Metro Run and Walk 5K

RUNNERS SET......GO.... THE METRO RUN & WALK 5K FOR WOMEN
By George Banker

Falls Church Va. , May 11, 2001 - On Sunday, May 13, 2001, Mother's Day,
female runners of all ages and abilities will rule the roads in Tyson's
Corner, Virginia, along International Drive. The Metro Run & Walk 5K
(formerly the Fleet Festival) now in it's second year has gained
acceptance within the community. The dual event will allow the women to take racing
to a new level. The unique event for the Washington area has the elite race
starting at 8:00 a.m. The three-loop course makes it ideal for spectators.
Each runner is capable of running under 19 minutes. Last year Firaya
Sultanova-Zhdanova of Russia set the race record at 16:43. The day before,
Sultanova-Zhdanova had won the Old Kent River Bank Run 12K in 1:27:45.
Will the record fall as the runners will be competing for the $2,500 in prize
money in the elite race? This will truly be a race where the first person
across the finish line will be a woman.

The open race is guaranteed to be exciting, the road will not have a
chance to cool down. The second race will start at 8:30 a.m., over the same
course. It will be a day where each person who crosses the finish line
will be a winner. The grandmothers, mothers and daughters will all celebrate
women's running as they share stories and laughter all the while being
competitive and staying fit.

"It was exciting, an all new experience. I'm 75, I'm not old, I've just
been here longer. I'm ready for my next one. I'm not doing this for
brownie points, it's for my health", said Regina Kellams of McLean, Va., after
completing the event last year in 48:32.

The field will include the following:

BIB# -Hilary Cairns, 30, Washington, DC (Team Pacers). 6th (59:28) George
Washington Parkway Classic 15K (4/01). 2nd (18:36) Clarendon Gold's Gym
Run For The Kids 5K (3/01). 2nd (36:58) St. Patrick's Day 5K (3/01). 2nd
(38:15) MCRRC Piece of Cake 10K (3/01). 2nd (38:42) Jingle Bell Run For
Arthritis 10K (12/00). 1st (39:47) Run For The Heart 10K (6/00). 1st
(23:00:21) Marathon In The Parks (11/00) 1st (37:47) Capitol Hill Classic
10K (5/00).

BIB# -Amanda Gilliam, 28, Baltimore, Md. 1st 25-29 (5:03:08) St. Croix
International Half Ironman (5/01), 1.2 mile swim-34:08, 56 mile
bike-2:53:25, half-marathon 1:35:35. 1st (17:12) O'Doul's 5K (3/01). 1st
(18:23) Jingle Bell Run-Baltimore (12/00). 2000 Ironman World
Championships 11:35:47 (S-1:10:58, B-112mi 6:01:58, R- Marathon 4:18:07). 3rd (30:25)
Sisson Brew To Brew 5 Miler (11/00). 2nd (18:24) Towson YMCA Turkey Trot
5K (11/00) 2nd (2:08:52) 21st Columbia Triathlon (5/00), 1 mile swim 23:02,
Bike 23.5 miles 1:02:28, 10K run 40:30. 2nd (3:07:47) Northern Central
Marathon (11/99). 4th (37:14) Avon Running Baltimore (6/99).

BIB# -Alisa Harvey, 35, Manassas, Va. 1986 NCAA Champion (University of
Tennessee), 1991 Pan American Games gold medalist 1500 meters. Prs 4:08.33
(1500m) 4:29.65 (1 Mile).

1st (17:54) Cassidy & Pinkard Brain Tumor 5K Run (4/01). 1st (17:54) DC
Rape Crisis Center Challenge 5K (4/01). 14th (59:03) Nortel Networks
Cherry Blossom 10 Miler (4/01). 1st (36:31) St. Patrick's Day 10K (3/01), 2nd
(35:11) Nasdaq Veterans Day 10K (11/00). 1st (27:52) DCRRC Alexandria
Turkey Trot 5 Miler (11/00). 3rd (17:14) Fleet Feet Festival (5/00). 2nd
(2:49:26) Crestar Richmond Marathon (11/99), first race above 10 miles.
2nd (34:52) Georgetown 10K (10/00). Two-time winner (35:44-6/98, 36:06-6/99),
Avon Baltimore Running 10K, 5th (37:15) Avon Running Baltimore (9/00). 1st
(4:41.3) Fifth Avenue Mile (9/99)Two-time winner Army Ten Miler
(1998-58:56, 1999-57:47), 2nd (56:47) Army Ten Miler (10/00).

BIB# Naoko Ishibe, age 32, Silver Spring, Md. 2nd (34:33) Pike's Peek 10K
(4/01). 12th (57:15) Nortel Networks Cherry Blossom 10 Miler (4/01). 1st
(36:22) George Washington Birthday Classic 10K (2/01). 1st (56:40 PR) Army
10 Miler (10/00), the second fastest winning time. Set personal best in
1500 meters (4:37.75) to 10K (34:12.91 at the Stanford Invitational on
March 25, 2000). 2nd (35:45) Avon Running Baltimore 10K (9/00). 1st
(9:50.19) PVA Games 3000 Meters new meet record (9/00). 1st (17:05)
Lawyers Have Heart 5K (6/00). 1st (16:52) Run For The Arts 5K (5/00). 7th (35:30)
Sallie Mae 10K (4/00). 1st (36:44) St. Patrick's Day 10K (3/00). Two-time
winner, Alexandria Turkey Trot (28:11, new record, Nov. '99, Alexandria,
Va.). 1st (17:16) The Kentlands 5K (9/99). 1st (35:46) Nasdaq Veterans Day
10K (11/99). 14th (2:43:38) LaSalles Bank Chicago Marathon (10/97). 71st
1996 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials. 1st place Cape Cod Marathon 1995.

BIB Olga Kovpotina, 29, Russia (Rockville, Md.). 6th (33:22) Crescent City
Classic 10K (04/01). 2nd (26:34) Ntelos 8K (11/00). 1st (34:31) Georgetown
10K (10/00). 1st (35:18) RRCA Alltel Capital City 10K (10/00). 3rd
(2:33:32) Twin Cities Marathon (10/00). 1st (15:56) Franklin Square 5K
(10/00). 2nd (55:25) Virginia 10 Miler (9/00).

BIB# -Tatyana Maslova, 34, Russia (Florida). 3rd (2:37:40) UPMC Health
System Pittsburgh Marathon (5/01). 1st 30-34 (34:12) Cooper River Bridge
Run 10(3/01). 9th (34:02) Azalea Trail Run 10K (3/01). 3rd (1:15:59)
Naples Daily News Half Marathon (1/01).

BIB # Alice Muriithi, 26, Kenya (West Chest, Pa.). 8th (55:22) Nortel
Networks Cherry Blossom 10 Miler (4/01). 1st (1:14:30) Outback Classic
Half Marathon (12/00).

1st (1:17:26) Mt. Washington Road Race (6/00).

BIB# - Anna Pichrtova, 27, Slovakia, Czech Republic (Waynesboro, Va.). 2nd
(55:54) USO Microsoft Defenders 10 Miler (5/01). 2nd (34:24) Sallie Mae
10K (4/01). 1st (17:06) Bolder Dash 5K (4/01). 1st (34:57) Ukrop Monument
Avenue 10K(3/01). 1st 25-29 (27:45) Shamrock Sportsfest 8K (3/01). 2nd
(1:18:14) Anheuser Busch Colonial Half Marathon (2/01). 1st (17:06)
Sweetheart 8 Miler (2/01). Czech Champion in Mountain Running 2000. 8th
(35:26) Azalea Trail Run 10K (3/00).

BIB# -Sharon Servidio, 27, Arlington, Va., (Team Pacers). 5th (58:22)
George Washington Parkway Classic 15K (4/01). 6th 25-29 (1:02:07) Nortel
Cherry Blossom 10 Miler (4/01). 5th (58:22) George Washington Parkway
Classic 15K (4/01). 3rd (37:06) St. Patrick's Day 10K (3/01). 3rd (38:47)
Jingle Bell Run For Arthritis 10K (12/00). 1st (55:22) George Washington
Parkway Classic 15K (4/99).

BIB # Silvia Skvortsova, 28, Russia (Rockville, Md). 3rd (39:32) Lilac
Bloomsday Run 12K (5/01). 1st (55:01) George Washington Parkway Classic
15K (4/01). 6th (33:22) Crescent City Classic 10K (4/01). 2nd (2:38:52)
California International Marathon (12/00).

BIB# Jennifer Stearns, 32, Stafford, Va. 31st (1:04:17) Nortel Networks
Cherry Blossom 10 Miler (4/01). 2nd ( 38:39) Run vs Row 10K (3/01). 2nd
(18:19) Potter Home's Turkey Trot 5K (11/00). 1st (18:51) FARC Lu's 5K
(10/00). 2nd 30-34 (38:57-7th) Georgetown 10K (10/00) 1st (36:49)
Georgetown 10K (10/98). 1st (36:17) Georgetown 10K (10/97). Two-time
winner George Washington Parkway Classic 5K (18:57- 4/01, 18:26- 4/00).

The records: Elite - Firaya Sultanova-Zhdanova (16:43), Master - Marina
Belyaeva (17:06)

Open: Monika Bracken (19:51), Master - Betty Blank (20:13)

CASH PRIZES ELITE RACE- TOTAL PURSE $2,500

1.         $1,000.00
2.         $ 600.00
3.         $ 400.00
4.         $ 300.00
5.         $ 200.00

Merchandise awards will be presented to the top five finishers in the open
5K and to the top three in the age groups.

A $5,000 donation to be made to Special Love, a non-profit organization
that provides cancer families a network of support, made up of other
patients and families who know and understand the trials and triumphs of
the cancer experiences. For additional information visit their website at
http://www.speciallove.com.

Race registration is $20. For applications and information, call
301-371-0400 or visit the race site www.metrorunwalk.com. In person
registration at the following locations through May 12, 2001:

          7516 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, Va., 703-790-FEET
          1776 East Jefferson, St., Rockville, Md. 301-984-2900
          6119 Backlick Road, Springfield, Va. 703-913-0313

The Metro Run & Walk 5K for Women is held in association with Nike, Tysons
Galleria, Commonealth Orthopaedics & Rehabilitation, Freddie Mac and
Alexandria de Paris.

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