Greasy-Gooney 10K

Browntown, VA, October 27, 2007

Race Report

While a third straight year of iffy race day weather kept "the Shenandoah Valley's most scenic road race" from being quite so scenic, a record crowd still turned up in tiny Browntown, Virginia on Saturday 27 October 2007 for the ninth running of the Greasy-Gooney 10K. Ninety-nine official finishers and three untimed walkers enjoyed comfortable temperatures in the upper 50°s as they made their way around the challenging Gooney Manor Loop. The course's sweeping views of the Blue Ridge may have been veiled by low clouds this year, but there was still plenty of yellow-tinged foliage and quiet rural scenery for the participants to enjoy.

Both of last year's overall winners were unable to participate, so the top spots were up for grabs this year. The women's race proved to be a tight battle between Greasy-Gooney newcomers and training partners Audrey Ting, 30, and Rebecca Nathan, 42, both of Arlington, Virginia. The pair stuck together during the early uphill stages of the race, but Nathan was able to open up a short gap on the steep climb to the halfway point. Ting reeled her back in on the downhill side, and the race came down to a final kick as the two reached Browntown. In the end, Nathan just managed to get the better of Ting, beating her to the finish by a couple steps in what was the closest finish in the race's history. Nathan also broke the event's open and Masters event records with her 42:03 performance. And Ting, a member of the DC area's Pacers/Brooks Racing Team, blew away the old women's 30-34 age group record with her 42:04 finish. 12-year-old Brittany Pollard, after having held the women's lead briefly at the outset of the race, hung on nicely to finish in 45:44, taking third overall for the second straight year.

On the men's side, the initial lead pack wound up being whittled down to three runners: Greasy-Gooney newcomers Andrew Turner and Mark Whalley, and veteran Karsten Brown. Both Turner and Whalley were coming fresh off of the fall high school cross-country season-- Turner, 16, as one of Warren County High School's top runners, and Whalley, 47, as the coach of the Fairfax High School squad. Running very smoothly, Turner moved out in front early in the third mile, with Whalley and Brown following close behind. The quick downhills beyond the halfway point enabled Turner to add a few more seconds to his lead, and Whalley in turn was able to put some breathing room between himself and Brown. From there, the three remained locked in position all the way to the finish. Turner took the victory in 36:50, a new event record for the 19 & under age group, and Whalley followed in 36:57 to set a new Masters record for the event (although this was not confirmed until after the race was over, as Whalley inexplicably declined to provide race officials with his age). Brown, the event's co-director, ended up in third place overall for the fourth year in a row with a 37:06 finish.

Also of note: Martinsburg's Mike Meadows, 50, ran an exceptional 39:09 to finish sixth overall, setting a new Greasy-Gooney record in the men's 50-54 age group. 62-year-old Mary Mayhew of Winchester dropped three minutes off of her 2006 time to break the women's 60-64 event record with a 58:45 performance. And although Dixie Engelhaupt may have been the race's final finisher, she also set a new age group record-- as she was the race's first-ever participant in the women's 70 & over division! (Dixie, 70, is clearly in good shape, as she was spotted walking her dog through Browntown later in the day.)

Co-race directors Karsten Brown and Terry Leckie were extremely grateful for the assistance of the event's many volunteers, including Kyra Brown, Nancy Bullock, Sam Kertzman, Lynne Lawrence, Glenn Luttrell, Alyssa Meadows, Doug & Ramona Morris, Brad Shroades, and Alexander Snyder. Additional help came from Tom Lacombe, proprietor of O.J. Rudacille's General Merchandise in Browntown. And thanks are owed to the Browntown Community Center and the Browntown Baptist Church for their hospitality.

Next year will be the Greasy-Gooney 10K's tenth anniversary, so we hope we'll see many of you in Browntown on Saturday 25 October 2008! (Bring gifts of tin!)

(A lengthier and more photo-laden version of this race report can be found on the Greasy-Gooney 10K Web site!)