Article: Olympic Team Berth Is at Stake for Akbar At Marathon Trials

When she runs while training against Alan Webb, Samia Akbar admits, it can get ugly. She inevitably will be forced to sprint almost full-out, straining and screaming in pain during excruciating tempo runs, while Webb, a 2004 Olympian who last year broke the American record in the mile, barely will be winded, just stretching his legs on an easy workout day.

Akbar, an Oakton High graduate, nonetheless loves those runs, which take place only occasionally but seem to capture both her determination to elevate her running career and the camaraderie of the tiny Reston-based running group D.C. Elite, which has five members and is headed by Webb and Coach Scott Raczko.

Akbar's biggest career ...

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