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Miller of GRC Captures Third Win At The 35th Lawyers Have Heart, Engel Top Female

By mitchpa on August 12, 2025 • ( 0 )

Krieg and Anspach Take Title In The 5K

By George Banker

It was 35 years ago the Lawyers Have Heart (LHH) race was founded by Washington lawyers: Richard Frank (Senior Principal of OFW Law) and Alan Raul (Partner at Sidley Austin LLP). The race benefits the American Heart Association. The mission through the years has not changed: to raise awareness and public consciousness regarding heart disease and stroke. Since May 19, 1991, Lawyers Have Heart has raised over $21 million to benefit the AHA.

May 17, 2025 was the celebration of the 35^th Lawyers Have Heart 10K and the 20^th 5K. The race has become a yearly tradition in the DC area. The race has hosted international competition throughout the years.

“LHH 23 may have been the best event ever. It felt great seeing so much support for LHH this year. This year was the first time I participated in the race with my co-founder, Alan Raul. It was great to see what our efforts have built and has surpassed any vision we could have had when we started 23 years ago, The legal community has been supportive of this event from day one, and is still immensely supportive today, I hope to see the LHH event continue and frow in the coming years,” stated Richard Frank (June 8,2013).

“The Washington legal community is getting more and more excited and committed to Lawyers Have Heart. Next year, even more runners and walkers will join in this healthy, public service event that is fun and fulfilling.” Alan Charles Raul made this comment to the Washington Running Report after the second LHH on May 17, 1992 (West Potomac Park).

Race morning started off with rain showers, which stopped near the start of the race. The relocation to West Potomac Park has resulted in the heat’s avoidance and the humidity that was experienced during the month of June at Georgetown Harbour.

The different starting times and different courses avoided congestion along the race route. All participants could concentrate on their performance.
5K
The first 5K started on June 4, 1995 and took a pause after 2001 (8^th year). They resumed it on June 8, 2013.

Jack Whetstone of Washington set the open event record for the men in last year with a time of 14:52. The only runner to go under 15 minutes. The second closest time was 17:05 in 2000 by Naoko Ishibe of Washington. In the 20 years there have been six women who have run under 18 minutes.

Two-time master winner David Wertz of Washington set the record at 15:48 in 2022. The second fastest time was in 2017 by Philippe Rolly (15:53).

The overall winner set the female record in 2023 by Adrienne Glasheen of Aldie, VA with a time of 18:25. Glasheen has been the only female master under 19 minutes.

The 5K front runners included Jackson Krieg, Ryan Witters and James Parker. Witters was a two-time winner (2022–15:13, 2023–15:06) and was up to the challenge for a third attempt. At the turnaround on the Memorial Bridge, each runner could see their competition. The return to the finish was flat and fast. Krieg was holding a slight lead over Witters. Once on West Basin Drive, Krieg maintained his steady pace to get the title of first place in a time of 15:07 (3^rd fastest winning time).

Witters (Team Ankura) maintained his second place to finish in 15:16. Parker trailed third at 17:12. Closing in fourth place was Daniel Podratsky with a time of 17:30 followed by Yannick Timmer at a time of 17:45.

“The strategy was to get out and run hard. It sounds simple, but I’ve been working on this mentality for the middle part of races when the pain settles in. The good thing for me was having a teammate to run with (Jackson Krieg). Jackson and I separated from the rest of the field by mile 1 and it was just us the rest of the way. He got a brief separation, and I did my best to limit the gap,” stated Witters.

Witters adds, “Considering I’ve won this race in the past, the competition was much tougher than I’ve had before (Jackson is fit and fast). It’s always great to race with the comfort of a training partner. I enjoy this race and plan to be back next year.”

Crossing first for the women was Emma Anspach of Washington with a time of 20:05 (16^th fastest winning time). In 2022 Anspach placed 7^th in the 10K with a 40:49. Closing in for a second was Elissa Burack with a time of 20:39. Grace Sullivan captured third place with a time of 20:42.

Matthew Williams of Washington made a successful defense of his 2024 ( 18:22) title by running a 17:59 (8^th fastest winning time, and 8^th place overall). Andrew Golden was the second master with a time of 18:48.

Elizabeth Clor of Chantilly defended her 2024 (20:37) to take a first master with a time of 21:06 (10^th fastest winning time and 4^th place overall). Caroline Davidson-Hoof of Team DLA Piper was second with a time of 21:22.

Multi-year finisher, Julie Sapper of Rockville finished in 12^th place with a time of 22:40. Sapper was the first 10K master in 2016 (43:36) and 2017 (43:22). In 2022, she placed fourth master in the 10K 47:21.

“My first LHH race in 1999! I was a public defender at the time, and we wore t-shirts that said on the back, “Nobody Talks Everybody Walks.” Since then, I’ve run the race intermittently 10-12 times—I can’t keep track to be honest. I also served on the LHH Leadership Team from 2017 to 2020, stated Sapper.

Sapper adds. “The event speaks to me because my father passed away at age 46 of a heart attack. Heart disease runs in my family, and I am also a lawyer. Speaking of which, this year, I was team captain for my Department of Justice team. I formed the team, “Outstanding Enduring Olympians,” to support the AHA and bring some positive vibes to our workplace. This was my first time running the course since the race was moved to Potomac Park. I much prefer the Georgetown location.”

10K

Returning for justice was a Georgetown Running Club member, Cameron Miller. Last year, the course in East Potomac Park was short by 250 meters because of flooding. Miller was the 2023 winner with a time of 29:52 (4^th fastest winning time). Miller had two teammates to challenge him over the course, Campbell Ross and Ian Denis.

Miller made a successful defense of his title by a time of 30:28 (9^th fastest winning time). Ross could capture second with a time of 31:40. The third finisher was Denis with a time of 32:14.

Greg Marino of Reston took fourth place with a time of 33:13. Last year Marino placed fourth (30:14) Rounding out the top five was Cole Wintheiser, the top scorer for team Williams & Connolly LLP, with a time 33:19.

“I’m glad last year’s course flooding did not recur this year. My strategy at this race was to win. Unfortunately, this race doesn’t bring the high-level competitors it once did, so getting in a good effort is about all you can expect. Of course, that’s not to say there weren’t other strong runners in the field. I was proud that our Georgetown Running Club men took the top three spots in the 10K and the top 2 spots in the 5K,” stated Miller.

Miller adds, “The days of legit pros showing up to run Lawyers Have Heart are gone, unfortunately. That was the case when I first ran this race in 2019, but it hasn’t been the case when I’ve won the past three years. In fact, the strongest competition I’ve faced at this race was from Tom Slattery (30:14) in 2023 — that was a fun duel. In any event, I knew on the starting line that I was likely to win the race, and I was glad I did.”

“There are a few reasons I continue to run this race. I’m an attorney myself, and I enjoy running with the rest of the DC legal community. And, frankly, it is also the bragging rights — it is nice to be able to say you’re the fastest lawyer in town. I believe the record for most Lawyers Have Heart victories is Phillipe Rolly with four (1999, 2000, 2001, and 2004). I’m now at three (2023, and 2024), and I hope to surpass Phillipe’s record,” stated Miller.

In retrospect from Philippe Rolly (June 11, 2011, 21st LHH):

“LHH is one of my favorite races in the DC area. I think I ran the race six times since 1999: I won it four times and finished fourth twice. It’s one of the first races I won in the US (original of Lyon, France), and I will never forget the prize for the winner in 1999: two plane tickets to Paris, in first class. At that time, I didn’t have a lot of money, and the two tickets allowed me and my wife to go back to France for Christmas, to see my family. LHH is very well organized; you guys are doing a fantastic job. The elite field is all the time very competitive with fast local runners and a few African runners. My wife is a lawyer and ran the races with her company several years. The race is fast, and all these reasons make me come back every year….and I still like to challenge my 35-year-old body,” stated Philippe Rolly of Arlington, VA, (1999 (32:22), 2000 (31:34), 2001 (30:49), and 2004 (31:23).

“The competition was great, as usual. I had people to chase and run with for much of the race. My approach is basically the same in every race, but my race this year went almost the same as 2024. I even finished just ahead of the same guy as last year. Some of my other years were 2014 (31:54), 2017 (33:17), 2018 (32:16) , 2023 (32:57), 2024 (31:35), and 2025 (33:13),” stated Marino.

“I was in eighth place for the first three miles coming out of East Potomac Park. I was trying to relax through the heavy wind around Haines Point for the first two miles and then caught a pack of guys. I ran with them for about two miles before picking it up. In the last two miles, I managed to stay ahead of them until the finish,” stated Marino.

Marino adds, “Overall it was a slow race for me, and I think for many of the runners this year, likely due to the wind during the first few miles. However, I’m happy with the race and how I placed. The race seemed well organized this year. No issues with course length, and no issues with 5k participants blocking the path!”

Katherine Engel of team Dijo Of Pain was the winning female with a time of 36:49 (18^th fastest winning time). Trailing in second was Laurel Le Moigne of the Capital Area Runners at a time of 37:13. Allison Baum was third with a time of 37:19. Sarah Jonathan was fourth with a time of 37:54 and fifth was Trillium Chang with a time of 38:36.

The winning male master was Tyler Boltjes with a time of 35:21 (18^th fastest winning time). The female winner was Kristen McGough Woodward, with a time of 40:55.

Thanks to all the sponsors who helped to make the event possible, the Healthy for Good and Signature sponsors, Harrity & Harrity, HKA, and Latham & Watkins. A special thanks to all of the volunteers.

Results

                                    20th Lawyers Have Heart 5K
                                                West Potomac Park, DC
                                                May 17. 2025

1 Jackson Krieg 15:07

2 Ryan Witters 36 15:16 Washington, DC

3 James Parker 30-39 17:12

4 Daniel Podratsky 20-29 17:30

5 Yannick Timmer 30-39 17:45

6 John Lowry 17:53

7 Jordan Lee 30-39 17:54

8 Matthew Williams 50 17:59 Washington, DC

9 Alexander Grieve 30-39 18:05

10 Jonathan Carter 30-39 18:12

Top Females

1 Emma Anspach 34 20:05 Washington, DC