... And I made it there yesterday (Saturday morning, the 25th of October, 2008) for what would hopefully be the final race of this endeavor that began at the McCready Health Services Foundation in Crisfield (Somerset County), MD on Saturday, May 3, 2008, to try and run in a running event in every Maryland county within a half-a-year! I made it to St. Michael's Elementary School in St. Michael's (Talbot County), MD with a little less than an hour to spare and that was plenty of time to get my stuff together, warm-up and stretch. It was great to be there and I was pretty excited. I saw a few people I knew from the Maryland Eastern Shore running events I've done on the Maryland Eastern Shore, especially in Talbot County. It had been cloudy, windy, and rainy driving there, but it had cleared up and the sun came out a bit before the race started. This was the last running event that I knew of that would be occurring in Talbot County, MD before the half-a-year time period elapsed on Monday, November 3, 2008.
The course started out near the front of St. Michaels Elementary School and that was where it ended too. The approximately 3.1-mile course was pretty flat and scenic (and even though I was pushing pretty hard for most of it, I was able to enjoy it a bit). Before the race started, the race director made an announcement (and I had told her about what I was doing there a little bit before the day of the race) about how I was trying to run a race in every county of Maryland and that this was my last one, and everyone applauded. Talk about positive momentum; I just hoped that everything would go all right and that I would finish.
The race started and we ran straight down this flat road towards the water. I took an early lead and I was feeling all right. As we neared the water, it looked really pretty and it looked like a scene from the movie "Wedding Crashers", a movie that I think was filmed right around the St. Michael's and/or Easton area of St. Michaels. I hung a left when I got near the water, ran down another road, and then turned around at this small circle and retraced my steps back towards the elementary school. Just after I made the turn, my watch read 3:28 and I figured I had covered a little more than a half-a-mile at this point. I was starting to feel tired and I figured I had gone out pretty hard. For the rest of the way, I did not see any mile markers or see any mile splits, but that did not mean there were not any.
Upon running back towards the school, we made a right onto Radcliffe Street (I think that is what it was called). And from there, the rest of the course wound through some pretty waterside neighborhoods. I ran by this boatyard in the middle of it, and then turned around just a little bit beyond this church and re-traced my steps through the neighborhoods. I was grateful for all of the course marshals because I would not have known to have turned left or right through the course that wound through these neighborhoods. I looked at a course map before starting the race and it looked like there were probably at least fourteen or fifteen different posts for course marshals to stand at. I liked this, because it sure beat running on long and straight roads, because that can get quite monotonous. I think at this area of the race, I was not on a street for any longer than a minute before going onto another one. There was this one point before I turned around at the church, just after I ran down St. Mary's Street (I think that's what it was called), and since there were no marshals or markings at the end of this road, I didn't know whether or not to turn left or right for a minute. I started to go to the right, but then saw some course marshals on my left and ran in that direction and they helped point me down the next short stretch of raod.
I ran by the boat yard again and this time I was told to run straight. However, soon after I came to a red "stop" sign and a fork in the road with no course markings or people standing there. I called out something like "do I go left or right?" but no one answered me. I decided to hang a left because I thought that the school would be in that direction and I continued to yell out "where's the school?", "where's the school?" Fortunately, some gentleman (who I think was working on the course, came behind me in a golf cart-like vehicle and yelled out behind me something like, "I think the school is this way!" And he pointed down the road that I would have run down had I made a right at that ambiguous spot and I quickly turned around and ran the correct road. Now as I neared the end of this road (which I think was Radcliffe Road, but I'm not a hundred percent sure), I recognized where I was right near the front of St. Michaels Middle and High School. Once I got out onto this road that I recognized (which I think was called Seymour Road), I hung a right and picked up the pace to try and compensate for having lost a bit of time going the wrong way. I still hung onto the lead and I knew I was very close to the finish line; quite possibly within an eighth-of-a-mile of it (and that's about a half-a-lap's/200 meters' worth on a track). Even though I was tired and a bit peeved at having gone the wrong way, I knew I was almost done with this race and therefore about done with my goal, and God helped empower me with a strong kick towards the end. In the back of my mind there was still a chance to break 19 minutes. Before starting this kick, I glanced at my watch and it read 18:20 as I was coming near the St. Michaels Elementary School front entrance parking lot, and for all I knew I could have been at three miles right at that point, or I may not have covered that distance just yet, or I may have covered three miles, but still I pushed.
I hung a quick left into the front parking lot and then bore to the right to dash down the finishing chute, and I sprinted across the finish line in about 18:54!
!!!!YES!!!!
I had completed a running event in St. Michaels, Maryland and as of that occurence, I had run in a running event in every Maryland county within a half-a-year (and this half-a-year I also ran a race in Washington, D.C., Baltimore City, MD (an independent city within Maryland), and all three counties of Delaware within a week :) God is awesome! It was a bonus that I was even able to win the race too! I had still managed to break 19 minutes even after going the wrong way (which probably cost me about 20 seconds), so if I had gone the wrong way, perhaps I could have run lower-to-mid 18:30's which was what I was hoping for since that was just under a six-minute-per-mile pace. I was pretty happy with that and knowing that I probably covered a 5K distance in the 18:30ish range with the little extra that I ran; and it was faster than the 18:48 I ran at the 12th Annual North Beach 5K Run in North Beach (Calvert County) in Maryland in 2007 when I first ran in a running event in every Maryland county in 2007. This was also faster than the 18:49 I ran earlier this month at the 5th Annual North Dorchester High School Eagle 5K Run in Hurlock (Dorchester County), MD, when I ran in a running event in every county of Maryland this year (but before getting running in all the counties within the half-a-year time period I was trying to get them in in). Heck, I think it might just have been a bit faster than the 18:36 I ran at the Pink Ribbon Classic last Saturday (October 18, 2008) in Ocean City (Worcester County), MD.
The post-race ceremonies were nice. I met some nice folks, including this gentleman named James who was in my age-group and who won our age-group division. It was actually his first 5K race and he ran about 22:17, which I thought was great for a first 5K. Afterwards, I hung out at the Fall into St. Michaels Festival. I walked/jogged around, bought some food, watched the parade, and hung out. Great times! This was the first time I had been to St. Michaels when the sun was actually out (and I don't think it's a particularly dreary town, in fact it's really quaint and pretty, it's just that the past couple of times that I had been there, it has either been overcast or night time). I had never run this race before, and I thought it was really scenic and well-done, so I would not be surprised if I did it again.
I gotta get going now. This weekend has been awesome! Thank you all so much for all of your encouragements and prayers in this; it means a lot. I hope to hear from you/see you again soon. And I hope to have some photos and more posts up here in the future as well. God bless you all :)
Running Events I have done this year as of Sunday, October 26, 2008
(Italicized ones are the ones within my attempt to run a running event in all of Maryland’s counties within a half-a-year period)
Maryland
Allegany County
- First Annual Spring is Here! 10K – Sunday, April 6, 2008 – Cumberland, MD – 7th overall (20-29 age-group division winner) – 41:40
- Queen City Junior Striders Meet #2: Paris N. Glendening Park – Tuesday, June 17, 2008 – Frostburg:
- 1-mile cross country race: Winner – 5:52.11
- 2-mile cross country race: 8th overall - 13:13.08
- Andrea’s 5K Memorial Run – Saturday, August 16, 2008 – Barton – 8th overall (3rd in male 20-29 age-group division) – 18:49
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)
- John Wall Mile – Sunday, July 6, 2008 – Severna Park High School Track, Severna Park – 8th overall (fastest heat – 2nd in male 20-29 age-group division) – 5:07
- Annapolis Striders Women’s Distance Festival “Run After the Women” 5K (Men’s race) – Annapolis – 7th overall (25-29 age-group division winner) – 18:50.60 (clock), 18:49 (watch)
- Dog Days 8K Cross Country Run – Sunday, August 3, 2008 – Anne Arundel Community College/Earl Scott Trail, Arnold – 22nd overall – 32:33.04 (clock), 32:30 (watch)
- 22nd Annual BWI 4-Mile Run – Sunday, September 28, 2008 – Baltimore-Washington International Airport, Linthicum – 16th overall – 25:34.6, (clock) 25:33 (watch)
Baltimore City
- Kelly St. Patrick’s Day Shamrock 5K – Sunday, March 16, 2008 – Baltimore City – 61st overall (guntime-based) – 18:33 (guntime), 18:28 (chiptime)
- Dreaded Druid Hills 10K – Saturday, June 28, 2008 – Baltimore City – 22nd overall – 43:12.65
Baltimore County
- Baltimore Road Runners Club (BRRC) Grand Prix Series Eight-Mile Run – Sunday, January 13, 2008 – Loch Raven Reservoir – 11th overall – 53:34
- Patapsco State Park Trail Run (5-6 miles) – Sunday, May 11, 2008 – Patapsco State Park Avalon Area, Arbutus/Catonsville area – 41st overall- 1:05:59
- Inaugural TEVA Genessee Valley Trail Run 5K – Saturday, June 21, 2008 – Genessee Valley, Parkton – 5th overall (20-29 age group division winner) – 20:07
- Inaugural Maryland Running Cross Country Trials (5K) – Tuesday, August 26, 2008 – Oregon Ridge Park, Cockeysville – 12th overall (finished 11th overall, but the gentleman behind me accidentally started late and ran a faster time than I did, so really I ran the 12th fastest time in that race instead of the 11th – I was 9th in age group, awarded for 8th place)) - 19:20.1
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
- 13th Annual North Beach 5K – Saturday, September 27, 2008 – North Beach – 2nd overall – 19:01
Caroline County
- First Annual St. Patrick’s Day 5K – Saturday, March 15, 2008 – Denton – 2nd overall (20-29 age group division winner) – 18:58 (clock), 18:55 (watch)
- Caroline Hospice Remembrances Run 5K (first year running a 5K course here instead of a 5-miler) – Saturday, September 20, 2008 – Federalsburg Marina Park, Federalsburg – 3rd overall (20-29 age group division winner) – 19:15
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)
- Kowomu Trail 5K Road Race – Sunday, August 17, 2008 – Westminster – 2nd overall – 20:21
- 5th Annual Labor Day 5K Rogue Race – Monday, September 1, 2008 – Liberty High School, Eldersburg – 5th overall (20-29 age-group division winner) – 18:28 (my personal best time on this course and at this event to-date J)
Cecil County
- Inaugural Run for Reading 4K – Saturday, May 10, 2008 – Bayview Elementary School, North East – Winner – 13:13 (accidentally cut the course a bit short) As of this race, Daniel Williams ran a race in every Maryland County along the Mason-Dixon Line J
- Inaugural Paws for Life/Mid-Atlantic Horse Rescue May Day 5K – Sunday, May 18, 2008 – Chesapeake City – 20th overall – 29:18
- St. Roch’s Trail Run 7K – Saturday, July 19, 2008 – Fair Hill Natural Resources Management Area (N.R.M.A.), Fair Hill/Elkton – Winner – 51:36 (this was after running a little past the actual finish area J)
- Inaugural Charlestown Riverfest River Run 5K – Sunday, September 14, 2008 – Charlestown – 4th overall (20-29 age group division winner) – 20:13
Charles County
- General Smallwood Sprint Triathlon – Sunday, June 29, 2008 – General Smallwood Park, Indian Head/Ironsides/Silver Hill – 194th overall (112th male finisher) – 1:59:32:
- 750-meter swim – 21:15 (ranked 111th fastest male time at this point)
- 1st transition area – 6:29 (ranked 132nd male time at this point)
- 16-mile bike – 1:10:28 (PR and it was ranked 135th male time at this point :)
- 2nd transition area – 1:18 (ranked 60th fastest male time at this point)
- 5K – 20:03 (ran very evenly or even had negative splits, and it was ranked 4th fastest overall, and 3rd fastest among the males J)
Dorchester County
- North Dorchester High School Eagle Athletics Boosters 5th Annual Eagle 5K Run – Saturday, October 4, 2008 – Hurlock – Winner – 18:49 (as of this race, I ran in a running event in every county of Maryland within 2008; God is Awesome J)
Frederick County
- Inaugural the Great “Deadman’s Hill” Down Hill Mile – Friday, April 4, 2008 – Brunswick, MD – 4th overall – 4:50 (off-track PR for a mile distance J) - They had mistaken me for finishing 8th overall with a time of 4:54
- Frederick Steeplechasers Summer Track Series (Two miles on the track) – Wednesday, June 18, 2008 – Frederick High School, Frederick:
- One mile warmup
- Two miles - 6th overall (13th in age-adjusted time) - 11:47 (I ran negative splits :)
- 3X800-meter relay race – Our team earned 2nd overall – My 800-meter splits were about: 2:53, 2:48ish, and then 2:26 (and I think I ran negative splits on that last one as well as keeping a fairly even pace on the first two J)
Garrett County
- Inaugural TEVA Adventure Games 10K Trail Run – Saturday, July 26, 2008 – A.S.C.I./Wisp Ski Resort, Deep Creek Lake – 6th overall (4th male finisher and 20-29 age group division winner) – 50:24 (I ran negative splits on one of the most hilliest and challenging races I’ve run in so far, and it was great scenery too J)
Harford County
- Leap of Faith Fun Run (7K prediction run – Approximately 4.35 miles) – Sunday, February 17, 2008 – Abington – 3rd/4th overall (8th closest to predicted time) – 27:24 (predicted time: 28:00)
- World No Tobacco Day 5K – Sunday, June 8, 2008 – Liriodrendron Mansion/Ma & Pa Trail, Bel Air -- overall (2nd in 20-29 age-group division) – 19:37
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 :) – Sunday, February 10, 2008 – Columbia – 11th overall – 1:10:11
- Road Runners Club of America Ten-Mile Club Challenge – Sunday, February 24, 2008 – Columbia – 122nd overall – 1:07:58.85 (clock), 1:07:52 (watch)
- H.C.S. “Operation Iceberg” #9: Elkhorn 10K – Sunday, March 30, 2008 – Columbia – 13th overall – 43:42 (clock), 43:39 (watch) – Ran negative splits: 21:53 the first half! J
- Mt. Hebron High School Viking Backers Viking 5K – Sunday, April 13, 2008 – Mt. Hebron High School, Ellicott City – 2nd overall – 18:52
- 30th Annual Clyde’s 10K – Sunday, April 20, 2008 (my five-year anniversary of accepting Jesus Christ as my personal Savior J) – Columbia - - 42:09 (clock), 42:05 (chip)
- H.C.S. “Vernal Velocity” # : Thunder Hill Elementary School 2-miler – Sunday, May 18, 2008 – Columbia – 4th overall – 13:35
- First Annual Friends of the Howard County Library Fun Run/Walk (approximately 2.3 miles) – Saturday, June 7, 2008 – East Columbia Branch Library, Columbia – Winner – 14:25 (I ran a little further past the actual finish area J)
- Damien F. Massella Run for Recovery 5K (new course) – Sunday, June 22, 2008 – Columbia - overall – 18:38
- H.C.S. “Summer Sizzler” #2: Burleigh Manor Middle School 5-miler – Wednesday, June 25 – 6th overall – 32:26
- Police Pace 5K – Sunday, September 7, 2008 – Centennial Park, Ellicott City – 11th overall – 18:17.94 (my personal best time on this course to-date J)
- H.C.S. “Legends of the Fall” #2: Longfellow Elementary School 10K – Sunday, September 21, 2008 – 2nd overall - 44:32 (great pacing, because I went through the first half in about 22:13 J)
- H.C.S. “Legends of the Fall” #3: Atholton High School 5K – Sunday, October 12, 2008 – 11th overall – 20:38 (clock), 20:37 (watch) – I ran with a water bottle J
- H.C.S. “Legends of the Fall” #6: Longfellow Elementary School Two-miler – Sunday, October 19, 2008 – Winner – 11:59.53 (my best time-to-date on this course J)
Kent County
- 32nd Annual Chestertown Tea Party Distance Classic 5K – Saturday, May 24, 2008 – Chestertown – 3rd overall (20-29 age-group division winner) – 19:15 (clock), 19:12 (watch – best time at this event J)
- 27th Annual Rock Hall Flat Five – Friday, July 4, 2008 – Rock Hall – 2nd overall (“Open Men” age group division (20-36) winner) – 32:31 (it probably would have been a bit faster had I not accidentally missed a turn towards the beginning).
Montgomery County
- 5th Annual Walnut Hill Ribbon Run 5K – Sunday, February 10, 2008 – Gaithersburg – 2nd overall – 19:51
- Riley’s Rumble Half-Marathon – Sunday, July 27, 2008 – Riley’s Lock, Seneca/Poolesville – 132nd overall (117th male finisher) – 1:48:18 (clock), 1:47:27 (watch) – First half-marathon J
- Sandy Spring Friends School Practice Meet #1 (5K cross country race) – Wednesday, August 20, 2008 – Sandy Spring – 3rd overall (ran unattached) – 19:42 (I really picked it up the third mile J)
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
- Poker Run (3 laps around the lake at the Buddy Attick Park which is approximately 3.79 miles) – Friday, July 11, 2008 – First finisher (my poker hand did not win anything) – 24:44ish (and I was trying to break 25 minutes J)
- 10th Annual Run for Kathy 5K – Saturday, October 11, 2008 – Allen Pond Park, Bowie – 8th overall (male 20-29 age group division winner) – 18:28 (clock), 18:27 (watch)
Queen Anne’s County
- A Day at the Races – Saturday, March 29, 2008 – Queen Anne’s County High School, Centreville:
- 5K (on the high school cross country course) – Winner – 18:59 (probably a little shorter than a 5K, somewhere between 3 and 3.1 miles)
- 1,600 meter/1-mile track open fun run – 3rd overall – 6:34
- Kent Island Relay for Life – Saturday, June 7, 2008 – Kent Island High School, Stevensville – I ran about or almost four miles worth and I was one of the few joggers/runners at the event.
- Kennard Alumini Association 5K Walk/Run & Family Day (new course this year) - Saturday, June 14, 2008 – Kennard Elementary School, Centreville – Winner – 19:20
Saint Mary’s County
- 27th Annual Chaptico Classic 5K – Saturday, August 30, 2008 – Chaptico – 4th overall (20-29 age-group division winner) – 19:10
Somerset County
- 3rd Annual McCready Health Services Foundation Founder’s Day 8K – Saturday, May 3, 2008 – Crisfield – 2nd overall – 34:51 (clock), 34:27 (watch)
Talbot County
- Talbot Kids Fun Run (advertised as three-miles, but less than that) – Saturday, March 8, 2008 – North Easton Sportsplex (Rails-to-Trails), Easton – Winner – Probably ran low-to-mid 14’s based on the times of other runners (I did not run my watch on this one)
- 7th Annual Fall into St. Michaels 5K Run/Walk – Saturday, October 25, 2008 – St. Michaels Elementary School, St. Michaels – Winner – 18:54 (I accidentally made a wrong turn towards the end of the race, but this is the race where I finished out my half-year endeavor; praise God! :)
Washington County
- 27th Annual Gary Brown Memorial C&O Canal Five-Mile Run – Saturday, August 23, 2008 – Williamsport - 21st overall – 31:31
Wicomico County
- Mid-Shore Family YMCA Funny Bunny 5K Run – Saturday, March 8, 2008 – Salisbury – 2nd overall (20-29 age-group division winner) – 19:35
- Winter Place Park Summer Cross-Country Series #1 – Saturday, August 2, 2008 – Winter Place Park, Salisbury – 4th overall (won a Chick-Fil-A coupon as a door prize) – 19:01
- Vernon Powell Shoes The Athlete 5K Challenge – Saturday, October 4, 2008 – Salisbury – 5th overall (2nd in 20-29 age-group division; second to Fernando Guerrero, a famous boxer) – 19:08
Worcester County
- Ocean City Factory Outlets 5K – Saturday, April 12, 2008 – Ocean City – 2nd overall – 19:11
- 8th Annual Pink Ribbon Classic 5K – Saturday, October 18, 2008 – Ocean City – Winner – 18:36
Events outside of Maryland
Delaware
(Italicized ones are Delaware counties that I ran in the week of 5-25-to-5-31-2008)
Kent County
- 4th Annual Firefly 5K Run – Wednesday, May 28, 2008 – Smyrna – 6th overall (2nd in male 20-29 age-group division) – 18:53 (clock), 18:52 (watch)
New Castle County
- 7th Annual Friends of Mary Husty 5K – Monday, May 26, 2008 – University of Delaware, Newark – 8th overall (male 19-29 age-group division winner – Now I’ve won my age group in all three counties of Delaware in my lifetime J) – 18:38 (clock), 18:36 (watch)
Sussex County
- 15th Annual Masser Five-Miler – Sunday, May 25, 2008 – Lewes – 12th overall (3rd in male 25-29 age-group division) – 31:47 (clock), 31:45 (watch – My pace got faster later in the race :)
District of Columbia – Washington
- 410th Tidal Basin 3K – Wednesday, March 19, 2008 – Tidal Basin, Washington D.C. – 9th overall – 10:46
- 412th Tidal Basin 3K – Wednesday, June 18, 2008 – Tidal Basin, Washington D.C. - overall – 11:01
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
Fairfax County
- 30th Annual Patriot’s Cup 8K – Sunday, May 4, 2008 – George Mason University, Fairfax – 20th overall – 32:27 (clock), 32:23ish (watch)
Northampton County
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