by George Banker
“I spent a long time trying to prove my athleticism to boys who played football or basketball, and even those who didn’t do any sport. Though it’s beneficial to have someone to spite to encourage you, it is exhausting. No matter how fast or strong or good at your sport you are, there will always be someone who thinks you aren’t good enough. You must learn to get better to satisfy only yourself, rather than someone who thinks you are only good for a girl. My best advice would be to run like a girl, and you might just win the entire race,” stated Katherine Taylor of the Georgetown Running Club.
Taylor was one of the participants in the 14th In Their Shoes 5K sponsored by the Iraqi Children Foundation (ICF). The Iraqi Children Foundation (ICF) sponsored the race, which occurred on Saturday, August 29, 2026, at Burke Lake in Fairfax Station, Va.
The mission of the ICF is to invest in Iraq’s orphans, child laborers, and displaced children. ICF is an independent, nonpartisan, and nonsectarian charity committed to Iraqi orphans and vulnerable children.
Max Quqa, founder of ICF in 2007, and member of the Advisory Board stated, “Seeing the many people at the ICF 5K last Saturday touched my heart and brought to memory, when I saw the many displaced and orphaned children in the streets of Baghdad in 2006 during the war. I remembered how I lost sleep thinking of them, that prompted me to help and start ICF since 2007. I’m so grateful and appreciative to all the caring people who made themselves available to participate in the 5K. Your participation makes a difference in the lives of the Iraqi vulnerable and needy children. ICF remains committed in giving hope to the hopeless needy children of Iraq.”
Each year the top athletes try to set new marks. Jack Beckham and Nathan Delong set the race event open record for the men in 2016 at 17:02. The women’s record set the same year by Alisa Harvey at 19:30.
The men’s master record was set in 2022 at 19:55 by Fabio Vlavijo. Alisa Harvey set the women’s record at 19:30.
Burke Lake was a new venue for the race. The runners were off the starting line with Katherine Taylor in the lead. In the trailing pack was the 2025 overall race winner (19:50), Kayley Cerney of Vienna, Va. The runners disappeared onto the paved, tree-lined trail within a quarter of a mile.
The spectators were waiting to see who was going to emerge off the trail to the finish. Averaging a sub-6-minute mile, Taylor was out of the trail and on the way to the finish with a new women’s event record time of 18:31. Trailing in second place overall was Cerney in a time of 20:53.
Taylor commented, “This was a great event! My dad, who raced, too, is a Marine who served in Iraq, so it was an extra important cause to us. He spoke with some of the other organizers about Iraq and offered his continued support. It was special to me to see someone who had left Iraq shortly before my dad was deployed there, thank him for trying to help.”
Taylor adds, “I have never won a race before, so this was exciting. It was even better that my dad was there, so I was able to share it with him. I felt like a celebrity with the way people were coming up to speak to me and take pictures or ask questions. I’ve never really been much of a stand-out athlete, so all of that was completely new to me. Usually, it’s only my parents or grandparents that are that impressed with me!”
Cerney shares a comment for young girls entering the sport, “Running is an incredible activity to connect with your body and mind, to push yourself to limits you never thought imaginable, and join a special community along the way. It doesn’t matter if she’s elite or recreational, there’s a place for every girl to participate in whatever way she chooses and to have fun along the way.”
“As I’ve progressed through my running journey, I have loved that running is there for me no matter what phase of life I’m in. My mom is almost 70 and is training for Boston, so I’m hopeful I can follow in her footsteps (literally!). The event was well attended and well organized. I love supporting this cause and my neighbor and friend, Patricia Stakem. The energy of all the runners and walkers was very positive,” Cerney added.
The third place overall was the winning male, James S. with a time of 21:11. The runner-up male was Matthew Sadosuk with a time of 21:30.
The third male and first master was Peter Coffey with a time of 21:37. The third female and the first master was Christianna Carreno with a time of 22:25.
The proud father of the winner, Greg Taylor, finished with a time of 28:04.
Craig Greene of Manassas finished with a 24:16 4th master), “Overall, I felt positive about the event. I enjoyed being around other runners and having the opportunity to compete. The course provided a good challenge, especially with the inclines toward the finish. Even though my time was not as fast as I expected, I was glad that I participated and could use the race as another step in my training and preparation for future races.”
Greene adds, “My motivation is to continue challenging myself and seeing how much I can improve. Running gives me personal goals to work towards and keeps me physically active. I enjoy the discipline of training and the satisfaction that comes from seeing my hard work pay off. I want to continue competing and improving as I get older.
“I think the race transcends the day itself. It means so much more than people showing up to run or walk a 5K. By being part of this event and part of the ICF family, people are showing up for these kids in so many ways. Our partners and the children really do see that, and knowing that there is a community of people around the world who care about them is incredibly meaningful,” stated Elizabeth McRae, Chief Operating Officer ICF.”
McRae adds, “Our partners on the ground in Iraq, and the kids themselves, see the pictures from the race, including pictures like the ones you have taken. They hear the stories about people taking part, and they see that there are people all over the world who may never have met them or know them personally, but who care about them.”
“In loving and caring for Iraq’s most vulnerable kids, I try to honor the women and men who were willing to put their lives on the line in Iraq. I wouldn’t have signed up for this if I hadn’t first heard about the kids from Americans serving there who asked if I could send boxes of school supplies, toys, clothes, etc. They shared stories and pictures, and I was hooked,” stated Cindy Folgram, Board Member.
Cynthia Ozbat, a Gold Star mom whose son Jesse served in Iraq and later died in Afghanistan, describes how meaningful ICF’s work is to her:
It is through the generous support of the sponsors that the race continues to grow and to educate the community. The volunteers are an integral part of the race.
For information and results:
14th In Their Shoes 5K
Burke Lake, August 29, 2026
Fairfax Station, VA
Top Women
- 18:32 Katherine Taylor, 23, Washington, DC (New Event Women’s Record)
- 20:53 Kayley Cerney, 37, Vienna, VA
- 22:25 Christianna Cerreno
- 25:05 Carol Li
- 25:35 Katrina Schwein
- 26:01 Kathy Talman
- 26:26 Stephanie Howard
- 26:31 Fatima Abdelwahd,35, Oxon Hill, MD
- 26:32Balqees Walsh
- 26:40Misti Frodyma
Masters Women
22:25 Christianna Cerreno
26:01 Kathy Talman
26:26 Stephanie Howard
26:40 Misti Frodyma
27:09 Christine Ahern
Top Men
- 21:11 James S
- 21:30 Matthew Sadosuk
- 21:37 Peter Coffey
- 22:40 Michael Mateo
- 23:21 Shivan Fazil
- 23:31 JD Dial
- 23:51 Jeff Gurley
- 24:16 Craig Greene
- 24:47 Erick Valasquez
- 25:05 Robert Delisle
Masters Men
21:37 Peter Coffey
23:21 Shivan Fazil
23:51 Jeff Gurley
24:16 Craig Greene
25:05 Robert Delisle
Non-Binary
- 22:25 Zade Jumaily
George Banker: “The drawings were done by students at the orphanage. I had mentioned that instead of a trophy for awards, students draw concepts. They selected the best ones, put them in frames, and gave them out to the winners.”
All below photos are runners, and those who support the Iraqi Children Foundation.
Categories: Race Coverage
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