George Banker writes:
For Immediate Release
George Banker
monkbank@comcast.net
301-537-6739
24 YEARS AND STILL RUNNING STRONG ALONG THE PARKWAY
Alexandria, Va., March 3, 2008 - It's time to prepare to motor along the George
Washington Memorial Parkway and it happens only ONCE a year. BAE Systems
presents the 24th George Washington Parkway Classic 10 Miler and 10th 5K, on
Sunday,
April 27, 2008 at 8:00 am. The scenic certified course is point-to-point from
historic Mount Vernon into Old Town Alexandria with a three-quarter of mile
finish stretch up to Oronoco Bay Park along Union Street. The 5K starts at Belle
Haven Park along the Parkway and uses the same finish. There will be bus
transportation to both start locations from the finish area.
The race will benefit the Olympic Chapter (Alexandria) Boys and Girls Club. The
supporting sponsors included Pacers Running Stores, and New Balance and others.
The early registration is $40.00 for the 10 miler ($30 for active duty
military) and $25.00 for the 5K. In person registration, Pacers at 1301 King
Street, Alexandria, Va.,
703-836-1463. Full race details and on-line registration at website
http://www.gwparkwayclassic.com. All registered runners will receive a New
Balance technical t-shirt.
To volunteer at the start line or finish line on race day contact George Banker
at monkbank@runpacers.com or monkbank@comcast.net.
The top runners in the 10 miler and 5K will be going after $4,050 in prize
money
Open (M/F Master (M/F) Wheelchair (M/F)
1. $500 1. $200 1. $75
2. $300 2. $150
3. $200 3. $100
5K Open (M/F) Master (M/F) Wheelchair (M/F)
1. $150 1. $100 1. $25
2. $125
3. $100
BAE Systems sponsors the General Douglas MacArthur Cup (10-mile only). Team
scores are based on times of the top five active duty runners (minimum one
female to score) of the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, and Navy.
The winning service will receive a $1,000 donation to that service's relief
organization.
Racing along the Parkway dates back to it's opening on January 16, 1932, the
first was the Evening Star Marathon sponsored by The Washington Star and WMAL.
The Grand Marshal was General Douglas MacArthur. The race went on to determine
the U.S. national distance championship, the National AAU Marathon. In 1935 it
was won by Pat Dennis of Detroit, Michigan.
Two and half miles into the race the entrance is passed to Fort Hunt Park which
served as a Civilian Conservation Corps camp where it became an interrogation
site for German prisoners during World War II. It was known as Post Office Box
1142 to those who worked there.
The race event records:
10 Miler
Open
2007 Demessa Tefera 24 47:30 Ethiopia
2007 Tatiana Chulakh 24 55:39 Russia
Master
2006 Albert Okemwa 40 50:39 Kenya
2005 Martha Merz 42 1:01:29 Annandale, VA
5K
Open
2000 Philippe Rolly 27 14:48 France (Arlington, VA)
2002 Heather Hanscom 24 17:23 Alexandria, VA
Master
2000 John Tuttle 41 14:49 Douglasville, GA
2002 Maria Spinnler 40 18:19 Hagerstown, MD
The George Washington Parkway Classic was a 15K (1985 until 2001). There was
only one three-time winner, Joseph Kipsang of Kenya (Takoma Park, MD) '86-44:56,
'87-46:44, and '88-45:46). The local female standout was Martha Orem (now Merz)
who won the first year with 57:41 and returned to win again in 1998 with 56:26.
The standouts in the 5K are Jacqueline Concaugh-Gruendel who is the only
four-time consecutive year winner ('03-17:53, '04-17:27, '05-17:31, and
'06-18:03). The master standout is Maria Spinnler, record holder '02-18:19,
'03-18:32, '05-18:56, and '06-19:08.
"I didn't have any expectations going into the race, and I knew that Mark
Stickley was going to be tough. I figured Greg Cauller was more my speed, and
even chatted with him up in the first half-mile to see what time he thought he
would run. He said his training had been limited, but he thought 55:00 was
where he was. Immediately after our talk he pulled into a pack with Stickley,
so I followed, and ran with Stickley until the 8-mile point. Those first three
miles I questioned whether I was running a little over my abilities; at four
miles I told myself to stick with Mark until five; at six miles I knew by then
that I could run with Stickley and began to gather a plan for taking off, which
I decided would be at the eight-mile point. At eight miles I went ahead of him
and ran as hard as I could, which nearly killed me in the final mile, but I
pushed hard to the finish", stated Doug Mock of Columbia, Md., first master in
2007 with 53:39.
"Once I heard Doug Mock was running I knew I'd have my hands full, figuring he
wouldn't be racing if he wasn't ready. I had beaten all the other competitors
not long before and felt pretty confident, more or less. Doug stayed on my tail
through mile eight then pulled away with another runner (Kenyan?). I was spent
and couldn't go with them. I really felt drained coming into the race. I'm not
sure why but, and I hate to use this as an excuse, I stayed up late a lot that
week following the VA Tech tragedy. I just didn't feel rested. It showed I think
considering my 10 mile split at Shamrock was almost as fast. I was hoping to run
in the mid 53's. It just wasn't there", stated Mark Stickley of Winchester, Va.,
second master in 2007 with 54:16.
"I challenged Leslie Minnix-Wolfe shortly after the eight mile mark, but she
surged ahead. I had been working pretty hard since the fifth mile and decided to
wait a little longer. At mile nine I made my move just before a big hill on
Franklin Street, and she didn't come with me. My last mile was brutal because I
really ran hard thinking that at least one of them (Leslie or Maria Spinnler)
would challenge me (and I don't have a kick) but it was not to be. I was
definitely a happy camper…especially because I haven't felt particularly strong
mentally at my last several races. This was a huge one for me! It was truly a
masters' women race , we went 3rd, 4th and 5th overall which made it exciting",
stated Laura Freix of Team Pacers Brooks placing first master in 2004 with the
then new record of 1:04:25. This was her third consecutive master's win.
On-line registration and full race details are available at
http://www.gwparkwayclassic.com.
#####
For Immediate Release
George Banker
monkbank@comcast.net
301-537-6739
24 YEARS AND STILL RUNNING STRONG ALONG THE PARKWAY
Alexandria, Va., March 3, 2008 - It's time to prepare to motor along the George
Washington Memorial Parkway and it happens only ONCE a year. BAE Systems
presents the 24th George Washington Parkway Classic 10 Miler and 10th 5K, on
Sunday,
April 27, 2008 at 8:00 am. The scenic certified course is point-to-point from
historic Mount Vernon into Old Town Alexandria with a three-quarter of mile
finish stretch up to Oronoco Bay Park along Union Street. The 5K starts at Belle
Haven Park along the Parkway and uses the same finish. There will be bus
transportation to both start locations from the finish area.
The race will benefit the Olympic Chapter (Alexandria) Boys and Girls Club. The
supporting sponsors included Pacers Running Stores, and New Balance and others.
The early registration is $40.00 for the 10 miler ($30 for active duty
military) and $25.00 for the 5K. In person registration, Pacers at 1301 King
Street, Alexandria, Va.,
703-836-1463. Full race details and on-line registration at website
http://www.gwparkwayclassic.com. All registered runners will receive a New
Balance technical t-shirt.
To volunteer at the start line or finish line on race day contact George Banker
at monkbank@runpacers.com or monkbank@comcast.net.
The top runners in the 10 miler and 5K will be going after $4,050 in prize
money
Open (M/F Master (M/F) Wheelchair (M/F)
1. $500 1. $200 1. $75
2. $300 2. $150
3. $200 3. $100
5K Open (M/F) Master (M/F) Wheelchair (M/F)
1. $150 1. $100 1. $25
2. $125
3. $100
BAE Systems sponsors the General Douglas MacArthur Cup (10-mile only). Team
scores are based on times of the top five active duty runners (minimum one
female to score) of the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, and Navy.
The winning service will receive a $1,000 donation to that service's relief
organization.
Racing along the Parkway dates back to it's opening on January 16, 1932, the
first was the Evening Star Marathon sponsored by The Washington Star and WMAL.
The Grand Marshal was General Douglas MacArthur. The race went on to determine
the U.S. national distance championship, the National AAU Marathon. In 1935 it
was won by Pat Dennis of Detroit, Michigan.
Two and half miles into the race the entrance is passed to Fort Hunt Park which
served as a Civilian Conservation Corps camp where it became an interrogation
site for German prisoners during World War II. It was known as Post Office Box
1142 to those who worked there.
The race event records:
10 Miler
Open
2007 Demessa Tefera 24 47:30 Ethiopia
2007 Tatiana Chulakh 24 55:39 Russia
Master
2006 Albert Okemwa 40 50:39 Kenya
2005 Martha Merz 42 1:01:29 Annandale, VA
5K
Open
2000 Philippe Rolly 27 14:48 France (Arlington, VA)
2002 Heather Hanscom 24 17:23 Alexandria, VA
Master
2000 John Tuttle 41 14:49 Douglasville, GA
2002 Maria Spinnler 40 18:19 Hagerstown, MD
The George Washington Parkway Classic was a 15K (1985 until 2001). There was
only one three-time winner, Joseph Kipsang of Kenya (Takoma Park, MD) '86-44:56,
'87-46:44, and '88-45:46). The local female standout was Martha Orem (now Merz)
who won the first year with 57:41 and returned to win again in 1998 with 56:26.
The standouts in the 5K are Jacqueline Concaugh-Gruendel who is the only
four-time consecutive year winner ('03-17:53, '04-17:27, '05-17:31, and
'06-18:03). The master standout is Maria Spinnler, record holder '02-18:19,
'03-18:32, '05-18:56, and '06-19:08.
"I didn't have any expectations going into the race, and I knew that Mark
Stickley was going to be tough. I figured Greg Cauller was more my speed, and
even chatted with him up in the first half-mile to see what time he thought he
would run. He said his training had been limited, but he thought 55:00 was
where he was. Immediately after our talk he pulled into a pack with Stickley,
so I followed, and ran with Stickley until the 8-mile point. Those first three
miles I questioned whether I was running a little over my abilities; at four
miles I told myself to stick with Mark until five; at six miles I knew by then
that I could run with Stickley and began to gather a plan for taking off, which
I decided would be at the eight-mile point. At eight miles I went ahead of him
and ran as hard as I could, which nearly killed me in the final mile, but I
pushed hard to the finish", stated Doug Mock of Columbia, Md., first master in
2007 with 53:39.
"Once I heard Doug Mock was running I knew I'd have my hands full, figuring he
wouldn't be racing if he wasn't ready. I had beaten all the other competitors
not long before and felt pretty confident, more or less. Doug stayed on my tail
through mile eight then pulled away with another runner (Kenyan?). I was spent
and couldn't go with them. I really felt drained coming into the race. I'm not
sure why but, and I hate to use this as an excuse, I stayed up late a lot that
week following the VA Tech tragedy. I just didn't feel rested. It showed I think
considering my 10 mile split at Shamrock was almost as fast. I was hoping to run
in the mid 53's. It just wasn't there", stated Mark Stickley of Winchester, Va.,
second master in 2007 with 54:16.
"I challenged Leslie Minnix-Wolfe shortly after the eight mile mark, but she
surged ahead. I had been working pretty hard since the fifth mile and decided to
wait a little longer. At mile nine I made my move just before a big hill on
Franklin Street, and she didn't come with me. My last mile was brutal because I
really ran hard thinking that at least one of them (Leslie or Maria Spinnler)
would challenge me (and I don't have a kick) but it was not to be. I was
definitely a happy camper…especially because I haven't felt particularly strong
mentally at my last several races. This was a huge one for me! It was truly a
masters' women race , we went 3rd, 4th and 5th overall which made it exciting",
stated Laura Freix of Team Pacers Brooks placing first master in 2004 with the
then new record of 1:04:25. This was her third consecutive master's win.
On-line registration and full race details are available at
http://www.gwparkwayclassic.com.
#####
