Washington, D.C. , April 28, 2002 - A steady rain and temperature in the high 50s did not put a damper on the 19th running of the Sallie Mae 10K, a benefit for the D.C.- College Access Program. The top runners were going after $18,000 in cash awards (equal for males and females) up through age 80 and over.
At a half mile into the race a well defined pack of 12 runners lead out with Kenya runners, Jared Segura, Benson Ogato, Paul Mbugua, Andrew Masai (2000 master winner 29:57 ), David Kipngetich along with Andre Williams, Darrell General and Andrey Kuznetsov (40+). The chase pack of six was 25 meters back.
Into the first mile, 4:57, the pack was testing each other out while using caution on the rain soaked roads. A couple of minutes later, Peter Sherry of Great Falls, Va., and Sgt. Rob Adams of the U.S. Marine Corps began to fall out of the pack. Darrell General of Mitchellville, Md., was the next to drop back.
Into the second mile, elapsed time 9:48 (4:51 split), the pace was slow as they were shoulder-to-shoulder. Near the rear of the pack was Andrey Kuznetsov of Russia and Andre' Williams (Georgetown Running Company).
After the second mile, Elena Paramonova of Russia, now living in Rockville, Md, was making a defense of her 2001 title (33:48). Less than a minute back was Casey Smith of Arlington, Va., and Alsion Holinka of Williamsburg, Va. The trailing masters were Maria Spinnler of Hagerstown, Md., and Lee DiPietro of Ruxton, Md., (finished the Boston Marathon in 2:55).
The pack of ten went through the third mile in 14:34 (split of 4:46) and half mile later Titus Munji of Kenya started to raise the stakes as the pace was picked up. Munji has a half-marathon PR of 1:00:27. The pack quickly began to fall apart and no one covered the move.
Into the fourth mile, 19:06 (a spilt of 4:22) Munji was in sole control and 25 meters back was Benson Ogato trying to reel in Munji. Ogato was the winner of Alexandria, Va., George Washington Parkway Classic 10 Miler last Sunday in 49:05. David Kipngetich was 25 meters off Ogato.
Munji showed no signs of slowing, rain or no rain as he splashed through the fifth mile in 23:40 (4:34 split). Ogato crossed in 23:52.
Munji cashed in on the $1,000 for first place in 29:30 followed by Ogato in second with 29:44 $700). Kipngetich was third in 29:53 ($450).
"The pace was to slow for me and I decided to push it a little bit and no one came with me. The rain did bother me a little", said Munji.
Along the fourth mile Kuznetsov had sight of Masai, the lead master. In the closing mile, Kuznetsov made the final move to collect first in 30:27 ($1,000) followed by Masai in 30:43 ($700). The third master was Paul Mbugua in 31:01 ($450).
"Near mile four I passed Masai, the top ranked master runner, I have never beat him before. I lost three days of running on my travel back from Moscow", said Kuznetsov.
Paramonova led from wire-to-wire to collect a second win in 34:09 along with the $1,000. The last consecutive year winner was Marianne Dickerson (1987 and 1988). Casey Smith collected second in 35:57 and Holinka was third in 36:15. Last year Holinka was third in 35:05.
"I only worried about my leg and I wanted to test it. Today after two miles I started to feel better. I always have respect for my competition, you never know in a 10K", said Paramonova through team manager, Konstantin Selinevich.
Maria Spinnler captured first master in 37:14 ($1,000) followed by DiPietro in second with 37:41. Janice Riley of Cary, NC was the third master in 38:32.
The top local finisher was Andre Williams in sixth place with 30:16 ($500). The second local finisher was Peter Sherry in 10th place in 31:05 ($300).
Hedy Marque of Alexandria, Va., age 84 was first in the 80 and over division in 1:10:37 ($75).
The wheelchair winner was Geoff Hopkins of Alexandria, Va.,, in 33:34 ($300).
The Marines defended the All-Male team title with an average time of 33:19 (R. Adams, F. Friedman, C. Walton, E. Holloway).
The Team Marine Connection won the All-Female title with an average time of 38:47 (J. Riley, P. Garbrecht, J. Uwins, L. Boyer).
For the fifth straight year, the Intercollegiate title went to John Hopkins SAIS with an average time of 49:37 (C. Rogers, M. Mayerchak, Y. Perez, S. Quinlan). The Sallie Mae Fund will make a donation of $1,000 to the school's general scholarship fund.
The Colonial Road Runners was first in the Mixed teams with an average time of 36:53 (M. Mann, A. Holinka, Ryan Kent, age 16, Lindsay Kent, age 11).
Top Finishers Top Male Open 1 Titus Munji 22 29:30 Kenya $1000 2 Benson Ogato 21 29:44 Kenya $ 700 3 David Kipngetich 25 29:53 Kenya $ 450 4 Jared Segura 26 29:57 Kenya $ 200 5 Julius Gwako 28 30:08 Kenya $ 150 6 Daniel Courtney 24 32:06 Owings Mills, MD $ 100 Top Male Masters 1 Andrey Kuznetsov 44 30:27 Russia $1000 2 Andrew Masai 42 30:43 Kenya $ 700 3 Paul Mbugua 40 31:01 Kenya $ 450 4 Kirk Baird 41 33:26 Centreville, VA $ 200 5 David Webster 49 35:14 Stevensville, MD $ 150 6 Daveland Campbell 49 36:54 Lusby, MD $ 100 Top Open Female 1 Elena Paramonova 38 34:09 Russia $1000 2 Casey Smith 22 35:57 Arlington, VA $ 700 3 Hilary Cairns 31 37:49 Washington, DC $ 450 4 Sunny Newsome 25 38:46 Arlington, VA $ 200 5 Jennifer Uwins 28 38:48 Emerald Island, NC $ 150 6 Kristin McCann 30 39:33 Stafford, VA $ 100 Top Masters Female 1 Maria Spinnler 40 37:14 Hagerstown, MD $1,000 2 Lee DiPietro 44 37:41 Ruxton, MD $ 750 3 Janice Riley 40 38:32 Cary, NC $ 500 4 Patti Stewart-Garbrecht 40 38:49 Jacksonville, NC $ 250 5 Beth McCann 42 42:43 Falls Church, VA $ 150 6 Deedee Loughran 43 44:01 Oak Hill, MD $ 100 Top Male Local 1 Andre Williams 30 30:16 Arlington, VA $ 500 2 Peter Sherry 33 31:05 Great Falls, VA $ 300 3 Darrell General 36 31:29 Mitcheville, MD $ 200 4 Rob Adams 31 32:21 Quantico, VA $ 100 5 Michael Mann 33 32:24 Hampton, VA $ 75 6 Frank Sprtel 29 32:26 Takoma Park, MD $ 50 Top Male Master Local 1 Jim Hage 44 32:40 Lanham, MD $ 500 2 Dave Berardi 41 32:59 Baltimore, MD $ 300 3 Ted Poulos 40 34:28 McLean, VA $ 200 4 Curtis Davis 44 37:02 Gaithersburg, MD $ 100 5 Peter Dethier 40 37:58 Great Falls, VA $ 75 6 Jeffrey Green 42 38:46 Washington, DC $ 50 Top Female Local 1 Alison Holinka 23 36:15 Williamsburg, VA $ 500 2 Denise Knickman 33 38:04 Baltimore, MD $ 300 3 Liz Boyer 34 39:05 Woodbridge $ 200 4 Lisa Thomas 26 40:15 Alexandria, VA $ 100 5 Melanie Gedrich 20 41:27 Annandale, VA $ 75 6 Lindsay Kent 11 42:21 Yorktown, VA $ 50 Top Female Master Local 1 Win Persina 41 40:06 Washington, DC $500 2 Julie Hayden 42 41:07 Ashburn, VA $300 3 Betty Blank 49 42:35 Falls Church, VA $200 4 Heidi Pirie 57 46:49 Leesburg, VA $100 5 Janice Stoodley 61 47:32 Falls Church, VA $ 75 6 Joan Nugent 43 48:22 Silver Spring, MD $ 50 1st 50-59 Male Jay Jacob Wind 38:59 Arlington, VA $75 Female Deborah Gebhardt 48:23 Adelphi, MD $75 1st 60-69 Male Antonio Panizza 43:52 Reston, VA $75 Female Tami Graf 56:23 Lusby, MD $75 1st 70-79 Male Don McCarten 54:24 Falls Church, VA $75 1st 80+ Male Fay Steele 1:21:23 Wasington, DC $75 Female Hedy Marque 1:10:37 Alexandria, VA $75
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