Runners started at 8:05 ran 25 yards and took a right rather than a left turn, which pretty much summed up the rest of the race. Most runners agreed that they went off course at least once and sometimes as many as four times. Total mileage ranged anywhere from 31 miles to 36 miles.
To add insult to injury the turn around point had the runners crossing a stream by either hopping from rock to rock or wading through knee to waist high water. Once on the other side the runners had their numbers punched with an orienteering punch then turned around, crossed the stream, and faced a slippery climb up a hill that took any where from 25 to 45 minutes. To the delight of race management the stream crossing was extremely entertaining but sad to say there was only one full body immersion.
The race was a duel right down to the last few seconds. "Virginia Happy Trails Running Club president for life", Joe Clapper took first place who, in true gentleman fashion, offered to run in with second place finisher Debbie "speed" Berner. Debbie not knowing that she was in second place declined only to realize after crossing the finish line that she had a chance of winning said she wouldn't have let Joe off so easy. Third place finisher was USATF good guy Dan Brannen who, even with an injury and arriving only moments before the start, ran a very strong race.
1 | Clapper | Joe | M | 40 | 6:00:00 | Vienna | VA |
2 | Berner | Debbie | F | 32 | 6:00:23 | Mohnton | PA |
3 | Brannen | Dan | M | 45 | 6:00:42 | Morristown | NJ |
4 | Weitzel | John | M | 47 | 6:41:05 | Reading | PA |
5 | Smith | Harry | M | 50 | 6:49:43 | Manheim | PA |
6 | Welch | Anthony | M | 34 | 6:55:42 | Frederick | MD |
7 | Padden | Andresa | F | 35 | 6:56:02 | Arlington | VA |
8 | LaDieu | Bill | M | 49 | 6:56:25 | Harrisburg | PA |
9 | Keegan | Andy | M | 42 | 7:03:42 | Birdsboro | PA |
10 | Coleman | Henry | M | 42 | 7:15:10 | Lorton | VA |
11 | Stritehoff | Nelson | M | 47 | 7:17:40 | Columbia | MD |
12 | Bruner | Gary | M | 46 | 7:17:57 | Chambersburg | PA |
13 | Malone | Sue | F | 41 | 7:24:40 | Mercersburg | PA |
14 | Meyer | Albert | M | 53 | 7:29:43 | New Milford | CT |
15 | Fugate | Dennis | M | 47 | 7:30:30 | Ellicott City | MD |
16 | Bright | Mike | M | 48 | 7:37:46 | Gambrills | MD |
17 | Christie | Jeanne | F | 41 | 7:45:27 | Washington | DC |
18 | Belleman | Melissa | F | 30 | 7:45:27 | Springfield | VA |
19 | Allison | Roger | M | 58 | 7:49:10 | Kearneysville | WV |
20 | McLane | Roy | M | 43 | 7:49:25 | Monrovia | MD |
21 | Encarnacion | Paul | M | 38 | 7:49:25 | Gaithersburg | MD |
22 | Wandel | Bill | M | 55 | 7:49:50 | Severn | MD |
23 | Dehof | Larry | M | 49 | 7:55:36 | Clinton | MD |
24 | Tuthill | Chip | M | 46 | 7:56:00 | E. Haven | CT |
25 | Piper | Bill | M | 53 | 7:58:04 | Lehighton | PA |
26 | Knipling | Gary | M | 55 | 7:59:35 | Mason Neck | VA |
27 | Davidson | Anstr | M | 53 | 7:59:35 | Arlington | VA |
28 | VanAntwerp | Bill | M | 53 | 8:03:55 | Herndon | VA |
29 | Hamilton | Rick | M | 49 | 8:04:30 | Boonsboro | MD |
30 | Hamilton | Jamie | M | 22 | 8:04:30 | Boonsboro | MD |
31 | Quecan | Mel | M | 59 | 8:05:15 | Columbia | MD |
32 | Smith | Nowell | M | 50 | 8:06:59 | York | PA |
33 | Reed | Jeff | M | 39 | 8:10:42 | Arlington | VA |
34 | Anderson | Phil | M | 53 | 8:37:10 | Bel Air | MD |
35 | Gulliver | Art | M | 60 | 8:39:00 | Leominster | MA |
36 | Grayson | Dan | M | 50 | 8:50:35 | Stafford | VA |
37 | Schlundt | Margret | F | 46 | 8:50:35 | Millersville | MD |
38 | Gernand | Carolyn | F | 50 | 9:26:00 | Alexandria | VA |
39 | Duobinis | Stanley | M | 48 | 9:26:00 | Millersville | MD |