More than 500 runners sweat through 5K to raise funds for NPC Journalism Institute

More than 500 people ran and walked through one of the hottest and stickiest mornings of the summer on Sept. 6 in the National Press Club Beat the Deadline 5K.

Talessa Bayisa, 34, was the top male finisher, finishing the course in 14:50. The female winner, Barb Fallon-Wallace, finished in 17:15. The fastest Club female was Natalie DiBlasio with a time of 23:03, while former Club President Alan Bjerga was the top male Club runner, completing the race in 20:00.

For the second year in a row, CNN fielded the largest media team, bringing 41 people to the race. The fastest media team was Media Matters.

The largest open team was No Pain No Pancakes. The open team with the fastest time was America Runs on Exports.

Runners began at the National Press Building, continued down Pennsylvania Avenue NW, crossed the National Mall at Third Street NW and then returned along the same route to complete the race.

Jason Pugh, a WRC-TV sports anchor, stepped in to serve as honorary race marshal when colleague Veronica Johnson was called away on a story.

The 587 participants helped raise nearly $50,000 for the National Press Club Journalism Institute. The event is one of three annual fundraisers for the non-profit affiliate of the Club that sponsors professional training programs and journalism scholarships.

“The happiest moment every National Press Club president has each year is to notify the scholarship winners,” Club President Myron Belkind said at the post-race pancake breakfast in the Club ballroom. “When you notify them, they are full of ‘wows’ and thanks and appreciation. They always say, ‘Please thank those who helped raise that money.’ I thank all of you for your participation today.”

Club members Nyree Wright and Nikki Schwab co-chaired this year’s 5K Committee.