Story and Photos by George Banker
Sun August 24, 2025—On Sunday, August 24, 2025, the Annapolis Striders celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Annapolis 10 Mile Run. In 1976 there were 7 finishers, and this year 4,161 (the highest finishers since 2010).
Success stories always have a usual beginning, and this one is no different. A group of friends talking and one thing led to another, a bet made by Bruce Burns to Donna Jay: The essence, men were more physically fit than women. That was the wrong statement to the group of Jackie Sorseen instructors.
“Aerobic dancing was popular; all the wives and girls thought they were so cool. We took them up. It was a fun run,” said Randy Fox. “Maybe it was a male ego that promoted the statement. To settle the statement, a ten-mile run between the men, John Astle,Randy Fox and Bart Royhrbach versus the women, Phyllis Beardmore, Debbie Fox, Donna Jay, and Bonnie Phillips.”
“The first race I had the worst shin splints. I wore hard-soled Adidas shoes. It was a tough race. No one trained; it seemed like a marathon,” said Randy Fox. “Buddy Beardmore was the “sag wagon.” He had the water. All seven (7) finished. We went downtown and had coffee and donuts,” added Fox.
“My friend Phyllis did a cartwheel every year,” said Debbie Fox.
“1978 was my first year back on duty at the Naval Academy and my first Annapolis 10 Miler. I contacted the Naval Academy officials to allow the Annapolis 10 Miler to finish in the stadium. It was only later, in the Fall that Dick Hillman and Ron Fisher and I formally organized the Annapolis Striders. The interest in the Annapolis 10 was surely one of the reasons we decided the area indeed needed a running club,” stated John Butterfield.
“Never in our wildest dreams did we think that Sunday “fun run” would result in becoming one of the top 10 road races in the country with 5,000 runners participating this year. It was humbling to see so many eager and passionate runners participating in the 50th annual event. The Striders have done a wonderful job taking our little local race to new heights, and we are grateful to have contributed in a small way to that success,” stated Donna Jay.
This year, going into the first mile along Farragut Rd., the leaders were Clark Otte of Columbia, MD, the defending champion (52:11), Matthew Devillers of Washington, and Erick Sanchez-Guayllazaca of Verona, WI. The chase pack included Mason Siebenhaar of Severna Park, James Heilman of the Georgetown Running Club, Chris Sloane of Potomac River Running.
Once on Rowe Blvd, a gap opened as Otte and Sanchez pulled away. (Sanchez, at the 2025 Eugene Half Marathon, ran 1:06:55.) The two continued down towards the City Dock and then made their way onto the U.S. Academy Bridge after mile four. Otte could not hold off Sánchez as he assumed the lead.
Leading the way on the bridge was Hannah Betman, the defending champion (58:42). There was a sizable lead over the trailing women, Jennifer Stephenson of Baltimore and Maria Grace of Clinton, MD.
Sanchez was in the sole lead at the crest of the bridge, and there were no signs of him slowing. The pace was maintained back to the finish at the stadium with a 52:14 win. Otte was able to hold on for the runner-up with a time of 52:54. Siebenhaar took the third position with a time of 54:52.
“It’s a popular local race that both of my parents and grandmother have run in the past, so it was something I wanted to do once I finished running collegiately (Bucknell University). I’m currently pursuing my Master’s degree at Johns Hopkins, but I wasn’t given the opportunity to run for their team, so I have transitioned to road races,” stated Siebenhaar. “I went out with the chase pack, a group of people in 4th-8th or so. I stayed with the group through 7 miles, where I slightly picked up the pace. Our chase pack caught a runner around 5 miles, so when I broke away at 7 miles I was in third and I held that position into the finish.”
“Going into my second time running this race, I wanted to be conservative for the first 5K so that I could sustain pacing on the numerous hills later. I executed my plan, but really had to focus on maintaining pace on the rolling hills,” stated Heilman (5th place, 55:16). “Regarding the competition, I believe the race was more competitive up front this year compared to last year (4th place 54:45), which gave me a great group to work with throughout the race. I started in 4th and ended up in 5th overall, so I am happy with how things shook out.”
Betman made a successful defense of her title, taking the win with a time of 1:00:07. Stephenson was runner-up with a time of 1:01:52. The third-place finisher was Grace with a time of 1:02:08.
“The A10 is a great race to test and build your current fitness because of the challenging hills and warm weather. I also enjoy the after party and the fact that many of my teammates on the Howard County Striders participate,” stated Betman. “I feel it is very important in all races, but especially a challenging course like this with late hills, to “run your own race.” I was focused on managing my effort to be able to stay strong throughout the race, especially to return over the bridge and hit the final hills in the last 1.5 miles. I tried to focus on my own breathing and how I felt rather than what could be going on behind me.”
“A friend ran the race last year and loved it, so it was on my radar. When I moved to the area just a few months ago, I knew I wanted to sign up. I love the city of Annapolis, but I have never raced here, so it was the perfect opportunity to explore a beautiful area while running a race,” stated Grace. “I raced this exactly how I planned. I stayed conservative for 7 miles and then started to work harder. My last 3 miles were my fastest. I moved from 4th to 3rd place at mile 9, and while the last couple miles were tough, I knew I had it in me to run faster both during the race and in the future. I’m looking forward to improving at the 10-mile distance as I figure out how to race it to the fullest of my abilities!”
Nicholas Crouzier of Gaithersburg, MD, was the lead master with a time of 55:07. The top female master was Caroline Bauer with a time of 1:05:35 (6th place). Bauer was the female winner in 2016 (1:00:48).
“I went into the race without much preparation, just thinking that staying in the 5:20 pace would be a reasonable goal for my current fitness level. I had friends praising the event/race, so I gave it a go for the first time. While there was not a huge group up front, I found a group running about my pace, which made for an engaging race! Overall, I had a great time enjoying the course, the challenge and my effort,” stated Crouzier.
“I couldn’t race this year. I am currently rebuilding my fitness after a 2.5-year cycle of various health issues. I am finally feeling better and signed up for A10 mainly as a supported long run rather than a race. I didn’t even restart my watch after the warmup,” stated Silvia Baage of Reston (2nd Master 1:06:05).
“I started further back from where I would have started under normal circumstances and pretty much ran by feel the entire time. When I was running across the bridge, I was with two other ladies, and we were told that we were in the top ten. From there, I was able to catch two more women.”
“This race always brings out strong local runners, and since the course isn’t fast, it’s always a great opportunity to just compete and not worry about finish time. This year was no different. I especially enjoyed racing the last three miles and picking people off going back over the bridge,” stated Whitney Heavner of the Georgetown Running Club (3rd master, 1:08:16).
“This was my third time running this race, and I always look forward to it. The timing is great for a fall marathon tune-up or a late summer rust buster. I really like the hills and the course layout, and the race organizers always do a fantastic job. I especially liked getting handed a popsicle at the fish line this year.”
The top nonbinary finisher was Carlos Centeno of Washington with a time of 1:41:27. The runner-up was Sarah Medlin of Morgantown, WV, with a time of 1:45:29. Dustin Perry of Silver Spring, MD, was third with a time of 1:45:50.
The RRCA 10-Mile male champion was Erick Sanchez-Guayllazaca (52:14) and the female champion was Hannah Betman (1:00:07).
Dave Berardi, Howard County Striders finished at 1:12:08. Berardi was a two-time winner (1988-51:25, 1989-50:34).
“Overall, the male side is probably not as strong as in the late 80s through around 2000. No Olympians or Olympic qualifiers showed up for local races. Chris Fox and the Hagerstown group, Spence, and all the PA runners, the Enclave out of NVA (Pugsley, Sherry etc.) and local runners. A 25-minute 5-mile probably did not get an award,” stated Berardi.
“My goal these days is just to run well and not get injured. Hopefully, races are comparable on the age-graded chart as in prior years. This, despite that the charts have been tougher to attain certain levels as times drop.”
Alexander Hetherington, Marine Corps Marathon director, finished in 1:09:01. Hetherington was the winner overall in 2000 (56:16) and the first master in 2013 (58:25).
“I can’t say enough about how much I love this race. The scenic and symbolic setting, along with the incredible groups involved, make it special every year. From the Annapolis Striders — which I consider one of the nation’s most iconic nonprofit running clubs — to the midshipmen who not only run but also volunteer extensively at the water stops, the community around this event is remarkable.”
“Historically, this race has always served as the kickoff to the fall racing season and a personal checkpoint to assess how my summer training has gone. The strength of the age-group competition makes it even more meaningful — it consistently draws top athletes from both the D.C. and Baltimore areas, making it one of the most competitive fields in the National Capital Region.”
Jill Hargis Snyder of Annapolis finished in 1:25:07. Hargis was the female winner in 2000 (1:01:30) and the master’s winner in 2001 (1:05:17).
“The biggest change for me is getting older! I am still happy to be out there running, but it gets harder every year. The competition was strong, but I will be in a new age group (65-69) in a few weeks, so maybe that will help! As much as I question it before race day each year, I come back because it is an Annapolis tradition, well organized, with great volunteers, and a beautiful, if not hilly, course,” stated Snyder.
Jay Astle (the son of John Astle) of Chadds Ford, PA, finished his first A-10 in 1:45:46.
Full Results
Top Females
1 Hannah Betman 33 1:00:07 Baltimore, MD
2 Jennifer Stephenson 25-29 1:01:52 Baltimore, MD
3 Maria Grace 30-34 1:02:08 Clinton, MD
4 Nicolette Sortisio 30-34 1:02:27 Arnold, MD
5 Liz Ozeki 37 1:03:40 Rockville, MD
6 Caroline Bauer 40-44 1:05:35 Elkridge, MD
7 Silvia Baage 40-44 1:06:05 Reston, VA
8 Abby Parent 20-24 1:07:15 Durham, NC
9 Elizabeth Rodriguez 25-29 1:07:22 Allentown, PA
10 Clare McCabe 25-29 1:07:27 Columbia, MD
Top Masters
6 Caroline Bauer 40-44 1:05:35 Elkridge, MD
7 Silvia Baage 40-44 1:06:05 Reston, VA
12 Whitney Heavner 40-44 1:08:16 Bethesda, MD
13 Monika Schneider 40-44 1:09:01 Silver Spring, MD
15 Amy Meyer 40-44 1:09:47 New York, NY
Top Males
1 Erick Sanchez-Guayllazaca 20-24 52:14 Verona, WI
2 Clark Otte 26 52:54 Columbia, MD
3 Mason Siebenhaar 20-24 54:42 Severna Park, MD
4 Nicolas Crouzier 40-44 55:07 Gaithersburg, MD
5 James Heilman 30 55:16 Baltimore, MD
6 Chris Sloane 40-44 55:43 Reston, VA
7 Matthew Devillers 35-39 56:19 Washington, DC
8 Craig Orn 35-39 56:46 Baltimore, MD
9 Brian Clapp 36 57:19 Annapolis, MD
10 Adam Sachs 58:39 Catonsville, MD
Top Masters
4 Nicolas Crouzier 40-44 55:07 Gaithersburg, MD
6 Chris Slaone 40-44 55:43 Reston, VA
13 John Ladesic 40-44 59:01 Olney, MD
16 Andrew Falk 40-44 1:00:02 Washington, DC
Top Non-Binary
1 Carlos Centeno 50-54 1:41:27 Washington, DC
2 Sarah Medlin 25-29 1:45:29 Morgantown, WV
3 Dustin Perry 20-24 1:45:50 Silver Spring, MD
4 Lara Vera 25-29 2:06:42 Lexington Park, MD
5 Anthony Cella 50-54 2:09:00 Fairfax, VA
RRCA Females
1 Hannah Betman 33 1:00:07 Baltimore, MD
2 Jennifer Stephenson 25-29 1:01:52 Baltimore, MD
3 Maria Grace 30-34 1:02:08 Clinton, MD
4 Nicolette Sortisio 30-34 1:02:27 Arnold, MD
5 Liz Ozeki 37 1:03:40 Rockville, MD
RRCA Males
1 Erick Sanchez-Guayllazaca 20-24 52:14 Verona, WI
2 Clark Otte 26 52:54 Columbia, MD
3 Mason Siebenhaar 20-24 54:42 Severna Park, MD
4 Nicolas Crouzier 40-44 55:07 Gaithersburg, MD
5 James Heilman 30 55:16 Baltimore, MD
Pat O’Brien
4 Nicolette Sortisio 30-34 1:02:27 Arnold, MD
Cmdr Willie McCool
Matthew Devillers 35-39 56;19 Washington, DC
LtCol Ben Moore
3 Mason Siebenhaar 20-24 54:42 Severna Park, MD
Categories: Race Coverage
Runner's Gazette 
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