Karen Intrahat, 22, Arlington, originally hails from Seattle, Washington, and just graduated from the University of Washington. Karen has been running since high school and has goals of running a marathon in addition to improving her pr's in the 5k and 10k.

We welcome Karen into the WRC! The officially unofficial count for new members in 2003 thus far is 28, 20 women and 8 men.

Our trusty Phoenix reports the seemingly valid news item that two WRC members set off on Sunday (11/9) for the sunny seas and climate of the Caribbean aboard a cruise liner, such as that shown above. Further digestion of said item indicates that these two lucky vacationers chose their leisure-time boat vehicle by the attributes it possessess for those of the running ilk. In other words, it has room aboard to run! Say no more - real runners in everyday life, real runners in vacation life. All the best for your fun and sea miles Bob and Mark!

Two weeks after running 2:21 in Detroit, Mike ventured a bit north to Baltimore to add another marathon to his running vitae and turned in a fine performance.

6th Mike Wardian 29  2:33:15 

This race was directed and supported by long-time member Dr. Tris Kruger. Members showing up to aid and assist Tris, for he needed all the help he could get, included: Gerry Ives, Ed Doheny, Steve Baker, James Scarborough, and Bob Platt. Three WRC members ran the moderately hilly event to show their support in that running way.

Adina Wadsworth 35  21:46   (2nd age group)
Diana Johnson 22  23:25   (1st age group)

Jim Wadsworth 46  17:01 (2nd overall and 1st age group)

It should be noted that these three members politely suggested to Tris after the race, "get rid of that %$#@!! hill in that #@!! neighborhood will ya! &^%$@*!!

This race shows that the MCRRC certainly knows how to help people to pr's...cool! 

Sarah Buckheit 42  26:16 (2nd age group)

Congratulations to our members who ran the MCM in the hot and bridge-windy conditions. A number of the WRCers who ran overcame various illnesses and injuries leading up to the event. Kudos to all...we're proud of all your efforts!

Mike Wardian 29  2:37:15 (17th overall)
Al Han 30  2:51:23 (a big pr!)
Jay Wind 53  3:08:26 (4th age group)
Prasad Gerard 45  3:09:23
Bob Platt 52  3:50:18
Michael Proulx 28  3:57:15

Emily Turner 24  3:19:21 (a pr!)
Win Persina 43  3:30:50 (1st marathon, thus, a pr!)
Katherine Turner 24  3:43:23 (a pr!) [3d year at Harvard Law School]
Challice Bonifant 25  4:04:43
Erica Morton 27  4:08:23

In a highly competitive 5k in Potomac, two members partook!
4th Casey Smith, 24  18:11
5th Mike Wardian 22  16:22

Like MCM, it was again warm and humid on the rolling New York City course. New member Diana Johnson persevered despite the tough conditions.

Diana Johnson 22  4:21:43

Prolific racer Sarah takes first place!

1st Sarah Buckheit 43  22:22

First, a big thanks to those who volunteered and helped Bob Platt and Jay Wind at the United We Stand 5k last Saturday afternoon - a race for a great cause! Thanks go specifically to:
Steve Baker
Ryan Rodenberg
Adina Wadsworth
Jim Wadsworth 

The WRC was one of the sponsors of this event, helping out and also providing $100 as a cash donation, per the decision of our President, Barb Fallon Wallace. The race had 263 finishers, including:

Mike Wardian 27  15:51 (1st place!)
James Scarborough 45  22:32

Bryon Powell scurried up to Massachusetts to take on the Stone Cat 50 Mile Trail Run in the Willowdale State Forest. The race started at an early-rising 6:15 a.m. Less than 8 hours of fun later, Bryon crossed in an impressive 3d place! 

3rd Bryon Powell 25  7:59.07 (less than a minute behind 2nd place!)

Bryon tells us, "It was a long, cold, challenging day with far too much running (I likely ran all but a total of a mile), but two days later and I'm moving around much better than if I'd raced a marathon. Now I have to wait and see if I make it in to the Western States 100 via the lottery."

Great going Bryon, but member Adina Wadsworth was recently heard saying, "running for 8 hours, where's the fun in that!?" We guess Bryon will have to explain it to Adina soon.

Our Washington Running Club team WON the open team category beating out 7 other teams! Each of the 8 members on the team took home a nice sweatshirt. Team members, in order of finish, were Jim Wadsworth, Mike Rae, Win Persina, Chris Duke, Kelly Ferraro, Adina Wadsworth, Courtney Fulton, and Erica Morton. Kudos and cheers to them for showing the racing world a bit of the WRC! 

Jim Wadsworth* 46  35:51 (1st age group)
Jonathan Gardner 35  36:40
Mike Rae* 33  37:32 (2nd age group)
Paul Durbin 38  41:18
Chris Duke* 31  43:56
Steve Amter 47  48:13
Raja Rao 35  48:20

Win Persina* 42  40:34 (2nd age group)
Kelly Ferraro* 22  44:08 (3d age group)
Adina Wadsworth* 35  44:12
Sarah Buckheit 42  44:36
Courtney Fulton* 26  45:06
Erica Morton* 27  46:58
* Denotes part of the WRC open team.

Note: Win and Erica ran this race only two weeks after running the Marine Corps Marathon...now that's dedication!

Also, some members showed to watch the WRC runners who were dueling with the cold, windy conditions. Steve Baker, Casey Smith, Gerry Ives, Tris Kruger, Dave Young, and Ed Zechmann were seen about the course offering support and cheer!

Over 850 finishers at the Marathon in the Parks! Mike, Prasad, and Jay all ran the event just two weeks after running the Marine Corps Marathon. Mike took 1st place and pocketed the prize of $1,000 for his impressive effort!

Mike Wardian 27 2:28:21 (1st place!)
Prasad Gerard 45  3:08:20
Jay Wind 53  3:19:01
James Scarborough 45  3:44:41

In addition to the Veteran's Day 10k team race just completed and won, the WRC is planning a team entry into the Outback Steakhouse 8k. Thus far, the team consists of: Win Persina, Kelly Ferraro, Courtney Fulton, Adina Wadsworth, Chris Duke and Jim Wadsworth.

• Outback Steakhouse 8K, Sunday, November 23d at 9 a.m., Hyattsville, MD. This race has co-ed team categories. Groups of five or more register as a team, at a special rate of $15 per team member. 

• Marine Corps Marathon 2004 - WRC hopes to field a team at next year's MCM to be held on October 31, 2004. No, it's not too early to be thinking about this. A team consists of no less than 3 and no more than 5 members. Individual entry is by lottery and registration starts on April 1, 04 and ends June 1, 04. The first drawing will be May 5, every week, until June 2. The entry fee is $85 for the 2004 race. Jim Wadsworth will be organizing the team. If interested, email Jim at jwads@yahoo.com 
• Other events for which WRC teams may be developed in the future - Washington Birthday marathon relay, St. Paddy's Day 10k, Cherry Blossom 10-Miler, Sallie Mae 10k, Lawyers Have Heart 10k, Rockville Twilighter 8k, and various others. (No need to act on your potential interest in any of  these yet - more info will be forthcoming as race dates approach.)

On that Red Oval Thang

Track night has moved to Wednesdays for the fall/winter months.  Because it's a popular night, due to the lights for one thing, there are scads of runners there from various clubs. The WRC meets at the far end of the track on the same side as the track entryway. 

To make things easier, we strive to get started earlier, aiming for a start time of 6:20 (some of us will shoot to get there earlier--5:50ish--to warm up). If you can't make it that early, just show up when you can.

Because it may indeed be crowded on some Wednesdays, we ask our participating members to be patient and respectful of other runners. Track etiquette is a must. That means, the inside lane is fine for your fast intervals, but please move to the outer lanes for your recovery periods and for your warm up and warm down. 

Please note that track night is cancelled for Wednesday, November 26th, due to the Thanksgiving holiday!

For more info on WRC track workouts, the track page says a thing or two. Though it won't tell you about the time we showed up in vast numbers and then proceeded to run so fast and hard that we ended up tearing up the poor track, as witnessed:

As you know, or should know, the WRC hosts a group run on Sunday mornings to complete distances ranging from 10-18 miles so come on out members! 

We start at 8 am on M Street (3300 block) inGeorgetown, across the street from the Staples Store with the red awnings.  Distance run info and directions

After running we regroup at Dean & DeLuca (3276 M Street, NW) for coffee, cold drinks, pastries and whatnot, and to strategize on methods to make the World a better place. For runners.

In order to keep up with the times, the dues for 2004 have been raised slightly to $15 for individuals and $25 for families. Dues, per usual, are due in January, though some people enjoy sending them in earlier, which the WRC greatly enjoys as well.

Paying these pesky dues things indeed do your body good, for they help keep the guilt of running upon you. If you pay to join or reup, you become or remain a valid member of this highly noble and historic club, the WRC...and thus, will be highly expected to keep your running shoes on and active. And that is, quite simply, good, or so it would, at least, seem.

Membership information is here and the application for membership is here. The WRC thanks you in advance and greatly appreciates your membership!

Paul Tergat, 34, ran 2:04:55 in Berlin, Andres Espinosa, 40, set a masters record of 2:08:46, also in Berlin, Ed Whitlock, 72, ran an age 70 plus record of 2:59:08 in Toronto, and Fauja Singh, 92, set an age 90 plus record of 5:40:01 in London.

Also, did you know that Paul Tergat's average pace per mile was 4:45 and that his 5k splits were all 15:00 or better? Tergat broke Khalid Khannouchi's London 2003 record of 2:05:38 by 43 seconds. 

Well, perhaps Khalid went out a bit briskly. You know what they say about those first marathon miles - go out too fast and pay later! Still, we take nothing away from Tergat for he certainly deserved the record and made it look relatively easy (even taking a slight course deversion at the end). 

Now, can Khalid take it back? That is the question! Or, is someone else gonna show that machine-like phenomenol pacing and get it...Sammy Korir was only a second behind Tergat! We look forward to the answers...time will certainly tell.