GRC to Send "Dream Team" to Cherry Blossom

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WASHINGTON, DC -- The Georgetown Running Company Race Team will send its largest running force ever to do battle at the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler on Sunday. GRC's finest will be among the top Americans competing for an all-expense paid trip to the Peachtree Road Race on July 4 in Atlanta. Race officials have billed Lucas Meyer as the top American.

Karl Dusen, fresh off a 24:03 5-miler, leads a troupe of hard charging racers vying for the $1000 prize purse offered in the Washington Metro Area Elite Team competition. Jerry Greenlaw, Sam Luff, Joe Wiegner and Dirk de Heer complete the "Dream Team", while another 15 athletes will be racing for personal glory, personal bests and honor.

"I expect a huge race from Karl Dusen. Karl has been running fantastic workouts and very high mileage", notes Coach Jerry Alexander.

"I also expect excellent performances from two of our young stars, Jerry (Outlaw) Greenlaw and Sam Luff. Jerry was a little disappointed in his perforamance at the USATF 15k Championships, but he is focused and ready for a major breakthrough on Sunday. Sam is race sharp after winning the Shamrock 5k in Baltimore and running strong at Van Metre and is ready to show what he can do at the longer distances."

"Joe Wiegner missed some training due to illness but he has looked strong in practice for the last couple of weeks while Dirk is improving rapidly after taking time off from running over the winter to focus on his swimming and biking. His 15:12 5k at Shamrock demonstrates that he is ready to compete."

Dave Burnham appears to be in the best shape since donning spikes at Dartmouth while Andy Sovonick comes into the race fresh off a 5k PR in Baltimore.

We're also looking for strong performances from our women's squad. Alexander adds, "New GRC member Michelle Miller is in excellent shape and has a great shot to break 60 minutes, and Beth Young is also ready for a big PR, despite training through the race as she prepares for the Green Bay Marathon on May 15."

GRC Media will be providing extensive coverage of the event and results from the race will be "flashed" on this blog as soon as able.

THE TEAM

Chris Bain

Sam Luff

Dirk de Heer

Andy Sovonick

Scott Koonce

Jordan Snyder

Joey Wiegner

Jerry Greenlaw

Karl Dusen

Paul Guevara

Yukun F. Fung

Matt O'Brian

Matias Palavecino

Dave Burnham

Carlos Hunt

Emily Dusen

Shannon O'Neill

Lindsey Jerdonek

Ruth Morgan

Michelle Miller

Beth Young

GRC Expats Patrick Reaves and Billy Askey will also be racing.

GRAPHIC - Towpath Productions

PHOTOS - Mike Scott

GRC Summer Program

Most of you have already heard about our team's summer program for elite high school runners.  This program is being spearheaded by Coach Jerry and hopes to achieve a few goals:

• Raise money for the team
• Help compensate Coach Jerry for his help for our team
• Mentor promising high school runners as they begin to think about running in college
• Keep Wiggy occupied while school is out for summer

This program will consist of high school runners attending our weekly workouts at BCCHS to be coached by Jerry, and give them the opportunity to learn from our top runners about running in college, what coaches look for, how to find the right college program, how to balance work and running, etc.  The team will split the proceeds with Jerry, and this will be a valuable supplemental income to help outfit the rest of the team in warm ups, defray travel expenses for out-of-town races, and cover entry fees for our team members.  This is why it is vital that you all help to promote this program to your local HS contacts.  For more information on the program, visit the summer program page of GRCrunning.com.  For more information on how you can help, comment below or email Coach Jerry at coach.jerry@live.com

Wednesday Night Workout

PHOTO - Ban racing at Richmond this past Friday. The Wednesday night workouts helped him record a 15:42 for the 5,000m.

From Coach Jerry: First, congratulations to Brian Young for a huge breakthrough on Saturday at the National Half. Brian ran 1:16:24 which is a PR of more than 3 minutes. Brian has worked hard for months and this was well deserved. Clearly, some of that GRC magic has rubbed off on him. Well done!

Second, don't forget to work your contacts regarding our summer program. I've already received a commitment from a kid who is likely the top distance runner in Maryland so I expect the word is going to get out soon, but keep pressing. This is a great chance to raise some money for the team, so let's not get lazy in our recruitment efforts.

Third, for the workout this week, we'll be at American again. The workout has many moving parts, so stay with me on this. The main component of the workout, which those of you who are sharpening up for Cherry Blossom will do, is 2 x 1000, 4 x 500, all of it pretty hard. We'll take a 600 recovery after both 1ks, and 300 after the 500s. The A group will go 70s on the first 1k, 69s on the second, and the 500s will go through 400 at 66, 64, 62, 60. The B group will go 73s, then 72s, on the 1ks, and through 400 on the 5s at 70, 68, 66, 64. Both groups will get going at 7:00.

Now it gets complicated. Wiggy and Outlaw will start at 6:45 and do 2 x mile @ 5:00 with a 2 minute rest, and then will do the rest of the workout with the B group. If anyone would like to join them, feel free. We will coordinate the start of the B group workout so that Wiggy and Outlaw have no more than 3 minutes recovery after their second mile rep, so B group, please be ready to roll right at 7.

We will also have a separate workout for Dickson and new member Matt Logan (of Calvin College fame) starting at 6:45, which will be 5 x mile @ 5:16, 5:12, 5:08, 5:04, 5:00, (ie 79s, 78s, 77s, 76s, 75s) and any of you who want to join in that are also welcome.

Give me a shout if any of this is unclear. See you on Wednesday at AU.

Cherry Blossom package pick up

Hello all, I am going to volunteering at the package pick up on Saturday's morning and going to G-town store to help a friend to pick out running/jogging/walking shoes. If you guys not really wanna wait in line at the expo, I would happy to help you pick up your package and bring to the store about 12:30 and leave around 13:15 or so.

If you want me pick up your package, please give me your name and a signed note with your permission, http://www.cherryblossom.org/generalinfo/pickupsomeone.php

If so, feel free to email me.

CB Social Event

A number of people have inquired about a social event post-Cherry Blossom. 

1. I am not aware of one yet 

2. We should have one

Ideally, the host should be close to "the action" downtown. Grilling perhaps? Any takers? Any ideas?

Additionally, is there anyone on the team who would be willing to lend me a bike on race day? I am not looking for a souped up racer (nor clip in shoes), just something that can get me around the course. 

SUNDAY: The Line at 9am

Comment if you plan to go and/or need a ride.

Flash: Ban: 15:42 at Richmond invitational

copyright~ Wiggyleaks LTD
Brief recap from Chaznasty:  "Windy conditions.  Ran conservative to draft on another runner who was slightly slowing each lap.  I should have went with 4 laps to go.  However, the legs feel really good."   Nice job Charlie!  You are on track for some big races in the upcoming weeks.
details developing....

Meeting about race sponsorship after G-town store run tomorrow

Hello Team,

Please meet at Dean and Deluca (across the street from the store) after our run tomorrow.  We need to discuss how to find sponsors for our Father's Day race.  We are going to need as much involvement as possible from the racing team to make this a success.  Please email me (karl.dusen@gmail.com) if you can't make the meeting but still want the marketing materials to distribute.  Thanks in advance for everyone's help!

-Karl

easily

found this picture this morning off a "Last chance to order these photos" email. A certain Wilson can be spotted behind myself , red fox, and bert dog

Welcome to GRCrunning.com!

This has been an exciting "offseason" for the team including some great individual performances and team records, incredible turnouts at our Wednesday night workouts, and behind the scenes preparations for a HUGE 2011!  Stay tuned to the blog in the coming weeks for more developments in our new Summer Training Program for promising HS runners, our team's Father's Day 8K fundraiser, and more.   But today we're excited to "officially" launch GRCrunning.com!  Over the past few months, several of us have been working on enhancing the GRC Race Team's online presence to better communicate to the team, prospective team members, our followers, and our competition. 

This website is our team's permanent presence on the web and your go-to location for archived results, news, photos, videos and more.  It will also be your go-to site for supplemental information about the team including maps to running locations, team member profiles, and useful links.  Many of you have already visited the site, and "liked" it on facebook.  We encourage you to regularly check back to the site for updates, provide feedback to Jimmy, and tell your friends and family about it.  The next time you meet someone interested in our team, just tell them to visit GRCrunning.com or email info@grcrunning.com.

At the same time, we're making some small changes to the blog.  We're moving much of the permanent information off of the blog sidebar and onto the website.  We're also rearranging the most popular sidebar tools to more prominent locations.  Now it will be easier to see the weekly calendar of team events, and the latest posts, comments, and personal blog posts.

We're also ending the ability to comment anonymously on the blog.  The original intent of anonymous commenting was to allow new team members to communicate with the team.  However, this change is being made for a few reasons: the new website has information for prospective members on how to join and contact us; anonymous commenting does not enhance discussions on the blog; commenting anonymously is not significantly more convenient than posting under one's username; and anonymous commenting has been abused many times over the past year.  We hope and encourage you all to use the blog as a positive forum to coordinate runs and workouts, celebrate race results, and communicate with the entire team.  Remember, many people outside our team see the blog and it's important to remember that every post and comment is a reflection on our team.

Finally, let's all take the time to thank Jimmy Daly for all of his hard work to create this new website.  He started months ago by updating over 30 individual profiles, and followed up by putting in countless hours creating GRCrunning.com in his free time.  Even vertigo couldn't keep him down!  So, when Jimmy is back on his feet and running with us again, please be sure to thank him in person.  He'll continue to improve and update the website, and is open to your suggestions.

Saturday: CB Course Preview

I am NOT running Cherry Blossom, but I figure it might be good practice for the team to run part of the course on Saturday during the Store run (or at least the 6-7 miles of the course). Any takers?

Wednesday Track Workout at AU, MEET AT 6PM!

This is a reminder that the Wednesday night track workouts will take place at American University this week and next week due to conflicts at BCC. Please plan to arrive at the track at 6:00 so we can get started a little early since there are no lights on the track.

Arriving by Metro: If you plan to take the metro to practice, get off at the Tenleytown-AU stop on the Red Line. Post in the comments if you need someone to pick you up from there. The campus is about a mile down Nebraska Ave from there.

Arriving by Car: There is some parking on campus, but give yourself time to find a spot on the street if you need to. You can drive onto campus via the entrance on Massachusetts Ave across from the Katzen Center. From there, drive under the student union and find parking in one of the dark blue parking lots on this map. There is also usually parking off campus along Newark Street at New Mexico Ave. Do NOT park in student-only parking or you'll get towed.


View Larger Map


And finally, the workout from Coach Jerry: Finally, the workout this week (and next) will be at American University. There are no lights on the track at AU and they close the track when it gets dark, meaning that the campus police actually come out there and throw runners off (as Ryan can attest first hand), so that means we need to be rolling right at 7:00. To make sure there are no delays, please be at the track at 6:15 for the warmup.


As for the workout itself, I want to get in some volume this week, since we will back off next week to have everyone rested for Cherry Blossom. We will do 6 x mile with a 400 recovery. The A group will go 2 @ 5:00, 2 @ 4:55, 2 @ 4:50. The B group will go 2 @ 5:15, 2 @ 5:10, 2 @ 5:05.

Monday Runs

Once upon a time, Klim and I would meet on Mondays at 6:30 pm for an easy recovery run through RCP starting downtown. Maybe it is time for that tradition to resume?

FLASH: CCRC Employee Emily Norton PRs, Qs for Boston

Los Angeles, CA - In weather that sent thousands of people to the medical tent to be evaluated for hypothermia, Arlington's Emily Norton placed 91st in the Los Angeles Marathon in a personal best 3:28:07. A cold, steady rain fell for most of the day, making conditions uncomfortable for the 23,500 runners.

Emily, seen here in some other marathon photo stolen via FaceBook, works Saturdays at the Chevy Chase Running Company. 

WX WIRE: During the first six hours of the marathon, .78 inch of rain fell at Santa Monica Airport. Ankle-deep rainwater greeted the marathoners in Brentwood, and cold, wet winds lashed the finish line.

Fire dispatch channels were full of reports of soaked and hypothermic runners, and firefighters called for buses to return to Hollywood to pick up stranded. shivering stragglers.

One wheelchair racer flipped his rig on a wet La Cienega Boulevard, but was not injured, KTLA reported.

The race started at Dodger Stadium on nearly-dry pavement, but soaking rain and driving winds developed a half hour into the race.

new sneaks

Maximus,

I'll take a size 8.5 in a pair of Nike Streak 3's for those flats.

and those Nike frees I told you to hold at the store yesterday... you can send those back on the shelf. My man got a different pair.



much love


-G. A. Greenlaw III

DUSEN SETS GRC RECORD AT VAN METRE

Karl Dusen (seen here wiping his nose on his singlet) ran his best race in a GRC singlet on Saturday morning taking second place behind Olympic Marathon Trials Qualifier David Nightingale at the Van Metre 5 Miler. Karl is rumored to have run a 4:37 last mile in an all out drive to catch the former Ivy league nemesis.

24:03 for 5 miles is equivalent to a 14:30 5k, 30:05 10k and a 1:07 low half marathon.

MORE: Ryan Hanson continues a stellar season and records a PR for the 5 mile distance - 25:15

OFFICIAL RESULTS:

1. David Nightingale - 23:56 - COURSE RECORD
2. Karl Dusen - 24:03
3. Gurmessa Megressa - 24:25
4. Samuel Luff - 25:04
5. Ryan Hanson - 25:15
7. Charlie Ban - 26:55
8. Brian Young - 28:24 - debut GRC race

Charlie adds: It was pretty windy, everyone was pretty much out on his own. Luckily for him, Karl wasn't really trying.

RACE RESULTS

Mighty Gurmessa took down Mighty Bert and Phillippe Rolly, who was winning races in DC back when most of you were in 8th grade, still likes to run. Jean-Christophe Arcaz, has been running the same times for over ten years and was there. Neal, Jean-Christophe is 21 years older than you and 60 pounds heavier, so I am glad you beat him by 6 seconds. All of this at the Scope it Out race downtown this AM.

Gurmessa Megerssa 31 WASHINGTON DC 14:55 14:55 4:48

Bert Rodriguez 31 ARLINGTON VA 14:59 14:59 4:50 

Adam Condit 27 ASHBURN VA 15:08 15:08 4:53 
Philippe Rolly 38 MCLEAN VA 16:42 16:42 5:23 
Neal Hannan 29 WASHINGTON DC 17:09 17:08 
Jean-Christophe Arcaz 50 ROCKVILLE MD 17:14 
Jack Beecher 19 WASHINGTON DC 17:24 17:22 5:36 
Joseph Addison 23 WASHINGTON DC 17:26 17:24 5:36 
Robert Denmark 45 ARLINGTON VA 17:27 17:26 5:37 
Geoffrey Hackman 31 NEW YORK NY 17:53 17:51 5:45 
Matt Herzog 27 WASHINGTON DC 18:14 18:13 5:52

Sunday Run

If you plan to run the Sunday Long Run below are the details:

The run is a point to point from Edward's Ferry to Old Angler's Inn - the distance of which is 18 miles. The plan is to meet at Old Angler's Inn at 8am then commute together in one car (in the clothes you plan to run in) up to Edward's Ferry in one (or 2) car(s). From there you'll run 18 miles straight back to Old Angler's Inn. Once finished, someone will drive the original car back to their car at Edward's Ferry.

A second group will meet at Riley's Lock at 9:45am to run the last 10 miles with the group.

Here, again, are the start times:
8:00am - Old Angler's Inn
9:00am - Edward's Ferry
9:45am - Riley's Lock (group running 10-12)

Old Anglers Inn on Friday

To celebrate the start of the weekend and to embrace weather in the highs 70s, a bunch of North Bethesda Distance Projecters will be meeting at Old Angler's Inn at 6pm for a run on the trails/towpath. Post/come if you are interested in meeting up.

Weekend Runs

There are several options for runs this Saturday. Please post a comment if you plan to join for any of them:

- watch guys run Van Metre
- 9am run at the Georgetown store
-10:30am tempo workout at BCCHS
-1 pm speed workout with Chuck (see below, contact him if interested)

From Chuck:

I need to make up for missing a ton of mileage and some lack luster winter workouts so I will be on the track saturday afternoon at 1300 hours for the warm-up. I'd like to meet at AU or Georgetown prep (they have hurdles for drills) if anyone is interested in meeting up to do their workout at the same time.