Monday, November 23, 2015
Tuesday, November 17, 2015
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
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
Monday, November 9, 2015
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
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
Tuesday, November 3, 2015
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
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
Monday, October 26, 2015
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
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
Saturday, October 17, 2015
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:
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
Sunday, October 11, 2015
FLASH: Kuhlmann-- 2:31:28!
Saturday, October 10, 2015
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.
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.
Friday, October 9, 2015
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:
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!
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, October 6, 2015
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
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
Sunday, October 4, 2015
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)
Friday, October 2, 2015
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
Monday, September 28, 2015
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
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, September 22, 2015
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
Monday, September 21, 2015
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)
Frances Loeb 29:44 3nd (GRC debut)
Kerry 31:18 5th
Keely 32:18 8th (GRC debut)
Monday, September 14, 2015
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
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.
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.
Tuesday, September 8, 2015
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
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
Monday, September 7, 2015
Rollin' Down the Road to MCM
Saturday, September 5, 2015
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.
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.
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