Each year, the Club acknowledges the achievement of its members at the spring awards banquet.
Runners of the Year: this award is given to club members who have demonstrated exceptional race performances during the year preceding nomination. This award is given to one male and one female runner in the non-masters, masters, and grand masters age categories.
In addition to demonstrated racing excellence, nominees must have offered significant contributions to DC Road Runners by providing substantial volunteer support for the club’s activities.
Nominees must be active club members at the time of nomination.
Most Improved:this award recognizes club members who have made significant progress and improvement in their running and in their efforts to reach their training goals. The spirit of this award is to recognize members who have made discernible improvements in their running regardless of speed, finish time, or training goal thresholds.
Nominees must be active club members at the time of nomination.
Volunteer of the Year:this award formally recognizes club members who have made substantial volunteer contributions to the club’s activities during the year preceding nomination.
Nominees may have volunteered in one part of the club’s operations with consistency, or they may have volunteered in several different areas over the course of the nomination period.
Nominees must be active club members at the time of nomination.
Coach of the Year:this award is given to club members who have taken an active coaching role in the club’s training programs, making significant contributions to trainee success through group and individualized coaching.
Nominees must be active club members and must have attained Road Runners Club of America Coaching Certification--and have formally coached for the club, after certification, at the time of their nomination.
Runners of the Year
| * | Outstanding Runner | Master | Grand Master | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male | Female |
| 1978 | Bruce Robinson | * | * | * | * | * |
| 1979 | Herb Chisholm | Mary Ellen Williams | * | * | * | * |
| 1980 | Bob Stack | Mary Walsh | * | * | * | * |
| 1981 | Jim Berka | Laura DeWald | * | * | * | * |
| 1982 | Robert Rodriguez | Laura DeWald | * | * | * | * |
| 1983 | George Vernosky | * | * | * | * | * |
| 1984 | Eamonn McEvilly | Stephanie Shipp | * | * | * | * |
| 1985 | Bill Osburn | Kathy Hibbert | * | * | * | * |
| 1989 | John McGrail | Benadette Creed | Bernie Gallagher | Mary Ann Zuckerman | ** | * |
| 1990 | Jack Cleland | Cathy Ventura-Merkel | Bill March | Charlotte Edwards | * | * |
| 1991 | Ted Poulos | Cathy Ventura-Merkel | Ben Beach | Cindy Dalrymple | * | * |
| 1992 | Ric Banning | Bernadette Flynn | Ben Beach | Chris Stockdale | * | * |
| 1993 | Michael Regan | Sonoria Clarke | Larry Dickerson | Claudia Ciavarella | * | * |
| 1994 | Ron Kulik | Bonnie Barnard-Lopez | Gerald Ives | Betty Blank | * | * |
| 1995 | Arno Sist | Fiona Branton | * | * | * | * |
| 1996 | Mark Hoon | Fiona Branton | David Webster | Cathy Ventura-Merkel | * | * |
| 1997 | Edmund Burke | * | Jay Wind | Gardenia Pittman | * | * |
| 1998 | Eron Ferreira | Clara Poffenberger | Paul Ryan | Debbie Margraff | * | * |
| 1999 | Mike Powell | Candice Miller | Pat Griffith | Tammy Graf | * | * |
| 2000 | Eric Zander | Susan Maher | Ken Shipp | Sandra Adams | * | * |
| 2001 | Joe Racine | Bridget Niland-Gwitt | John Haubert | Beth McCann | * | * |
| 2002 | Michael Wardian | Hilary Cairns | Chan Robbins | Stephanie Shipp | * | * |
| 2003 | Glen Mays | Laura Freix | Tom Cook | Win Persina | * | * |
| 2004 | Kevin Grasmick | Yuko Takakusaki | Mike Hart | Priscila Prunella | * | * |
| 2005 | Hugh Owen | Christine Eckstaedt | Chris Sabatini | Naomi Stanford | * | * |
| 2006 | Robert C. Wolfe | Toni Marie Diegoli | Kevin D'Amanda | Kitty Phillips | * | * |
| 2007 | Ben Danforth | Karen Dickerson | Steve Peterson | Janet Braunstein | * | * |
| 2008 | Matt Rodjom | Kristin Dahling | Ian Clements | Win Persina | * | * |
| 2009 | Richard Rapine | Toni Marie Diegoli | Matt Anderson | Leslie Stanfield | * | * |
| 2010 | Adam Rubinstein | Robin Martz | Jason Page | Elizabeth Humphrey | * | * |
| 2011 | Edi Turco | Audrey Perlow | Jim Noone | Janet Braunstein | * | * |
| 2012 | Matt Deters | Robyn Bernardy | Rob Wolfe | Tami Graf | * | * |
| 2013 | Dylan Barlett | Claire Hallisey | Matt Anderson | Christine Westcott | * | * |
| 2014 | Joe Kane | Melinda Metz | Antonio Eppolito | Rebecca Nathan | * | * |
| 2015 | Jeremy Lynch | Toni Marie Diegoli | Dixon Hemphill | Yuko Takakusaki | * | * |
| 2016 | Tom Bean | Rochelle Basil | Sean Hicks | Ida Draim | * | * |
| 2017 | Desta Beriso Morkama | Christie Wetzel | Kevin D'Amanda | Christine Westcott | * | * |
| 2018 | Bobby Beasley | Anna Suhring | Paul Ryan | Christine Westcott | * | * |
| 2019 | Bobby Beasley | Liz Ozeki | Shawn Zeller | Christine Westcott | Bob Draim | Ida Draim |
| 2020 | See below | See below | See below | See below | See below | See below |
| 2021 | John Stilling | Christie Wetzel | Alan Dixon | Eunja Rau | Paul Ryan | Deborah Margraff |
| 2022 | Greg Piepmeier | Sara Putterman | Alan Dixon | Shannon Smith | * | Ida Draim |
| 2023 | Steve Klug | Anna Staats | Sean Hicks | Tatyana Steis | Bob Draim | Cynthia Hutchings |
Most Improved Runners
| Year | Most Improved Male | Most Improved Female |
|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Herb Chisholm | * |
| 1979 | Tom Skelly | Hannah Rowe |
| 1980 | J.J. Wind | * |
| 1982 | Fred Kruger | Betty Blank |
| 1984 | Doug Bulcao | Janice Stoodley |
| 1985 | George Banker | Barbara Frech |
| 1989 | Bernie Gallagher | Donna Elliot |
| 1990 | Ted Poulos | Christine Fox |
| 1991 | Robert Platt | Julie Peet |
| 1992 | Gerald Ives | * |
| 1993 | Jack Barrar | Laura Scofea |
| 1995 | Paul Peterson | Win Rincon |
| 1996 | Dante Ciolfi | Liz Scanlon |
| 1997 | Tekli Semere | Beth Miller |
| 1998 | Eric Miller | Susanne Nearman |
| 1999 | Warren Kohm | Beth McCann |
| 2000 | David Uy | Christina Caravoulias |
| 2001 | Tom Stone | Julie Gaydos |
| 2002 | Stephen Easley | Maria Kozloski |
| 2003 | Loren Denton | Melissa Edeburn |
| 2004 | Peter Blank | Toni Marie Diegoli |
| 2005 | Karsten Brown | Gwen Bevis |
| 2006 | Kenneth Ames | Dara Schulman |
| 2007 | Bob Selin-Williams | Estelle Carpenter |
| 2008 | Steve McCollum | Mary Ellen Seale |
| 2009 | Carl Ford | Caitlin Kinkead |
| 2010 | Alex Albertini | Ann Abbott |
| 2011 | Mark Walchinsky | Simonetta Nussio |
| 2012 | Moses Gamez | Lindsey Paola |
| 2013 | Alex Alertini | Cecile Amos |
| 2014 | Michael Pryce-Jones | Anne Marie Carson |
| 2015 | Kirk Gordon | CaSandra DeGrauwe Williamson |
| 2016 | Lokesh Meena | Gretchen Lynch |
| 2017 | Rodrigo Vellón | Anna Suhring |
| 2018 | Miguel Matta | Liz Ozeki |
| 2019 | Steve Nawrocki | Katie Stilling |
| 2020 | See below | See below |
| 2021 | Kam Yee | * |
| 2022 | Yared Addisu | Eunja Rau |
| 2023 | Bill Wheeler | Hope Seck |
Justine Peet Outstanding Volunteer Award
| Year | Recipient(s) |
|---|---|
| 1982 | Bobbie Conlan & Chuck Evans, Race Directors and Board Members |
| 1984 | Larry Noël and John Davenport |
| 1985 | John Johnson |
| 1989 | Justine Peet (posthumously) |
| 1990 | Joe Broderick, schedule committee chair |
| 1991 | Jack & Charlotte Edwards, membership chairs |
| 1992 | Bill Brogan, Race Director, GW Birthday Marathon |
| 1993 | Steve Thompson, Treasurer |
| 1994 | Dan Gardner, Race Packet Coordinator |
| 1996 | John Bailey, Race Director, Run v. Row 10K |
| 1997 | Ted Cochrane, Webmaster |
| 1998 | Susan Maher, Treasurer |
| 1999 | John Warden, Webmaster |
| 2000 | John Coogan, Saturday Long Run Coordinator |
| 2001 | Ed Grant, VP Races/Track Coach |
| 2002 | Matthew Pyle, Treasurer |
| 2003 | Pat Brown, Vice President |
| 2004 | Kerry O’Brien, Volunteer Coordinator |
| 2005 | Kristin Blanchat |
| 2006 | William S Boundurant |
| 2007 | Karol Murray & Peter Lamberton |
| 2008 | Brian Danza |
| 2009 | Kristin Dahling |
| 2010 | Lauren Bullis |
| 2011 | Paula Arevalo |
| 2012 | Katie Finazzo |
| 2013 | Ben Richter |
| 2014 | Miguel Cuya |
| 2015 | Ted Cochrane |
| 2016 | Alan Coykendall |
| 2017 | Paul Westcott |
| 2018 | Eunja Rau |
| 2019 | Mike Tosto |
| 2020 | See below |
| 2021 | Jennifer A. Vu |
| 2022 | Ben Richter |
| 2023 | Jonny Pellish |
Coach of the Year
| Year | Recipient(s) |
|---|---|
| 2014 | Katie Madison Finazzo |
| 2015 | Stephen "Big Guy" Easley |
| 2016 | Kathy Pugh |
| 2017 | Jonny Pellish |
| 2018 | Ed Grant |
| 2019 | Rich Mendelowitz |
| 2020 | See below |
| 2021 | Stephen "Big Guy" Easley |
| 2022 | Jill Brasky |
| 2023 | Ed Grant |
Other Awards
In recognition of how unusual 2020 was, we created a new (hopefully one-time) set of awards, Outstanding Pandemic Runner. To determine the winners, we reviewed in-person race performances, virtual race performances, solo accomplishments, service to the club, and service to the community.
- Female: Liz Ozeki
- Male: Rodrigo Vellón
- Female Master: Ida Draim
- Male Master: Rich Mendelowitz
Races have been named in honor of:
- Hugh Jascourt
- Gar Williams
- Larry Noël
- Paul Thurston
- Steve Thompson
- Janet Braunstein
The President's Award to recognize the sustained performances and contributions made by runners and supporters. The only recipient to date has been Larry Noël in 1989.
The Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Jim Hage, two-time winner of the Marine Corps Marathon.
The Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Ted Poulos in 1995, for dedication to racing in the community and for DCRRC.
In September 1995, the Virginia RRCA presented Bob Platt with its Club President of the Year Award and Chuck Evans with its Race Director of the Year Award. Platt receive the Club President of the Year Award a second time in 1997.
Last Updated on Friday, 30 January 2026 02:12
