Results - 5K
Damien's Run For Recovery 5K
Because it offers cash prizes and a bonus of $500 for setting a course record, the Damien's 5k always draws a few very fast runners. This year was no different. On the men's side, Ethiopian native Tefera Demesse (13:45 5k PR and New York Road Runner of the Year in 2006-2007) squared off against Kenyan native Daniel Too (past winner of the bonus prize who recently ran a 14:44 at the Bel Air 5k) and two-time All-American from Carnegie-Mellon Brian Harvey (24:43 for 8k cross country). Demesse and Too opened the race with a furious sprint that "gapped" Harvey by 20 seconds at the mile mark. "The poor guy [Harvey] was running all by himself," reported Dave Berardi, who viewed the battle from far, far behind the leaders. Demesee continued pounding the pace, drew away from Too in the second half of the race, and finished in 14:32, which is the fastest 5k ever run in Howard County. And maybe Baltimore, but we're not sure.
The women's race involved Ethiopian native Hirut Mandefro (Washington Running Report's top-ranked woman with a recent 16:47 5k), All-American Esther Erb (winner of the 10,000-meter run, 35:45, at the 2008 NCAA Division III Track and Field Championships), and local favorite Stef Cummins (Howard County Strider women's racing team). Mandefro seized the early lead, outrunning her two pacer "rabbit" runners, crushing her two female rivals, and finishing fourth overall. She was so anxious to claim the bonus that she pushed Pekka Stenhom (fifth overall) to run a little faster and pull her to the 16:41 that the bonus required. "I should have asked for a share of the prize money," Pekka joked. Pekka as well as Hirut's legs proved four seconds too slow for the bonus - she finished in 16:45.
"What a race that was," said race director Ralph Massella. "I almost had to write two $500 checks!" The top three runners in each gender group received cash prizes, and the age group winners didn't. The race serves as a fund-raiser for Damien's Recovery Inc, which seeks to raise awareness of teen drug abuse and treatment. This year's race drew a field of 268, most of whom romped around the loop at Columbia Gateway well behind Mendefro and Demesse. After the race, everyone enjoyed a brunch of pizza, subs, watermelon, and genuine organic lemonade.
by Jim Carbary