Sosinski Wins 2015 Marine Corps 17.75K

- At the Marine Corps 17.75K held March 28, 2015 in Quantico, VA, morning temperatures and wind speeds were a brisk 30 degrees at 7 a.m. as the runners took off running in Prince William Forest Park on their mission to complete the 11.03-mile event and obtain "Access Granted" to the Marine Corps Marathon (MCM), held on Sunday, Oct 25. The 17.75K kicks off the MCM season of road races with the unique 17.75K distance commemorating the year the U.S. Marine Corps was established.

In his first appearance at the MCM 17.75K, Jimmy Sosinski, 32, from Haymarket, VA, took first place overall with a time of 1:09:05, two minutes ahead of his fellow Marine Corps 17.75K participants.

"It was a great run today really fun, I enjoyed the course and all of the hills and turns through the Forest," Sosinski said as he received his finisher medal personally from MCM Director Rick Nealis.

Sosinski crossing the finish line. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Melissa Karnath)

Local runner and Prince William County police officer Jason Van Horn, of Bristow, VA, 41, finished second overall in 1:11:00. Van Horn not only is a veteran officer but a finisher of four Marine Corps Marathons. Patrick Baier, 42, of Rockville, MD finished his run at 1:12:40, capturing third.

Three of the event's leading women joined the men on the awards platform with Anna Bernal, 26 of Alexandria, VA placing first. Bernal was far ahead of her female competitors finishing the Marine Corps 17.75K in 1:18:39. Taking second place among women was Kaelan Dickinson, 28, of Washington, DC, who finished in 1:21:45. She was followed by Tracy Cermak, 33, of Rockville, MD who completed the event 1:24:21, placing third.
Bernal crosses the finish line in 1:18:39

Runners from 36 states, the District of Columbia, Canada and the Virgin Islands completed the Marine Corps 17.75K. They were exuberant as they received impressively designed brass-plated finisher medals from U.S. Marines and their Access Granted cards that provide a special code to register for "The People's Marathon."
Sid Busch, 68, from South Carolina carries the Stars and Stripes through the 17.75K