GRC embraces hills in spring season opener

The GRC took to the hills of Columbia, MD for the RRCA Club Challenge ten mile race and although the terrain wasn't as friendly as the above pictured gymnasium packed full of runners from all over the region, the team still managed to achieve some great early season results as well as stock up on fruit snacks from the finish line tent.

After last year's iteration of this race was cancelled due to snow, favorable temperatures greeted the runners this year, as they did two years ago, such that tights and running pants were unnecessary. What a February treat!

The women claimed victory in the elite women's category, while the men finished as the second place elite men's team, and the group combined for an overall second place coed elite finish. In addition, the runners delighted in the commemorative and chic knit gloves received at the finish line. Well done to all!


RESULTS:

4. Jerry Greenlaw 52:59.56
6. Paul Balmer 53:06.36
9. Evan Jurkovich 54:05.39
11. Paul Guevara 54:27.46
13. Dickson Mercer 55:02.78
20. Dave O'Hara 56:45.13
24. Matt Hassett 56:57.76
40. Kyle Cooke 59:04.33
43. Brian Young 59:33.95

4. Kerry Allen 1:02:56.59
5. Frances Loeb 1:03:21.75
6. Julie Tarallo 1:03:29.27
7. Maura Carroll 1:03:36.10
9. Sarah Bishop 1:04:35.69
15. Keely Eckberg 1:05:36.20
40. Mary Grace Pellegrini 1:11:33.47

Coach Jerry Reports: Trials Recap

It was a truly phenomenal weekend in Los Angeles for GRC.  To be succinct before I launch into my lengthy diatribe, Kieran, Teal, and Emily performed at a level that exceeded my always optimistic expectations, and I couldn't be more proud of them.

Kieran's performance was beyond question the greatest ever by a man in a GRC jersey, and no amount of tape applied by overzealous USATF officials to hide our logo could obscure that fact.  Going into the race we knew that the heat, which was beyond oppressive, would mean that time was irrelevant, and Kieran's goal was simply to beat people.  We also knew that Kieran was not afraid of the heat.  To the contrary, Kieran viewed the heat as an opportunity, and  had complete confidence in his ability to outlast his opponents in what promised to be a war of attrition that would reward those who wanted it the most.  When the gun went off Kieran settled in to a reasonable pace with a large group of athletes, and as Kieran held steady and bided his time, the pack dwindled, and athletes ahead of him started to fade.  Kieran kept plugging away and moved up gradually through the middle miles.   As I counted places on the course in the second half of the race, I was able to communicate to Kieran that he was in the top 50, then the top 40, and each time I relayed this news, Kieran gave me a thumbs up, and kept right on rolling.  By the time I saw Kieran with about 5 miles to go he was 35th place by my count, and while he had started show some signs of wear, he was buoyed by the knowledge that he was still moving forward.  When he passed me for the last time with less than 2 miles to go, he was hurting big time, but when I told him that by my count he was in 26th place, there was no doubt that he was going to continue his charge to the finish, and he picked up the spots he needed to secure his place in the top 25.

It is still almost incomprehensible to me that Kieran was 24th in the Olympic Trials.  His achievement is incredible on many levels, not the least of which is that he went directly from the hospital to the airport on Thursday morning after staying up most of the night with Zyra and young Caoimhe.  More fundamentally, Kieran has developed in less than 3 years with GRC from a guy who I wasn't sure could make the team into a true national class runner.  The list of athletes he beat in LA, in the most important race of the year, reads like a who's who of US distance running including, to name just a few, Scott Bauhs, Bobby Curtis, and Fernando Cabada (and those guys finished--there are some much bigger names among the guys who didn't).  Think about that for a moment.  Kieran, who didn't run in college and who has literally never run a track meet in his life, beat guys, in a race everyone peaked for, who are NCAA champions, consistently ranked in the top 10 in the US on the track and roads, and have been members of multiple national teams.  No one, least of all me, is going to contend that Kieran is a better runner than Bobby Curtis or Scott Bauhs, but on the day that mattered, taking the conditions as he found them, Kieran beat them, along with many, many other national class guys.  That he did so is a testament to his preparation, which was superb, and even more so to his sheer force of will.  Kieran got on the starting line determined to do something special for himself, his family, and his team, and he absolutely was not going to be deterred.  His complete faith in his ability to compete on the highest level in the biggest race of his life is truly awe inspiring.  The future is indeed bright for Kieran, and there is plenty of room for growth.  He was fit to run 2:14, and he will get his chance to run fast in good conditions before long.  In the big picture, we're already looking forward to making an even bigger splash at the Trials in 2020.  In the shorter term, a firm goal for 2016 is for Kieran to lead GRC back into the top 10 at Clubs.  What he'll do between now and then is something we'll figure out in the coming weeks.  For now, Kieran has got a  few blisters to heal, and lots of diapers to change!

As everyone who has ever heard of GRC knows, Teal fulfilled a dream she has had for her entire adult life by qualifying for the Trials at CIM in 2014 with an amazing PR of 2:42:13.  Teal's approach to running the Trials was not just to be satisfied to be there, and she intended to run a big PR.  Teal's preparation for the Trials was outstanding, and she was most definitely in sub 2:40 shape.  While it became clear the week of the race started that the weather was going to preclude fast times, Teal was determined to make the most of her opportunity, and she did not disappoint herself or her veritable armada of family and friends who came to support her, all whom were outfitted in Team Teal t-shirts that were, well, teal.  When the gun went off, Teal was not afraid to get out strong, and she settled into a large group of women with much lower seeds, and she continued to grind it out, mile after mile, lap by lap.  Teal never looked particularly comfortable in the intense heat, but she never looked to be in great distress either, and as the race wore on, she stayed focused, and continued to roll while others around her faltered.  Teal competed all the way to the tape, and her 72nd place finish in a field of 202 starters was an incredible accomplishment, as is amply demonstrated by a review of the list of athletes who she beat, which includes several runners who were viewed by pre-race pundits as having a shot to finish in the top 10.  And despite the deplorable conditions, Teal's time of 2:50:35 is her second fastest ever.  Teal has now established herself as a marathoner who can compete with the best non-professional runners in the country, and she will be back in 2020, an A standard under her belt, ready for another opportunity to live her dream.

Emily went into her third Olympic Trials planning to improve on her 40th place finish in 2012, and after an outstanding training cycle she was fit to run at least 2 minutes faster than her PR of 2:39:55.  Emily brought her family to LA, and was ready to put on a show for the two little ones, even if they might not be old enough to remember seeing their mom kick some booty.  The race did not go as planned, however, as the horrendous heat affected Emily very early on, to the point that she told me around mile 8 that she felt "horrible."  I've been coaching long enough to know that when a runner talks to me during a race, it's not a good sign.  As the miles wore on, Emily continued to tell me she was struggling in the heat, and her goal shifted from running fast to merely finishing which, given the conditions, was no easy task, but in a fashion befitting her years of military service, she kept soldiering on.  Then a funny thing happened on the final loop--Emily got her proverbial second wind, and started to move up.  After picking off several runners in the last 5 miles, Emily finished strong, with a big smile on her face, in a very impressive 102nd place.  While the conditions prevented Emily from showing what she was capable of doing, she never quit on herself, and as others literally wilted in the heat in the last 10k, she proved her toughness by not backing down despite knowing full well that she would not meet the goals she worked so hard to achieve.  I am extremely proud of Emily, who trained incredibly hard in very difficult  circumstances to prepare for a big PR, and I am really looking forward to continuing to work with her as we set our sights on a fourth Trials in 2020.

There are a few other points that I'd like to make.  First, as proud as I am of Kieran, Teal, and Emily, I'm equally proud of the way the entire team worked together to get our athletes prepared for their (figurative and literal) day in the sun.  Without the help and support of the team in workouts and on long runs, there is no way Kieran, Teal, and Emily could have achieved what they did in LA.  While the success of Kieran, Teal, and Emily belongs to each of them, it is also belongs to the team, and that spirit of working together is one of the reasons that GRC is so special.

Second, our experience this weekend was enhanced greatly by the efforts of our generous sponsors Pacers and New Balance.  The athletes were fully equipped with everything from custom-designed uniforms to shoes to hats to warm up gear, and it made us feel appreciated and supported, and part of something bigger than ourselves.  Kathy and Joanna were in LA, and we were able to enjoy some quality time with them at the invite-only after party Kathy took us to as her guests.  I can say with confidence that outside of family and teammates, no one was more excited about our great performances than our patrons at Pacers.  With their support, we will continue to make a name for ourselves on the national stage.

Finally, it was truly my pleasure to be out there this weekend.  To see GRC athletes compete toe to toe with the best runners in the country in a race of such consequence was beyond thrilling for me.  At the Trials in 2020, we're going to have an even bigger group doing even bigger things.  We've got a lot of work to do between now and then, and I'm going to enjoy every part of the journey!

Jerry

A Couple Thoughts on the LA Trials

I will leave the expert analysis to Coach Jerry, but I want to just quickly offer a couple thoughts I had, as well, while I was baking out there on Figueroa Avenue.

Also, definitely read Charlie's story about Kieran.

First, Saturday was an absolutely amazing day -- a peak moment -- for our club. The fact that there was literally a watch party to root on three of our teammates competing in the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials ... and the fact that all three of them, as coach might indeed note, competed with such distinction ...

... I was blown away. (I loved interrupting conversations to be like, oh, sorry, that's my teammate coming down the road -- you know, running in the Olympic Trials. #GRCPride. I posted a few tweets with videos, and you might detect that during Teal's I suddenly lost my shouting ability.)

@GRC_Race_Team @runnerteal is rolling. (Got a little choked up during commentary) pic.twitter.com/PLrbNIDJMe

— Dickson Mercer (@dicksonmercer) February 13, 2016

I thought it was such a cruel hand to be dealt: our athletes train through the holidays and Snowzilla then have to compete in the hottest damn trials in the race's history. And man, it really was hot out there. (The day before the race, when I was running in the Claremont Wilderness Trail, I saw a kid ask her dad if it was still winter ... and the dad was like, "Wait, what month is it??")

Other than the one underpass that Emily D, my sister, my bro-in-law, and I spent some time recovering under, exhausted from yelling, I saw zero shade on that course. What I saw was that the temps rose quickly, the sun was beating down, and the conditions exacted a very quick, painful toll on the entire field.

Yet Kieran, Teal, and Emily ran fearlessly.

Kieran, I could tell from the get go, was not suffering like others around him and was going to execute his race plan. Teal, I could see, was going to put herself out there and not let up -- and she didn't. Same for Emily.

They all had fire -- and it was such a tough day to have it. The side-of-the-road perspective for this trials, frankly, was painful at times -- just hard to watch. It wasn't fun to see so many amazing runners reduced to a shuffle by such brutal conditions. Lot of carnage, as the saying goes.

And I think -- times and results not withstanding -- that was what really impressed me about our teammates: the way they all ran on a combo of smarts + heart.  Every time I saw one of our own, they were focusing on the back ahead of them and really racing. Which is significant. To be even within a shadow of their personal bests in those conditions was amazing.

Kieran was seeded 145th out of 169 and finished 24th. The guy a spot behind him is a 61-minute half marathoner.

Teal was seeded 117th and finished 73rd.

Emily was seeded 139th and finished 103rd.

We all should be really proud of them - and I know we really are. Soak up the inspiration -- and as Teal says, Dream Big.

FLASH: Men break hearts at the Love the Run You're With 5k

Arctic conditions couldn't stop a clean podium sweep for the men at this morning's Love the Run You're With 5k in Pentagon City. A reliable source reports that Stewart's petition to the race director for Kyle's disqualification was denied - apparently, "Minnesotan heritage" is a perfectly legal advantage in the running world. Rumors indicate that Stewart is currently formulating plans to spend the next 20 years in Minnesota in order to improve his cold-weather racing tactics.

Photo credit to Pacers Running

1 1 144 Kyle Wagener 23 M 1/50 M1929 Washington DC 0:15:55
2 2 441 Stewart Reich 23 M 2/50 M1929 Frederick MD 0:15:57 0:15:57
3 3 606 Ryan Witters 27 M 3/50 M1929 Washington DC 0:16:04

5 24 414 Laura O'Hara 35 F 3/165 F3039 Alexandria VA 0:20:01

Olympic Marathon Trials 2016: Live updates!

Men's results:

1. Galen Rupp 2:11:12
2. Meb Keflezghi 2:12:20
3. Jared Ward 2:13:00

Women's results:

1. Amy Cragg 2:28:27
2. Desi Linden 2:29:00
3. Shalane Flanagan 2:29:26


If you're trying to live track, use this website!

Finish

Kieran O'Connor 2:21:36, 24th place!

Teal Burrell 2:50:35, 72nd place!

Emily Potter 2:55:10, 100th place!

25m

Kieran O'Connor 2:14:43 (estimated finish 2:21:47)

Teal Burrell 2:42:15 (estimated finish 2:50:49)

Emily Potter 2:46:13 (estimated finish 2:55:25)

22m

Kieran O'Connor 1:57:30 (estimated finish 2:21:13)

Teal Burrell 2:21:13 (estimated finish 2:50:05)

Emily Potter 2:24:18 (estimated finish 2:52:59)

20m

Teal Burrell 2:07:38 (estimated finish 2:54:58)

Emily Potter 2:10:42 (estimated finish 2:59:15)

18m

Kieran O'Connor 1:35:05

Teal Burrell 1:54:04 (estimated finish 2:48:26)

Emily Potter 1:56:35 (estimated finish 2:52:36)

25k

Kieran O'Connor 1:21:35

Teal Burrell 1:37:46 (estimated finish 2:47:29)

Emily Potter 1:39:41 (estimated finish 2:51:28)

Half

Kieran O'Connor 1:08:30

Teal Burrell 1:22:02

Emily Potter 1:23:31

GRC viewing party

Go Kieran, Teal, and Emily!

9m

Teal Burrell 52:55 (by on location reporter Charlie Ban)

5m

Kieran O'Connor 25:56, 69th place (estimated finish 2:16:21)

4m

Emily Potter 24:37, 91st place

Teal Burrell 24:55, 116th place



Check out this article about Kieran!

Scotia native O'Connor caps memorable week at Olympic Trials by Mike MacAdam

In other news...

Frances Loeb ran 9:49.7 at the Boston University Valentine Invitational on Friday night, for #2 on the all-time list. Whoa!

Olympic Marathon Trials 2016: Coach Jerry checks in from LA!

From Coach Jerry:

8:42 AM local time -- "We're all here safely and getting ready for the gun to go off.  After pulling an all nighter in the hospital, Kieran slept like a baby on the plane despite a family of 5 children in front of him conducting a riot at 35,000 feet, and he then took a 4 hour nap.  The weather here is an issue in a different way--it's hot.  I'm heading out in a minute to find a place to buy sun screen, and we're revising race plans to cope with the conditions.  The highlight so far, if you want to call it that, is that our uniforms did not pass muster, so per the fashion police at USATF, we have to put tape over the pacers logo (the GRC logo is okay for some reason) even though it's so small no one could possibly read it anyway.  And to further show the arbitrary nature of the rules, Carlos is going to run in his high school jersey, which has huge printing across the front, and that's acceptable.  Go figure.  We're going to the technical meeting at 4 to get bibs and chips, and last minute logistical instructions, and then we'll get some dinner, and rest up for the big day."

Photo by Rusty Burrell

1:03 PM local time -- "The Man is making us cover up the Pacers logo on the singlets, but he can't stop us from wearing the sweet Pacers/GRC trucker hats Kathy Dalby just gave me!  They haven't gotten the thumbs up from Dickson yet, but I'm sure they will."

Be on the lookout during the broadcast for some sweet team headwear. Below, Dickson shows off his affinity for the trucker hat style.

Photo by Emily Dufton

6:08 pm local time -- "We sat through the technical meeting and picked up the bibs.  If any more proof was needed that USATF's uniform rules are totally arbitrary, they informed Emily that her uniform had to be altered in a totally different way than Kieran and Teal.  Because of the uniform rules we can't wear the patches, but I managed to sew patches on the GRC shirt I'm going to wear during the race, so Lauren and Nina will be out there with me."



Olympic Marathon Trials preview



Photo courtesy of Kieran O'Connor

 

Although the Super Bowl occurred just a few short days ago, distance running enthusiasts know that the real nationwide athletic attraction of early February this year is the Olympic Marathon Trials, being contested in Los Angeles, California on Saturday morning. Trials fever has settled over the Pacers/GRC–New Balance family, as we've watched our qualifiers conquer long workouts, endure longer runs, battle plunging winter temperatures and Snowzilla-related training adjustments, and achieve PRs on both the roads and the track, all of which are noteworthy accomplishments in and of themselves but have only been intended as preparation for the more important day that lies ahead.

The entire team has been working hard to do its part to help the qualifiers out in various ways, such as jumping in to take on the pacing burden of a long track workout, planning a visit to Hains Point to help battle headwinds (and simultaneous tailwinds, typically) on a tempo run, or just keeping everyone distracted during mind-numbing long runs with endlessly entertaining and hilarious stories, in classic GRC fashion. The qualifiers have been the ones doing the hard training but the team is just as excited to see some of its own toeing the line with the nation’s best.

Photo by Kerry Allen

The US will bring the top three finishers in both the men’s and women’s Trials races to Rio to compete for Olympic glory. In the women’s race, there are two heavy favorites to make the Olympic team, Shalane Flanagan and Desi Linden. These 2012 Olympic marathoners have qualified for this race with times of 2:21:14 and 2:23:54, respectively. Flanagan's training partner Amy Cragg owns the next fastest qualifying time, having run 2:27:01 in 2014, and there are a large number of women who have run around 2:28, including quasi-local Stafford, VA resident Serena Burla, who all have a chance to break into the top 3. The men’s side is not quite so locked in, but 40-year old veteran Meb Keflezghi is a favorite, with a qualifying time of 2:08:37, along with injury-plagued Dathan Ritzenhein, who finished in fourth place in the 2012 Trials and enters this year's race with a qualifying performance of 2:09:35. Don't count out Luke Puskedra, who ran 2:10:24 in Chicago last year, and the infamous Galen Rupp, who will be making his marathon debut.

The Pacers/GRC–New Balance team boasts three athletes in the race: Teal Burrell (who qualified with a 2:42:13 performance at California International Marathon in December 2014), Emily Potter (qualified with a 2:42:56 marathon in Edmonton in August 2015), and Kieran O’Connor (qualified with a half marathon performance of 1:04:40 in Philadelphia in October 2015). This will be the third Trials for Emily, but both Teal and Kieran will be racing this high caliber event for the first time.



Photo courtesy of Teal Burrell



Teal, who also can be known as the Queen of Beach Drive, has been preparing for this race for years. Never one to be satisfied with anything less than the lofty goals she sets for herself, she is laser focused on the Trials after she did not quite run as fast as she believed she was capable at the Jacksonville half in early January, even though she still nabbed a big PR of 1:18:55. Although winter training has not gone as smoothly as she'd prefer, due to pesky weather and precipitation snags necessitating some rearranging of runs, she's been hitting PRs left and right in workouts and is primed for another PR in LA.

Emily is a Trials veteran, and will look to improve on her 40th place finish from 2012. She has been racing her face off over the past few months and has been turning in some impressive times as well as showing incredible speed and range for a marathoner. Although she'll be without her typical training partners, young daughters Evelyn and Adelaide, who ride along in the jogging stroller daily without protest, she will be right at home on yet another starting line.

Brand new father Kieran will be taking a break from diaper duty to take to the streets of LA. He has been pushing through extremely difficult workouts with ease, such as ten miles on the track in sub-5 minute pace, and according to Coach Jerry, "he's in way, way better shape now than he was when he ran his qualifier in Philly, so he's ready to run a giant marathon PR." Be sure to look out for his equally giant beard in LA.

Photo by Dustin Whitlow/DWhit Photography
 

For further background reading, be sure to check out this RunWashington article, written by the GRC's own Dickson Mercer, covering this year’s local Trials qualifiers.

Another great read is Teal’s blog, Miles to the Trials, where she chronicles her amazing progression from a marathon novice with a dream to a national class athlete, and will make you laugh, cry, squeal, gasp, and decide you also are ready to shoot for the Trials yourself after reading her candid and heartfelt writing.

The marathon will be broadcast live on Saturday from 1-4 pm ET on NBC. This is a big deal! They probably had to put a European soccer game on another one of their channels or something. The men's race goes off at 1:06 pm with the women following at 1:22 pm. It will also be streamed on NBC Sports Live Extra to appease those millennials who don't own a TV.

Our racers will all be sporting unique New Balance race kits for the occasion rather than the familiar GRC royal blue. Look for all three of our racers to be wearing navy and red tops with bright red shorts. With an out-and-back, looped course, and races being contested concurrently, we are expecting to see all three of our racers during the broadcast. The course begins with a 2.2 mile loop and then settles into a series of a six mile loop run four times, which will make for easy spectating as well as hopefully providing a surprise-free run for the marathoners. Although flat, the course is not expected to be extremely fast due to the numerous sharp turns.

We can't wait to see what our inspiring trio will achieve in LA! Be sure to also follow along in one of the below sources for up to the minute results.

Live tracking of the race will be hosted by FloTrack. We're still unsure exactly how this will play out, so check back here for updates.

Teal's husband, Rusty, is well known in running circles for his live tweeting prowess. Follow along @rustabust as he spectates the race in LA. A quick disclaimer that this is not an official running account and there is a good chance that you'll also get to read multiple tweets relating to home brewing and DC sports teams, Rusty's other passions, but who would say no to that!

Another option is of course @GRC_Race_Team on Twitter, as well as the newly launched @grc_running on Instagram, both of which we can't necessarily confirm that we'll be updating with zest and vigor, but you never know!

And we'll be posting live splits here on the blog, if social media sometimes confuses you. You're not alone!

Send 'em!

GRC at the Terrepin Invitational

As Runner's World recognized recently, with help from some of GRC's bravest members, running conditions in the nation's capital have been far from prime lately. Today, in the hallowed halls of the Prince George's County Sports and Learning Complex, GRC's racers will luxuriate in ice-free footing, pleasant temperatures, calm air, and the ability to see around bends without walls of snow in the way. Some rust will be busted, some cobwebs will be dusted, and probably some other various things will happen that runners tend to colloquially declare when they haven't raced in a pretty long time. Don't fret, however! The GRC is prepared, as always, to both turn some heads and turn in some fast times as they take to the track for the first time in a long time.

Avid racer Frances Loeb was overheard divulging on Wednesday evening, under the deceptively protective shroud of night and the Wisconsin Avenue tunnel, that, although race expectations are low, she planned to don spikes for her 5k. You heard it here first, folks! Meanwhile, youngster Meghan Lockett, who will be debuting for the GRC, made sure to Amazon Prime some flats for delivery prior to her 3k race Saturday afternoon. This will be the first race for Mego in over two years, but she is pumped to tackle the oval and put an end to her race-less streak. Keeping her footwear selection to herself, Kerry Allen is approaching the 5k with even more unfamiliarity, never having raced on an indoor track, and never even having run a 5k on an outdoor track. While we all have the utmost of faith in her fitness and preparation, let us hope that her lap counter is paying attention!

There will be a lot of action and plenty of results for our analysts to pore over in this early season showcase! In addition to Frances and Kerry, the women's 5k lineup also includes Stephanie Reich, with Kyle Wagener and Luk Olenginski holding down the men's 5k race. Meghan and Chelsea Bollerman will race the 3k later in the afternoon.

Tune in throughout the day for times, commentary, and maybe a photo or two, if we're lucky!


RESULTS

Women's 5000

1. Frances Loeb 17:31.31
2. Stephanie Reich 17:46.22
7. Kerry Allen 18:28.79

Men's 5000

6. Kyle Wagener 15:45.95
7. Lukasz Olenginski 15:48.17

Women's 3000

17. Chelsea Bollerman 10:46.83 (won her heat!)

GRC Announces Nina Brekelmans Memorial Scholarship 5K

In memory of Nina Brekelmans, the Georgetown Running Club, in partnership with the Georgetown Center for Contemporary Arab Studies, is hosting the Nina Brekelmans Memorial Scholarship 5K on March 19, 2016 at 8:00 a.m. Thanks to generous support from the Cooper Standard Foundation, all proceeds raised from the race will be donated towards the Nina Brekelmans Memorial Endowed Scholarship Fund at Georgetown University. GRC is proud to support the Nina Brekelmans Memorial Scholarship, which will contribute to preserving Nina's legacy of goodwill and women's empowerment in the Middle East.

Nina came to competitive running later in life than most of her teammates, but like other areas of her life she pursued running with tireless dedication and obvious passion.

“Nina was not the most talented athlete at GRC, but she was one of the hardest working and committed runners I've ever coached,” said GRC Coach Jerry Alexander. “She was willing to do whatever it took to contribute to the team, and her enthusiasm and drive were an inspiration to her team.”

When injuries or overseas travel kept her from competing with GRC, Nina still took great pride in her teammates’ achievements. In an email from Jordan she wrote “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!”

Nina also made an impression in the running community in Jordan while studying there for a year after having received a Boren Fellowship. She won the Dead Sea half marathon, her first attempt at the distance, and has been memorialized by her friends there as their “Dear Champion”. Nina 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.

The Center for Contemporary Arab Studies (CCAS), in partnership with the Brekelmans family, established the Nina Brekelmans Memorial Endowed Scholarship Fund to support students of the Masters of Arts in Arab Studies (MAAS) program, particularly those with a demonstrated interest in promoting women's empowerment in the Middle East.

Nina graduated from the MAAS program in May 2015. The endowed scholarship fund will honor Nina's memory and accomplishments by supporting MAAS students who demonstrate an interest in women's empowerment.

For more information on the Nina Brekelmans Memorial Scholarship and the 5k race and to register, please visit www.ninabrekelmansmemorial.org.

FLASH: Outlaw and Zak Successfully Send 'Em Down South

Outlaw and Zak kicked off 2016 with a bang this morning at both the Houston and Louisiana Marathon, respectively.

Down in Houston, Outlaw ran strong even splits to finish 33rd in 2:27:09. He made sure to represent our new sponsors with pride with a clutch post-race Insta:

Thankful for my better half @livewell_lizgreen #sendem #sent #smashed #smoked #toast #grc #newbalance @runwashington @runpacers

A photo posted by @justjerryg on Jan 17, 2016 at 9:19am PST

Zak made the podium one state over at the much smaller Louisiana marathon, crossing the finish line for 3rd in 2:33:21. For his efforts, Zak will receive a Top Finisher Commemorative Art Print by Thomas "Tuna" Seither. The word on the street is that any genuine "Tuna" artwork can net a pretty pay day on the black market...

The GRC wins big at annual awards

After a successful 2015 complete with many various and sundry accomplishments spread amongst the entire GRC, the team came together to recognize and celebrate those who had produced some truly fine years. Below are 2015's award winners.

Women's MVP - Frances Koons

Frances's accomplishments in 2015 were unlike anything we've ever seen at GRC. Frances was the first GRC athlete to compete on a national team when she represented the United States at the Great Edinburgh Cross Country meet, and she placed 8th overall, and was 3rd American; she was the first GRC athlete to run in a US track championship, when she placed 12th at the USATF Indoor Championship in the 2 mile; and was the first GRC woman to win at Penn Relays, when she claimed the title in the Olympic Development 5000. Frances set club records on the track in the 1500 (4:30.9), mile (4:53.89), 3000 (9:41.4), 2 mile (10:06.2), 5,000 (16:27.8), and 10,000 (33:17), and on the roads in the 8k (26:27) and 10k (34:13). 2016 will be another year of firsts for Frances, when she becomes the first GRC athlete to compete in the Olympic Trials on the track.

Men's MVP - Kieran O'Connor

In 2015 Kieran continued his remarkable transformation from a talented novice to a true national class athlete when he qualified for the Olympic Trials Marathon by running 1:04:38 at the Rock N Roll Philadelphia Half Marathon in October, which was a PR by an amazing 80 seconds, a club record, and arguably the best performance ever by a GRC man. That performance was the culmination of an outstanding year, which also included a huge marathon PR of 2:20:47 at Grandmas in June, which is second on the GRC all time list, and a club record 14:35 road 5k at Clarendon Day in September. Kieran has also become a vocal leader of the team, and his leadership has helped our younger athletes understand the level of commitment necessary to excel at this level. Kieran is ready for another major breakthrough in the marathon, and will be looking for a huge PR at the Trials.

Women's Newcomer of the Year - Hannah Rowe

Hannah joined GRC in June after completing her collegiate eligibility as a graduate student at George Washington University, where she became the first GW athlete ever to earn all-conference honors in the Atlantic 10 in track. Hannah immediately made her presence felt by running 17:35 for 5k on the roads in her GRC debut, which places her 4th on the GRC all-time list. Hannah excelled at a variety of road distances, including her stellar 59:21 at Army 10, which is also 4th on the GRC all-time list. Hannah was a key contributor in cross country, and was our third finisher at Clubs despite being far less than 100 percent healthy. Hannah has a great future with GRC, and will be a fixture on the all-time lists on the track and the roads for years to come.

Men's Newcomer of the Year - Cabell Willis

Cabell was a revelation in the spring, when he ran a succession of PRs on the track, and established himself as a legitimate A team athlete. His 3:53.91 1500 is 3rd on the GRC all-time list, and his 14:41 5000 was a huge breakthrough. He also ran 1:56.8 for 800, which is 4th on the GRC all-time list, and capped his spring season with a 4:11.8 road mile, which is a club record. Cabell excelled in the fall in cross country, finishing second overall at the Gettysburg Invitational, and he was third man on the GRC squad that won the USATF East Region championship, and he was our fourth finisher at Clubs in a 10k PR of 32:06. Cabell will continue his assault on the record books this spring on the track at 1500 and 5000.

Lauren Woodall Roady Award - Susan Hendrick

Susan has been instrumental in the growth of GRC's women's team into one of the top non-professional teams in the country. Susan has superb credentials--she has run 4:17.8 for 1500, and was 7th in the USATF indoor 1500--and she was the first high-profile recruit to join GRC when she signed on in the spring of 2011, when the women's team was in its infancy. While Susan's contributions to GRC are impossible to condense into a few sentences, it's accurate to say that since coming on board she has been a team leader on and off the track. Susan is the club record holder in the 800 (2:16.01) and road mile (4:49), and is third on the all-time list in the 1500 (4:35.8) and 3000 (10:03.1). In additon, she was directly responsible for the recruitment of several GRC stars, and has served as a mentor to many of our young athletes.

Nina Brekelmans Award - Dickson Mercer

Two of the many wonderful qualities that we will always remember about Nina were her passion for running, and her dedication to public service. Because Dickson shares those qualities, he is a fitting winner of the inaugural award in Nina's honor. Dickson is an experienced and accomplished marathoner who is not known for his speed, yet in 2015, at age 33, Dickson ran his first full track season since college because he wanted to have some fun with the sport he loves. The results were impressive, capped by his huge PR of 8:52 for 3000. Dickson also has a history of public service as demonstrated by his work, along with his wife Emily, in the Peace Corps in Niger, and his demanding stint as a guide for elite visually impaired runner Aaron Scheidies in the 2012 Wilson Bridge Half Marathon. Dickson has also dedicated himself to GRC, and his contributions to the team include sharing his vast expertise in the marathon with his younger teammates.

O'Connor Runs 31:18- in a workout

Breuters Wire Services -- Bethesda, MD

Yesterday afternoon during a workout at BCC track, Olympic Marathon Trialist Kieran O'Connor put in a 31:18 10k, making the performance the fifth fastest track 10k in GRC history. What is more remarkable than the record itself is what O'Connor did after covering the ten kilometers: he kept going. For four more miles. You see, O'Connor's effort was not part of a 10k time trial, but was instead en route to a 10-mile tempo run, which he completed in 49:42. That's right -- "Rube" O'Connor busted out a sub-50 minute 10-mile tempo run during a workout at BCC. O'Connor's tempo was so scorching that it ground into dust his three-man pace team. As the run progressed, the pacing coverage bent and eventually broke as the pacers were unable to recover quickly enough to maintain their alternating 2-mile shifts, leaving O'Conner to run portions of the workout unassisted. Left in O'Connor's wake was a pile of discarded and exhausted pacers, whose Herculean efforts assisted Rube's run. This blogger did not even attempt to offer assistance -- even for a couple hundred meters -- and instead cowered on the side of the track, fearful of becoming one of the faceless rabble of pacesetters left in O'Connor's dust.

 

FLASH: GRC INKS SPONSORSHIP DEAL WITH PACERS RUNNING

Pacers Running and Georgetown Running Club (GRC) have come together to form a new team – Pacers Running//GRC New Balance – Pacers Running CEO Kathy Dalby announced today.

“At Pacers, we are more than our stores and the races we host. We truly celebrate running in the District, including our top athletes,” Dalby said. “The men and women of our new racing team are national champions and Olympic trials qualifiers in some cases, but they also are working professionals who squeeze in their training around full-time jobs and family life. We are so excited to become the official title sponsor of the club and further the efforts of Coach Jerry Alexander and his hard-working runners to make GRC one of nation’s top running clubs made up of athletes who have full-time careers outside of running."

Since GRC was founded in the mid-2000s, runners have joined the team for a simple purpose: to be surrounded by likeminded runners who want to run as fast as they can. Athletes gather for track workouts after work on Wednesday nights, for Saturday morning practices, and for Sunday long runs. They also travel to races together, encouraging and inspiring each other to fulfill their potential in the sport.

To finance racing kits and warm-ups and to travel to events such as the national club cross country championships, the GRC have hosted an annual race, the Father’s Day 8k, to generate a small budget, and paid out-of-pocket costs to close the gap. With this partnership, GRC’s top athletes will have shoe and gear support – something they have not had in recent years – and, for the first time ever, a stable budget to send athletes to national championships and premier road, track, and cross country events.

“This new partnership will allow our athletes to compete at the highest level outside of the D.C. area without having to make decisions based on finances,” Alexander said.

“That organizations as respected and established as Pacers and New Balance have pledged their support to us is a huge milestone for our team, and we are extremely proud to represent them both locally and nationally.”

Pacers Running has been supplying the District with running apparel and accessories since 1991, recently adding a fifth local store to its offerings in the Navy Yard neighborhood. The company also hosts a number of popular races throughout the year, from Crystal City 5k Fridays to the Crystal City Twilighter and George Washington Parkway Classic. GRC athletes compete in road races from the mile to the marathon, at top track and field competitions, and annually at the national club cross country championships, where – competing alongside professional running clubs – they have finished as high as 9th in the country.

On Feb. 13, in Los Angeles, a record number of GRC athletes – Emily Potter, Teal Burrell, and Kieran O’Connor – will represent the club at the U.S. Olympic Marathon trials. To qualify for the race, Potter, a mother of two young children who often trains while pushing a jogging stroller, clocked a 2:42:56 at the Edmonton Marathon to get under the 2:45 standard. Burrell, who ran her first marathon before joining GRC in 4:07, qualified by running 2:42:13 at the California International Marathon in 2014. O’Connor, who was still relatively new to running when he joined the GRC two years ago, has since lowered his personal best in the marathon to 2:20:47. He qualified for the trials in October by running 1:04:39 at the Philadelphia Rock ‘N’ Roll Half Marathon.

The Pride of Port Republic

Teal Connor's elementary school gives her a shout out in advance of the 2016 Olympic Marathon Trials in Los Angeles. Connor notched her ticket with a 2:42-low at the 2014 California International Marathon.  

FLASH: Klim Addresses Rumors of MCM Comeback

Yesterday, GRC standout Jake Klim broke his silence on reports that he intends to stage a running comeback at the 2016 Marine Corps Marathon. Rather than issuing a confirmation or denial, however, Klim elected to play politics with the region's most beloved marathon by commenting only that the reports, first published by social media giant Facebook, were "unfounded."

Notably, by criticizing the source of the rumors rather than issuing an outright denial, Klim (seen above performing hard training for an unidentified event which may or may not be the 2016 MCM) did not foreclose the possibility that the rumors were poorly sourced but nonetheless true. Indeed, reports of his preparation for MCM gained enough traction on social media to garner twelve "likes" and earned enough cache to migrate to the blogosphere, which would not have been possible without an evidentiary foundation. News Reporter and DC-area running insider Charlie Ban described the story as "developing." Stay tuned to this blog for any breaking news on Klim's intentions.

DEVELOPING....

Wednesday workout, December 16 (and a hearty Clubs Clubs Clubs recap)

RACES

We had an amazing weekend at Clubs in San Francisco. The men were 16th and the women were 19th, and while those results may seem disappointing given our aspiration to put both teams in the top 10, I can assure you that I am extremely proud of our performance. Every single one of the 24 athletes who competed for GRC ran to the absolute best of his or her ability, and they all gave absolutely everything they had for their team, and that's all I can ever ask for. Clubs gets more and more competitive every year (consider that in 2006, the last time the meet was on this course, Luke ran 31:12 and was 19th, and this year Phil ran 31:04 and was 59th), and we competed toe to toe with the best runners in the country, and came away with our heads held high, secure in the knowledge that we represented GRC with distinction. I'm already looking forward to next year in Tallahassee, when we'll have another chance to compete as a team in a national championship race, and show what we can do on the big stage.

In the men's A race, Phil ran superbly, and his placement of 59th was the third best finish for a man at Clubs in GRC history. Phil beat several national caliber runners in what was clearly his best performance in a GRC jersey, and we're going to see much more from him on the track this spring. Mike also ran an excellent race, placing 70th in 31:14. Mike is not a XC specialist, but he has run the 3 best XC races of his life at Clubs the last 3 years, and Saturday was the best of the bunch. Luke is an outstanding XC runner and was right with Phil and Mike for the first half of the race, but his injury induced lack of race sharpness caught up with him in the latter part of the race, and he finished 98th in 31:40. Luke did everything he could to come through for his team, and he left nothing in the tank, and I was very pleased with his effort, and his leadership. Cabell continued his breakout year with an excellent 32:06, a 10k PR, which is most impressive given that the course was challenging and muddy, not to mention slightly long. Matt Rand overcame an illness this week to run a very solid 32:11. Balmer had yet another strong performance at Clubs, finishing in 32:36, and he unleashed his trademark kick in the last 300, and picked up several important spots for the team. Sam had a tough day, finishing in 32:39, but he fought to the tape, and also picked off some guys in the final stretch, even though his tank was on empty. Tex Paul ran a very solid 32:48, which was by far his best race in at least the last year.

The women were led by Frances L, whose stellar 70th place finish, in the excellent time of 21:35, was the third best finish ever by a GRC woman at Clubs. Frances has an extremely bright future, and she is going to be a force for GRC on the track and in XC for a long time to come. Maura was 87th in 21:55, which was unquestionably her best performance ever in a GRC jersey. Maura prefers longer distances on the roads, but she proved once again that she has the range and toughness to excel in XC. Hannah, who was 129th in 22:30, fought to the tape despite not being herself because of a health issue, and she did everything she could to help her team. Hannah will be ready to roll on the track, where she will be looking to crack the GRC top 5 list in several events. Kara ran an extremely gutty race, finishing in 22:54, and even though 6k is at the top end of her range, she ran hard from the gun and kept fighting to the end. In what may have been the last major race in her outstanding GRC career, Susan ran a very solid 22:59. Susan was our first major woman's recruit, and her leadership has been instrumental in building our women's program into the juggernaut it has become. Chelsea gave an extraordinary effort to finish in 23:03 off of very limited training due to nagging injuries, and when she is able to combine the competitive fire she showed on Saturday with consistent training, she will be a major contributor on the track and in XC. Sara is still in the early stages of her return to racing after her severe injury, and her time of 23:56 was a very encouraging sign on the way back to full fitness. Keely took a big step up in the level of competition, and a big step down in distance, and acquitted herself well, running 24:33. I was particularly proud of the tenacity with which with the women competed because before the gun went off, they knew that they would not be able to meet their goal of a top 10 finish due to the late scratches of Katie and Tina, both of whom would have been major contributors, which left them short-handed in an extremely competitive field, yet each of the women who got on the starting line ran extremely hard for each other, and for their teammates who were not able to compete.

The inaugural men's B race was an unqualified success as the guys delivered an excellent second place finish, beating several teams whose A squads beat us. More importantly, their strong performance prevented me from looking like a clown after I argued vociferously at the coach's meeting the night before that our B team belongs in the A race. Kyle led the way with an excellent 18th place finish in 33:07. Kyle's tactics were superb as he moved up steadily throughout the second half of the race. Sean went out hard and hung tough in the last mile to finish 26th in 33:32. Luk ran a very solid race, finishing 35th in 33:55, and showed that he has the strength to make a successful transition from the 800 to longer distances on the track. In his first XC race since his freshman year of high school, Chris ran an excellent 34:15, which is a PR. Chris also moved up steadily throughout the race, and looked like a guy who's done this a lot more recently than 15 years ago. Dickson ran a very solid 34:24 in his first hand effort since MCM. Tom had a tough day, finishing in 34:24, but he's had a great season, and is in great shape, and will be ready to make some noise on the track. Greg ran a strong 34:45, and he is also fit and ready for a big track season.

In his masters debut, Wertz and I both learned a valuable (and in his case, painful) lesson about how competitive the masters race is on this level. We knew it was going to be tough, but not nearly that tough, and because we did not appreciate the quality and depth of the field, based on my ill-advised instructions, Dave was a little too aggressive early, and he paid the price for it late. Despite being out of gas by 4 miles, Dave hung on as best he could, and finished a very respectable 35th place in 34:09. Now that we've got a full understanding of what he's up against, Dave will be ready for redemption next year.

WORKOUT

There is practice at BCC on Wednesday at 7:15, so meet for the warmup at 6:30. If you're interested in coming out, let me know, and we'll get a plan for you.

Jerry

Results, Results, Results!

The GRC Mens' A-team finished 16th overall in what appears to have been a very competitive field at the USATF Club Cross Country Nationals in San Francisco.

1 51 Philip Royer 24 31:04 1090 
2 58 Michael Franklin 24 31:14 1080 
3 82 Lucas Meyer 32 31:40 1085 
4 109 Cabell Willis 23 32:06 1093 
5 117 Matt Rand 24 32:11 1089 
6 (149) Paul Balmer 25 32:36 1079 
7 (153) Samuel Luff 29 32:39 1083 
8 (165) Paul Guevara 29 32:48 1081

The women's A-team finished 19th overall.

1 56 Frances Loeb 22 21:35 441 
2 71 Maura Carroll 26 21:55 437 
3 106 Hannah Rowe 24 22:30 445 
4 136 Kara McCartney 26 22:54 442 
5 141 Susan Hendrick 30 22:59 439 
6 (150) Chelsea Bollerman 28 23:03 436

GRC showed some depth with a second place finish in the B Competition with many runners putting in A-race caliber performances.  

1 7 Kyle Wagener 23 33:07 1092 
2 12 Sean O'Leary 24 33:32 1086 
3 18 Lukasz Olenginski 22 33:55 1088 
4 23 Christopher Van Es 29 34:15 1091 
5 30 Thomas Kelly 26 34:24 1082 
6 ( 31) Dickson Mercer 34 34:24 1084 
7 ( 40) Gregory Olenginski 22 34:45 1087

Dangerous Dave Wertz came in 35th in the masters' race with a time of 34:09.

#sendem #clubsclubsclubs #youcanfindusintheCLUBS

Its time for Clubs Clubs Clubs!

PAUSATF Champs at Golden Gate Park

Its mid-December once more, and before our GRC squads change into road flats or track spikes, they'll gather once more on the grass, mud and (this year) sand to run a hard distance race with 200+ of their closest friends. That's right running fans, its time for USATF Club Cross County Nationals! In true cross country fashion, GRC's teams this year are led by milers, marathoners and everyone in between. They'll travel together across this great land to the great city of San Francisco, where they'll throw down in Golden Gate Park this Saturday. Though the long trip means we'll put fewer runners on the line than last year, we're bringing a much larger group than when we went to Bend two years ago.

I'll turn it over to Jerry for the blow-by-blow...

The crew at the (re)-inaugural USATF East Region Champs. Photo Cred: GSTC

"Our goal for the men is to grad a top-10 spot. After a 9th place finish two years ago in Bend, the Men are hungry to get back to that level on their return trip to the West Coast. We've got a very experienced top 5, as Mike, Luke, and Sam have all run numerous Clubs for us and are all in great shape. Matt Rand scored for us last year, and he's in better shape this year. Phil and Cabell will be making their first appearances for GRC at Clubs. Phil is the USATF Eastern Region champion and could be our top man, and Cabell is ready for a big breakthrough. Balmer and Tex round out the A squad, both bringing solid Clubs experience with them."

Phil gets the win at East Regionals while doing the Carlton. Photo Cred: GSTC

"The women's A team has had a lot of new faces this year, but we've reloaded with Hannah, and Frances Loeb and will be gunning for a strong team finish. Maura and Susan will be running their first Clubs since 2012, and with Hannah and Frances, they should be a solid front group. Kara, Tina, and Chelsea are also running on the A team and will give us solid depth in a race this size."

GRC Women off the Line. Photo Cred: GSTC

"It will be uncharted territory for Wertz in the masters race. There's a whole lot of competition, but he's got a very good shot at being in the top 10. It's also going to be a whole new experience for everyone in the men's open B race, which is being held for the first time this year due to the massive Men's Open race in Lehigh. We've got a very solid group, led by Tom and Sean, both of whom ran well last year. We should see strong performances from Kyle, Luk, Greg, and Chris in their first clubs. Dickson is only a few weeks removed from MCM, but he's going to give it a go."
 
As always, we'll have live updates coming from the course for as long as my phone battery stays alive. So follow us on twitter for up to the hour stats and projections.

SEND EM!

Re: TUESDAY workout, December 8

RACES

The highly coveted but rarely awarded GRC Athlete of the Week goes to Kerry for her outstanding performance at the California International Marathon, where she ran 2:51:55, a 5 minute PR, which ties her for 5th on the all time GRC list with Julie, who ran the exact same time at CIM last year. Kerry had a serious injury that kept her out of action for an extended period of time, and shortened her training cycle for CIM, and for her to run such a significant PR in her first serious race after the injury is truly impressive. Outstanding job! Also at CIM, Beth ran 3:04:33, which is a solid performance given that she has had an absolutely brutal year at work. With Beth's insane work schedule, it's borderline miraculous that she was able to finish a marathon, let alone to run competitively. Finally at CIM, GRC superstar to be Sarah Bishop ran a giant PR of 2:47:37. Imagine what Sarah will do after a few months of being exposed to the GRC magic!

Closer to home, Kevin got the win at Jingle All the Way 5k in 15:31, followed by Ryan in second in 15:41, and Chris in fifth in a very nice PR of 15:52. On the women's side, Teal was third in 18:17, which was a big PR, so much so that Teal is thinking about bailing on this whole marathon thing and becoming a miler. Future GRC superstar and fellow Olympic Trials qualifier Emily Potter got the win in 17:37. Keep an eye on those two young ladies, who will be representing GRC in a race a little more significant than a holiday 5k in about 10 weeks.

WORKOUT

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

I'll send the women's workout separately.

See you tomorrow at BCC.

Jerry