This morning I made it down to the Dowell/Solomons area of Calvert County, Maryland, the same county in southern Maryland where I finished out my goal of running in a running event in every county of Maryland this year at the 12th Annual North Beach 5K back in September. Surprisingly, I was only eleven seconds slower than the time I turned out at the North Beach 5K (18:48) and back in September, I had been in much better running shape than I am now (or so I thought, haha).
What was even more surprising was that I still managed to run pretty well for myself considering I had probably slept less than four hours last night (I stayed a lot later than I expected at my friends' family Christmas party because I was really enjoying myself there and then I just had troubles falling asleep, probably from drinking a little too much caffeine at the party, haha).
I went to the race with John, one of my buddies from the local races who was interested in the race, and we enjoyed the experience. The race was low-key (as a matter of fact there was no required registration fee, but donations to the Solomons Volunteer Fire Department and Rescue Squad were encouraged). We still got a free t-shirt (ones from other races and running events, there was one from a female-based even in San Diego, California from 1989) of our choosing, and many if not all of the participants got to choose their prizes as they were announced. It was a pretty neat race experience.
The course was pretty much a flat out-and-back along this road that went into a marina area. There were subtle upgrades and downgrades (more of an upgrade coming back than going out). It was fairly plain, with some houses and many trees along the roadside, kind of reminding me of the first half or so of the Mike Sterling 10K I ran back on Labor Day weekend this year in Crisfield (Somerset County), MD.
I ended up getting a pretty strong start, but I was pleasantly surprised to see that I held on all right throughout the race without cramping up, loosing feeling in my legs, or having other issues that I felt have held me back in running stronger races in some races I have run in this year. I reached the turnaround point at about 9:23 and since that was a little over halfway into the race, I figured I was going at a pace just under six-minutes-per mile. On the way back passing a big "2" written in chalk on the road and looking down at my watch that read 12:01, I knew that I must have been going at least six minutes that first mile, if not faster. Either way, these have been my fastest mile and two mile times in months since I started running after my off season. Not long after passing by the two mile mark, my legs began to get tired, as I was running faster than I have in months for that particular distance, but I felt like my upper body helped me stay strong and maintain decent form. The first couple of guys were a good ways behind me, and the couple of guys behind me were not far behind. Needless to say I felt somewhat pushed in the race, which was a good thing, because it inspired me to have a strong kick at the end and make it just under nineteen minutes. My buddy John also ran about five seconds faster at the Nutcracker 5K than he did in a 5K he ran yesterday morning, so that was certainly a great performance on his part! YAY!
Up until this point of this running season, my best 5K time was 19:17.77 from the Metric Marathon 5K back on Sunday, December 2 in Howard County, Maryland. This morning I took about a good eighteen second chunk off of that time by running the Nutcracker 5K in 18:59. That was really cool. I don't know if I'll run any more 5K races this year. In fact, I'll be fortunate if I manage to get any more races in this year.
I heard from a reliable source at this race that there is an open indoor track & field meet at Hagerstown Community College in around the Smithsburg (Washington County) area of Maryland on Saturday, December 29 with one and two-mile races, and I'm thinkin' I may try to hit that up for maybe a sorta timed trail to see how I can handle a one and two-mile. I also think it would be cool to do more races out in western Maryland as I've done plenty this year between where I live in Howard County and the Maryland Eastern Shore. Plus, on Sunday, December 30, there's a four mile (it's a new race) run up on the Ma & Pa Trail around the Harford County, Maryland area... It's called "Chuck's 4 for 60". I may do that one as well, depending on how I feel. "Chuck's 4 for 60" is through R.A.S.A.C. (Renaissance All Sports Athletic Club - http://www.RASAC.Com). If I make all three of those events, I could say that during my winter break I managed to do races in southern, western, and northern Maryland. How about that, haha!
All right, I'm gonna get ready for bed. I'm tired from not getting much sleep last night, running the Nutcracker 5K, hanging out with one of my good friends from out of town and chillin' at a party tonight. I guess since I was so out of it this morning, I forgot to pack my camera, but fortunately there were quite a few runners from the "Fifty Plus Races-Per-Year Club" that I joined last June and at least a couple of them had cameras and took photos one of which is up there now. I'm the one in the purple Run4Fun 5K t-shirt from Cecil County, MD (yes, I'm wearing a race t-shirt from the more northern part of Maryland in a southern Maryland event, haha). If I can get anymore from this Nutcracker 5K, I'll try to get them on this entry. I'm grateful I have this one photo of some of the Fifty-Plus members and myself at this race.
I hope you all have a good night and a wonderful Christmas Eve and Christmas! Thank you for reading and for all of your encouragement :)
Running Events I have done this year as of Sunday, December 23, 2007
Maryland
Allegany County
- Queen City Striders Junior Striders Cross Country meet (1 mile and 2 mile) – Tuesday evening, June 19, 2007 – Paris N. Glendenning Park/Frostburg
- One mile race – 2nd overall – 5:51
- Two mile race – 7th overall – 12:37
Anne Arundel County
– Governor’s “Non-Bay Bridge” Run (2.93 miles) – Sunday, May 6, 2007 - Sandy Point State Park/Annapolis – 8th overall (1st in 20-24-year-old age group) – 18:09 (clock), 18:07 (my watch)
– Metro Harriers’ fourth summer track and field all-comers meet – Thursday, July 19, 2007 – North County High School, Ferndale/Glen Burnie, MD
– 1,500 meters – 1st overall – 4:42
– 800 meters – 2nd overall – 2:21
– 3,000 meters – 2nd overall – 10:41
– John Wall Memorial Track Run (One mile) – Saturday, July 21, 2007 – Broadneck Senior High School track, Annapolis – 6th overall (1st in 20-29 year-old age group) – 4:53
– Dog Days 8K Cross Country Run – Sunday, August 5, 2007 – Anne Arundel Community College, Arnold – 13th overall (3rd in 20-29 year age group) – 32:18 (clock), 32:17 (watch)
– National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Coalition Run for Her 5K – Quiet Waters Park, Annapolis – 7th overall - 22:26
Baltimore City
- Survivor Harbor 7-mile/3-mile – Sunday, June 10, 2007 – Baltimore City – 2nd overall (3-mile run) – 17:56 (clock), 17:53 (watch)
- Celtic Solstice 5-Mile Run – Saturday, December 15, 2007 – Druid Hill Park/Baltimore City – 68th overall - 31:50.75 (guntime), 31:40.05 (chiptime)
Baltimore County
– Patapsco State Park Avalon area trail race (a little over 6 miles) – Sunday, May 13th, 2007 – Near University of Maryland-Baltimore County/Arbutus area – 18th overall – 58:03
– PopPop and Pinhead Trail Scramble (about 5-6 miles) – Saturday, June 9, 2007 - Perry Hall/Gunpowder Falls State Park area – 5th overall - 52:14
– Bull Run Invitational Reunion Run (3 miles) – Saturday, September 29, 2007 – Hereford High School, Parkton – 24th overall – 19:45 (clock), 19:41 (watch)
Calvert County
- 12th Annual North Beach 5K – Saturday, September 15, 2007 – North Beach, MD – 3rd overall – 18:48 – The event that marked my completion of a race in all my goal areas of Maryland!!!! J
- Nutcracker 5K – Sunday, December 23, 2007 – Dowell/Solomons – 3rd overall – 18:59
Caroline County
- 2nd annual Adkins Arboretum Arbor Day Fun Run (10K) – Saturday, April 21st, 2007 – Ridgley – 1st overall – 37:59 PR (Personal Record/best time in that distance!!!!! :)
- Caroline Hospice Remembrances Five-Miler – Saturday, September 22, 2007 – Federalsburg – 3rd overall (1st in 20-29 age group) – 33:59
- 22nd Annual Turkey Trot Two-Mile Fun Run – Saturday, November 17, 2007 – Denton Elementary School, Denton – 5th overall (1st in 20-29 age group) – 12:36
Carroll County
- Westminster Road Runners Club (W.R.R.C.) Predicted Time Four-Miler – Saturday, March 10, 2007 – Westminster/Bachman Valley area – 2nd person in, 14th closest to predicted time – 25:34 (my predicted time was 27:00, I was 1:26 fast, whoops :)-
- Andy Hayes Memorial 5K Run – Saturday, April 7, 2007 – Westminster/near Farm Museum – 2nd overall – 18:47
- Inaugural River Valley Run 5K – Saturday, August 25, 2007 – River Valley Ranch, Manchester – 5th overall (2nd in 20-29 age group) – 19:15 (clock), 19:13 (watch)
- 4th Annual Eldersburg Labor Day 5K Rogue Race – Monday, September 3, 2007 – Eldersburg – 7th overall (1st in 20-29 age group division) – 19:35.0 (best time at the event :)
Cecil County
- Fair Hill Natural Resources Management Area (N.M.R.A.) Fools Frolic 22K (I ran the much shorter 5-6 mile route) – Sunday, April 1, 2007 – Fair Hill/Elkton – First person in, but it was not much of a race, just pretty much me and another gentleman chillin’ and chattin’ our way through – 1 hour, 21 minutes, 55 seconds
- Run4Fun 5K Run/Walk – Sunday, June 3, 2007 – Elkton – 5th overall (1st in 20-29 year-old age group) – 19:29
Charles County
- Civista Health Services Run for Wellness 5K – Sunday, May 20, 2007 – LaPlata – 5th overall (1st in male 20-29 age group) – 19:14 (clock), 19:08 (chip)
Dorchester County
- Dorchester Family YMCA Healthy Kid’s Day Fun Run (1.9 miles, mainly flat cross country) – Saturday, April 14, 2007 - Cambridge – 1st overall – 10:54 (ran negative splits too :)
Frederick County
- 11th Annual Frederick Steeplechasers Run for the Pie 10K – Saturday, July 14, 2007 – Frederick 4th overall (1st in the 20-24 age group) – 42:39
Garrett County
- 1st Annual Grantsville Days 5K – Saturday, June 23, 2007 – Grantsville – 8th overall (3rd in male 20-29 age group division) – 18:37 (clock), 18:36 (watch)
Harford County
- 2nd annual Eden Mill 5-Miler (4.8 miles approximately) – Sunday, July 1, 2007 – Eden Mill Park, Pylesville – 2nd overall – 30:37 (clock), 30:35 (watch)
Howard County
- Howard County Striders (H.C.S.) Weekly Winter Series (a.k.a. “Operation Iceberg”) # 3: Atholton High School 5 Kilometer – Sunday, January 21, 2007 – Columbia – 15th overall – 19:43
- H.C.S. “Operation Iceberg” #4: Thunder Hill Elementary School 2miles – Sunday, January 28, 2007 - Columbia - 30th overall - 20:17
- Penguin Pace 5K – Sunday, February 4, 2007 – Columbia – 8th overall (1st in 20-29 age group) – 18:43.86
- H.C.S. “Operation Iceberg” #6: Thunder Hill Elementary School 2 miles – Sunday, February 18, 2007 – Columbia – 2nd overall – 11:52 (my best time on that course :)
- Outback’s 5K for the YMCA – Sunday, March 11, 2007 – Ellicott City – 9th overall – 18:01.05 (clock), 17:59/18:00 (my watch – my best time on that course :)
- H.C.S. Spring Series Race (“Vernal Velocity) #1: Burleigh Manor Middle School 2 miles – Sunday, April 1, 2007 - Ellicott City/Columbia area – 2nd overall – 10:51 (best time on the course :)
- Inaugural Musical Madness 5K – Saturday, May 12, 2007 – Maple Lawn/Fulton/Scaggsville – 7th overall (1st in 20-29 age group category) – 18:48.71
- Damien F. Massella Run for Recovery 5K – Sunday, June 24, 2007 – Columbia – 52nd overall – 19:58.12 (clock), 19:55 (watch)
- Centennial Fun Run (one mile)#3 – Tuesday, July 10, 2007 – Ellicott City area – 1st overall – 5:11 (tied my second-best time on the course :)
- Centennial Fun Run (one mile)#4 – Tuesday, July 17, 2007 – Ellicott City area – 12th overall – 5:44
- H.C.S. Summer Series Race (“Summer Sizzler”) #3: Burleigh Manor Middle School 2 miles – Wednesday, July 18, 2007 – Ellicott City/Columbia area – 1st overall – 11:02
- PRE – Season Cross Country Races – Saturday, August 11, 2007 – Oakland Mills High School, Columbia
- 5K – 11th overall – 18:53 (best time on the course :)
- 3K – 5th overall – 15:12
- Emerson Community Fun Run (one mile) #6 – Tuesday, August 14, 2007 – North Laurel – 1st overall – 5:27 – Hit the fifty-races-per-year mark with this for the Fifty-Plus Club :)
- Emerson Community Fun Run (one mile) # 7 – Tuesday, August 21, 2007 – North Laurel – 1st overall – 5:26 (my best time on the course :)
- H.C.S. Summer Series (“Summer Sizzler”) #7: Burleigh Manor Middle School 5 miles – Wednesday, August 22, 2007 – Ellicott City/Columbia area – 3rd overall – 32:33
- 16th Annual Police Pace 5K – Sunday, September 9, 2007 – Columbia/Ellicott City area – 16th overall – 18:37.69
- H.C.S. Fall Series Race (“Legends of the Fall”) #1: Swansfield Elementary School 5K – Sunday, September 16, 2007 – Columbia – 8th overall – 19:27
- H.C.S. Fall Series Race (“Legends of the Fall”) #2: Longfellow Elementary School 2-miles – Sunday, September 23, 2007 – Columbia – 4th overall – 13:37
- 10 – The Race 5K – Saturday, October 27, 2007 – Columbia – 20:46 (clock), 20:44 (watch)
- 2A South and 3A North Regional Cross Country Championships – Thursday, November 1, 2007 – Centennial High School, Ellicott City, MD – 21:47
- Symphony of Lights Dazzle Dash (two 1.4 laps = approximately 2.8 miles) – Saturday, November 17 – Columbia - 17:38
- Turkey Trot Prediction Run 10K – Thursday, November 22, 2007 – Columbia – 173rd finisher, 60th closest to 11 A.M. – Intended time, 46:00, actual time: 46:37. Left at 10:14:02 A.M., Finished at 11:00:39.37 A.M. (closest finish to 11 A.M. wins, I think I was closer than last year :)
- 31st Annual Columbia Metric Marathon 5K - Sunday, December 2, 2007 - Columbia - 10th overall (1st in 20-29 age group division) - 19:17.77 (my best time in the event :)
- H.C.S. Fall Series (“Legends of the Fall”) #9: Elkhorn 2-miles – Sunday, December 16, 2007 – Columbia – 2nd overall – 12:25
Kent County
- 31st Annual Chestertown Tea Party Distance Classic (10 miler) – Saturday, May 26, 2007 – Chestertown – 31st overall (2nd in 20-24 age group) – 1:15:01 (clock), 1:14:57 (watch)
- Inaugural Oyster Run 5K Race – Saturday, October 13, 2007 – Rock Hall – 2nd overall (1st in 20-35 “open men” age group) – 20:10
Montgomery County
- Gaithersburg Firebirds Track one mile race – Thursday, April 12, 2007 – Gaithersburg – 3rd overall (1st in age group division) – 5:04.88
- Comus Cross Country 5K – Sunday, August 12, 2007 – Comus/Dickerson – 10th overall (1st in age group division) – 20:29
Prince George’s (P.G.) County
- 49th Annual Larry Noel Greenbelt 15K and 3K (15K) – Sunday, September 2, 2007 – Greenbelt - 13th overall (2nd in 20-29 age group division) – 1:06:50
- Tom’s 6th Annual 5K Reindeer Run – Saturday, November 24, 2007 – Laurel – 7th overall (1st in 21-35 age group division) – 20:08
Queen Anne’s County
- Shore Christian Fellowship Church’s inaugural Race to Impact (10K) – Saturday, March 24th, 2007 – Chester/Kent Narrows/Kent Island (it was all on the shaded Cross Island Trail) – 1st overall – 38:51
- Inaugural Eastern Shore Butterball Belly Buster 5K Run – Friday, November 23, 2007 – Grasonville – 2nd overall (1st in 19-24 age group) – 20:44
- 5th Annual Jingle Bell 5K Run – Saturday, December 8, 2007 – Kent Narrows – 1st overall – 16:29ish (definitely shorter than 5K)
Saint Mary’s County
- National Trails Day 5K (it was a little more than that, probably closer to 3.5 miles) – Saturday, June 2, 2007. – Saint Mary’s City area – 1st overall – 21:38
Somerset County
- 2nd Annual McCready Health Services Foundation’s Founder’s Day 8K Run & 2-mile walk – Saturday, May 5, 2007 (El Cinco de Mayo) – Crisfield – 1st overall(8K) – 31:58 (ran faster there this year than last year :)
- 60th Annual National Hard Crab Derby, 28th Annual Mike Sterling 10K – Saturday, September 1, 2007 – Crisfield – 4th overall (2nd in 20-29 age group) – 41:48
Talbot County
- Oxford Day 10K – Saturday, April 28, 2007 – Oxford – 1st overall – 38:35 (big improvement over last year’s 42:04 here, and a well-paced race on a relatively short amount of sleep :)
Washington County
- Tom Ausherman Memorial Series #1 (2-mile/1-mile) – Tuesday, June 5, 2007 – Hagerstown – 6th overall(2-mile race) – 11:36
Wicomico County
- Salisbury University Track & Field’s Seagull Home Opener Meet – Saturday, March 3, 2007 – Salisbury
- 1,500 meter run – 7th overall – 4:48.7
- 800 meter run - 2nd overall – 2:12.5
- 4X400 meter relay (alumni team) – 4th overall (1st alumni team) – 4:01.5
- 4th Annual Tim Kennard 5 mile River Run and 3 mile walk – Sunday, March 4, 2007 – Salisbury – 14th overall (3rd in the 20-24 age group division) – 31:25 (clock), 31:14 (chip – Nice performance for me that surpassed my expectations, especially after running three track races less than twenty-four hours ago :)
- Sneakers and Creepers 5K – Sunday, October 21, 2007 – Salisbury – approximately 4th overall – clock (20:15ish), watch (20:10)
Worcester County
- Francis Scott Key Family Resort “Dash and Splash” Run/Walk Series 5K Race#3 at Stephen Decatur High School (on the track) – Saturday, June 30, 2007 – Berlin – 1st overall/only finisher – 18:52 (clock), 18:50 (watch) – Finished out the Maryland Eastern Shore portion of my endeavor with this event :)
Events outside of Maryland
California
San Diego County
- 30th Annual Scripp’s Ranch Old Pros Run and Bike 10K and 2-mile Fun Run (10K) – Wednesday, July 4, 2007 – Scripp’s Ranch neighborhood, San Diego – 73rd overall-39:08 (clock), 39:05/39:06 (chip)
Delaware
Kent County
- March Moonlight Madness 5K – Thursday, March 1, 2007 – Wyoming – 2nd overall (1st in male 20-29 age group division) – 18:28
New Castle County
- 2nd Annual Wilmington Games 5K – Wednesday, July 25, 2007 – Wilmington – 5th overall (2nd in 19-29 age group division) – 19:35 (clock), 18:35 (watch-probably would have been low-to-mid 19’s since I accidentally missed a turn and cut the course a bit short near the end)
Sussex County
- 25th Annual Y.M.C.A. 5-Mile Run/Walk – Sunday, July 29, 2007 – Deauville/Rehoboth Beach area – 13th overall (1st in 20-29 age group division) – 31:59 (clock), 31:57 (watch) – Completing this race, I have run in all three Delaware counties this year!!!!!!!!! :)
- Seven Sisters, Four Brothers 6th Annual Venus on the Half Shell 5K – Saturday, August 4, 2007 – Dewey Beach – 9th overall (2nd in 20-24 age group division) – 18:36 (clock), 18:35 (watch)
District of Columbia – Washington
- Hugh Jascourt Memorial Four Miler – Thursday evening, June 21, 2007 – Northwest Washington D.C./C&O Towpath area – 17th overall – 26:04 (clock), 26:01 (watch)
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