Russians Invade Rockville

Sponsors

Russians Invade Rockville
By Randy Mayes

Armed with jog bras and singlets, a group of Russian runners is in a position to dominate the international masters rankings. The Kenyans may dominate the open divisions in most national road races, similarly, Russian runners are dominating the masters divisions, especially in the marathon. With Konstantin Selinevich, an international agent, and Andrey Kuznetsov, the top ranked masters runner in the world in 1998, settling in the area in the last year, a Rockville, MD based compound is a temporary home for dozens of elite Russian runners.

After noticing several elite Russian runners with Rockville addresses at the USO Defenders Ten Miler, I made arrangements with their agent to learn more about their training and their local presence. I joined Sergey Shalomeyev, the 1997 winner of the GW Parkway 15K in Alexandria, and Andrey for a Wednesday afternoon run through the canopied trails near the Montgomery College Campus, several blocks from their home. Training for the Grandma’s Marathon scheduled for the following Saturday, they had run twenty-two miles on Monday, sixteen miles on Tuesday, and ten miles that morning, minimizing the consumption of carbohydrates and sugar. Their diet included grilled chicken and fish, pecans, and cheese for several days.

Routinely logging one hundred and thirty mile weeks, their bodies were weak and trembling as they were to begin a two-day feeding frenzy. After the easy nine kilometer run, Andrey, who is sponsored by Royal Body Care of Dallas, Texas, opened the kitchen cabinets revealing dozens of containers of health products. After combining soy milk, aloe vera juice, antioxidants, protein, spirulina, phytochemicals, ATP, and immune system stimulants in a blender, we stretched for at least twenty minutes. The high mileage weeks without a day off for muscles recovery requires special attention to make sure leg muscles do not become too tight.

In addition to lots of stretching, twice weekly trips to the jacuzzi and sauna help with recovery and provide relaxation. While Igor’ Kuharev, a 5K and 10K competitor, prepared a pasta dinner, the kitchen counter was covered with sweets which we consumed for hours along with numerous pots of strong tea with lots of sugar. It didn’t take long to realize that Andrey was not just another runner in the group. With his sense of humor, great personality, and knowledge, he has assumed the leadership role in the Russian running community.

Reading through the Road Race Management Guide to Elite Athletes, I noticed that, with few exceptions, all the Russian runners are in their late thirties and forties and predominately marathoners. Unlike the Kenyan runners who are taught English, since Kenya is a former British colony, the Russian runners rarely speak English. Andrey explains that, similar to the Kenyan runners, most of the more competitive runners in Russia are from rural areas where life is very hard.

After high school in Russia two years of military service are mandatory for men. Usually after serving, out of economic necessity everyone takes a job. For those who go directly into competitive running, European track is the usual next step. U.S. visas are more difficult to obtain and the support system for Russian runners has been less organized in America. As the runners become established on the track, make connections, and earn money, they step up to the marathon where they can win money in the open and masters categories in American races. There is no longer a national training center or stipends for track athletes. Russian automobile and oil companies sponsor several road races where athletes can win prize money.

Several days before the Parkersburg Half-Marathon I was invited to a Russian celebration and met other members of the Russian community. Professional hockey players with the Washington Capitals and gymnastics instructors have also moved to the area. The celebration was related somehow to apple spices, though no one was sure how. But, everyone agreed that it was a time to enjoy themselves. The traditions require the women to cook many dishes and Russian apple pie, and include singing. Everyone had to drink vodka; the beer and wine were optional.

Besides being great cooks and entertainers, the hosts, Nadya Guselschikova and Marina Belyaeva, have been impressive on the roads. Marina, the 1995 Russian half-marathon champion, was the first master at Grandma’s Marathon (2:38:17), People’s Beach to Beacon 10K (33:37), Crim Ten Miler (57:43), and the Philadelphia Half-Marathon (1:14:18).

Nadya was second overall at the George Sheehan 8K (27:00), Virginia Ten-Miler (58:03), and the Defenders Ten Miler (57:06).

Leonid Shvetsov, who holds the Russian national record for the marathon (2:09:16), recently purchased a home in Albuquerque, NM, but frequently spends time here. He holds the course record for the GW Parkway 15K. Olga Markova, the 1992 and 1993 Boston Marathon champion, Alla Zhilyayeva (54:08 Cherry Blossom Ten-Miler and 1996 Olympic Marathoner), Ludmila Petrova (1996 Olympics-10,000 meters and Russian 15K record holder-48:31), and Firaya Sultanova, winner of the Cleveland Marathon, also may be seen running through the streets of Rockville or along Rock Creek.

# # #