By Rick Platt
For track and field aficionados, one name stood out among the 250 pre-registered runners at the sixth annual Salute to the Military “Red, White and Blue 5K”, held last Saturday morning at the Cheatham Annex Naval Weapons Station in Williamsburg—Saad El Moutawakel, 46, of Chesapeake, serving with the U.S. Navy at Little Creek. Could there be a connection between him and Nawal El Moutawakel of Morocco, the first Muslim and African female Olympic champion, the winner of the 400-meter intermediate hurdles at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games after competing for Iowa State University; and now, at age 50, a vice president of the International Olympic Committee?
The answer was yes. Saad is the younger brother of the legendary hurdler, and he was an accomplished athlete himself, having once broken the four-minute barrier in the mile, and later running a 1:10 for the half marathon. Now a U.S. citizen, and a “Master at Arms,” specializing in facility security at the Joint Expeditionary Base at Little Creek-Fort Story in Norfolk-Virginia Beach.
Before the race, El Moutawakel had high hopes, wanting to know the exact course, and talking about running in the 16s for the 3.1-mile distance. But his pre-race preparation the day before left a bit to be desired. After running seven miles on Friday, he lifted weights, then roto-tilled his back yard. The last activity left his back sore, but he decided to come to the race anyway, with his wife Eriko (who placed third for women 35-39).
Early on there were four contenders, Steve Chantry, 57, and Greg Dawson, 47, both of Williamsburg and the host Colonial Road Runners, along with 19-year-old Joshua Edens of Westerville, OH and the Army, and El Moutawakel of the Navy. Before the one-mile mark, on a hairpin turn just before the only hill on the course, Chantry and Edens broke away, with Dawson and El Moutawakel forming the second group. Edens led for most of the race, but was caught by Chantry in the final half mile. Chantry won in 17:15, breaking his own record as the oldest runner ever to have won a CRR Grand Prix event, with Edens next in 17:26. Dawson pulled away from El Moutawakel halfway through, and took third easily, 17:45 to 18:24, with the CRR’s Daniel Shaye (18:25) and the women’s winner Karen Terry (18:25) both almost catching an exhausted El Moutawakel.
In the military competition, the top three were Edens (Army), Dawson (Navy) and El Moutawakel (Navy), the latter two leading Navy to a win in the Commander’s Cup (military team of five). Navy had 30 points, with Army runner-up (42), followed by the Coast Guard (48) and the Air Force (90).
For the women, Terry, 23, of Newport News, ran her 18:25 to break the course record of 19:00 by Heidi Peterson, then 13, of Williamsburg in 2007. Peterson recently graduated from Lafayette High as one of the all-time Bay Rivers District female greats, and was named (along with Adam Link of Walsingham) one of the two CRR Scholarship Fund recipients for 2012. Runner-up to Terry, the 2011 CRR Grand prix champion, was six-time CRR champion Jennifer Quarles, 40, of Williamsburg (19:09), with Marie Nimod third in 19:34.
Race age group records were broken by Edens (men 19-and-under, 17:26), Chantry (men 55-59, 17:15), John Essery of Williamsburg (men 75-and-over, 28:55), Terry (women 20-24, 18:25), Nimod (women 30-34, 19:34), Quarles (women 40-44, 19:09), Mercedes Castillo-D’Amico (women 50-54, 20:03), Louise Sharer of Williamsburg (women 60-64, 25:19), Joan Coven of West Point (women 70-74, 25:56), Ann Manciagli of Williamsburg (women 75-79, 35:39) and Pat Eden of Williamsburg (women 80-and-over, 45:55).
The 50-54 record of 20:03 by Castillo-D’Amico, 54, of Newport News, fourth overall for the women, was most notable, as she was just nine days shy of her 55th birthday, and the Virginia state 5K record for women 55-59 is 20:49, 46 seconds slower than what Castillo-D’Amico ran on Saturday. She will probably go for that state record at the Governor’s Land 5K on November 17, the RRCA Virginia State 5K Championship.
For the age group records, Jen Quarles actually tied the record of 19:09 by Linda Sawvell of Newport News from the 2007 race. George Carrigan of Williamsburg was agonizingly close to the men’s 60-64 record by Robert Wilson of Toano, who ran 21:21 at the 2008 race. Carrigan ran a time of 21:22 this year, just one second off, and he was aware of the record as he sprinted to the finish line.
The Cheatham Annex course was used for the Salute to the Military 5K in 2007-09, and the race switched to the Coast Guard Base Yorktown for 2010-11, before returning to Cheatham Annex. The event is organized by the Greater Williamsburg Chamber and Tourism Alliance. There were 255 finishers this year in the 5K run/walk.
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Chantry, Terry, and Navy Win at the Red, Whte and Blue
By Rick Platt
Men's winner Steve Chantry, 57, of Williamsburg broke his own Colonial Road Runners record as the oldest runner to win a CRR Grand Prix race, with his time of 17:15, coming from behind to pass 19-year-old Joshua Edens of the Army, the military division winner in 17:26.
Women's winner Karen Terry, 23, of Newport News, ran a time of 18:25 to smash the course record of 19:00, set by Heidi Peterson, then 13, of Williamsburg in 2007. Bay Rivers District distance-running standout Peterson recently graduated from Lafayette High School, and was one of the two scholarship recipients of the 2012 CRR Scholarship Fund. Jennifer Quarles, 40, of Wiliamsburg, was runner-up in 19:09.
Navy beat Army and the Coast Guard for the military team title.
Award Winners
6th Annual Greater Williamsburg Chamber & Tourism Alliance Salute to the Military “Red, White and Blue 5K”
Cheatham Annex Naval Weapons Station, Williamsburg, Virginia
Saturday, September 15, 2012
A Colonial Road Runners Grand Prix Event
Certified Course (VA-07011-RT)
Information from Rick Platt (757-229-7375, rickplatt1@juno.com)
255 finishers in 5K run/walk.
** Age group record (5-year age groups)
Men Overall
**1. Stephen Chantry, 57 Williamsburg 17:15
**2. Joshua Edens, 19 Westerville, OH 17:26
3. Greg Dawson, 47 Williamsburg 17:45
Women Overall
**1. Karen Terry, 23 Newport News 18:25
[course record, old record, 19:00 by Heidi Peterson, 13, Williamsburg in 2007]
**2. Jennifer Quarles, 40 Williamsburg 19:09
**3. Marie Nimod, 34 Mt. Pleasant, SC 19:34
Men Military
1. Joshua Edens, 19 (Army) Westerville, OH 17:26
2. Greg Dawson, 47 (Navy) Williamsburg 17:45
3. Saad El Moutawakel, 46 (Navy) Chesapeake 18:24
Women Military
1. Janet Hall, 42 (Navy) Hampton 25:03
2. Lindsey Frasier, 27 (Navy) Beaverton, OR 25:03
3. LeAnn Splitter, 32 (Marines) Norfolk 27:32
Military Teams (team of 5)
1. Navy
2. Army
3. Coast Guard
4. Air Force
Hand-crank Wheelchair Division
1. Darrin Snyder, 45 Virginia Beach 17:53
Men 19-and-under
1. Israel Nolen, 19 Norfolk 20:24
2. Anthony Edenburn, 18 Fort Eustis 20:27
3. George Valentine, 18 Minden, NV 22:10
Men 20-24
1. Levin Zonderuan, 24 Yorktown 20:52
2. James Lane, 24 Brooksville, FL 21:06
3. Anthony Fox, 20 New Windsor, MD 21:09
Men 25-29
1. Ross Montfort, 28 Newport News 19:39
2. Peter Grabowski, 29 Lanexa 20:07
3. Matthew Novak, 25 Langhorne, PA 20:33
Men 30-34
1. Adam Mosley, 30 Richmond Hill, GA 19:04
2. Michael Yates, 33 Chesapeake 20:55
3. Michael Garland, 34 Newport News 21:18
Men 35-39
1. Bryan Dollyhigh, 36 Toano 19:15
2. Jason Anderson, 38 Seaford 20:35
3. Timothy Haws, 39 Williamsburg 21:25
Men 40-44
1. Daniel Shaye, 43 Williamsburg 18:25
2. Athan Kramer, 44 Yorktown 20:33
3. Scott Nance, 44 Williamsburg 22:39
Men 45-49
1. Saad El Moutawakel, 46 Chesapeake 18:24
2. Paul Pelletier, 47 Williamsburg 18:44
3. Barry Jones, 46 Seaford 22:15
Men 50-54
1. Terry McManus, 51 Williamsburg 19:28
2. Andrew D’Amico, 51 Newport News 20:57
3. Dwight Starks, 51 Virginia Beach 21:02
Men 55-59
1. Will Murray, 56 Williamsburg 19:25
2. Steve Long, 58 Williamsburg 23:26
3. Chris Abelt, 56 Williamsburg 24:51
Men 60-64
1. George Carrigan, 63 Williamsburg 21:22
2. Bruce Wilms, 62 Williamsburg 29:12
3. Robert Garcia, 62 Williamsburg 32:02
Men 65-and-over
1. William Sharer, 65 Williamsburg 23:44
2. Jay Harper, 65 Yorktown 24:10
3. Robert Wright, 71 Hampton 24:40
** John Essery, 76 Williamsburg 28:55
Men Walk
1. Tom Gerhardt, 61 Chesapeake 29:36
2. Bob Curtin, 59 Hampton 37:25
3. Joshua Reeves, 22 Forest, MS 42:02
Women 19-and-under
1. Shaquean Hampton, 19 Newport News 48:11
Women 20-24
1. Emily Honeycutt, 21 West Point 20:45
2. Megan VanGuilder, 24 Newport News 28:48
3. Lauren Harden, 21 Suffolk 37:26
Women 25-29
1. Lindsey Frasier, 27 Beaverton, OR 25:03
2. Kira Browder, 29 Newport News 26:13
3. Mehgan Flores, 28 Newport News 30:07
Women 30-34
1. LeAnn Splitter, 32 Norfolk 27:32
2. Jennifer Cummings, 32 Clarksville, TN 27:48
3. Sarah Wooley, 31 Newport News 28:53
Women 35-39
1. Nicole Carson, 38 Williamsburg 20:42
2. Susan Hagel, 39 Norfolk 21:54
3. Eriko El Moutawakel, 37 Chesapeake 23:14
Women 40-44
1. Leigh Gutches, 40 Williamsburg 24:08
2. Janet Hall, 42 Hampton 25:03
3. Rachel Morrow, 40 Newberg, OR 27:59
Women 45-49
1. Debbie McLaughlin, 46 Williamsburg 20:28
2. Connie Glueck, 48 Williamsburg 20:58
3. Marilyn Johnson, 48 Lithonia, GA 32:20
Women 50-54
**1. Mercedes Castillo-D’Amico, 54 Newport News 20:03
2. Sheri Mann, 50 Yorktown 23:16
3. Norma Phillips, 51 Williamsburg 25:39
Women 55-59
1. Harriet McCoy, 57 Toano 25:23
2. Katherine Kules, 55 Williamsburg 34:47
Women 60-64
**1. Louise Sharer, 60 Williamsburg 25:19
2. Shari Lunsford, 61 Gainesville, GA 26:54
3. Brenda Mitchell, 62 Williamsburg 27:49
Women 65-and-over
**1. Joan Coven, 71 West Point 25:56
2. Ann Hirn, 67 Portsmouth 26:34
3. Judy Stewart, 73 Williamsburg 31:34
**Ann Manciagli, 76 Williamsburg 35:39
** Pat Eden, 81 Williamsburg 45:55
Women Walk
1. Nancy Kravitz, 58 Williamsburg 38:22
2. Sylvia Garcia, 60 Williamsburg 39:29
3. Cindy Garrett, 40 Newport News 43:43
Hare and Tortoise Recap
By Rick Platt
That Williamsburg’s Jennifer Quarles, 40, won Saturday’s fourth annual The Hare and Tortoise New Quarter Park 8K Run was no surprise. Six-time Colonial Road Runners Grand Prix champion Quarles (5 wins), defending Grand Prix champion Karen Terry (5 wins) and two-time Olympic Trials Marathon qualifier Renee High (2 wins) have dominated the CRR Grand Prix this year for the women, with all the wins through 12 races in the 18-event series. What was surprising Saturday was the second-place finish by Emily Honeycutt, 21, of West Point, a William and Mary senior, who beat age-group superstar Mercedes Castillo-D’Amico, 54, of Newport News for the first time in an exciting finish.
Quarles won in 33:04 for the 4.97-mile course that started and finished at the New Quarter Park Pavilion, went out the park entrance road, included a loop of Copse Way within the adjacent Queens Lake neighborhood, then concluded with an out-and-back section on a scenic gravel-and-dirt fire trail through the woods. After trailing for most of the race, Honeycutt caught Castillo in sight of the finish line, to take second, 34:22 to 34:25.
For the men, for the second consecutive CRR race, Greg Dawson, 47, and Steve Chantry, 57, both of Williamsburg, swept the top two places. At the York River State Park 5K on August 25, Dawson beat Chantry by 17 seconds. At the Hare and Tortoise Run in the York County section of Williamsburg, Dawson won by 14 seconds, 29:41 to 29:55. Daniel Shaye made it a 1-2-3 Williamsburg sweep with his third-place, pulling away from Henry Gleisberg, 55, of Yorktown, in the final half mile, 31:00 to 31:07. Both Dawson (45-49) and Chantry (55-59) broke race age group records.
Seven women broke age group records--Melissa Graham (women 30-34, 39:49), Quarles (40-44), Connie Glueck (45-49, 35:05), Castillo-D'Amico (50-54), Joan Coven (70-74, 44:51), Ann Manciagli (75-79, 1:02:51) and Pat Eden (80-and-over, 1:17:58).
There were 166 finishers in the 8K run/walk. The race is also known as the Karene O'Hare Ovarian Cancer Memorial Run, and is race directed by her husband, John O'Hare (hence the race name Hare and Tortoise), in partnership with the Williamsburg Community Foundation. Temperatures were in the upper 70s, with excessive humidity, but somewhat overcast skies.
Honeycutt is a W&M senior, majoring in math, and already accepted for 2013 into the W&M School of Education, while pursuing her Masters degree, with the goal of becoming a high school math teacher. She graduated in 2009 from New Kent High, where she ran cross country and track all four years, while coached by Williamsburg’s Jamie Peterson (now Brayton). Honeycutt had a 5K cross country PR of 21:46, ran a 6:18 for 1,600 meters her sophomore year, then specialized in the 3,200 meters her final two years, with a best of 13:38. In cross country she was first or second on the team her junior and senior years.
On the roads, in occasional CRR races, she was in the low 22’s for 5Ks while at New Kent, and in the high 21’s her first two years at W&M. It’s been only in the past year, starting with last October’s Breast Health 10K (timed in 46:05) that Honeycutt has started making breakthrough performances from her modest high school times. She improved to 43:15 at this spring’s Monument Avenue 10K in Richmond, then several weeks later set another PR at the Run the DOG Street 5K (20:31), culminating in May with a ninth-place finish in the Run for the Dream Half Marathon (1:38:46, another PR). The reason for her fast times in 2012 is simple—greatly increased weekly mileage, building from the 35 miles per week she ran at New Kent, to the current 55-70 mpw, settling at 60. While not running or studying, Honeycutt has worked at the New Balance Factory Outlet store for the past 2 ¼ years. Her goal this fall is to break the 20-minute barrier at November’s Governor’s Land 5K, the RRCA Virginia State Championship 5K.
In an out-of-town race this past Sunday, Williamsburg’s John Piggott ran another exceptionally fast time at the Hidden Treasure Half Marathon in Salisbury, MD. Last year he had a 2011 best of 1:14:11 to place second overall, about a minute behind the winner. This year he beat the defending champion by three minutes to win over a field of about 300 runners over the certified course, with a 2012 best time of 1:14:24. Piggott led from the start with a consistent 5:30 pace, went through five miles in a fast 27:28 and ten miles in 55:53. Another Williamsburg runner, Chris Robertson, was ninth overall in 1:34:09.
That Williamsburg’s Jennifer Quarles, 40, won Saturday’s fourth annual The Hare and Tortoise New Quarter Park 8K Run was no surprise. Six-time Colonial Road Runners Grand Prix champion Quarles (5 wins), defending Grand Prix champion Karen Terry (5 wins) and two-time Olympic Trials Marathon qualifier Renee High (2 wins) have dominated the CRR Grand Prix this year for the women, with all the wins through 12 races in the 18-event series. What was surprising Saturday was the second-place finish by Emily Honeycutt, 21, of West Point, a William and Mary senior, who beat age-group superstar Mercedes Castillo-D’Amico, 54, of Newport News for the first time in an exciting finish.
Quarles won in 33:04 for the 4.97-mile course that started and finished at the New Quarter Park Pavilion, went out the park entrance road, included a loop of Copse Way within the adjacent Queens Lake neighborhood, then concluded with an out-and-back section on a scenic gravel-and-dirt fire trail through the woods. After trailing for most of the race, Honeycutt caught Castillo in sight of the finish line, to take second, 34:22 to 34:25.
For the men, for the second consecutive CRR race, Greg Dawson, 47, and Steve Chantry, 57, both of Williamsburg, swept the top two places. At the York River State Park 5K on August 25, Dawson beat Chantry by 17 seconds. At the Hare and Tortoise Run in the York County section of Williamsburg, Dawson won by 14 seconds, 29:41 to 29:55. Daniel Shaye made it a 1-2-3 Williamsburg sweep with his third-place, pulling away from Henry Gleisberg, 55, of Yorktown, in the final half mile, 31:00 to 31:07. Both Dawson (45-49) and Chantry (55-59) broke race age group records.
Seven women broke age group records--Melissa Graham (women 30-34, 39:49), Quarles (40-44), Connie Glueck (45-49, 35:05), Castillo-D'Amico (50-54), Joan Coven (70-74, 44:51), Ann Manciagli (75-79, 1:02:51) and Pat Eden (80-and-over, 1:17:58).
There were 166 finishers in the 8K run/walk. The race is also known as the Karene O'Hare Ovarian Cancer Memorial Run, and is race directed by her husband, John O'Hare (hence the race name Hare and Tortoise), in partnership with the Williamsburg Community Foundation. Temperatures were in the upper 70s, with excessive humidity, but somewhat overcast skies.
Honeycutt is a W&M senior, majoring in math, and already accepted for 2013 into the W&M School of Education, while pursuing her Masters degree, with the goal of becoming a high school math teacher. She graduated in 2009 from New Kent High, where she ran cross country and track all four years, while coached by Williamsburg’s Jamie Peterson (now Brayton). Honeycutt had a 5K cross country PR of 21:46, ran a 6:18 for 1,600 meters her sophomore year, then specialized in the 3,200 meters her final two years, with a best of 13:38. In cross country she was first or second on the team her junior and senior years.
On the roads, in occasional CRR races, she was in the low 22’s for 5Ks while at New Kent, and in the high 21’s her first two years at W&M. It’s been only in the past year, starting with last October’s Breast Health 10K (timed in 46:05) that Honeycutt has started making breakthrough performances from her modest high school times. She improved to 43:15 at this spring’s Monument Avenue 10K in Richmond, then several weeks later set another PR at the Run the DOG Street 5K (20:31), culminating in May with a ninth-place finish in the Run for the Dream Half Marathon (1:38:46, another PR). The reason for her fast times in 2012 is simple—greatly increased weekly mileage, building from the 35 miles per week she ran at New Kent, to the current 55-70 mpw, settling at 60. While not running or studying, Honeycutt has worked at the New Balance Factory Outlet store for the past 2 ¼ years. Her goal this fall is to break the 20-minute barrier at November’s Governor’s Land 5K, the RRCA Virginia State Championship 5K.
In an out-of-town race this past Sunday, Williamsburg’s John Piggott ran another exceptionally fast time at the Hidden Treasure Half Marathon in Salisbury, MD. Last year he had a 2011 best of 1:14:11 to place second overall, about a minute behind the winner. This year he beat the defending champion by three minutes to win over a field of about 300 runners over the certified course, with a 2012 best time of 1:14:24. Piggott led from the start with a consistent 5:30 pace, went through five miles in a fast 27:28 and ten miles in 55:53. Another Williamsburg runner, Chris Robertson, was ninth overall in 1:34:09.
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