OMG MGP 2nd in Marathon Debut

FLASH: Mary Grace Pellegrini made quite the marathon debut this morning, traversing a hot and hilly course to finish second among women and ninth overall in 3:20:24 at the Bay of Fundy Marathon. For her effort, Mary Grace was rewarded with a solid BQ and locally made pottery bowl.

Developing...

UPDATE: Blur moves to Rhode Island, gets much older, finishes fifth: http://www.atlanticchip.ca/events/results-show.php?result=2766

FLASH: USATF National Club Championships

While many of our harriers have already hung up their spikes until next year's track season, the fearless trio of Phil, Liz, and Alyson have kept up the hard training for the USATF National Club Championships at Franklin Field in Philly.

Men's 5000m

  5 Philip Royer                 Georgetown RC         14:52.54    5   

Women's 1500m

  6 Alyson McGonigle             Georgetown RC          4:41.44    3   

  9 Elisabeth Tawa               Georgetown RC          4:47.18                    

It seems that many potential audience members may have also already called it quits on the 2016 track season... 

Just another Saturday afternoon #wherearethepeople #clubs?

A photo posted by Liz Tawa (@xolizardtower) on Jun 25, 2016 at 9:54am PDT

FLASH: Grandma's Marathon Results

Full Marathon

22. Sam Luff 2:28:03
35. Dickson Mercer 2:35:59
37. Evan Jurkovich 2:36:32

Half Marathon

31. Pat Kuhlmann 1:11:34
62. Kyle Wagener 1:16:57

Pacers blog previews GRC athletes at Grandma's

Sam Luff, Dickson Mercer, Charlie Ban, and Evan Jurkovich enjoyed a moment in the spotlight this week when Pacers Running's blog posted a great preview of their race this weekend.

Be sure to check it out!

Pacers // GRC Hits Up the Grandma's Marathon by Joanna Russo 

And stay tuned to the blog for marathon results coming soon!

Grandma's Marathon Preview

Although the eyes of the running world will be transfixed on the Father's Day 8k this weekend, a lesser known, but still significant, family member-themed road race will be unfolding in Duluth on Saturday: Grandma's Marathon and Gary Bjorklund Half Marathon. Six Pacers GRC runners made the trip to Duluth this weekend with the objective of putting in performances that will help pull Grandma's Marathon out of Father's Day 8k's shadow.

Sam Luff, Evan Jurkovich, Dickson Mercer, and Charlie Ban are representing the club in the full marathon. All available data suggests that Mercer, an experienced marathoner, is poised to run his opus. Although his PR is 2:29, in October Mercer put in what I submit was his best performance at the marathon distance with a 2:34 on an unfavorable day on Marine Corps Marathon's challenging course. He built off of that performance - and a couple weeks focused almost exclusively on speed work - to run 1:09-high this spring at the Scranton Half, breaking a PR that stood for seven years. While you cannot put too much stock in any single workout, Mercer, seen below making hand gestures, notched every hard effort this season, consistently hitting better splits than he achieved during prior marathon cycles.

As an example of the sort of hard training that has occurred in preparation for Grandma's, Mercer, Luff, and Jurkovich ripped out 16 miles at marathon goal pace on Beach Drive with a helpful assist from Chris, Luke, Phil, and Blur. An effort of this quality provides reason for optimism. This is especially true because Luff, a marathon debutante, and Jurkovich also got it done on the other end of the spectrum by closing out a 4 x 1600 workout last week with 4:34 and 4:37, respectively.   "Sam is fit to make a very strong marathon debut," said Coach Jerry Alexander. "He's had success at the half marathon distance in Duluth, and if the conditions cooperate, he has great shot at breaking into the GRC top 5 in his first time out."  Jurkovich, a Minnesota native, will no doubt draw inspiration from past Grandma's champion and fellow Minnesotan Dick Beardsley to take a serious crack at a marathon PR, set previously at the nearby Twin Cities Marathon. Ban, who hit his marathon PR at a hilly Marathon in Chancellorsville, Va., which he decided to enter the week of the race, has struggled with injury as of late and has not hit the times in recent half marathons that he wanted to. But here's the thing about Charlie: he has been putting in the work for the past three years and has consistently chipped away at his half marathon PR. And here's the thing about the marathon: it can be difficult to predict when the hard training will pay dividends - hard training sometimes manifests itself when you least expect it. So I for one, would not be at all surprised to see Charlie dominate Duluth.

Patrick Kuhlmann and Kyle W are running the half. Although Kyle is taking it easy, Patrick is looking to do something big. Kuhlmann is easily one of the best masters runners in the country and he is sure to be competitive not only in his age group but in the race in general.

While temps will be a little higher than optimal, the racerunners will not be facing wind or rain. I predict some big performances. Stay tuned for details.

Lawyers Have Heart and so does GRC

Photo by Mike Buckley

What with all the babies being born and coach Jerry Alexander being featured on the radio waves, the blog neglected to mention some hot off the presses action from last weekend's Lawyers Have Heart 5k and 10k races. We regret the omission but hope we can retain your devoted readership through a pair of well-sent races. Read on for some belated results.

5k

1. Phil Royer 15:23
2. Luke Meyer 15:38
5. Jerry Greenlaw 16:08
7. Greg Olenginski 16:55

10k

7. Sean O'Leary 34:16
12. Paul Balmer 34:45
18. Sebi Devlin-Foltz 35:49

10. Amy Nichols 41:14




Photo by Mike Buckley



FLASH: It's a girl!

Avril Kaplan, mile specialist for the GRC, and husband Zach welcomed Eve Lucy Kaplan on June 8. With Avril and Zach's recent relocation to Chevy Chase, MD, in the shadows of the hallowed BCC track and the legendary coach Jerry Alexander, the GRC is expecting a verbal commitment from Eve soon. Stay tuned!

Congratulations to the Kaplans!

Coach Jerry on Pace the Nation

Check out Coach Jerry's interview on episode 56 of Pace the Nation, during which he quipped "it's easier to get me talking than it is to keep me quiet."  You can download the episode HERE. 

The Father's Day 8k is almost here!

Photo by Matthew Lehner Photography


Start your Father's Day on the right *foot* with the Pacers Running // GRC New Balance racing team!

The 8k course is flat and fast, along the historic C&O Canal towpath, and starts and finishes at Fletcher's Cove. This year, we're beating the heat with a morning race, leaving plenty of time to enjoy the rest of the day with Dad. Don't forget to sign up the youngsters for the Kid's Kilometer!

Check out Pacers Running's blog HERE for a feature on the race!


We have a great event on tap with contributions from our wonderful sponsors:

AdeptPrep

Morgan Keller Construction

SET Physical Therapy

SKOPP Sports Medicine and Chiropractic

Washington Injury and Sports Performance Clinic

Stephen M. Pribut, D.P.M.

Pacers Running

New Balance

Stick around after the race for an action-packed raffle and a chance to win some great prizes from:

Solidcore

The Teal Center

Flywheel

Gu

Baked and Wired

...and more!

 

 

We'll also have post-race snacks and refreshments, including local and delicious Bullfrog Bagels, photos, awards, and fun for the whole family!

Remember that Friday, June 3, is the last day to register to guarantee you'll get a technical race shirt! Don't miss out!

Learn more about the race and register HERE.

We'll see you there!

Weekend Wrap-up: May 24-26

We had some solid performances at the Loudon Street Mile on Monday morning.  Stewart ended his extremely successful season by placing third in 4:13.9, which is a PR, and improves on his third place time on the all-time list. 

 Photo: Loudon Street Mile

In the women's side, Alyson was sixth in 5:06.8, which puts her second on the all-time list, Kara was seventh in 5:11.1, which is third on the all-time list, and Liz was 12th in 5:23.6, which is fifth on the all-time list.  All three of those young ladies are continuing their seasons on the track, so we'll see more great performances from all of them.

 Photo: Loudon Street Mile

 Photo: Loudon Street Mile

Results can be found here: http://www.runhigh.com/2016RESULTS/R053016AC.html

Weekend Wrap-up: May 20-22

We had several strong performances on the roads this weekend, highlighted by Kerry's big PR of 1:19:26 at the Brooklyn Half Marathon, which capped off a great season.  Kerry was in fantastic shape this spring, and even though she was limited by a nagging injury, she ran several significant PRs, and demonstrated that she is a legitimate candidate for the 2020 Olympic Trials marathon.  We're going to see much more from her in the months ahead.  

At the Germantown, 5 Mile, Kevin got the win in 25:28, employing his trademark start slow, finish fast race plan.  Kevin has been out of action since last summer due to a persistent injury, and despite his repeated protests that he's not in very good shape, he proved otherwise on a challenging course.  Pat K had a successful tuneup for the half at Grandmas with his sixth place finish in 26:33, which may have been an over-40 PR.  It may have been a PR because Pat isn't sure, which goes to prove how forgetful folks his age can be.

Dave O'Hara took second in a highly competitive field at the Woodson HS 5k, running 16:31. He gave deference to Woodson standout Bobby Lockwood, who will take his talents to Nashville to run for Libscomb University. GRC Toddler Greta O'Hara did not start. 

Weekend Recap - May 13 - 16

The folks over at Capital Weather Gang may have declared May the year's worst ever for DC weather after two weeks of constant rain and clouds, but if GRC's weekend results are any indicator of what is to come, it's going to be a HOT summer. IT was another weekend with a Reich PR!

At the Capital Hill Classic 10k, Luke got the win in his first real race since Clubs, running a solo 32:17. Luke is rehabbing his balky Achilles, and this was certainly a promising result on limited training. Chris was 4th in 33:45, and he was not feeling 100% after a week of a late nights during his whirlwind media tour to celebrate his huge 5000 PR at Maryland. Outlaw got the win in the Harpers Ferry half in 1:16:43 on what he described as the hardest course he's ever run. Talk about running solo--he was a full 10 minutes ahead of second place. And Zak got the win in the National Police Week 5k in 15:56, more than a minute ahead of his nearest pursuer. Well done, men.

Swathmore
The men had a big night in the 5000 at Swarthmore, with Stewart leading the way in 14:39.5, a 10 second PR. Stew has knocked 25 seconds off his PR this outdoor season, which is even more impressive given that his winter training was minimal due to injury. If he improves another 25 seconds next year, we'll have something! Kyle ran a season best 15:03, and while he was disappointed to end his season without breaking 15, he ran his best race of the year by far, fighting hard the whole way and closing strong. And GRC superstar-to-be Steve Soprano ran a very solid 15:22.3 in his first race in over 6 months. Steve will be focusing on longer road distances, but he showed some wheels in the final mile last night. On the women's side, Frances L ran a strong 16:52.1. Frances is lacking base work after a nagging injury disrupted her spring training, and she was very pleased to be able to run another solid 5000 off of very low mileage. In the 1500, Steph ran 4:31.87 in an extremely competitive field. As was the case at Maryland, Steph got out faster than she wanted to, and ran another 800 PR on route, and that hard early pace caught up to her in the last 400. Considering that Steph ran a sub 1:16 half 8 days ago, it was an outstanding performance. And not being one to rest on her laurels, Steph paced Frances for 4k before calling it a night. Finally, Liz made a triumphant return to her alma mater, running 4:45.07 in the 1500, which is her fastest time of the season.

FLASH: Emily Young kicks off GRC's summer of offspring

GRC's Emily Young and husband Chad, Bethesda Chevy Chase High School's cross country and track power couple, welcomed baby boy Oliver Myles Young to the world on Wednesday, May 11.

An apt name for this fated runner-to-be! Congratulations Emily and Chad!

Preview: Swathmore Last Chance

Chasing the bout of recent success run in the Keystone State, eight GRC athletes will travel to Swathmore College on Monday afternoon. Swathmore adopted this oval logo with garnet lanes to celebrate its recent history of hosting fast, end of season races on their 400m track. GRC's athletes hope to  justify Swathmore's Board of Managers in their decision.

Steph, Liz and Alyson will get the action started in the 1500. Steph, who is now second on the GRC all time lists in the 1500, 3000, 5000, 10000, and half marathon, will look to claim the top spot in the 1500 (Frances Koons - 4:30.91). Coach Jerry says that Steph is showing no ill effects from her outstanding half marathon on Sunday, and says that sub 4:30 is "well within reach." 

Shortly after, soon-to-graduate-from-Georgetown Cabell Willis will run his three and three quarters laps in the Men's 1500. It is hoped that after he runs fast, he doesn't turn to Instagram to post the hashtag #MerberMagic as he did on May 11, 2015. Don't do it Cabell.

Penn Relays Olympic Development 5000m champion Frances L. will lace up for the 5000. She will have help from Steph, who is planning on pacing Frances through 4k. If Frances L. wasn't at full fitness when she won Penn Relays in 16:50 alone, we may see her PR of 16:39 fall tomorrow.

In the Men's 5000, Stew is looking to build on his excellent season with what we'll call his Nth PR (we've lost count), and Luk and Kyle are gunning to be on his heels with a sub 15.

The schedule of events can be found here.

Weekend Recap: All Reich Already!

Photo by Bill Green, Frederick News-Post

After a long week full of rain and gray skies, the GRC took to the local tracks and roads to shake off the blues and heat up the DMV! The track crew opted for a "quick" metro ride to College Park, Maryland, seizing every possible chance to ride the metro in a predictable way before SafeTrack rears its ugly head, while a half marathon in neighboring Frederick, Maryland was a lure as well. Nothing like home sweet home for these runners!

Friday's race conditions during the Jim Kehoe Twilight Meet at the University of Maryland did not deviate from the week's trend of cold, rainy weather, but GRC athletes were not deterred as they toed the line in several events. Everyone was hoping for evening climate conditions conducive to fast times and the typical roaring crowds in the stands (just kidding about that last part), but since they've followed Coach Jerry's advice, they were prepared to tackle the inclement weather. Despite these oppressive odds, the GRC had several strong showings as well a few brave fans in the bleachers. Results are below.

Women's 1500

4. Steph Reich 4:32.01
7. Frances Loeb 4:37.89
11. Liz Tawa 4:51.87


Men's 1500

9. Stewart Reich 3:57.74
13. Luk Olenginski 4:01.01


Men's 800

15. Stewart Reich 1:57.14


Men's 5k

2. Kyle Wagener 15:07.43
6. Cabell Willis 15:33.21
7. Chris Van Es 15:38.87 (PR!)


Just as April showers bring May flowers, Sunday's dawn brought respectable weather back to the area. Steph Reich, after racing the 1500 on Friday night at Maryland, decided to throw her adoring public a bone and run in her hometown Frederick Running Festival half marathon. Her fans were expecting to see her triumphantly conquer the race's notorious hills which would be familiar to the resident Frederick runner, and thought she'd maybe demonstrate a tempo-type effort, which would be an accomplishment in itself after a fast race less than two days prior. No one expected an event record, the fastest (by over two minutes) half marathon performance by a woman in a GRC jersey in a decade, and an almost Olympic Trials-qualifying level performance in her first attempt at the distance, but that's what happened. We should have known to never doubt Steph!

She got the win (and 5th place overall!) in 1:15:44.33.

According to Coach Jerry: "If there was any doubt that Steph is a national caliber runner, that doubt is now gone.  To put this performance into context, Steph has been training for 5k/10k on the track, she ran a hard 1500 on Friday night at Maryland (where she ran an 800 PR of 2:20 on route to a 4:32.01), and she did not decide to run the half until after what she considered a disappointing performance on Friday.  Moreover, Frederick is a challenging course, and her mindset going into the race was just to have fun with it.  That Steph could get within 45 seconds of the Olympic Trials standard in a race she was not training for, and which she was not even planning to run hard, tells us everything we need to know about her potential in the longer road events."

The Frederick News-Post wrote a thorough article about the race, complete with a clever title that makes this author wish she had thought of it first.

The Reich Stuff: Local runner bests women's field at Frederick Half Marathon by Bill Cauley

Let us also not forget that the married Reich duo turned in four separate race performances this weekend, which equates to 40% of the weekend's results. Where would we be without them!

Weekend Wrapup April 28 - May 1

It was a huge weekend of racing in Philadelphia, with several great performances at Penn Relays and Broad Street 10 miler. At Penn, a GRC athlete won an Olympic Development championship for the 3rd consecutive year, and this year we decided that we enjoyed winning so much that we did it twice. Frances L got the evening started with the win in the 5,000, running a very strong 16:50, which is third on the GRC all-time list. Frances had a very promising indoor season, but a nagging injury forced her to start her outdoor season several weeks later than we planned, and she is still not fully fit, so to win a Penn Relays title when she's not at full strength is a great sign of things to come. Steph finished the night in style, winning the 10,000 in an outstanding 34:12, which is second on the all-time list. Steph did it the hard way, leading for at least half the race, and she ran a huge negative split (17:16/16:56), which shows she could have run faster in a more favorable race. To put into perspective just how well Steph ran, until this year, the good folks at USATF had a B standard for the Olympic Trials, which was 34:00, so Steph is now running on a national class level. And to put into perspective just how far she has come in a very short time, her PRs prior to joining GRC in the fall were 17:59 and 37:31, so it's fair to say that she's improved a fair bit in the last year, and Coach Jerry has every expectation that she's just scratching the surface of her ability.

The guys also got after it at Penn Relays, and Stewart ran a huge PR of 14:49. Stew was on 14:40 pace for 4k, but the uneven early pace, and the energy he expended jostling with the very large, physical pack caught up to him in the last 1000. He still managed to close hard in the last 200, and he was rewarded with a major breakthrough. It was a tough night for Phil, but he's going to shake it off, and we'll see some excellent performances from him this spring.

At Broad Street, in conditions that were sub-optimal, to put it mildly, Kerry ran a huge PR of 58:57, which puts her third on GRC the all-time list. Kerry has been ready for a major breakthrough this spring, and when she was unable to get it at Cherry Blossom due to the weather, Broad Street became the target. A nagging injury put Broad Street into doubt, but Kerry worked through it, and got the job done in a major way. Carlos ran a very strong 49:47, which puts him third on the all-time list. CJ has big goals for the spring on the track, and the strength he's building by running longer races on the roads will translate well to the shorter distances. Finally, Chris ran a big PR of 53:31, and he continues to show great promise as he makes the adjustment to competing on a high level.

In non-Philly action, Charlie ran a strong 1:13:50 in the Pittsburgh Half Marathon, in rough conditions. Charlie has been training well, and he's going to be ready for a major PR in the full at Grandmas. Finally, Outlaw got the win in the Draft Day 5k at the stadium of Washington football team.

FLASH: 3 Years in a Row

For the 3rd year in a row, a GRC athlete has won an Olympic Development race at the Penn Relays. Frances L. took the victory in the 5000m with a time of 16:50.94, putting her 3rd on the GRC top-5 list. Could this be the first year GRC walks away with two?

UPDATE 04/29: It was the first year with two victories, as Steph finished ahead of Coach Jerry's prediction in 34:12. She got a limited edition watch for her efforts.

On the men's side, Stew ran a 9 second PR for 14:49. Phil finished at 14:53.

Results can be found here: http://pennrelaysonline.com/Results/schedule.aspx?t=d&d=r

Penn Relays Preview

Four GRC athletes are traveling up the Northeast Corridor this evening to take part in the largest track meet in the country, the 122nd Annual Penn Relays. More than 22,000 athletes take part in the yearly event, more than will participate in the entire Olympic Games in Rio De Janeiro, which starts in 99 days (who is counting?). Although this evening's events won't pack the Stadium as they will on Saturday for the USA vs. World and Calabar (Jamaica) vs. Kingston College (Jamaica) relays, GRC's enthusiasm for high-caliber competition against top collegians and post-grads remains high year in and year out. If there is any doubt, take a peek at the GRC top-5 lists, and you will see mark after mark run at Franklin Field.  

A GRC athlete has won an event at historic Franklin Field the past two years. Phil Royer, Stewart Reich, and Frances Loeb will try to match Frances Koon's 2015 victory in the 5000m. Stephanie Reich will try to match Mike Franklin's 10,000m victory from 2014. 

Photo courtesy of Penn Relays

Coach Jerry says that Phil "on a good night could move into the #2 slot on the all time list" and Stew is looking to "significantly improve" on his recent 5000m PR of 14:58. Frances L. is also knocking on the door of the GRC top-5 list. 

In the 10,000m, Stephanie will absolutely run a GRC top-5 time, and is looking to run a big PR. She has been peaking for tonight, and Jerry believes that "she has a real shot at running under 34:20."

The heat schedule is below, and the races are being streamed on FloPro via Flotrack. As always, we'll keep you updated with flash results and breaking news. Send 'em. 

Frances--5000 heat 1 8:50 pm

Phil--5000 heat 1 9:30 pm

Stewart--5000 heat 3 10:10 pm

Steph--10,000 heat 1 10:30 pm 

Weekend Results

Crystal City 5k
Pollen and high humidity slowed runners significantly compared to last week when conditions were close to ideal. That didn't stop the GRC women from storming back to their place of glory with a first place finish by Susan (19:19) and a third place finish by LTO (19:45). Susan's excitement about the race paled in comparison to her excitement about fallen cherry blossom petals.

Despite a hard first mile by a German Shepherd, Charlie and Kerry finished ahead of all dogs.

1500m Track Bonanza
Morgan State Legacy Meet: Kara, 4:54.31
Perry Ellis Invitational: Liz, 4:50.06
Widener Invitational: Luk, 3:59.79 and Kyle, 4:06.70

Pike's Peek 10k
Pat K placed 11th overall and second among masters in a time of 32:58.

George Washington Parkway Classic

Photo by MGP

GRC had a strong showing sporting brand new Pacers Running // GRC New Balance kits. Carlos scored the win in a time of 52:03, closing hard to hold off the second place finisher. Sam, Outlaw, and Evan captured spots three through five for a near GRC sweep. Kerry won the women's race in 1:02:20 and Mary Grace kicked off her marathon training with a 1:07:32.

Weekend Preview: April 22-24

GRC's spring season continues in full swing, with track and road races keeping this blogger busy throughout the weekend.

Crystal City 5k #4 (Friday)
This evening marks the fourth of five Pacers Crystal City 5ks. LTO will return to the 5k racing action and without a toddler in a stroller slowing her down, look for LTO to turn in a strong performance. Runpacers.com cover girl Susan will run her first race of 2016 before maybe, actually leaving us for Hoboken. With these two ladies pushing the pace, there's a strong chance GRC can return to the top of the women's podium after being dethroned last week.

Saturday Track Action
Four GRC athletes will race the 1500 within one hour of each other at three different meets.

Fresh off her 1500 PR last week, Kara will take on the competition at the Morgan State Legacy Meet in Baltimore at 11:15am (live results here). At 12:05pm, Luk and Kyle will race at the Widener Invitational, both men taking a stab at the shorter distance after solid 5ks last week. At the Princeton Larry Ellis Invitational, Liz will race the 1500 for the second weekend in a row. Liz's race is scheduled for 12:30 pm and live video is available online for FloTrack Pro subscribers.

Pike's Peek 10k (Sunday)
Pat K will be the sole GRC runner at the Pike's Peek 10k in Montgomery County. Last year, Pat was the top masters runner at the event, which is known for its fast, downhill course.

George Washington Parkway Classic (Sunday)
On Sunday morning, a hearty crew of GRC runners will trek out to Mt. Vernon to run 10 miles back to Alexandria in the GW Parkway Classic, and maybe have some laughs along the way.

Laughs along the way. Photo by Swim Bike Run Photography.

Carlos is riding a streak of sharp race performances and will look to build on that momentum. Outlaw is in excellent shape and may notch a PR as he cruises into Old Town. Sam, Charlie, and Evan will use the Parkway Classic to supplement the hard training they've been doing in preparation for Grandma's Marathon. Breezy and Dave O round out the deep men's squad.

The women will be represented by Kerry and MGP. Kerry will use the race as a final tune-up before Broad Street next week, and MGP will tackle the 10 miler to kick off her training for a late June marathon debut.

Send em!