Below is a complete recap of the 2011 Army 10-Miler by George Banker. Very honored and thankful he quoted me in a few paragraphs on the write up as well as the first two.
SENDEKU AND DENGERA CAPTURE THE 27TH ARMY TEN-MILER By George Banker
“WCAP for me this past year has helped my running tremendously. When I first came into the program, my personal best time in half marathon was a 1:09:39, in which I ran back in 2009. In less than a year's time of being on the program and training in Colorado Springs, I've lowered that time to 1:05:32. I'd say that's been my best accomplishment thus far, but I'm still hungry and know that I can run MUCH faster. WCAP has let me know that I do have a future as a professional distance runner and that with the right training, other athletes, and coaching, I can make it”, stated Captain Kenneth Foster, Army World Class Athlete Program (WCAP).
Foster was a participant in the 27th Army Ten-Miler (ATM) on Sunday, October 9, 2011. and is produced by the U.S. Army Military District of Washington. The ATM is the second largest 10-miler in the United States. The race posted the largest field of finishers or 22,074 (12,377 males, 9,697 females). Since 1985 there have been 256,728 finishers.
As a result of a loss of the South Pentagon Parking (permit request was disapproved) some major changes were implemented. The start of the race shifted from Route 27 to Route 110 and the finish line shifted from the South Pentagon Parking to a narrow roadway along Boundary Channel Drive. The finish line experienced congestion but a back up was avoided.
The top runners had their eyes on the event records. The open record for the men was set in 2009 by two-time winner Alene Reta of Ethiopia with 46:59. The women record was set in 2009 by Samia Akbar of Herndon, Va., with 55:25. The master record for the men was set by Army Sgt. Sammy Ngatia of Fort Carson, Colorado in 2000 with 48:50 and he was the overall winner and the oldest to date. The woman holder is Firaya Zhdanova of Russia in 2007 with a time of 58:31.
There were a few prior winners on the start line which include three-time winner and two-time record holder Dan Browne, Army WCAP (’97-47:44, ’98-48:52, ’04-47:32). There were two Brazilians, Jose Ferreira (’07-48:59) and Reginald Campos, Jr. (’08- 48:59).
There was only one female prior winner, Alisa Harvey the only four-time winner (’98- 58:56, ’99-56:40, ’03-59:29, ’06-59:00).
The prior master winners included John Colpeck of Stow, Mass., (’03-53:14), Marty Muchow (’06-53:25), and Mike Scannell of Grand Blanc, Mich., (’07-54:31, ’08-53:04).
In addition to Harvey (’06-59:00, ’08-1:01:00) there was the only three-time winner Martha Merz of Mystic, Conn., (’02-59:49, ’03-1:00:36, ’04-1:00:57).
1The three waves lined up along the southbound lanes of Route 110 and the journey began for a short stretch up to the ramp to get the runners up on to Memorial Drive near the first mile and then across the Memorial Bridge into Washington. The lead pack was still thick up to that point as it was anyone’s race to win. Leading the charge was 2010 runner up (47:58) Tesfaye Sendeku of Ethiopia. Last April he ran 46:53 at the 39th Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run.
The chase pack included Army World Class Athlete Program (WCAP) runners, SPC Augustus Maiyo who at the Cherry Blossom was the third American (49:56). In the mix was SPC Robert Cheseret the brother of Bernard Lagat. Last year he placed third at the ATM (48:20). Close on the heels was the Brazilian runners Frankc de Almeida who has a marathon personal best of 2:12:32 (2008). Teammate Clodoaldo de Silva who has a marathon personal best of 2:13:12 (2005) and last year he placed sixth at the ATM (48:39). The Brazilians were trying to up seat WCAP to regain the International Army trophy.
The women had not completely thinned out as a pack had formed which included teammates from I Run For God (IR4G) Serkalem Biset of Ethiopia who ran a 1:03:25 last year at the ATM. Shiferaw Tiringo-Getachew who ran 2:42:40 at the Napoli Marathon in 2008. Tezata Dengera born in Ethiopia and now a Turkish citizen placed third at the 2010 Blue Cross Broad Street Run (56:10), the largest 10-miler in the United States. The leading American was Navy Lt. Amada Rice of North Bethesda, Md. At the 2011 RnR Philadelphia Distance Run Half Marathon Rice was the eighth American with a time of 1:14:36. Within eyesight was Erin Koch who holds the indoor school record for the mile at American University (4:46:19).
The race continued the progression along Constitution Avenue and turned at 19th Street towards Virginia Avenue and went towards Rock Creek Parkway in the direction of the Kennedy Center. The runners passed the Lincoln Memorial along Independence and near the World War II Memorial they crossed the five mile mark. The race had begun to thin out as the pace was increasing.
Sendeku was setting the pace for the males as he passed five miles 23:24 with Maiyo and Cheseret in close pursuit with 24:02. The Brazilians were still in the hunt as de Almeida crossed in 24:07 followed by de Silva in 24:23. WCAP Browne crossed five miles in 25:44.
There were a pack of females crossing five miles in 28:17 which included Dengera, Biset, Tringo-Getachew, and Rice. Koch crossed in 28:45.
The top master was Edmund Burke of Team Pacers/New Balance in a time of 26:15. WCAP team manger LTC Liam Collins crossed in 26:50. Collins was running for his 12th time and has posted a best finish of 52:48 in 1997. In 2010 he ran 54:22 which placed him seventh in the 35-39 age group. This year he was running as a master (age 40 and over). The 2003 master winner (53:14), John Clopeck crossed five miles in 27:37. In the
mix was the 2006 winner (53:25) Marty Muchow and the two-time winner (’07-54:31, ’08-53:04) Mike Scannell.
The defending master winner (58:52) Peggy Yetman of team Potomac River Running crossed five miles in 29:47 followed by Harvey in 30:42. The other masters included Martha Merz and Linda Sawvell.
The race course proceeded up the long stretch of Independence Avenue to 4th Street for a left turn at the 10K mark prior to reaching Jefferson Drive. The dominate leader was Sendeku crossing in 29:18. Maiyo and Cheseret both crossed in 29:57. Trailing not in the far distant was de Almeida in 30:05 followed closely by da Silva with 30:21. The race was slowly being put out of reach of the chase pack.
Going into the 10K mark were Dengera, Biset, and Tringo-Getachew crossing in 35:13. Rice was holding fourth place with a 35:15 and still in the hunt. Koch trailed in fourth place with 35:46.
Once back on Independence Avenue the runners had over a mile of flat surface before a turn was to be made at 14th Street to reach the rolling hills of the HOV Lanes going back to the Pentagon. The stage was set as the leaders for both the males and females were holding down their positions.
Sendeku was not to be denied a second year as he sailed across the finish in 47:51 the fifth fastest winning time. Dan Browne was the last American to win the event in 2004. Maiyo took second place followed by Cheseret both with 48:21. Frankc de Almeida was third with a time 48:42. In fifth place was Clodoaldo da Silva with 48:56.
“Overall the Army 10 Miler was great, lots of fans throughout the course, which makes you work that extra hard, especially when they are cheering you and saying 'Go All Army", it is the best spectator race that I have ever participate in, great. Parachute team and the singing of the National Anthem before the race makes the event that much exciting, motivating and entertaining. Watching the wounded warriors compete makes you appreciate their efforts and makes you want to go out there and do the best just for them” stated Cheseret.
Tezata Dengera was able to maintain the lead and took top honors with a 56:35 and the fourth fastest winning time. Biset was second with 56:40 followed by Tiringo-Getachew in third with 56:44. Amamda Rice was first American and fourth with a time of 57:17. Erin Koch took fifth in 57:48.
“I was nervous at first knowing there were several top runners from the other armed forces competing, but I found myself keeping up in front fairly easily. The top three finishers, I have to admit, were unexpected. But I held on to them as much as possible during the race. The Washington post wrote in their article I was the “uninvited guest" and was able to keep pace until the last mile”, stated Navy Lt. Rice.
“I was looking for a good race after my Philly half marathon to see where I was at in my training in terms of conditioning. Being an active duty naval officer, I had a keen interest in running with the other armed forces and wounded warriors. It was a privilege to run amongst these men and women. I am a chaser. I love dueling with another runner at the end of a race. This tests both physical and mental strength. There are a lot of mental tricks I use to defeat exhaustion and fatigue. This has been the hardest and most rewarding part of racing. I still have a long ways to go to becoming a better runner”, Rice added.
This was the second closet winning time between first and second place. The closest was in 1990 between Russian teammates Olga Markova and Albina Galiamova who had 58:15 and Markova was credited with the win.
The winning master was Edmund Burke of Pacer/New Balance with 52:57 the 11th fastest winning time. The runner up was Mike Scannell with 53:39 followed by Liam Collins in 54:13.
Peggy Yetman made a successful defense of her master’s title by running a 1:00:04 the fifth fastest winning time. The time Yetman ran in 2010 (58:52) was the second fastest winning time. In second was Alisa Harvey with 1:02:00 followed by Martha Merz in 1:05:23.
“My plan was to start out comfortably and conservatively in pacing, hold onto that pace and possibly negative split if feeling good the second half. I had a very small taper going into ATM this year due to training for Ironman Cozumel next month. Going into the race I wanted to keep my ironman training momentum going while having a respectable ATM race performance. ATM always brings out a very competitive field with many talented runners to keep me on my toes”, stated Yetman.
Yetman continued, “First of all this has become one of my favorite DC area races. ATM is very well organized and supported given all the logistics required in running a large race. ATM is also one of my family's favorite races. While Mom is in race mode, my husband and two young children enjoy visiting the various Army booths learning new advancements in technology and collecting souvenirs as they thank our troops. Our 8 year old son carried around his bag of goodies at ATM this year saying, "This is better than trick or treat."
The closest competition in the history of the International Army as WCAP made a successful defense with 3:16:05 to 3:16:09 over Brazil. The WCAP scoring members were Augustus Maiyo, Robert Cheseret, John Mickowski, and Charles Ware III.
The Brazilian Army team members included Frankc de Almeida, Clodoaldo Da Silva, Reginaldo Campos, Jr., and Cicero da Rocha.
The Commander’s Cup for the men was captured by Fort Bragg with a team time of 3:42:29. The scoring members were Hilary Cheruiyot, Jeffrey Glick, Jordan Ritenour,
and Matthew Taverner. The record was set in 2000 by the Fort Carson men with a time of 3:19:36.
The Fort Bragg women captured the Commander’s Cup for the 10th time since 1997 with a time of 4:24:20. The scoring members were Ashley Keller, Amy Walters, Kala Stahl, and Katie Durham. The Fort Bragg team set the record in 2004 with 4:19:16.
“My plan heading into the race was to run fairly conservative for the first five miles. It was a new course and I did not want to get myself into to much trouble early on in the race where I would be struggling to hang on to the pace. I wanted the last mile of the race to be my fastest. I was lucky to be able to execute my plan the way I wanted to. The level of competition at the 10 miler gets better every year. More and more talented runners are entering the race so you have to improve your time every year or get left behind”, stated WCAP Captain John Mickowski finishing in 10th place with 49:37.
“For me place is definitely the most important aspect of the race. Race conditions change every year as far as the layout of the course, the temperature outside, and other factors such and wind. Place is the most important factor in determining the outcome of race because conditions can greatly effect your time regardless of what kind of shape you are in. WCAP has allowed me to train and maximize my ability. Without it I definitely would not be at the level I am at today”, Mickowski adds.
“I wanted to start off running around 5:05/mile and get quicker as the race went on. That strategy worked, for the most part, and I ran a 49:46. The competition was very solid and 12 people ran under 50:00 is quite good. My motivation when I race is to seek to glorify God in all that I do, including running. I wanted to run for the All-Army Team” stated 1LT Charles Ware III, WCAP, finishing in 49:46.
“My strategy was to go out in the first mile in a mid-to-low 4:50 mile and just try to hold on to sub-5 minute mile pace as long as I could. I had previously run a 1:05:32 and a 1:06:09 in two half marathon previously, so I knew I would be close to 5:00 pace or hopefully under. The Army Ten-Miler is one of the biggest 10-mile races, just not in the country, but in the world. Being on the All-Army team, our main competition is against the Brazilians. I can always count on the Army Ten-Miler being a very competitive race, especially with the Brazilians. We've been fortunate to beat them the past two years, but they keep bringing a better team each year. Luckily, both teams the past two years have brought their A game” stated Captain Kenneth Foster, Army WCAP finishing in 50:20.
Foster adds, “I would say I'm not overly concerned about place, unless it is a specific event. Most of the races I do are road races and each road race is different in varying difficulty. What I'm most concerned about when I come to a race is usually time, but as long as the effort is 100%, I'm never upset if the time isn't there in a race. I've learned a lot about myself and about my running just in the past year of being on WCAP. I know what my body can and cannot do, or at least has trouble doing.”
“The number of guys working in the high 49s low 52's seems to have gotten much deeper 5
recently. Used to be lonely after the first 2 or 3 miles if you were running 51-52, now there's 4-6 guys right around you and a pack of 4-6 charging just in front of you. I used to sneak into the top10 every couple years. Don't see 51:00 being top ten anytime soon”, stated LTC Keith Matiskella of Fort Leavenworth, Kansas finishing 3rd age group 35- 39 in 51:18 (18th place). Matiskella made his ATM debut in 1997 (50:49).
Matiskella continues, “I'm always looking for time since I'm my biggest competition. I do get stoked about racing the other Army guys so getting ahead of as many of them as possible is something that pushes me during the race. As I've gotten older and had life (kid, deployments, job) affecting how much/well I can train, taking the fitness I have on that day and getting as close to the maximum effort I can do has become more important than what the clock actually reads (faster is better though)”.
“The level of competition was top-notch of course, and while the top guys are out of my league at this point, even the local competition was tough. Our club has a friendly rivalry with the Pacers so it was a great opportunity to compete against those guys. My motivation is to continue to improve while I still have opportunity to train at a high level. I'm in a situation right now where I have a good club and a great coach, and I've been lucky to stay healthy for a long stretch of time, so I just want to make the most of it while things are going well:, stated Sam Luff of GRC finishing in 51:18 (3rd age group 20-24).
“I picked the Army Ten-Miler because outside of MCM, it is the marquee event of the fall racing circuit in DC. It's a well run race, and it's inspiring to see the service men and women come together and compete. Seeing them stand at attention during the national anthem, and seeing the wounded warriors out there on the course definitely sent some chills down my spine. It's a powerful reminder to be thankful for all they do for the rest of us”, Luff adds.
“My strategy for the 10 miler this year was to start off a bit conservatively and pick up the pace every mile. This year there was plenty of competition for me, it always seemed like there was someone near me, and usually someone for me to try to chase down. Place in a race with competition is more important because I'm racing other people, not the clock. My motivation in a race is the same as everything I do, to do my best. I know how disappointed I'll be later if I don't race hard, so I make sure I don't give in to tiredness. I really enjoy the Army 10 miler, that's why I chose it. I don't view myself as a long distance runner, I like 5Ks. The Army Ten-Miler does not make me cringe like some other 10 mile races do”, stated Will Viviani of Team Pacers/New Balance finishing in 51:24.
“My strategy was to make sure I start at the front to go out with the leaders and hang as long as possible. I always like to compete to win, not to get a faster time. My challenges were mainly trying to keep up with athletes coming from the back and passing me. My motivation is hoping and thinking that someday I can make the WCAP. The ATM is a very organized race. Lots of Armed forces competition. And it is very close to New York, where most of my family is” stated Captain Elias Gonzalez of Tampa, Fla., finishing in 52:42.
“My strategy was to find the lead Masters runners - there were about 5 of us - and compete head to head with them. By the 800, I had found the top 3 or 4 master’s and we ran in a pack. From there, the pace, the race, is controlled more by the decisions of the pack (and competitors) than by me. But my initial thoughts were that we would run 5:15 pace and that panned out. We were on that pace for the first 5 miles or so” stated Mike Scannell, first 45-49 and second master in a time of 53:39.
Scannell adds, “You get a solid group of master guys at your race every year. Heck, my teammates alone provide a very competitive field each year. There are few 10 mile races in the US that have better masters runners competing. I love being a part of a team. My motivation is to lead my team as I feel obligated to run well and place well for our team score. We have been fortunate to have several guys with this mindset so our team has won the Masters Men's event a few times. 'I'm hooked.' You only need to run it once before you get hooked on the event. My teammates are hooked as well. We'll be back until you kick us out”.
“My strategy for this race was to run a nice consistent race and not get caught up going out too fast. My strategy was to run the first half at 5:20 pace and see if I could hold it. I ran right on pace through 5 or 6, but then slowed down a little over the last few miles, so my strategy worked. Ultimately, my motivation comes from within. I enjoy the competition and like to push myself. When I'm in the race, I try to push myself to run the best that I can given my level of fitness. I passed more people over the last 5 miles than passed me, so I know I ran a good race”, stated LTC Liam Collins, Army WCAP team manager finishing in 54:13 as the third master. In 1997 Collins ran 52:48 which was good for seventh place.
Collins adds, “I think it is the ATM is the best race in the world, at least for an Army runner. I've done everyone since 1993 (with the exception of 2000 when I had a broken leg). It is like a reunion to see friends from around the Army at the race. The best part is the team competition within the race. If I only do one race a year, this is it which is saying something because the ten-mile distance is not my favorite. I learned once again that I'm fighting a losing battle with age, but I'm holding up fairly well.”
“The Army Ten-Miler is one of the best managed events in the DC area, and I've always liked the 10 mile distance. It came into line with my marathon build up, so I was happy to go out and experience the event. I was impressed with the level of organization that was put on display, despite the race being so large. I was also excited to be a part of the team competition for Potomac River Running, as groups like Pacers & Georgetown Running Co. have a much more substantial record of participating in team oriented events. Over the next year or two I hope that our store can begin to show up and all race consistently at these types of events”, stated Dave Miller finishing in 54:15.
“The level of competition at Army Ten-Miler was phenomenal. I am from Jacksonville, FL, home of the Gate River Run 15k - a USA National Championship race. I placed 71st
there this year and 79th at Army 10. I had a better race at GRR, but I still think that says a lot for the Army 10 Miler. The course was difficult; it was deceivingly hilly. I also had to bring it in hard to not get "girl'ed" at the end of the race. I believe I was the last guy to not be beat by a girl. Haha”, stated Tripp Southerland finishing in 56:34.
“My strategy was to run a smart race like I did in 2010 (59:36). I was hoping to run the second half quicker than the first half. I ended up running even pace, maybe slightly faster depending on what finish time you go by, the first five miles was 30:10. The level of competition featured a number of outstanding athletes. My main goal was to try to defend my title as M55 age division champion, which I was fortunate in doing so. I'm proud to have done as well as I did this year as well as 2010”, stated Maurice Pointer of Baltimore, Md., finishing in 1:00:20 for first in the age group 55-59. In 1997 Point ran 57:17.
“For me the most challenging part of the race was the stretch from when I turned on to 395 HOV Lanes to the finish because it was a battle within my self to preservere when I was feeling fatigued from the hard effort as well as using mental strength to get me across the finish. My main motivation when I race is give my best effort. I feel that if I gave it my best effort, no matter where I ended up, I would accept that. I enjoy running the Army Ten-Miler. It is a great event. You and all involved do a great job putting it on. I look forward in coming back in 2012 to run again”, Pointer adds.
“My motivation to run this was race was to achieve a new 10 mile PR in preparation for the US Olympic Trials Marathon 2012. I also love running this race because it is especially inspiring to run past the Wounded Warriors. Their determination to finish the Army 10 Miler inspires me every time! It also really helps put my own running into perspective; I am eternally grateful to have the opportunity to run every day”, stated Caitlin Chrisman of Charlotte, NC finishing in 9th place with 58:34. In 2009 Chrisman placed 10th in 1:00:50.
“My strategy going into the race was to go out conservatively (between 5:50-5:55 pace) with my best friend Meagan Nedlo and to negative split. Time was important, while place really didn’t matter to me. I wanted to have fun racing and pushing myself against my teammate. Each year the competition at Army Ten-Miler seems to get stronger and stronger, so I just wanted to achieve a new PR”, adds Chrisman.
“My best friend and training partner, Caitlin Chrisman, had run the race before and had nothing but positive things to say, so when she asked me if I'd like to run it with her this year I said yes without hesitation. Without knowing it at that time, this would end up being a very special race for the two of us as it was the last race we were able to run together before I moved up to Boston”, stated Meagan Nedlo of Charlotte, N.C., in 10th place with a time of 58:56 ( a personal best).
Nedlo adds, “Caitlin and I looked up some past results the night before and noticed that in recent years it has gotten significantly more competitive. I believe I could've won or placed in the top three of some previous years' races with my time, but this year I was
fighting for a top 10 spot. I think that says a lot about the quality of the field and the current depth of women's distance running in general”.
“To be honest I hadn't given much thought to time or placement, until around mile 7 when I saw Jordan (coach/boyfriend) on the course and he shouted that I was in the top 10. (I think I was actually 11th or 12th at the time, but he was well-intentioned.) At that moment I resolved to not let anyone else pass me so I could hold that top 10 spot. As it happened, I passed two more girls but still ended up finishing 10th”, stated Nedlo.
“This is the first 10 mile race I’ve ever completed. My goal was to run just under 6 minutes per mile and break one hour for the entire race. I’m proud to say that I was successful! I ended up running 59:04...I was so close to breaking 59 minutes, so my goal for next year will have to be to break 59! The Army 10 miler hosts some excellent competition! The top athletes were either Ethiopian or Kenyan (runners renowned for their endurance and speed). The superb competition offered at the race was one of the primary reasons I was interested in competing in it”, stated Sara Petrick of Apollo Beach, Fla. (University of Florida).
Petrick continues, “I often feel I have something special to share with others through my running. I know that I am very fortunate to be able to run as there are several others who can’t do so. This actually reminds of a moment in the Army 10 miler when I passed a double amputee on artificial legs...I normally don’t talk during races in order to conserve energy, but I was so touched by his strength and courage that I voiced a surprisingly loud, “Great job...keep it up!” The mood was infectious and other runners around me started to voice (between deep and labored breathing) their encouragement as well! It was a very special memory that I have of the race.”
Petrick comments on place versus time, “Some races offer prize money to the top male and female athletes; in these types of races, placement is often more important than time. However, in other races, I may be more focused on time. For example, last year, I set a goal to break 2:46 in the marathon in order to qualify for the Olympic Trials. I eventually did qualify at the Houston marathon running 2:45:23. In that race, I didn’t care at all about what place I was in...my only concern was whether I was at or under the pace needed to qualify. In the Army Ten-Miler, I made both a time and place goal. As I mentioned earlier, one of my goals going into the race was to break one hour”.
“My coach, Jerry Alexander of Georgetown Running Company, suggested this race to me. I usually race between 5 and 10k, and we thought this would be a great opportunity for me to try something longer. The level of competition at ATM was excellent! I had plenty of people to run with during the race. I go into every race with a set of goals, but I also try to enjoy the experience. At ATM this year, the enthusiasm of the crowd made it a really fun race”, stated Anna Holt-Gosselin finishing in 59:31 (13th place).
“This race was definitely a challenging one for me. Mainly because within the first mile I felt like it was not a good race day for me. My body was not feeling 100%, which eventually lead to my mind not being 100% on my side. I just felt flat from the
beginning, which was probably to be expected with me racing it in the middle of my marathon training. Early on I fell off my pace and our pack broke up a bit, which was frustrating. My negative thinking about how I was performing and feeling got the best of me at times, but around mile 7 I started to feel a little more 'together' and picked myself up mentally to finish with negative splits for the last 5k. This felt pretty good in retrospect because I was able work hard through some negative thinking and start racing the last 3/4 of the race. I learned that sometimes your mind is stronger than your body and when you put it to good use it can strengthen your body. This was a great learning experience for me bbecause I know I am not going to feel 100% at every race”, stated Kate Dart of Team Georgetown Running Company (GRC) finishing in 1:01:44 (19th place).
Dart continues,”The competition, hard work, inner strength and determination are what motivate me to race. I am also motivated by constantly wanting to challenge myself and try to improve. Another big motivation is the running community in this area that keeps me coming back for more runs and races. I selected ATM bbecause it is a large local, competitive race. It is also a really great race bbecause it acknowledges our military - seeing them out there running or volunteering is very encouraging.
“My goal was to remain comfortable and steady for the first five miles and then to slowly build the last five miles. Unfortunately, I didn’t have a great day, so the race wasn’t executed as planned. The Army Ten-Miler always has great competition. I was in a really nice place this year, having three of my teammates (with the Georgetown Running Company) racing with me, so I knew that I would have some great competition and support from them,” stated Susan Hendrick finishing in 1:04:23.
“I didn’t perform nearly as well as I wanted, so I faced a lot of mental challenges on that particular day. No matter how any race day plays out, there were some great lessons learned, and it just feeds the fire for the next race. I love the Army Ten-Miler. I did it once when I was in high school and have been fascinated by it ever since. In my mind, it is the epitome of a great D.C. road race, with so much hometown support. Also, the course is flat and fast – and there is always competition,” Hendrick add.
“It was inspiring to look ahead and see thousands of heads bobbing along the course, all with one common goal - make it to the finish, as fast as possible! More inspiring still were the moments I caught sight of wounded veterans running on prosthetic legs or hand cranking their way alongside the masses, most of whom were clapping and cheering while fighting tears at the strength of these warriors' courage”, stated Megan Finck of Washington finishing in 1:32:18 (net time).
Finck continues, “As expected, I didn't PR at the race. However, I did beat my most recent 10-miler time by two minutes, and I felt strong at the finish. I also finished within the top 25% of all females who raced that day, which I count as a personal victory. Given that I was an obese child/teenager and ran my first complete mile as a freshman in college, I continue to be amazed by the achievements I've been able to accomplish over the past few years as I've become increasingly enthralled with running. It's truly been one
of the best discoveries of my adult life, and I look forward to many great races - the likes of ATM - that lie ahead. Looks like next year I'll be setting my alarm for midnight of registration day”.
