championship and the Rockville Twilight 8k. The highlight was the excellent GRC debut of Katie Kieran, who ran 5:13 on the track. Katie was an All-American in cross country at Boston College, and after more than 10 years away from the sport, she's back at it, and ready to make her mark on the GRC all-time lists. Also on the track, Tom ran 4:26, and showed that he is on the way back to full fitness. Balmer led the way on a very hot night at Rockville Twilight in 26:39, followed by Pat K in 26:46, and Sean O in 27:38. Pat's performance was particularly impressive, as he went toe to toe with the top masters runners in the area at a distance that is not his specialty. Keep an eye on that young fella in the weeks and months to come.

WORKOUT

We're set for our normal 7:15 start on Wednesday at BCC, so meet for the warmup at 6:30. With Crystal City on Saturday night, this is an opportune time to break up the monotony of long intervals with some shorter work.

I'll see you Wednesday at BCC.

Jerry

Runner's World Feature on Nina

Nelson Rice of Runner's World recently posted an article on the Newswire in memorial of Nina. The piece does a great job of outlining her tremendous impact on the lives of others. Worth a read:

Friends Honor the Memory of Runner, Advocate Who Died at 25

Wednesday workout, July 1

RACES

While it was a relatively quiet weekend, we had some strong performances at the Freedom 4 Miler. In his first race since his ill-fated 10,000 at Penn Relays, Matt Rand was second in 20:53. Sean O put in another solid performance, placing fourth in 21:33, and Dave O was seventh in 22:19.

ADMINISTRATIVE

The team meeting/party is July 17 at Charlie's house. Please plan to attend, as we have important business to discuss, great spring performances to celebrate, big fall plans to make, and frescas to drink.

WORKOUT

We're set for our normal 7:15 start on Wednesday at BCC, so meet for the warmup at 6:30.

It appears we'll have yet another decent night to run, so we'll continue to keep the volume up and the paces reasonable.

I'll see you out there on Wednesday.

Jerry

FLASH: LOCAL WOMAN SPOTS METEOR

Last night, during one of her nightly stares into the sky at 15th and T NW, Kerry saw a meteor at roughly 9:20.

http://www.amsmeteors.org/members/imo_view/browse_reports?event=PENDING

As reported to the American Meteor Society, there is some question as to the presence of a "Frag." Though her experience level is recorded as "1," it is apparent that the number serves as a ranking. When did you see your last meteor? I thought so...

DEVELOPING: several people confirmed this sighting, I says

Grandma's Marathon: BREAKING: 3 MASSIVE marathon PRs!

BREAKING NEWS: 

Our marathoners all set HUGE PRs at Grandma's Marathon!! Kristin ran 2:48:06* for a TEN minute PR (and the #3 spot on the GRC All-Time list), Kieran ran 2:20:47 to PR by EIGHT minutes (taking the #2 spot on the All-Time list), and Outlaw ran 2:26:50, a FIVE minute PR!! A truly awesome day for GRC marathoners! Details and play by play below:

*all times are unofficial.

Our distance crew is taking on Grandma's marathon this morning. Stay tuned here for updates (or check out @runnerteal on Twitter for more minute by minute analysis/general nonsense.)

Weather conditions: cloudy and rainy, but cool. So far thunderstorms are holding off. All our racers are agreed the rain beats DC's humidity. 

10K splits:

Kieran - 32:44 (on pace for 2:20:33)

Outlaw - 34:39 (2:28:47 pace)

Kristin - 39:16 (2:48:40 pace) 

Half splits:

These marathoners know what they are doing! After conservative starts, they are all settling in and cranking down the pace. 

Kieran - 1:08:54 (2:17:47 pace, aka OTQ pace!)

Outlaw - 1:13:35 (2:26:49 pace) 

Kristin - 1:23:09 (2:46:17 pace) 

20 mile splits:

Kieran - 1:45:28 (2:18:09 pace) 

Outlaw  - 1:51:51 (2:26:32 pace) 

Kristin - 2:06:46 (2:46:03 pace) 

Finish (unofficial):

Kieran - 2:20:47 (~8 min PR!!!, #2 GRC All-Time!)

Outlaw - 2:26:50 (~5 min PR!!) 

Kristin- 2:48:06 (~10 min PR!!!!, #3 GRC All-Time!)

Weekend Preview: Grandma's Marathon and Father's Day 8K

Over the river and through the woods (and halfway across the country), to Grandma’s Marathon the GRC racers go.

After slogging through high mileage weeks in even higher humidity, a hardy group of GRC distance specialists is eager to reap the rewards by heading west to Duluth, MN for the Grandma’s Marathon and Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon this Saturday. Luke "The Blond Whale" Meyer, Kieran "Rube" O'Connor, Jerry "Outlaw" Greenlaw, and Kristin "Snakes" Johnson are all in excellent shape and ready to use the notoriously flat and fast courses to go after Olympic Trials qualifying times and huge PRs.

Kieran and Outlaw at Cherry Blossom. Photo by Cheryl Young. 

Luke is looking to make a third trip to the Olympic Trials by qualifying for the marathon with a 1:05 half marathon. After racing the Garry Bjorklund Half last year, he is back with a vengeance. An excellent spring training session should help him stake claim to the standard.

In the full marathon, Kieran is ready to nab a trials qualifier by going after the 2:18 standard. Kieran is in the best shape of his life and has looked great in workouts; “He has a real shot at qualifying,” says Coach Jerry.

After making promising marathon debuts in 2014, Outlaw and Kristin are ready to show the marathon who’s boss. With lessons learned from their debuts combined with recent training, their times are ready to fall in a big way. Coach Jerry says, “Outlaw’s training was excellent, and he’s looking at running a big PR.” Kristin is in great shape, running some superb workouts this spring after a PR-filled fall. Coach Jerry states what those who have run with Kristin know first hand: she is ready for a major breakthrough.

Yours truly will be on location in Duluth to bring the breaking news of breaking PRs and OTQs so stay tuned Saturday morning!

On Sunday, back along our own river and woods, GRC is hosting the 6th annual Father’s Day 8K. Celebrate Father’s Day with a flat, fast run along the C & O Towpath, a family-friendly atmosphere, and a finish jam-packed with homemade treats (some of which may be literally jam packed) and amazing raffle prizes! Sign up today!

A few dozen reasons to sign up for the 8K.

FLASH: GRC debutante Hannah Rowe shows the most heart at Lawyers

Photo by Lavar Curley

On a classically muggy summer morning in DC, Hannah Rowe made her GRC debut a good one, winning the Lawyers Have Heart 5k on Saturday in a sensational time of 17:35. Shauneen Werlinger was nipping on her coattails with a second place effort of 17:42. Both of these ladies have earned a spot in the GRC top 5 all-time with these excellent performances.

The GRC men also showed the humidity who's boss with a 1-2-3 sweep. Luke Meyer ran 15:46 for the win, followed by Sean O'Leary in second with a time of 16:35, and Dave O'Hara finished with a solid third place run of 16:59.

Up next for the GRC is Grandma's Marathon and the Garry Bjorklund Half-Marathon on Saturday, June 20. The GRC contingent of Kristin Johnson, Luke Meyer, Kieran O'Connor, and Jerry Outlaw will hope for a bit less humidity in the northern town of Duluth, Minnesota as they'll all be striving to hit the personal bests for which they've been training hard all season. Stay tuned for a race preview this week!

Duluth News Tribune honors Nina and welcomes the GRC to Grandma's Marathon

The Duluth News Tribune has written a stellar article about Nina Brekelmans and the GRC in anticipation of the events of next weekend.

Georgetown Running Club members come to Grandma's Marathon mourning death of teammate by Louie St. George


Kristin Johnson, Kieran O'Connor, Luke Meyer, and Jerry Greenlaw will represent the GRC at Grandma's. Kristin, Kieran, and Jerry will run the full 26.2 miles, while Luke will run the half. Both races will take place Saturday morning in Duluth, Minnesota.

Our teammate Nina

After making her mark in Kentucky, Mexico, New Hampshire, Egypt, Jordan and Washington, D.C., Nina Brekelmans was about to head back to the Middle East, ready to take on the world when a fire in her Dupont Circle rowhouse June 3 claimed her and a neighbor. She was 25.

She had finished her Master’s in Arab Studies at Georgetown less than three weeks earlier and her parents, who are living in China, were on hand for commencement.

She was due to return to Jordan, to work on a Fulbright grant studying women’s athletics as a means of encouraging confidence and self esteem. Her high school friend and GRC teammate Mary Grace Pellegrini said that on the verge of her new life, Nina was primed to change the world with her energy, talent, intellect and raw determination.

“She was at a happy stage of her life,” Mary Grace said. “She had a sincere and deep love for the people of the Middle East. It’s where she felt at home.”

While in Jordan during part of a one-year language and cultural immersion fellowship (she started in Egypt until civil unrest prompted Americans to leave), she won her first attempt at a half marathon at the Dead Sea, taking home some prize money, meeting members of the royal family and generally being treated “like a star,” Mary Grace said.

“She was an absolute dynamo,” she added. “And she was so proud to wear her GRC shirt on the podium.”

About the half marathon, she said, "for once in my life, I am quite pleased with the result, as well!"

That gave some insight into the standards that she set for herself. Despite taking up the sport in earnest only a few years before, and having won the Cross Country on the Farm 5k in 2012 in Derwood, Md., she was only starting to be satisfied with her performances when she won on a competitive stage.

Nina came to competitive running later in life than most of her teammates. While an undergrad at Dartmouth, she rowed on the crew team, but a run at home in Louisville during a semester break with Mary Grace opened a new door for her.

“I told her ‘Nina, you’re running really fast, you’re in great shape,’” Mary Grace said. “I told her she could probably walk on to the team at Dartmouth. She played soccer (and tennis) in high school but would have been one of our best cross country runners.” 

So Nina showed up to the Dartmouth home invitational, cheered on by professors, friends and crew teammates who knew they’d lose her from the team if she ran too fast. She did, and became a harrier for the Big Green. 

“Her career at Dartmouth was limited by injury, but she ran some very solid times in college,” said GRC Coach Jerry Alexander. The highlight of her collegiate career came in Boston, where she ran a 9:56 3000m. “She was essentially a very talented beginner when she joined GRC in the fall of 2012.  She was really committed to continue her development with GRC, and was training extremely well.”

Injuries plagued her throughout her running career, but they only affected her body. She remained determined throughout and committed to her teammates both new and old. She beemed with pride when she had a chance to watch college teammate Alexi Pappas race in Alexandria last fall at the .US National 12k, and even though she loved her experiences in Egypt (before relocating to Jordan during her language fellowship), she regretted missing out on celebrating teammates’ successes.

“It's been really fun to follow your racing results and see massive PR after PR. Wish I were there to enjoy these moments with you!” she wrote to her teammates.

Mary Grace remembered her as a devoted and genuine friend. 

“Nina would remember things about people that they’d just mention in passing,” she said. “She knew I had a great race at the Penn Relays, and she found a poster for the meet while visiting her brother at Penn and gave it to me."

That handoff meant carrying the vintage poster with her across the eastern United  States over a few weeks. 

"That’s the kind of thing she’d do for her friends. She was a wonderful friend and so sincere."

And despite those injuries, she was determined to do something with her running. As she left for Cairo she told her teammates she wasn’t going to let inconveniences keep her from the sport she had grown to love.

“I do plan on training in Cairo,” she wrote at the time. “Through the heat, pollution and traffic, and probably getting shouted at.”

That was typical Nina.

“She was always challenging herself,” Mary Grace said. “To excel at academics, to go after the most competitive scholarships in the country, to learn another language. With Arabic, she was really on another level, truly exceptional.”

That future was going to take her away from D.C., but not before she made an impression on her teammates.

“Nina was very, very proud to be part of GRC,” Jerry said. “She was willing to do whatever it was going to take to hang with the girls, and she was a great teammate in every sense of the word.”

I'd hear her wheezing as she'd push to keep up with her far more seasoned teammates and initially thought it was an indication of some weakness, but I realized quickly that it was indicative of her strength and focus to do what it took to be a better runner, to push herself harder.

We’re left to only imagine where she would have topped out and the impact she would have had in the Middle East and beyond.

“She was ready to go out into the world and make a difference,” Mary Grace said. 

Wednesday workout, June 3

RACES

Frances set another club record on Saturday, running 4:30.9 for the win at the New Balance Twilight 1500 in Boston. Despite the record, Frances's race is not one that she will remember fondly, to say the least, as she was injured in the final 100 meters, and the injury will preclude her from reaching her goal of qualifying for nationals. Frances is understandably disappointed by the premature conclusion to what had been a very, very promising season, but she's overcome much more significant setbacks than this, and she will be back better than ever, and will proudly represent GRC at the Olympic Trials in 2016.

In happier club record news, Susan ran 2:16.01 for 800 for a very close second place in the Garden State Track Club meet in New Jersey. Susan's performance was impressive on several fronts, including that this was her first 800 since 2009, her training has not been at all geared towards a race that short, and she didn't even know that she was running the 800 until about an hour before the gun went off. In yet another excellent performance during his breakthrough season, Cabell won the 1500 at the GSTC meet in 3:53.9, and while Cabell fell short of the club record, he's taking one more shot at it tomorrow night in Philadelphia, and if the conditions are conducive, he's got a great chance to put his name at the top of the list.

On the roads, Shauneen continued her winning ways at the We've Got Your Back Race for Spinal Health, running 17:58. Sean O'Leary ran 16:37 for 5th place, and while they both hoped to run faster, the course was extremely challenging, and the heat and humidity didn't make things any easier. Finally, Sean Barrett gave it a go at the San Diego Rock and Roll Half Marathon. Realizing that it was not his day, he turned around at the 5 mile mark to head back to his car. Sean's description of what came next is worth sharing. "Thankfully, a good 25-30 people felt the need to inform me that I was running in the wrong direction. As if the tens of thousands of people going the correct direction was not enough of an indication."

WORKOUT

The men are at BCC on Wednesday for our normal 7:15 start, so meet for the warmup at 6:30.

It's ladies night on Tuesday, and we'll also get going at 7:15, with a 6:30 warmup.

Jerry