This Saturday, August 8th, RacePacket hosts its hottest 5k of the year, the Summer Strides. The sixth race in the RacePacket Grand Prix, the Summer Strides is an out and back along the W&OD trail beginning in Bon Air Park, Arlington at 9:00am.

The Grand Prix is a series of 12 races where local runners compete to see who is the 'best in town'. The eligible races include RacePacket organized races and quality local races around the area. The series covers a range of distances and locations; from the locally held Spring 5k and Summer Strides, to the Kensington 8k, George Washington Birthday 10k, and the Alexandria Half Marathon, giving runners a chance to experience the area and expand their training. Entry in the Grand Prix occurs automatically when you run any of the Grand Prix series races.

Runners compete for a share of $3,000. The top six men and women in the open division will receive the following cash prizes: 1st: $500.00; 2nd: $200.00; 3rd: $125.00; 4th: $100.00; 5th: $75.00; 6th: $60.00. Age group awards are three deep with awards: $50, $30, and SportScience T-shirts for 3rd place.

To be eligible for awards, you must run at least 5 of the 12 events, with the best 8 races counting toward the competition. The top 20 finishers overall and top 10 in each age group for each gender earn Grand Prix points within a particular race. The first place finisher overall gets 20 points, second, 19 points, third 18, and so on. Age group categories work similarly, with the age group winner receiving 10 points, and the second finisher in the age group receiving 9 points. A perfect score (160 pts) in the overall category is a very difficult to attain. The age group award winners have a chance to score a perfect score of 80, and at least three runners this year are still eligible for this feat after 5 events.

Craig Chasse (45), Ted Puolos (53), and Mary Lowe Mayhough (59), are currently striving for the perfect score in their age group. Craig Chasse has competed in four events this year, currently standing in first place in the Men's Overall category and has two perfect 10s(age group victories) in the 40-49 age group category, taking 5th overall in the George Washington 10k and third in the Losing to live 5k. Chasse also competed in the Sweethearts 4ever 4 Miler and in the Spring 5k, where he joined several racers in the make-up race, held the Tuesday following the main race on Sunday, March 22nd. If Chasse continues his early dominance in the series he stands poised to repeat his 2014 performance as the RacePacket Grand Prix Men's Overall Winner for the 4th time joining Ted Puolos who currently holds 4 Grand Prix Overall titles. We got a chance to catch up with Chasse, look for his interview in our upcoming "Extras" article.

Ted Puolos (53) has a perfect record within the 50-59 age group in the 2015 season, gaining 10 age group points in each of the three races in which he competed. Ted needs to win his age group in 5 of the next 7 races to achieve the perfect 80. Puolos is also sitting second in the overall with 45 points. With 30 points, Ted currently sits in second by a single point in his age group behind Mike Cannon (57) who has finished well consistently, but has not been able to come away yet with an age group victory. This will be an age group to watch as the Grand Prix continues this Saturday. We will be sharing more from Mike about the Summer Strides and the RacePacket Grand Prix in an upcoming "Extras" article.

We turn now to the female 50-59 age group category, where Mary Lowe Mayhough (59) leads the group with a perfect 30 points in her 3 completed races. She leads the Female Overall category with 43 points as well. Chasing her in both her age group and in the overall standings is Myra Washington with 17 points in the 50-59 age group category and 28 points in the overall.

Don't miss the next chance for points, and some wonderful prizes and competition in our next RacePacket Grand Prix Race: The Summer Strides, coming this weekend.