Hey runners!

Our next Sunday Distance Run will be on May 10, 2015. As always, we’ll have a variety of paces and distances, an will meet at 8:00 a.m. in front of the CB2 store in Georgetown.

I’m going to suggest a trail run on the Glover-Archbald Trail since it’s been a while since we’ve come off the pavement.

After, we’ll be back at Dean and Deluca for our ritual of coffee and carbs.

Also: cherish the extra hour of sleep the next two weeks, because starting Memorial Day weekend (5/24) we’ll be back on our summer schedule, where runs start at 7:00 a.m.!

On the first Sunday of every month, WRC takes a photo to commemorate another 30 days of running. It’s better than a birthday!

May 2015 kicked off with great weather and both new and familiar faces!

Last Sunday, WRC members Patrick O’Keefe and Rachel Morris ran their hearts out at the NJ Marathon! Both had fantastic days – Pat had a BIG PR of 3:20:08, finishing 34th in his age group, while Rachel ran a BQ of 3:34:27 in her marathon debut!!

We could not be more proud of Pat and Rachel! Congrats!!

Now that spring marathon season is over, it’s only right that we finish with yet another acronym – HH! That’s right, the next WRC happy hour is being scheduled over the next few weeks. Stay tuned for details!

Hi folks!

As always, WRC will be meeting on Sunday, April 26 at 8:00 a.m. in front of the CB2 store in Georgetown. Drinks and carbs will follow after.

We’ll have runners running distances of 6-15 (ish) miles at varying paces – maybe a little less for the folks who kicked butt at Boston this past Sunday! In any case, we hope to see you out there!

WRC runners Pat O’Keefe and Rachel Morris are heading to the Garden State for the NJ Marathon this weekend! Like their Boston Marathon compatriots, they worked through a tough winter to come out strong for this race. Read their bios as we wish them all the best for the NJ Marathon!

PATRICK O’KEEFE

All smiles after the Capitol Hill Classic!

Q. Why did you decide to run the NJ Marathon?
A. I signed up for the race based on feedback from other Club members.  They indicated that is was flat and fast which are both appealing features.

Q. What are your goals for the race?
A. I’m really hoping to run a sub-3:25:00 but anything under my most recent finish time would be great.

Q. What’s one thing you learned during this training cycle that you didn’t know before?
A. This cycle made it clear that I prefer training in the summer vs the winter.  As difficult as it is to run 70 miles a week in 90 degree weather, it’s not as bad as running through a foot of snow!

Q. And now for a fun question: of the following television shows set in New Jersey, which do you relate to best and why? Choose from The Sopranos, the Real Housewives of New Jersey, or Jersey Shore?
A. The Sopranos, for sure!

RACHEL MORRIS

Rachel (left) and her friend showing off their New Jersey pride!

Q. Why did you decide to run the NJ Marathon?
A. The NJ Marathon was the obvious choice for my first marathon. New Jersey is where I grew up, where my family still lives, and where I competed in cross country and track all through high school and college. The Jersey Shore–where the race will take place–is also my old stomping grounds. I spent many summer weekends long running with my friends along the boardwalk, and then enjoying the beach afterward. I am looking forward to having the support of my amazing family along the course, as well as some of my college teammates who will also be competing in the half and full marathon.

Q. What are your goals for the race?
A. My main goal is to not go out too fast, run a smart race, and finish the marathon strong and excited to do another one. Although I have a few time goals lingering in the back of my head, I am trying not to let them consume me. Because this is my first marathon and because I am currently in “law school shape” I recognize that I need to be more realistic with my goals right now.

Q. What’s one thing you learned during this training cycle that you didn’t know before?
A. How much fun it is to go out on a 18–20 mile run! I had such a great time chatting with fellow WRCers over the course of my longer runs, as well as exploring all of the beautiful places to run in DC. I am also really enjoying the excuse to be able to have a snack while you run, even if it is GU!

Q. And now for a fun question: of the following television shows set in New Jersey, which do you relate to best and why? Choose from The Sopranos, the Real Housewives of New Jersey, or Jersey Shore?
A. Bruce has actually gotten me through quite a few training runs, so picking one song is tough for me, but I will be cliché and say “Born to Run.” Bruce Springsteen grew up in the town next door to where I grew up. The morning after Thanksgiving, my high school teammates and I had a tradition of running the Born to Run 5 miler in his hometown (instead of hitting the mall down the road).

GOOD LUCK GUYS!!

The 2015 Boston Marathon may have been cold…it may have been windy…but that didn’t stop the WRC Women’s Masters team from kicking some serious butt! Julia Taylor, Lydia Pelliccia, and Shinobu Kusakabe put their heads down and fought till the finish line for an outstanding 7th place finish among the Women’s Masters Team competition. Check out their results below:

Lydia Pelliccia...........3:21:44
Julia Taylor..............3:25:58
Shinobu Kusakabe..........3:29:06
TOTAL TIME................10:16:48

The team trained through a harsh winter only to be greeted by less-than-optimal race conditions, but that didn’t stop them from performing their best. We couldn’t be more proud!

We’d also like to recognize several other WRC runners who ran unattached but with all of the passion of a true WRC-er.

John Kendra..............3:06:54
Hillary Tipton...........3:50:44
Kendall Tucker...........3:51:57

Impressive times for sure! Congrats on a great race, guys!

We’d also like to recognize our fellow DC Metro area compatriots, the Montgomery Country Road Runners, who WON the Women’s Masters competition with an impressive total time of 9:44:55. Way to represent the Nation’s capitol!

Shinobu Kusakabe is another all-star on our Master’s team for the Boston Marathon. She’s represented our club at several races and we’re just as excited to have her proudly wear our jersey once more. Good luck to you, Shinobu!!

Here’s more about Shinobu:

Boston qualifier: heck yes!

Q. How many Boston Marathons have you run? Total number of marathons?
A. I’ve run Boston three times and full marathon nine times. I’ll be running my tenth marathon on Monday.

Q. What are your goals for the upcoming race? 
A. To keep calm and run on.