Win Persina, 43, Washington, DC, has been a familiar face and competitive road racer in Washington area road races for some time, and has also become a familiar face and personality on Sunday distance runs. Win has posted some terrific times lately in races and has been training for this year's Marine Corps Marathon.

Emily Turner, 22, grew up in Washington, DC (in the actual city, she tells us) and has been running for 7 years. She just graduated from the University of Pennsylvania this past May, where she also ran cross country and track. Emily is now back and living in DC and working at the Urban Institute in the Justice Policy Center as a research assistant. Says Emily, "I'm training for the Marine Corps Marathon and hope to qualify for the Boston Marathon, but I also look forward to running shorter distances!"

Diana Johnson, 22, is another newcomer to WRC and has been present at both the Sunday distance runs and the track workouts of late. Diana grew up in Kensington, MD, and ran cross-country in high school. She swam her first two years of college and recently graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University. She has finished one marathon (Cleveland Marathon this past spring) and is training for the New York Marathon (to be run in two weeks). Diana is presently making costumes for the Shakespeare Theatre (and says we should all see A Midsummer Night's Dream there in November). An interesting fact she let us know about: "Emily Turner and I have known each other since we were 5." She also added that, "I'm glad to meet such a supportive group of new runners!" 

Kelly Ferraro, 22, is originally from Toms River, NJ, and is now living in Georgetown. She moved here in August after graduating from Rutgers and is working as an executive assistant at Kissinger Mclarty Associates. Kelly ran cross country in high school, has been a high jumper and sprinter, and has been running distance races lately. Kelly would like to run a spring marathon and also improve her mile and 800 meter times. Longer goals include the Boston and New York Marathons and "to be still running when she's a grandma." 

We welcome these 4 fine young ladies into the WRC! The unofficial count for new members in 2003 thus far is 28, 21 women and 7 men.
 

Mike Wardian ran superbly well and qualified for the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials! Indeed, Mike took 4th place overall at the Detroit Marathon in a qualifying time of 2:21:48.

Mike joins other local area marathon men's qualifiers (thus far), Keith Dowling, Darrell General, Aaron Church, Peter Sherry, and Chris Banks. 

That time also got Mike added to the WRC best marathon list for the 2nd time (he's now in positions 24 and 42).

This race has been going on for 15 years now, and this year, like the last 2, was held in Bon Air Park in Arlington on the bike trail. Seven members took part. 

2nd Win Persina 43  19:41 (2nd overall)
7th Sarah Buckheit 43  22:11 (1st 40-49)
8th Adina Wadsworth 35  22:11 (1st 30-39)
11th Erica Morton 27  23:18

5th Jim Wadsworth 46  17:06 (1st Master)
18th Jay Wind 53  19:30
34th Bruce Reynolds 53  21:51

On a beautiful morning and a massive crowd (13,249 finishers) of runners, two fine WRCers did well in this big race run mostly within the nation's capital!

Women:
Challice Bonifant   75:07 
Men:
Christopher Duke 31  71:32

Holy smokes...some terrific times in Chicago! Four women (Nikki, Lisa, Maria, and Sharon) broke three hours and thus have been added to WRC best marathon list page. Way to go ladies! Check it out: http://www.washrun.org/maralist03.html

Women:
Nikki Underwood 22  2:53:08 (3d age group) 
Lisa Thomas 27  2:54:36 
Maria Kozloski 38  2:56:45 
Sharon Donovan 29  2:57:58 
Marie Sandrock 31  3:12:33 
Courtney Fulton 25  3:34:34

Men:
Frank Sprtel 31  2:33:36
Steve Baker 42  3:44:35
Steve Amter 46  4:36:11

Nikki joined the WRC for distance runs and social outings throughout the Summer and is now finishing up school in South Dakota. Steve Baker allowed, "I was on 3:20 pace for almost 20 miles and was going for it, but then, ya know, started feeling crappy and still had six more to go." We're proud of you Steve and that 3:20 is within reach, we know it is!

We also saw that former WRCer Liz Parks, who moved to Texas earlier in the year, ran very well...finishing in under 3 hours at 2:56:12 (we believe that's a new pr for Liz!). And Jose Miguel Gana, of Chile, who ran with us a number of times while recently stationed in DC, ran 2:36:06.

All these runners are to be commended for terrific races on a hot day in the Windy City. Hope all are recovering well!
 

1st Win Persina 43  19:28
3d Sarah Buckheit 42  21:18
 

3d Anthony Belber 30  27:38 (3d overall)
15th Jay Wind 53 31:25 (1st age group)

In the future, if you run a race out of town and want to see your results posted, please send any info in. Interesting quotes or observations are welcome too. 

In November, there are two races for which the WRC can enter teams if enough people are interested in doing so. 

• The Veteran's Day 10k, Sunday October 9th at 8 a.m., West Potomac Park, DC. Co-ed open and/or masters teams can be entered where the first 5 runners score. Teams are encouraged to send entry forms in together and the last day to get them in the mail is November 1st. 

• Outback Steakhouse 8K, Sunday, November 23d at 9 a.m., Hyattsville, MD. This race has co-ed team categories. Here's the scoop: Groups of five or more can register as a team, at a special rate of $15 per team member. Cash awards given to the top four fastest teams (top four runners to a team will be scored). Team registrations must be mailed together by November 14.

Speaking of WRC team racing, it's come to the attention of the WRC officers that there's some confusion among members as to the rules of how the club goes about setting up race teams for races that have team competition categories in addition to the norm of individual racing. Here are five points that hopefully will clarify the situation.

1. The WRC sometimes fields a team (or even multiple teams) in racing events that offer team competition to add to the comaraderie and fun of the event beyond simple individual racing. 

2. The club often helps out financially with entry fees for the team(s), either taking care of the extra team entry fee if there is one, or helping out (i.e., subsidizing a portion of) with the individual entry fees for the event. The decision whether to provide financial help and the amount of such help is contingent on the number of club teams to be entered, the number of members on each team, and the importance of the event. When there are events for which teams are to be formed, club officers discuss the situation, and then decide on the amount of financial help to be offered, though the ultimate authority and decision as to the degree of financial help always remains with the WRC President.

3. We have no set schedule of events where we will or may field teams. But we would like to see many teams organized where possible, within financial reason. In the past we have fielded teams at the Boston Marathon, Chicago Marathon, Marine Corps Marathon, Philadelphia Distance Run (1/2 marathon), Cherry Blossom 10-Miler, St. Paddy's Day 10k, Lawyers Have Heart 10k, Rockville Twilighter 8k, Fair Lakes 8k, among various other races and relays. Putting a team together always depends on member interest, which leads to the next point. 

4. The WRC welcomes ALL members to take initiative in setting up (or getting on) a WRC club racing team if they are interested in doing so for a race they may be running. You don't have to wait to be asked to develop or get on a team. If you think a number of members may be running an event, and the event has team competition available, simply communicate with club officers the wish for putting a team together. The club will then help you to find out if there is enough interest to generate a team and will follow up with what is needed to make it happen, including possible financial help. 

5. The only stipulation we try to abide by, is that all team members on a WRC team be up-to-date paid members of the WRC. If you have any other questions about the team racing policy, please feel free to ask Barb, our president, or any of the officers. And by all means, if you are interested in a race that has team competition and you would like to see other WRC members involved in that along with you, please speak up!
 

Every year in Autumn, hoards of runners descend upon the grand Capital city of Washington, DC, and the humble "city" of Arlington, VA, to cover 26 plus miles of pavement and to wave to scores of marines along the way in the Marine Corps Marathon. This year's event will take place on Sunday, October 26th and we hope for good weather for we have a number of members in the running.

Indeed, we hereby direct the following runners to do their darndest in this race: Erica Morton, Al Han, Russ Crandall, Win Persina, Diana Johnson, Emily Turner, and Michael Proulx.

Many of us will be out there cheering them on for all it's worth! We wish everyone running good luck and endurance!

Track night is moving to Wednesdays starting next week (Weds 10/22). Because our relentless pavement pounding continues to make the earth orbit and turn, and thus, it's getting dark early now, we are moving our track nights to Wednesdays to take advantage of the lights that are now on that evening at Washington-Lee High School in Arlington during the fall and winter months. 

There will be scads of runners there, also partaking of the opportunistic lit surroundings, but because we like our fellow runners we shall fit right in. We're going to try to get started earlier than the regular time of 6:30 pm, aiming instead for a 6:15 or 6:20 start to the speed part of the workout (some of us will shoot to get there earlier--5:50ish--to warm up). Because it may indeed be crowded, we ask our members to be patient and respectful of other runners. Track etiquette is a must. Now, if only everyone else follows suit as well.

For more info on WRC track workouts, the track page tells a story or two. 

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 (except for Oct. 26th - see below)! For those of you who haven't been showing, you don't know what you're missing, and we forgot what you look like too, so show your faces you long lost souls.

If you say you're out of shape, so what, come out anyway. You can always go shorter...just turn around and head back at any point to your liking since our runs are almost always out and back courses.

Yep, we start at 8 am in Georgetown on M Street (3300 Block, 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 refreshments and fresh discussions about all things big and bigger.

On Marine Corps Marathon Sunday, the club WILL NOT be meeting in Georgetown, but will instead, run about the course watching the race. In other words, you're on your own!

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 wish to send them in earlier, which we greatly appreciate. Membership information is here  and the application for membership is here.

That Kenenisa Bekele (Ethiopia) ran the 2nd half (5k) of his 10k 2003 World championship (Paris) win in 12:57 (overall time 26:49)? He averaged under 60 seconds for his last three laps, with a final 800 in 1:56.6, and his last lap in 55 seconds! (source: Track and Field News, October 2003). 

And did you also know, that just one week after setting the U.S. Masters Record in the Marathon (2:12:47 at Twin Cities), Eddy Hellebuyck just missed another U.S. Masters record - in the Half Marathon. At the BAA Half-Marathon in Boston, Eddy finished seventh in 1:05:12, just one second shy of the record. Just think what he could have done if he had been fresh!  (Source: http://www.marathonguide.com/)

I yi yi, we best all get back to the track folks...we've got some catching up to do!

Who needs an enemy? Not really (totally...heh) his fault, but alas, the Cubbies failed again. From the Chicago Tribune: "On Tuesday night, natural physical instinct took over. Seated in the front row of the stands running down the left-field line, Bartman reached out to snag a Marlins foul ball as Cubs left fielder Moises Alou closed in to attempt a catch. When Bartman knocked the ball away, Alou banged his glove and pointed toward the bewildered-looking fan.

And with that reflexive act, Bartman's life--and in the minds of some, the fortunes of the Chicago Cubs franchise--were forever altered.

After the foul ball that might have been the second out in the 8th inning, the Marlins went on to score eight runs and force a deciding Game 7."

Bartman released a statement which, in part, read: "There are few words to describe how awful I feel and what I have experienced within these last 24 hours....I had my eyes glued on the approaching ball the entire time and was so caught up in the moment that I did not even see Moises Alou, much less that he may have had a play....I am so truly sorry from the bottom of this Cubs fan's broken heart. I ask that Cubs fans everywhere redirect the negative energy that has been vented toward my family, my friends and myself into the usual positive support for our beloved team on their way to being National League champs."

So, he's a liar too...for we all know now what happened in game 7!  Well, while Cub fans can't really blame this Bartman guy, man, oh man, who can they blame? Ok, let's give the guy a break, at least he's a hero in Florida.

But, still, one question lingers...why did he not catch that foul ball for he certainly was in position? Hmmmm? Maybe he should try running? And becoming the other Bartman pictured above may help him become less conspicuous in Chicago.