Runner Profile - Kristi Markowicz

Meet Kristi Markowicz

Born:  April 23, 1970

HS:  University of San Diego High School, 1988

College:  UCLA, 1992

PRs:
800m--2:13 1988
1500m--4:31 1988
5K (road)--17:25  2003
10K (road)--36:08 2003
10mile--60:50  2010
1/2 marathon--1:20.42  2010
Marathon--3:07.16  2003

Favorite Local Race Course:  Veteran's Day 10K
Favorite Local Trail:  Capital Crescent

Kristi's Story:
I have been a runner ever since I can remember.  I come from a running family--my dad was a member of World Cross Country teams and qualified for the Olympic Trials in events from the 5K to marathon.  I spent a lot of my childhood at road races and tracks in Southern California and Northern Virginia and ran my first 10K when I was 6 years old (62 minutes!)

My real passion for running was as a track runner.  When I was 12, I ran a 2:23 800m and 4:48 1500m.  In high school, I was nationally ranked in the 800 and 1500 (5th--1988) and placed 6th in the CA Track and Field State Meet in the 800m (1988).  I also ran cross country but didn't like it as much as the track!  I attended UCLA where I ran for 2 years.  My first year went well.  I ran in the NCAA Cross Country Meet and made the PAC-10 final in the 1500.  But after a second year that wasn't as successful, I stopped competing for UCLA.

My love of running never really stopped though.  I continued to run for fitness for several years but focused on having a career (elementary school teacher), getting married and starting a family.  After my first son was born in 1999, I started road racing.  Since I had never really focused on road races, it was like a new sport for me!  And I found that I hadn't lost my speed nor competitive spirit.  So I started running longer races that in my youth I never thought I would do.  I now have four children--three boys and a girl--ranging in ages from 13 to 4.  I am fortunate to be able to stay home with them, which gives me a little more freedom and time to run than if I had to work.  My husband is a 20 year US Naval Officer, so I have been able to run on teams in Honolulu, San Diego, and now Pacers.

After spending the last year injured, I am finally getting back into racing shape.  I hope to keep racing and running as long as my body will tolerate it!  I still have the long term goal of a sub 3 hour marathon in mind, but only if my body will take it!

Veterans Day 10k - Race Recap

PACERS-NB RACING TEAM

(From right to left, men: Matthew Barresi, Jeff Brannigan, Chris Kwiatkowski, Edmund Burke, Tripp Southerland, Frank DeVar, Derik Thomas... Women: Erin Taylor, Barbara Fallon Wallace, Kristi Markowicz, Kelly Devine, Kerri Gallagher)

November 11th, 2012

Weather - Ideal

Competition - There

Excuses - Unavailable

The Men's Race:

Chris Kwiatkowski took the race out hard.  He strung along fellow teammates Jeff Brannigan and Frank DeVar as well as two Africans, two Georgetown Running Company guys, and recent UNC-Greensboro graduate Joey Thompson. Close behind Tripp Southerland led a tight chase pack of 6 or 7 guys through the mile in 4:53. The two packs stay fairly intact for the first 5k out along Hains Point. The real race was run in the final 5 kilometers....

Chris K is the first to make a move just after the turn around. He maintained his lead all the way to the line. Winning in 29:47.

Not ten seconds behind Chris, Joey Thompson and Frank DeVar were battling it out for the second spot. While the two both broke 30 minutes, 29:56 and 29:58, Thompson was rewarded the runner-up spot.

Jeff Brannigan had fallen another 30 seconds back and finished 4th, in 30:26.  A well-deserved personal best.

Matt Barresi and Tripp Southerland, worked together for the majority of the race, taking the 6th and 7th spots in 31:36 and 31:41, respectively.

Quick PacersNB Recap:
Chris K - 1st, 29:47  (Road PR, 5-6 seconds off track PB)
Frank D - 3rd, 29:59 (PB, first time under 30)
Jeff B - 4th, 30:26 (Big PB)
Matt B - 6th, 31:36 (Solid first race of the season, #comeback)
Tripp S - 7th, 31:41 (Big PB)
Edmund Burke - 20th, 33:00 (1st Male Masters Runner)
Derik Thomas - 32nd, 34:25 (Big PB)


The other local elite team, Georgetown Running Club, was in attendance and took second place in the team standings. PacersNB was able to put 5 men in front of GRC's first.

The Women's Race:

Kerri Gallagher - 2nd, 35:16
Barbara Fallon Wallace - 5th, 36:21
Erin Taylor - 13th, 38:14
Kristi Markowicz - 16th, 39:02 (1st Female Masters Runner)
Kelly Devine - 23rd, 41:22

Carmen Hussar from Birmingham, AL, ran a very impressive 33:45 for first overall female. Kerri Gallagher, from PacersNB, led our women's team to a second place finish, running just off her personal best. Carmen extinguished Kerri's "on fire" status, but at the same time lit a fire under Kerri.

Barbara Fallon Wallace ran a very impressive race, averaging 5:51 pace.

Erin Taylor ran a great personal best.

Kristi Markowicz continues a successful comeback taking the first masters position in 39:02.

Kelly Devine knows one gear; 6:40 pace.  Marathon or a 10k two weeks later, she's running 6:40s. 

A very successful day all around for the Pacers-New Balance racing team.

"If you can't run fast on a day like today, you'll never run fast."

- Frank DeVar minutes before learning he had broke 30 minutes in the 10K

Results Here
Team Results Here
Photos by SwimBikeRun