Hi there everyone, I apologize for taking so long to update my blog. I was fairly busy this week with work and the two teaching certificate courses that I'm taking. Oddly enough, I have not been running this week (I'll get to why soon), yet I still did not take the time to blog. I had set aside some time to update this earlier in the week, but apparently something was up with the internet on this site and I could not really get anything done then. Now that the school week is over, though, I can finally get some time to update!
Anyway, I was fortunate enough to make it to and through the Road Runners Club of America Ten-Mile Club Challenge last Sunday (February 24, 2008) in Columbia (Howard County), MD. The race started and ended around the Howard Community College campus and it was pretty hilly, going through the Allview neighborhood just to name a few of the areas we ran in. In fact, we passed Atholton Elementary School (where I went to elementary school) as well as Clemen's Crossing Elementary School and Atholton High School!
I was pretty happy with my finishing time of 1:07:52 (that's what it said on my watch, my clock time was 1:07:58.85, and that's probably because I started towards the middle/back of the pack and it took me about six seconds to reach the starting line where I started my watch after the race started). I think I could have run at least two-to-three minutes faster, and maybe even topped my personal best time in the ten-mile distance of about 1:04:42, had my right foot not cramped up and hurt me from mile three through about miles six-to-seven. This was a bother to me towards the end of last summer into last fall. After some time off, I hadn't experienced much trouble with it until now. I think it could have been the hills and the longer distance, and this could have been a sobering reminder as to why I typically do not run in such longer distance races (and I'm thinking I should try and keep my distance from them for a while). I talked to my dad about it and said it could be plantar fascitis (which was an overuse injury that I had with my achilles/plantar fascia back in college, and not one that I'd like to have again). My dad and I decided it would be best to at least take this week off, so that's why I have not been running since I cooled down after the ten-mile race on Sunday. If it still bothers me next week, I'll take some more time off (although I hope that's not the case, because next weekend there are a couple of races scheduled on the Maryland Eastern Shore that I would like to run in if I can).
It could have been worse, and at least I ran some nice splits (even though I thought I went out too fast for a ten-miler at my level of fitness, but at least they made for nice splits). Plus, coming up to mile five while I was hurting and losing hope, I prayed that Jesus Christ would help heal me and about a mile-and-a-half later, the pain in my right foot began to recede. In my mind, experiencing God's response to my prayer and His healing in that race was the best part of it! And through prayer this week as well as taking some aspirin and icing, I've been feeling better. We'll see how it goes; most of my running next week if any I plan on taking it easy! And I've still been able to go wade/swim a bit in the swimming pool and lift at the gym at Howard Community College. My legs could probably use this rest anyway!
Anyway, here are the splits that I was able to catch on my watch as I went by mile markers throughout the race:
Mile#3 - 18:28
Mile#4 - 25:24
Mile#5 - 32:05ish
Mile#6 - 39:14
Mile#7 - 46:15
Mile#8 - 53:35ish
Mile#9 - 1:02:17ish
Mile#10 - 1:07:52
Again, I'm pretty well-pleased with those splits; they help make me more confident about the shorter distance races from like 5K-to-5-miles. Praise the Lord!
I did think that the ninth mile was a lot longer, because I don't think that coming up to it I had slowed to a pace that was well over an eight-minute mile as my splits above would imply, nor was I going hard enough at the end (except for maybe the last one-hundred meters or so) to hit about a 5:35-mile as the splits above would imply. No complaints about it though, it happens.
All right, thank you all for reading (and waiting on this post if you were). I hope you all continue to enjoy this "leap day" today, and that you all have a good night and weekend as well. God bless you all :)
Running Events I have done this year as of Sunday, February 29, 2008
Maryland
Allegany County
Anne Arundel County
-Valentine’s Day 5K Run – Saturday, February 9, 2008 – Kinder Mill Farm Park, Millersville/Severna Park – 10th overall (3rd in male 20-29 age group division) – 17:59.15 (my best time on course J)
Baltimore City
Baltimore County
- Baltimore Road Runners Club (BRRC) Grand Prix Series Eight-Mile Run – Sunday, January 13, 2008 – Loch Raven Reservoir – 11th overall – 53:34
Calvert County
- First Annual Southern Maryland Community Network Resolution 5K Run/Walk – Tuesday, January 1, 2008 – Prince Frederick – 4th overall (20-29 age group winner) – 18:47
Caroline County
Carroll County
- Winfield Mile – Tuesday, January 1, 2008 – South Carroll High School, Winfield – 6th overall (2nd in 20-29 age group) – 5:11 (clock), 5:10 (watch)
Cecil County
Charles County
Dorchester County
Frederick County
Garrett County
Harford County
- Leap of Faith Fun Run (7K prediction run – Approximately 4.35 miles) – Sunday, February 17, 2008 – Abington (Harford County, MD) – 3rd/4th overall (8th closest to predicted time) – 27:24 (predicted time: 28:00)
Howard County
- Howard County Striders (H.C.S.) Weekly Series (“Operation Iceberg”) #1: Burleigh Manor Middle School 5-mile run – Sunday, January 6, 2008 – Columbia/Ellicott City area – 7th overall – 32:18
- H.C.S. “Operation Iceberg” #3: Atholton High School 5K Run – Sunday, January 20, 2008 – Columbia – 6th overall – 18:38
- H.C.S. “Operation Iceberg” #5: Jeffers Hill Neighborhood Center 15K (first 15K I’ve done as part of the H.C.S. weekly series :) – Columbia – 11th overall – 1:10:11
- Road Runners Club of America Ten-Mile Club Challenge – Sunday, February 24, 2008 – Columbia (Howard County), MD – 122nd overall – 1:07:58.85 (clock), 1:07:52 (watch)
Kent County
Montgomery County
- 5th Annual Walnut Hill Ribbon Run 5K – Sunday, February 10, 2008 – Gaithersburg – 2nd overall – 19:51
Prince George’s (P.G.) County
- Prince George’s Sports and Learning Complex Track Showcase (indoor track) – Sunday, January 27, 2008 – Landover:
- 1,500 meter race – 15th overall - 5:04.9
- 800 meter race – 2nd overall –2:17.5
- 3,200 meter race – winner – 11:24 (best indoor track time for that distance by one second, and the 10:43 3,000 meter split I believe was right around an indoor track best time for me as well J)
- Prince George’s Sports and Learning Complex Track Showcase (indoor track) – Sunday, February 3, 2008 – Landover:
- 800 meter run – 3rd overall – 2:15
- 3,200 meter run – 2nd overall – Have not gotten time yet, but I’m sure it was close to the 11:24 I hit there last weekend J
Queen Anne’s County
Saint Mary’s County
Somerset County
Talbot County
Washington County
Wicomico County
Worcester County
Events outside of Maryland
Delaware
Kent County
New Castle County
Sussex County
Virginia
Accomack County
Arlington County
- Potomac Valley Track Club All-Comers’ Indoor Track & Field Meet – Sunday, February 3, 2008 - Thomas Jefferson Community Center, Arlington:
- 1 mile run – 6th overall – 5:17.0
- 800 meter run – 6th overall – 2:22.5
- 3,000 meter run – 7th overall – 10:59.8
Northampton County
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