"It began with a New Year's resolution to cut back on racing this year..." Reflection on 2009 :)

Greetings everyone,

This is the last post I plan to have on this blog for the rest of the year (aaaahhhh, I know it sounds bad, but do not worry 2010 is a mere few days away)! I figure this would be a good time to sit back and reflect/journal on my thoughts of this year (especially where running is concerned). I feel like for me, there were three big components, events, characteristics (whatever you would characterize it as) that I feel have made this year what it is for me: My health, running adventures/misadventures, and my girlfriend of a little over eight months, Kay :)


I remember this time last year I had pretty much run my last race of the year, I was in pretty strong running shape having done well at an indoor track meet in Washington County, Maryland followed by an 18:03 5K on the fairly challenging 15th Annual Race Against Time in Wilmington (New Castle County), Delaware the following day. I remember around this time, I was in the midst of a week-long stomach ache/bout of queasiness, which was part of a health concern that led me to make certain choices this year. I will just say this before I continue on: The events that occurred in my life last year effects on this year for me were VERY apparent in quite a few ways (which I will get into later on in this post). I remember around this time last year, I was 25 years-old and very happy about all of the running and racing I had done in just 2008 alone (I had run a race in every county of Maryland within a half-a-year's time period between Saturday, May 3, 2008 and Monday, November 3, 2008, as well as a race in all three counties of Delaware within a week's time period at the end of May of 2008, and I totaled 112 races last year in addition to my participation in the Kent Island High School's Relay for Life in Queen Anne's County, Maryland, the most races I have done in a year by far :)
Now I feel that my priorities have shifted quite a bit in light of some things that occurred towards the end of last year, during the course of this year, and probably also because of the economy's current condition.
Last year I made a resolution to cut back on the number of races I do this year, and I did that by almost half! And of course, I did not run a race in every county of Maryland this year, and I did not even go over to Delaware for a race this year. I have to admit, it was easier than I suspected, and if you have been keeping in touch with me, following along with my unfortunately RATHER SPORADIC blog updates, you could probably point to a few occurrences that have helped me cut back on my race quantity this year. However, a lack of quantity in races has not at all resulted in a lack of quality, positive memories, and terrific interactions with great people I have met/gotten to know better via doing races throughout Maryland. I have decided to post five of what I consider the top qualities of my running/racing this year:


1. I made a resolution to heavily cut back on the number of races I do this year, and by God's grace I did just that, cutting back significantly from last year's 112 races (and Relay for Life) to almost half as many races with 60 races this year. Knowing how I have been the past few years with racing, this would be considerably hard for me, but I felt like God was telling me it was time to cut back and not let it consume me so much. I think this is the least amount of races I have run within a year in the last three years or so. For starters, I did not do my first races until later in January this year at an all-comers' indoor track & field meet in Arlington County, VA (it was at the Thomas Jefferson Community Center's indoor track). Within a month, I felt I had to take a break from running, and then another break from running later on in the year in October due to health reasons. In addition, I wanted to save money and focus on other things, versus spending money on races I was probably not in the best condition to run anyway. Those were some of the factors that made it much easier for me to keep up that New Year's resolution, the first one I think that I have remembered and successfully carried out throughout the year.



2. By God's grace within my lifetime, I have won a race in all nine counties on Maryland's Eastern Shore (Caroline, Cecil, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne's, Somerset, Talbot, Wicomico, and Worcester Counties).

Upon winning the 26th Annual Stillpond-to-Betterton Tree Run (a 3.6-mile rather hilly course that went from Stillpond, MD to Betterton Beach, MD in Kent County, Maryland) in 22:42, I can now say that I have won a race in all of Maryland's Eastern Shore counties in my lifetime as of Saturday, April 4, 2009.



3. By God's grace within my lifetime, I have won a race in all three of the counties that make up southern Maryland's "Tri-County Area" (Calvert, Charles, and Saint Mary's Counties).

Upon winning the 3rd Annual Archbishop Neale School 5K Run in LaPlata (Charles County), MD (which was a little longer than a 3.1-mile 5-kilometer distance) in 19:14, I can say that I have now won a race in all three of those counties in my lifetime as of Sunday, June 7, 2009.



4. By God's grade within my lifetime, I have run a race in all twelve of Howard County, Maryland's (the county I was born and raised in) public high school districts (Atholton, Centennial, Glenelg, Hammond, Howard, Long Reach, Marriotts Ridge, Mount Hebron, Oakland Mills, Reservoir, River Hill, and Wilde Lake High Schools).


As of Sunday, March 29, 2009 after running the 4th Annual Marriotts Ridge High School Mustang Stampede in Marriottsville in 18:24, I can say that I ran my first race in the only Howard County public high school district I had yet to run a race in, and wouldn't you know it, it started and ended right on the very outdoor running track of Marriotts Ridge High School!


5. By God's grace, I ran faster than 15 minutes on this pretty hilly and challenging course around the Community College of Baltimore County campus in Catonsville (which is probably just a little over two miles). I ran it last fall in about 14:58/14:59. I kicked it in pretty hard. In addition, on Friday, December 11, I ran that course I liked to run that starts and ends at the East Columbia Branch Library in Howard County, MD in under forty minutes (38:56 was what I ran). The course is probably a little over 5.5 miles, and I had thought it would have taken me longer to break 40 minutes on that course and I was blessed to have been able to have broken 39 minutes. So yea, there were at least two running courses that I ran on this year, and I broke the time goals on both of them that I wanted too :)


So those are some of the things I am really proud of this year with my running. Writing about it makes me feel happy about how I ran this year, even though there were more demoralizing points (such as this fall when I was easily getting light-headed and tired from doing simpler exercises than running, such as moving weights or stretching). That was one of two health concerns that I felt challenged by this year, and that led me to take a break from running. The first one involved the stomach aches I started to get during the last several months of 2008, which included bouts of queasiness lasting for as long as a week sometimes. Earlier this year it started to really get to me, and in February I decided to investigate it further and see some doctors. After some tests and getting some medicine for how stomach acid was affecting my sensitive stomach, I was not really bothered by it once the spring started. I was able to learn a lot about my stomach (which has always been on the sensitive side). I was grateful to not be bothered by bouts of queasiness; it felt so good to have an appetite that helped me to eat a sufficient amount to compensate for the calories burned when I ran (and earlier this month, I felt my running and health were suffering because I was not eating enough calories compared to what I was burning when I was running, because my stomach aches often discouraged me from eating much... But of course I was not discouraged from WANTING to run). After almost a month off of running from February to March (I remember on Friday, March 6 exactly from when I started running after this break), I started back steadily and at the end of March, I was running 5K's in under 6-minute-per-mile paces.

I had a great spring of running and racing, as well as a fair majority of the summer too. However, towards the end of the summer I was beginning to feel de-energized and sometimes just sick after mere training runs. I was not sure if I was getting burnt-out and needed a break, but as autumn neared, it became evident with my weight loss it was probably more of a nutritional thing. By the time October rolled around, I was gearing up for another break from running and another series of doctors appointments and tests. Among these was a trip to a dietitian who recommended with the way my stomach was, to have about six smaller meals a day (or at least try to eat every couple of hours and not eat for a while before bed), instead of the three larger meals I have grown accustomed too over the years. Apparently, such an approach to eating meals is not altogether uncommon. I have been converting to that. I can not say that I have been great at it at all, but I like to think I am improving :)

When all that was said and done (and I am grateful to have that over with and to have terrific insurance to have covered those tests and doctors visits), the doctor really was sure that I had lower blood-sugar levels at certain levels (i.e. when I exercised), hence the shortness of breath, light-headedness, relative lack-of-energy. I am not diabetic or hypoglycemic, but the doctor recommended I try to eat within about an hour before a run or race to get my blood sugar up. I tried this with weight-lifting and stretching, and I was pleased that I was able to start doing workouts again without much light-headedness. I know it seems so simple, but a lack of this approach was having unusually uncomfortable effects on me, especially when I exercised. I started back with running nice and steadily late this past October. As a result of a busy semester, coupled with recent snowy weather, I cannot promise that my running has been the most consistent (typically no more than three-to-four times a week, and sometimes without a longer run, a harder interval/speed workout, and some of my runs have been relatively shorter, like less than ten-to-fifteen minutes). However, I am grateful to be back to it.

I am definitely not running as strong as I have been in years past since I started back running this October. You can look at the races I have done between this past January and August, and you can see the contrast between the times I have been running then and more recently. I am not ungrateful, but all the same, I am hoping to get back to running the way I was before my fitness was starting to go downhill last summer, and also running as well as I have been for my level of fitness these past several years. I mean, I have often been able to break 19 minutes in 5-kilometer races, even the more challenging variety. However, the last time I broke 20 minutes was when I ran 19:12 at the 1st Annual Zoe Track Club's Lighthouse Christian Academy in Port Deposit (Cecil County), MD on Saturday, August 29, 2009, and even then, I was feeling a bit sluggish than I normally would for running that time on a fairly moderately challenging course. Since then, I feel like running lower 21's, or running under 21 minutes has been quite an endeavor! I guess this goes to help me appreciate what it really takes to run times like 20-21 minutes, and how much it really does take to run faster times than that! It is amazing how easily we take these things for granted until you can not do or have them.

I know that since the end of my time at and graduation from Salisbury University, I worked hard at different races and in training to beat if not compete with how I ran in college on Salisbury University's Cross Country and Track and Field Teams. Even some of the times I considered mediocre or weaker back then in my earlier 20's, would be cause for a celebration if I ran them now in my mid-20's. I do not attribute this loss of strength in my running to getting older, but I think it has been from health challenges, injuries (the combination of which has led me to take breaks from running a good five times or so since I graduated from Salisbury University in May of 2006. I was recently thinking and coming to surprising peace with the reality that I may never really improve upon my running times, or even come close to them again. And if that were to happen, I have resolved to be happy with the gift that God has given to be able to enjoy running, racing, and the ways that both benefit me and can glorify God, and I do not want to let the possibility that I may not again run like I recently used too, stop me from enjoying and experiencing what I feel God would want me too with running. I always thought about ten or even twenty years from now, that I would still be running competitively, and easily surpassing the way I have been running and racing currently (and when I say "currently", I am talking about the way I was running in like 2006-2008, when I would often be running under a 6-minute-per-mile pace for a 5K, breaking 39 and 40 minutes in 10K races, and running 10+-mile training runs in under a seven-minute-per-mile pace, and actually feeling pretty strong throughout much of those training runs. God can easily make that happen, I have seen Him achieve much bolder things like that with others. However, not to sound negative, that could just as well really not be part of God's plan for my life, and I have to be okay with that and love running, no matter how I do with it.

So I am going to keep at it, and God-willing, I will have many more great races, memories, and see many interesting places and meet equally interesting people with running in the years to come, whether I win the race, finish last, run way slower than I have before even though I try hard, or blow my previous best performances away.

That all said and looking back to this time last year, I would not be surprised if God was putting it on my heart to cut back on my racing and not make much of my running this year, to prepare my heart and emotions for some of the more disappointing events of this year in regards to my running, to appreciate the great events involving running this year, and to focus on other things in general (and believe me, there were plenty of others). Had my mind and ambitious been more tailored to running and racing this year as they have been for quite a few years past, I would have probably been quite demoralized with running to say the least. I would have certainly been frustrated with the health challenges, the workload between school and work, and not to mention trying to get some plans for the future in order!
As a result, I have really noticed a priority shift in how I have been doing things and spending my time between the recent ages of 24 and 26 (my current age). A couple of years ago, it seemed that much of my energy and free time was spent hanging out with with larger quantities of friends (or at least acquaintances that were friends of my friends), and going out to restaurants, movies, bowling, and parties/get-togethers. This past year or so, I have found myself missing those days as I have not been doing those things that much anymore. Nothing in particular against those activities, and believe me, I have been keeping in touch with some of my closer friends (thank you cellphone, e-mail, and Facebook :), I just notice I have not been doing that as much lately. In addition, I have been gravitating more towards the local races, and not going out as much to the Maryland Eastern Shore for races as I have done in the past few years. I had meant to get out for some races in far western Maryland (i.e. Allegany and Garrett Counties), but those plans fell through for various reasons and the furthest west I went in MD with my racing was a couple of events I did in Hagerstown (Washington County) which were fun. Get-togethers on Friday nights and weekends, going on the internet for Facebook, blogging, researching races, going to the movies at least once every month or two, has been replaced by maybe going out with a friend or two for a quiet bite to eat, more time in fellowship with people from church/Bible studies, me researching and going to different counties to look for opportunities to advance professionally as I try to finish out certification to become an elementary school teacher in Maryland. I hate to say, but I feel like I am growing out of somethings (and no I am not outgrowing running, if anything God has used that to help me grow). You know what though, in a way, this is probably necessary as I grow a little older. I hope this has not come off as depressing or negative by any means, I have just been picking up in these subtle shifts in my goals, approaches, activity, and time management that became very evident a few months after I started dating my sweetheart Kay back in mid-April this year :)

And that brings me to the third component that I feel has made this year unique to me: My girlfriend Kay! What better to inspire an at-best common man who perhaps overindulges in hobby and leisure, to "grow up" and "get his act together", then the pursuit of a princess-like, kind, caring, and authentically beautiful woman! We had been friends for well over a year (most of that time I had always had a crush on her, but never sure if I wanted more than friendship) before we became a couple, and these past 36 weeks with her have really shown me how much God wants to spoil me. We are happy together, and I feel that God has used some of the challenges I have faced over the past coupla years and then some with my health and injuries to better relate to her, and to also for me come to her vulnerable and humble with my challenges and flaws, and allow her to show me care, empathy, and compassion, qualities that I believe that she has unknowingly allowed God to develop in her that has contributed to her being the woman I am growing to like more and more. I think some of the challenges I have faced last year and this year that I mentioned, have served to strengthen our relationship by God's grace. I think this is one of the largest (if not the only) reasons why God wanted me to take my mind off of running a little bit towards the end of last year, so that I would not be let it distract me too much from the treasure of my girlfriend, who actually has been really supportive and enthusiastic about my running (as well as the friends I have met). She has been to five of my races to cheer me on so far, which I think is amazing considering she had never really been to a race in a very long time until we became a couple!! I know that I want to keep pursuing her now and in the future, and I am willing to take some big steps and risks. I know I do not have much money in the grand scheme of things (especially now since I am making payments on a great new car, paying a new auto insurance, and I even had to pick up a second part-time job after school on some weekdays as well as many Saturday mornings to help me make ends meet and have a little extra "wiggle room"). I think one of the reasons I felt like I was going a little slower in progress towards getting a teaching certificate (and believe me, I am not into teaching because of the money), was because I did not have a wonderful girlfriend that I really like and I did not realize how important it was to really try and make more money via professional advancement. I know this makes me sound like a naive simpleton, but really I was quite complacent until I realized I needed more money to be able to do the things I want to do. Kay and I have a bit of a longer distance relationship, and I want to move closer to her in MD, and to make things more confusing not including a tighter financial budget, I feel like I am in a transitional period enough trying to get between being a teachers' aide to being a teacher. I am not complaining, but it has been a pretty confusing... adventure. I am not going to go into detail about all of the different ideas and avenues I have researched (and am currently exploring) en route to teacher certification, because that would just be plain exhaustive. All I know is, without my relationship with Kay and some of these other more stifling economic circumstances, I might not have had as much motivation to advance professionally, and these confusing "hoops I gotta jump through" to advance professionally may have kicked me in the rear much more severely than they have these past few months had I just been "taking my time" with it instead of trying to "get my ducks in a row" so-to-speak. One example of how I have been spurred to take more action my professional advancement and growth has involved me taking three classes this past semester, and getting ready to take the Praxis II test as well as a class this winter semester (which is all condensed within the month of January), in addition to a couple this coming spring semester. I do not think I would have taken the initiative to have taken this much on had I not been as concerned about my future, and how my future may affect my girlfriend!

That all being said, I am not complaining at all, but I am just proud to say that these are some thoughts, actions, ideas, events, and responses on my part that I have taken in and experienced on my part this year that has helped me grow a lot in different ways. I feel like I have matured and grown in my love for God, my love of running, my appreciation for people, my family, my friends, and of course my girlfriend. I think there have been some things this year that really could have humiliated and demoralized me (at least where running is concerned), but God protected me, kept me encouraged, and allowed me to see how these are helping me to grow up, build better relationships with people, and also to really treasure Kay and what God is giving us together. Kay, if you read this, please know that you have been a very excellent girlfriend, better than anyone I deserve, and I will do my best to always be there for you the way you should have a man be there for you! Thank you sweetheart for being there in so many ways to me, even in our friendship before we became a couple!

I want to thank you all so much for stopping by, and of course for being in my life, even if it is merely following this blog. I thank all of my family and friends. I thank all of you that I see at races and I have met over the years at these races, especially those of you who continue to check on me with this blog and over other electronic mediums, such as Facebook! I have been blessed with very much to be thankful for, and much more than I deserve. This year has certainly been a fine year with my running, and learning more about myself (and how to take better care of myself). It began with a New Year's resolution to cut back on racing this year, and now I see why that had to be a priority so that I could have more room in my life and on my heart and mind to deal with other characteristics that really needed my attention, and upon realizing that some of these things would not allow me to devote as much time to running and racing as before, it did not upset me nearly as much as it would have before, because I did not put as much of my heart in it and therefore it did not have as much of a stake in me and my identity as it had before. I am not saying anything bad about running and racing, but I am so glad I opened myself up to allowing God to bring in other things and events in my life that helped me grow in other areas that I had not really paid much attention too in my life!

I do not have any plans to run a large amount of races in 2010. I will still run, train, and race. I certainly have no ambitions to do running events in every Maryland county this coming year either. Though, I do hope to possibly pop over to the Maryland Eastern Shore for the occasionally race, as well as getting out to far western Maryland for a few races, God-willing! Other than that, I will stay probably stay more local with the races. I have some running-related fitness goals in mind that do not have that much to do with races next year, but just more about running faster than I have before on some of the courses. God-willing, we will see what transpires with that, and I will blog about that in the near future hopefully. I am grateful to still be running and enjoying it as much as I have before (if not more).

I am going to wrap this up. I apologize I have been unable to upload photos or any other illustration; it just seems like this site just messes with it. Hopefully it gets taken care of later. That is why you may have noticed lately I have not included photos with my blog posts. I also hope to include a final list of the races I have done this year below as well as some progress on my "Maryland Munch" endeavor to eat at a "unique" restaurant in every county of Maryland.


Thank you so much for stopping by and reading! I hope wish you God's blessing in this New Year, and much happiness, health, and good fortune in 2010 :)



- Noah Wood


Running Events I have done as of Wednesday, December 30, 2009

January

- Sunday, January 18, 2009 - "Inaugural" All-comers Indoor Track & Field Meet - Thomas Jefferson Community Center, Arlington (Arlington County), Virginia:

1). 1-mile race - 14th overall since some mile times run in other heats were faster than mine, (7th overall in the "Elite heat") - 5:26.7 (not bad considering my shoe came untied around half-way into the race :)

2). 800-meter race - 2nd overall - 2:17.78 (my best time in this event at this track venue and very well-paced too :)

3). 3,000 meter race - 15th overall (13th overall in the second heat) - 11:27.8 (I accidentally ran a lap extra and ran about 3,200 meters worth, and my 3,000 meter split was about 10:46, which would have put me at about 8th overall and 8th in this particular heat. This is also my best time-to-date for 3,000 meters at this track venue :)

4). Saturday, January 24, 2009 – Inaugural Chesapeake Bay Running Club Trail Run #1 (5K) – King’s Landing Park, Huntingtown (Calvert County), Maryland – 2nd overall – 19:21

Sunday, January 25, 2009 – Prince George’s Sports and Learning Complex All-Comers’ Showcase Indoor Track & Field Meet – Landover (Prince George’s County), MD:

5). 1-mile race – 4th overall – 5:03

6). 400 meter race – 5th or 6th probably (second-to-last in heat) – 1:04ish (I think this was the first time since middle school I ran this race  )

7). 800 meter race – Not sure how I placed – 2:16/2:17ish; I couldn’t see my time on the clock clearly.

8). 200 meter race – 8th in the heat I was in and last place in heat - :41 (my first time since middle school running this race )

February

Sunday, February 1, 2009 – Prince George’s Sports and Learning Complex All-Comers’ Showcase Indoor Track & Field Meet – Landover (Prince George’s County), MD:

9). 1-mile race – 4th overall - 5:03.4 (best 1-mile time at this venue )

10). 800 meter race – Open/Masters Heat Winner – 2:12.7 (best time at this venue )

11). 3,200 meter race – 11:16 (and 10:37 for the 3,000 meter split, both 3K and 3,200 meter times are personal best times at this venue )

12). Saturday, February 7, 2009 – Inaugural Chesapeake Bay Running Club Trail Run #2 (Four-Miler) – Calvert Cliffs State Park, Lusby (Calvert County), MD – 3rd overall – 27:31

13). Sunday, February 8, 2009 – Bear Run Four-Miler – Pleasant Valley/Westminster (Carroll County), MD – 11th overall – 27:07

March

14). Sunday, March 8, 2009 – Howard County Striders “Operation Iceberg” (Winter Series) Race #8 : Thunder Hill Elementary School 2-miler – Columbia (Howard County), MD – 6th overall – 14:19

15). Saturday, March 14, 2009 – Run4Luck Four-Mile Run – Lancaster (Lancaster County), Pennsylvania – 40th overall – 26:51.55 (I ran negative splits here )

16). Sunday, March 22, 2009 – Inaugural Break-in the Bypass 5K – Greenmount/Hampstead (Carroll County), MD -10th overall (9th overall if you don’t count the two-person relay team ahead of me) – 19:46 (clock), 19:42ish (watch)

17). Saturday, March 28, 2009 – 4th Annual Keep Your Colon Rollin’ 5K – Jefferson Patterson Park (new course and venue), Saint Leonard (Calvert County), MD – Winner (20-29 age group division winner as well) – 19:35

18). Sunday, March 29, 2009 – 4th Annual Marriotts Ridge High School Mustang Stampede 5K Run – Marriotts Ridge High School, Marriottsville (Howard County), MD – 11th overall (20-29 age group division winner) – 18:24.56 (great pacing and my first time running under a six-minute mile in a long while )

April

19). Saturday, April 4, 2009 – 26th Annual Stillond-to-Betterton Tree Run – Started in Stillpond and ended at Betterton Beach (Kent County), MD – Winner – 22:42 (as of this race, I can say that I have won a race in all nine counties of Maryland’s Eastern Shore within my lifetime; praise God! )

20). Saturday, April 18, 2009 – 4th Annual Adkins Arboretum Arbor Day/”Into the Woods” Fun Run 5K – Ridgely (Caroline County), MD – Winner – 17:51 (my best time on the 5K loop there and very nice for me considering I fell during the second half of the race :).

21). Saturday, April 25, 2009 (my 26th birthday ) – 1st Annual Bollman Bridge Elementary School Tech Trot 5K – Jessup/Savage (Howard County), MD – Winner – 19:20 (course went by Bollman Bridge Elementary and Patuxent Valley Middle Schools, where I went to preschool for one year and 6th and 7th grade )

May

22). Saturday, May 2, 2009 – 12th Annual Journey To Better Pathways/Pathways School 5K Run – Silver Spring (Montgomery County), MD – 2nd overall – 19:38 (clock), 19:31 (watch). I accidentally ran the wrong way and ran extra -

23). Saturday, May 9, 2009 – 4th Annual McCready Health Services Foundation Founder’s Day 8K – Crisfield (Somerset County), MD – 4th overall (20-29 male age group winner) – 31:13 (best time on course to date )

24). Saturday, May 16, 2009 – Inaugural Run for the Future 5K – Frederick (Frederick County), MD – Winner (20-29 male age group division winner too  - 18:08 (great time with 5:29 one-mile split, 11:28 two-mile split, almost running into a pace bike in the first mile, and going a little bit further at the turn-around 

25). Sunday, May 17, 2009 – 2nd Annual Paws for Life/Mid-Atlantic Horse Rescue May Day 5K Run – Chesapeake City (Cecil County), MD – Winner (20-29 male age group division winner too) – 18:32 (best time on course to date, and I was kinda sleep-deprived too 

26). Sunday, May 17, 2009 – Howard County Striders “Vernal Velocity” Weekly Series #5: Longfellow Elementary School 10K – Columbia (Howard County), MD – 8th overall – 44:48 (clock), 44:29 (watch)

27). Saturday, May 23, 2009 – 33rd Annual Chestertown Tea Party Distance Classic 10-Miler – Chestertown (Kent County), MD – 31st overall (25-29 male age group winner  - 1:16:16 (clock – my time on my watch was probably several seconds faster since I started further in the back a bit later )

28). Saturday, May 30, 2009 – 1st Annual Tri-County Youth Services Bureau (T.C.Y.S.B.) Youth Power 5K Run – Hughesville (Charles County), MD – 2nd overall (20-29 male age group winner) – 18:27.45 (first race that Kay, my girlfriend, came too to watch )

29). Sunday, May 31, 2009 – Howard County Striders’ All-Fruit Relay – Columbia (Howard County), MD – I was on the Cute Cuc’s (short for ‘cucumber’) and we placed 5th with a time of 56:34 – I ran the last leg in about 12:31, running negative splits with about 6:18 the first lap. Fun time ).

June

30). Tuesday, June 2, 2009 – Tom Ausherman Memorial Cross Country Series #1: Hagerstown Community College – Hagerstown (Washington County), MD – 3rd overall – 12:09

31). Saturday, June 6, 2009 - 1st Annual South County Faith Network Jug Bay 5K ( a little longer, about 5.5K as one person measured it on their GPS) – Lothian (Anne Arundel County), MD – approximately 30:45 on the clock, 21:16 (I actually ran this time, ‘cause I got there late, and this time was actually the fastest one run there at the race, though I’m not sure where my finish place was in the pack, as I’ve yet to see the results )

32). Sunday, June 7, 2009 -3rd Annual Archbishop Neale School 10K and 5K Run (I ran the 5K which was a little longer than a 5K) – LaPlata (Charles County), MD – Winner – 19:15 (clock), 19:14 (watch) – God is good; He has helped me to win a race in all three of Maryland’s southernmost counties within my lifetime 

- Tuesday, June 9, 2009 – Cumberland Valley Athletic Club’s (C.V.A.C.’s) Pete Wright Memorial All-Comer’s Outdoor Track & Field Series #2 – North Hagerstown High School Track, Hagerstown (Washington County), MD:

33). 2-mile race – Winner – 11:10 (ran about 5:42 the first mile, then came back in about 5:28 the second mile to run my best two-mile outdoor track time to date 

34). 800-meter race – 2nd overall – 2:59

35). 200-meter race – last place in last heat – 34.8ish

36). 1-mile race – Winner – 5:15 (ran the first half in about 2:38, and then the second in about 2:37 )

37). Howard County Striders “Vernal Velocity” Spring Series#7 - Burleigh Manor 5K – 5th overall – 18:23 (fastest time on course to-date )

38). Sunday, June 21, 2009 – Dawson’s Father’s Day 10K Run – Severna Park (Anne Arundel County), MD – 43rd overall - 42:26.48 (clock), 42:07ish (watch – I started a bit late - This was my first race I ran on the Baltimore-and-Annapolis (B&A) Trail 

July

39). Friday, July 3rd – Howard County Striders’ Friday Night Cross Country Series #2: Wilde Lake High School 5K – Columbia (Howard County), MD – 11th overall – 19:15 (faster pace than I ran at this venue over the different, shorter course I had run at this high school when I was in 12th grade in the fall of 2001 )

40). Tuesday, July 7, 2009 – Centennial Fun Run 1-Mile – Ellicott City (Howard County), MD – 5:50

41). Thursday, July 9, 2009 – Westminster Road Runners Club’s Twilight Series #4: Francis Scott Key 6K Run – Francis Scott Key High School, Union Bridge (Carroll County), MD – 21st overall – 24:40 (clock), 24:35 (watch)

42). Saturday, July 18, 2009 – St. Roch’s Trail Run (7K – Ran extra) – Fair Hill Natural Resources Management Area, Fair Hill/Elkton (Cecil County), MD – Winner – 56:48 (fell, broke glasses, went wrong way a couple of times, one of which involved running downstream and slipping on a really small waterfall )


August


43). Sunday, August 2, 2009 – A Wider Circle’s First Annual Summer Fun Run 5K (it was definitely shorter than 5K)– Meadowbrook Park, Chevy Chase (Montgomery County), MD – Winner – 16:01

44). Tuesday, August 4, 2009 – Centennial Fun Run 1-Mile – Ellicott City (Howard County), MD – 3/rd/4th – 5:41

45). Thursday, August 6, 2009 – Annapolis Striders Cross Country Series #3: Chesapeake High School (about 2.9 miles) – Pasadena (Anne Arundel County), MD – 5th overall - 17:39

46). Saturday, August 8, 2009 – 1st Annual Bulldog-Eagle Cross Country Race 5K – Derwood (Montgomery County), MD – 7th overall (19-29 age group male division winner) – 18:43

47). Sunday, August 23, 2009 – Kowowmu Trail 4-Mile Road Race – Westminster (Carroll County) – Winner – 25:36 (faster pace than I went at last year when it was a 5K )

48). Saturday, August 29, 2009 - First Annual Zoe Track Club/Christian Lighthouse Academy 5K Run – Port Deposit (Cecil County), MD – 2nd overall – 19:12

49). Sunday, August 30, 2009 – 33rd Annual Annapolis Ten Mile Run – Annapolis (Anne Arundel County), MD - - 1:33:45 (clock), 1:19:58 (chip) – I started almost 14 minutes after the race start, because I got there a little late -
September

50). Saturday, September 5, 2009 – National Hard Crab Derby and Fair 30th Annual Mike Sterling 10K – Crisfield (Somerset County), MD – 5th overall (20-29 male age group division winner) – 43:41

51). Sunday, September 27, 2009 – Howard County Striders Legends of the Fall Weekly Series Race: Elkhorn-Savage Trail 10K – Columbia (Howard County), MD – 50:44 (I had stopped real briefly).

52). Saturday, October 3, 2009 – 14th Annual North Beach 5K – North Beach (Calvert County), MD – 5th overall – 21:12

53). Sunday, October 4, 2009 – Howard County Striders Legends of the Fall Weekly Series Race: Swansfield Elementary School 1-mile – Columbia (Howard County) - - 5:46

54). Saturday, October 24, 2009 – First Annual Harvest for the Hungry 5K Run (may have been just a little shorter than a 5K) – Waldorf (Charles County), MD – Not sure of finishing position – 20:48

55). Saturday, November 14, 2009 – 1st Annual Turkey Trot 1-Mile Fun Run (may have been a bit shorter than a mile) – Glenwood Community Center/Western Regional Park, Cooksville (Howard County), MD – Winner – 5:33

56). Sunday, November 22, 2009 – Cold Turkey 10K Run – Edgewater (Anne Arundel County), MD - - 45:14 (watch)

57). Thursday, November 26, 2009 – Turkey Trot 10K Prediction Run (my 12th consecutive year doing this event  – Columbia (Howard County), MD - - Start time: End time: It took me 49:43 to cover this course.

58). Sunday, November 29, 2009 – Burke Memorial 5K Run – Westminster (Carroll County), MD – 8th overall – 20:14 (clock), 20:12 (watch)

59). Sunday, December 13, 2009 – Howard County Striders Legends of the Fall Weekly Series Race: Burleigh Manor Middle School Two-Miles – Ellicott City (Howard County), MD – 5th overall – 12:24

60). Saturday, December 26, 2009 – Nutcracker 2-Miler (first time they had this course) – Dowell (Calvert County), MD – Winner – 12:46 (clock), 12:44 (watch)


Please check out the events I did in 2008:

http://ranineverymdcounty.blogspot.com/2008/12/
not-much-longer-until-2009.html

Please check out the events I did in 2007:

http://runineverymdcounty.blogspot.com/2007/09/
i-ran-in-running-event-in-all-of.html


“Maryland Munch” – Unique restaurants I have eaten at within my lifetime throughout Maryland

Allegany County

Anne Arundel County

Yellowfin – Saturday, April 25, 2009 – Edgewater – Classy seafood restaurant by the water of the South River in Anne Arundel County. It’s right off of Route 2 South before heading over the bridge that crosses the South River. I went here with my brother, girlfriend, and friends on my 26th birthday to celebrate it. I recall having a delicious brie dish with fruit. I enjoyed it, as well as the company and atmosphere. Interestingly enough, there was a wedding/wedding reception in this big room/hall downstairs. Seems like it was a nice place to have one!

Fabulous Brew Café – Wednesday, July 1, 2009 – Friendship – Small quaint restaurant in southern Anne Arundel County. Went here once with my girlfriend, Kay, (on Wednesday, July 1, 2009 I believe it was) and then we went again with our friend Karen. They have some nice food. Prices can get a bit high on the bigger entrees, but nothing too steep. It was a pleasant place and one I would not mind coming back too!

Baltimore City

Baltimore County

Taneytown Deli – Thursday, February 26, 2009 – Catonsville – Nice, quaint little deli and shop tucked away off of Highway 144/Old Frederick Road. One of my co-workers recommended this to me and I went there for my first time with “Maryland Munch” in mind. I had “The Catonsville” sandwich. I think there were slices of turkey breast and ham on it; it tasted pretty nice overall. I probably should have seen what I could have done about getting some cheese on it, but it was fine enough. I also had a black and white muffin and that made for a nice dessert.

Calvert County

Caroline County

Carroll County

- Sunday, May 25, 2008 – Reisterstown/Westminster area – My friends Erica and Josh got married at Life Point Church (which used to be called Carroll Community Church), and then we went to a local country club for a receptoin. The food and appetitzeres were delicious from what I could remember (I apologize, I don’t clearly remember much more). I remember more of the dancing and fun I had catching up with people and friends I had not seen in a while!

Cecil County

- Saturday, May 10, 2008 – North East – After Dr. Daniel Williams and I ran at the Inaugural Run for Reading 4K in Bayview/North East, MD, we went over to a small coffee shop around downtown North East to talk more. Dr. Williams was in town to see family and run that Run for Reading, because after he had run that race in Cecil County, he had completed his goal of running a race in every county along the Mason-Dixon Line. As I recall the coffee and small food (I think I had a cookie, pastry, or something like that) were pretty good. We enjoyed ourselves!

Charles County

Dorchester County

Saturday, April 14, 2007 – Cambridge - After my friend John and I ran at the Healthy Kids Fun Run at the Dorchester YMCA and Sandy Spring Elementary School in Cambridge, we went out to eat at a small seafood restaurant around downtown Cambridge. This was at the very beginning phases of my first endeavor to run in a running event in every Maryland County in 2007, and that was certainly my first Dorchester County race. I recall they had some nice food here (And I can’t quite remember what it is I had; I wanna say it was some seafood, if not pizza). I don’t think I had much of an appetite after that run, but John and I enjoyed it nonetheless.

Friday, May 2, 2008 – Vienna – I stopped by this small waterside deli/restaurant in Vienna (I forget what it is called), and I think I had a sub or some kind of a sandwich, and I think I had a soda too. I was headed to Salisbury (Wicomico County) to see some friends and do a race in Crisfield (Somerset County) that weekend, which was why I was over there in the first place. It seemed like a small, more intimate dining place and I remember enjoying the food!

Frederick County

Sunday, January 15, 2006 – West New Market – My friends, Danny and Brianna, got married this day at this beautiful bed and breakfast place, where we also had the reception. I liked the food there (even though I can’t remember much of what I ate). I remember a very joyful wedding with great dancing, music, and people 
Garrett County

Jubilee Diner – Saturday, July 26, 2008 – Friendsville – After my first time at Deep Creek Lake in Garrett County, MD for this inaugural Adventure Games 10K Trail Run at the Wisp Ski Resort in Deep Creek, I decided to head over to Friendsville, MD around where my friend Phil lives. I knew Phil was working that day, so I decicded to settle in for eating some place by myself. I came by this small, rather dimly lit diner called the Jubilee Diner. I remember the service was great and fairly personable. I know I had a milkshake, and I think I had a burger and fries. I enjoyed the meal quite well as I recall 

Harford County

Howard County

Timbuktu – Winter of 1997 – Columbia area – I was in seventh grade when I went here for a friend’s Bar Mitzvah reception. I remember eating here and enjoying the company and hte food quite well. I rpobably would have liked the experience a bit more, but my brother and this other guy named Brett were spinning this circular thing around and the next thing I kenw, all these sauces were every on the talbe, and a lot of the people at the table thought it was me. Fortunately none of us got in serious trouble. Looking back, I think it’s funny that that is my most salient memory of eating there.

Best Hunan – King’s Contrivance Shopping Center, Columbia – Back in my junior year of high school (2000-2001), my friends Brian and Nate would invite me to go with them, and this became our typical hang-out spot. It’s pretty well-lit, comfortable, and intimate. I like the crab rangoons, fried ice-cream on a banana (which I’m not sure if they have), sweet-and-sour soup, beef lo-mein, and some of their platters just to name a few. I still eat here with my friends and it pretty much got me into Chinese food more. I think the last time I ate here was back in 2008, and I probably had beef lo-mein or something like that.

Forest Diner – 2007/2008 (winter time) – Ellicott City – I ate here with my friend from Salisbury University, Mike one evening. It was pretty small and I think it is closing (or has closed down). The food was pretty nice, and if I know myself, I probably got some burgers, frieds, and a soda (and possibly something for desert). Like typical diners, I enjoyed the food and the atmosphere was relatively quiet with images and set-up to resemble times as far back as at least the 1950’s. I may have eaten here with a couple of buddies from high school back around the August of 2003, or it might have been the Double T Diner nearby in Ellicott City.

Bagel Bin (Wilde Lake Village Center location) – Saturday, January 10, 2009 - Bagel Bins are one of Columbia, MD’s “best kept secrets” and I would therefore consider it a more “unique” restaurant as it only seems to be in Columbia. I’ve eaten at various Bagel Bin locations (mainly the one at the King’s Contrivance Shopping Center near where I grew up), and I’m a fan of their bagel melts (with melted cheese) and their smoothies (which may only be out in the summer or warmer weather, I’m not quite sure). My most recent time I ate there was after a Saturday morning Bagel Run with the Howard County Striders where we start and end our running routes by the Wilde Lake Village Center’s Bagel Bin, and it was on Saturday, January 10, 2009. I can’t quite remember what I had there that morning, and I was there catching up with someone I hadn’t seen since middle school who was also doing the run. I’m pretty sure I bought a sports drink (like Gatorade) while I was there. I really like Bagel Bin and I definitely came to appreciate it when I would come home on breaks from college at Salisbury University.

Kent County

Harbor Shack – Sunday, April 22, 2007 – Rock Hall – This was my first visit to Rock Hall, MD and the afternoon I came to visit, I went for a little run around the town and then decided to eat at the Harbor Shack right by the water. It was fairly noisy indoors, but it was not bad and it was to be expected since there was a bar there. It was a fairly nice day out and I think I actually ate outside (I think I bought some nice french fries).

Durding’s – I think I stop in here every time I’ve been to Rock Hall (and I think I’ve been about five times now). This is a very quaint shop right around the downtown area and it’s a gift sohp with little antiques, gifts, and they sell food (they have nice ice cream as I recall from experience )

Java Rock Café – Friday, July 4, 2008 – Rock Hall – I came to Rock Hall on the Fourth of July to run in the 27th Annual Rock Hall Flat Five, and that was a fun race. It ended right by Java Rock Café, and afterwards I went there and got some coffee and possibly a little food too. It’s a pretty small and quaint coffee shop, and I do believe they sell some souvenirs (such as Rock Hall, MD hats and shirts). I had been there before, and that is my most recent memory of being there.


Montgomery County

Vegetable Garden – May/June, 1999 – I was a freshman in high school when I went with my mom to meet up with my grandma, a relative, and my relative’s friend to celebrate my relative’s graduation (I think it was from high school, if not college). I don’t remember where in Montgomery County this is located, but I’m pretty sure it is in Montgomery County and that the menu is pretty much all vegetable stuff. I was not much into that kinda food at the time, and I rememmber being fairly sleepy from not getting much sleep in preparing for 9th grade finals, but I thought the food was pretty decent considering I don’t normally eat a lot of what was on their menu. Looking back, I’m glad I had the experience and that I got to eat and celebrate with family 

2007/2008 – I went with my friends, Aaron and Brian, to this Chinese restaurant in this shopping center in Olney (I think there’s a Cheeburger Cheeburger and a Shopper’s Food Warehouse there now). The Chinese food was pretty good here, and I think we ate here during the winter time. I think I had some beef low-mein. I’ll venture to say that I think when I was in seventh grade, I went to this same place around the winter/early spring of 1997 to get some carry-out from this restaurant. It looks a bit small on the outside, but on the inside it seems a bit more spacious and I’d say it is a more upper class restaurant (then again, I have not had all that much experience with ritzy restaurants).


Prince George’s County

Don Pablo’s – Summer of 1997 – Laurel area – I remember going here when some relatives from out-of-town were visiting, and I think it was a week day evening. I can’t quite remember what I got, but if I know me and if I knew me back then, it was probably a quesadilla, a taco, or something similar (and I probably had a root beer or some kinda soda to go with it). Great food as I recall, and then again, I usually like just about all Mexican food.

Silver Diner – Sunday, August 31, 2008 – Laurel – I went with my friends Amy, Kseniya, and Walton to eat here after a fun afternoon and evening at the Six Flags around the Largo area of Prince George’s County. I did not have much of an appetite after all of those rides, and I wanted to take it easy on my stomach, ‘cause I knew I wanted to do the 5th Annual Labor Day 5K Rogue Race the next day in Eldersburg (Carroll County), MD. I think I just got some nice soup and a soda, and possibly more (maybe a desert too).

Queen Anne’s County

Saint Mary’s County

Somerset County

Talbot County

Washington County

- Gracie’s Place – Saturday, March 14, 2009 – I went to the Hagerstown, Maryland location on my way back from running the Run4Luck Four-Mile run in Lancaster County, PA and from visiting Centralia, PA. I ordered a chef sald and thought that I got a lot for about four bucks. It was a great deal, as well as a small, yet very friendly and personalble atmosphere with the help of the kind employees that were there. I may have gotten one or two things on the side, I can’t quite remember. I may go back again if I’m in town )

Wicomico County

Hunan Palace – March/April of 2005 – Fruitland – My friend Suzanne and I ate at Hunan Palace; this really nice Chinese restaurant just outside of Salisbury (Wicomico County). Going to school locally at Salisbury University and recently getting a car on campus, I felt like I could “stretch my legs” a bit and check out some of the places around town more. I’m glad we chose this. Even though my stomach was not feeling the best while I was there (which I don’t think had anything to do with the food), I thought it was a great restuarant. If I know me, I probably got some beef lo-mein or something similar.

Lighthouse Diner II – Salisbury – I’ve been here many of times, and their prices are great for the breakfast, lunch, and dinner foods that they have. I like their hot chocolate, pancakes, grilled cheese sandwiches, chicken soups, and quite a few of their other menu items to name a few. Usually when I go back to visit with friends in Salisbury, a visit here is in order. I wanna say that probably my most recent time here was around Saturday, December 13, 2008 (at least that was the last time I was in town). My friends and I noticed that it was called Lighthouse Diner II, and we sorta have a joke among us to keep our eyes out for the first Lighthouse Diner.

Worcester County

I Ran My Last Race of 2009!

Hey everyone, on Saturday, December 26, 2009, I ran what I planned to have been my last race of this year, the Nutcracker 2-mile in Dowell (Calvert County), which is southern Maryland right by Solomon's Island in southern Calvert County. The morning was on the warmer side for this time of year (in the upper 40's, possibly the lower 50's). This was the first year they had something other than the out-and-back 5K. In addition to the 5-kilometer (3.1-miles), they had a 2-miler, 3-miler, and a 4-miler (yes, they had a 3-miler and a 3.1-miler at the same event). Considering all of these different distances, as well as the free t-shirts, selection of prizes, this small event was considered low-key and definitely friendly with the people who organized it and the participants that showed up.

I decided on the two-miler as I had not run much during the recent snow, and I thought that it was an appropriate distance for the shape that I was in. I ran the flat out-and-back course (the 3-mile, 5K, and 4-mile distances were all flat out-and-back courses, and all four of the races started simultaneously since it was a relatively smaller turnout) in 12:44 (their timing got me at 12:46, but I saw 12:44 on my watch). I know I could have gone much faster, but my stomach was bothering me (I think I had trouble digesting food I had eaten the day before) and I think it was harder since I had not been running that consistently the week leading up to this race. 12:44 for two miles averages out to a 6:22-per-mile pace, which would certainly put me under 20 minutes for a 5-kilometer/3.1-mile distance (which is my next fitness goal in getting back into solid running shape). The next race I am planning to do is the 3rd Annual Southern Maryland Community Network (SMCN) Resolution 5K in Prince Frederick (back in Calvert County), MD on Friday, January 1, 2010. Haha, how funny that is, my last race in 2009 is in Calvert County and my first race in 2010 will be in Calvert County, a county that is special because that is where I finished out my initial endeavor to race in every Maryland and Delaware County in 2007, upon finishing the North Beach 5K on Saturday, September 15, 2007 in North Beach, MD. God-willing, I can run under 20 minutes here. I ran this rather hilly course on New Year's Day in 2008 in the inaugural running of this race in Prince Frederick, and I had finished in about 18:47, and while I usually try to improve my times on many courses that I run, I do not think it likely that I will beat that time on this course this coming year. Still, I think it would be a good way for me to push myself and see where I am 5K-wise as it has been a month since I ran the Burke Memorial 5K in Carroll County, MD, the last 5K I ran on Sunday, November 29, 2009.

So those are my upcoming race plans. Nothing much planned beyond that. If anything, it will be more lower key road races between New Year's Day and the spring before I start doing those more premium ones. I may do an indoor track & field meet later on in the winter, but I am not prioritizing those this year as I have in the past coupla years.


After the Nutcracker Two-Mile Run last Saturday, I got to spend time with my girlfriend Kay and she got to meet my Bubbee (my grandmother) for the first time, and then yesterday (Monday, December 28), I got to meet her older sister for the first time! Kay is wonderful, supportive, and a great deal of fun, and I certainly enjoy having her meet some of my family, and I have been having a great time meeting her's. With her, I feel like I am experiencing another incredible example of how radically God loves us and blesses us when we do not deserve it. My joy and passion of running is also another great example of gifts that He has lavished upon me in my life, and I hope that this Christmas season I glorified Him with it as well as with other gifts and joys He has given me!!!!!


So that has been what I have been up too and thinking about these past several days. I hope that you all are doing well as well get ready to head into 2010!

Merry Christmas!

Greetings everyone,

Warm wishes this season of celebration of Jesus Christ's Birthday to you all! I hope this post finds you all well and blessed! Thank you for stopping by and enjoy Christmas as well as the other upcoming Holidays :)



- Noah Wood

More snow!!!!

Wow! I know where I live in Baltimore County, Maryland, we got about nineteen inches (which is well over a foot)! I think this is more snow than I have seen in over ten years. I think the last time that I saw this much snow was when I was a sixth grader during the Blizzard of '96, when I do believe we got over two feet!

I am not going to lie, even though this heavy snow has been hard on others, I think it has been good for me not having to go anywhere or do any races. Being "snowed in" has forced me to take time to sleep a little more and even chill out and watch t.v. with my roommates (and by myself). I really enjoy these more family-based, light-hearted movies that come on around Christmastime and the holidays in general. I also got to go to an Eastern Orthodox church with one of my roommates (my first time I have been to a church service with that particular Christian denomination). I liked how it seemed historically and scripturally rich. The inside of the church had a lot of pretty decorations, and the particular incenses there certainly did much to stimulate the senses. I was grateful for the experience, and even more grateful to have a ride to church with my roommate and his fiancee, when I am sure many others were closed. It was great to come together with other siblings in Christ and worship God!

I have not run since Thursday (and I am glad I did not have any races planned this weekend). I would have liked to have gotten some good running in this weekend, but even if I ran through this thick, powdery snow, I don't think it would make for a good workout (not too mention I would have had to dodge all this ice). God-willing, I hope to get a little bit of a slower run in outside, if not on the local indoor track or even a treadmill (even though I would normally prefer running off of a treadmill than on one). Still, I want to work out. At least the shoveling I have done these past few days has given me a good lifting and cardio workout!

I really enjoy the extra sleep I have been getting. I woke up Saturday morning having slept for over eight hours!! Wow! I do not believe I have slept that much in one night since I had overslept on Saturday, July 4th for the Rock Hall Flat Five in Rock Hall (Kent County), MD. I obviously did not make that flat five-mile race as I was almost two hours away from that Maryland Eastern Shore race, and I had woken up minutes before that. And before I had overslept, I could not remember the last time I had slept close to eight hours. It felt good, and God-wiling it will do my body good!

If I can get about 2-3 miles worth of running in tomorrow (be indoors or outdoors), I would be happy with that (even if it is a little less than that). We shall see what happens with that. Until then, I wish you all a safe and warm season as we enter into winter :)

Another update as we head into winter!

Hey there everyone, thank you for your patience in awaiting another post these past couple of months or so! I do not know whether or not I should say this sheepishly or with a straight-face, but I have been pretty busy this semester. Yea, semester is a sufficient operative word to describe one of the main sources of me being occupied these past several months (do not worry; it is a good thing for the most part)!


I will start by staying I am still actively running, though probably not as frequently throughout the week as I was over this past summer and beforehand (usually no more than 3-4 times a week, and that can include races). One of my last really good races that I ran (and I say “really good” because I felt like I ran a smart race and felt relatively strong, even though it was a harder course) was the Kowowmu Trail Four-Mile Road Race in Westminster (Carroll County), MD on Sunday, August 23, 2009. I had run that race last year when it was a 5K, and this year they moved it back to a four-mile course after it was a 5K for at least a coupla years. Last year, I had run it in 20:21 when it was a 5-kilometer, and this year it was something a bit… different. I had come to this race feeling a little tired, probably because of the longer drive the day before to go with my girlfriend, Kay, to a rainy picnic with her church (which was a lot of fun)! I was not expecting much out of myself in this race to say the least. The first mile had quite a bit of downhill, but I tried to be conservative about it knowing the tougher hills coming up later in the race, and I went through the first mile in about 6:31. Not long after I was feeling tired and starting to huff-and-puff and after going through the water stop area, I ran up a long steady hill, near the top of which was the two-mile turn-around that I ran through in about 13:05. Not long after coming back down the long steady hill I felt like God had blessed me with a “second wind”, and with renewed energy I took the next somewhat flat, somewhat hilly mile in about 6:14/6:15 to go through the third mile in about 19:19/19:20. I think right after I ran by the three-mile mark and started up a series of hill that made up a majority of the fourth and final mile of this race, I quickly thanked God as I knew that if I kept up the pace I was at for about another .1 miles, my 5-kilometer split would be just under 20 minutes, which would take down my previous personal best time at this venue of 20:21 (and at the time I ran that, I thought that was a pretty hard effort). However, God seemed to bless me with more energy than I expected, and He steadily helped me run over the rolling shaded hills of the Kowowmu Trail (which was pretty much a gravel road, probably looser gravel) to where I was about within a half-a-mile away from the finish line, and then I went down one steady downhill, up another relatively short, but fairly steep hill, and then shot down the rather steep hill through the finish line of the four-mile course with a time of 25:36. To run four miles in 25:36, that works out to about a 6:24-per-mile pace, which would probably put me in the upper 19:40’s/lower 19:50’s for a five-kilometer (3.1-mile distance), which is about a half-a-minute faster than the 20:21 I ran in just the 3.1-mile distance at this venue in 2008. In 2008, I had run a pretty challenging 5K the day before I did the Kowowmu Trail 5K Road Race, but this year I was very happy to have run faster for a longer distance, on a harder course, and run negative splits with the first two miles at about 13:05, and therefore bringing in the last two miles in about 12:31.

That Kowowmu Trail Four-Mile Road Race in Carroll County, Maryland was one of my last really great races I ran before things started going downhill. The next Saturday, August 29, 2009, I ran this new and relatively smaller Zoe Track Club Lighthouse Christian Academy 5K Run in Port Deposit (Cecil County) , MD in about 19:12, and I have not run a 5K in under 20 minutes since. The next day (Sunday, August 30, 2009), for the first time I ran the pretty challenging Annapolis Ten-Miler in Annapolis (Anne Arundel County), MD. This is one of the most popular (if not the most popular) foot races in Maryland (and I am surprised that with all the different places I have run races that I have not done this one), and it is known for its heavy heat and hills. Fortunately, I did not have too much of the former, but of course the latter, especially during the middle parts in the shaded neighborhoods around the Severn River Bridge (and going up and down that bridge twice was no easy hill either). I got to that race late, because I made the naïve mistake of getting there closer to the race time, at which time the local roads and parking were a bit backed up. I managed to start I think around 14 minutes late, and I managed to cover the ten-mile distance in one-hour-nineteen-minutes-and-fifty-eight seconds, just under an eight-minute pace that I was going above and below throughout the race. While this has been by quite a margin my slowest 10-mile race time to date, I had meant to go conservatively and I was happy that God helped me pick up the pace the last couple of miles or so to get under an eight-minute-per-mile pace (a pace I had spent the middle miles running slower than). Even though I had made a point of taking it easier and enjoying it, I still felt quite light-headed and short of breath afterwards, and it took me a while to get myself together (and this had been a problem over the past month with my longer distance runs, which is why I was really less ambitious about doing well at this race). I know this race is relatively expensive, and I had signed up for it before I started having these problems, thinking that I might have a shot of running it in under an hour-and-ten minutes.

Well this problem did not go away, and as the school-year started and I got busy taking a few classes towards my elementary education teacher certification, I felt like it was getting worse. Pretty soon I had trouble sometimes bending over to get things or even just stretching, because it would cause dizziness and shortness of breath (not to mention aggravation to my already sensitive stomach). I quickly passed up on running long, lifting weights, or even doing really any warm-up/cool-down runs before/after races (and I started cutting back on those as well). I saw a few doctors, and they narrowed it down to me having lower-blood sugar levels at certain points in the day, and after consulting with a dietician, I began to try and follow orders to eat six smaller meals a day, which I still think I fall short of at times. No, I am not hypoglycemic, but my primary care physician advised that maybe about an hour or so before running/exercise, I eat something to keep my blood-sugar levels up.
Now a day or two before I saw the doctor and found out about the lower blood-sugar levels thing, I ran this Howard County Striders Weekly Fall Series (the second one in the series)10-kilometer (approximately 6.2-mile race) on the Elkhorn-Savage paved trail in Columbia (Howard County), MD on Sunday, September 27th. I planned to use this as an easy-paced distance run, but what ended up happening was me feeling kinda dizzy/light-headed, a bit short of breath, and I had probably lost feeling in my legs about 2-3 miles away from the finish line of this relatively flat course, which God helped me to cross in a time of 50 minutes and 44 seconds, my slowest time in a 10K race to date! I know I had intended that I take it easy, but that felt like I had run minutes harder and much longer. I felt quite woozy and it took me a bit of time to feel comfortable enough to drive away, and I do not think I felt fully recovered until the next day. I mean, I ran relatively slower for myself, yet it felt like I had run harder and longer. It has not seemed like that long ago about two-and-a-half years back when I was getting into this running races in different Maryland counties thing, where God would usually help me run 10K’s in under 39 minutes at the drop of a hat, and I would feel tired afterwards, but it would not take me the better part of a day to recover from it, and now I struggle to run under 51 minutes for the same distance, and I feel about the same (probably actually worse) as if I had run around that 38-39-minute range for a 10K. I felt like I was falling apart, and had it not been for God blessing me with the grace, health, and energy to get through it, I probably would have either passed out or just had to stop and walk. Needless to say I was discouraged, and I was glad I was seeing the doctor soon.
After that race and doctor’s appointment, I resolved to take at least the better part of a month off of running in the near future. But first, I wanted to at least do the Fourteenth Annual North Beach 5K in North Beach (Calvert County), MD on Saturday, October 3 for the third year-in-a-row. That rather hilly, more low-key race is very special to me in that on Saturday, September 15, 2007, I had run that race for the first time and as a result of doing that, that race had been the accomplishment of my goal to race in every Maryland county within the year 2007 (and in my current profile picture here, I am pictured with my third-place overall award medal after finishing that race). That was a great morning and an equally terrific race. That year I had run it in 18:48, then in 2008 I ran 19:01, and then this year I ran about 21:12, by far my slowest time on the course, but that was okay because I had resolved to just sorta chill and enjoy it, and had put more “umph” into it, I probably would have been able to have run a good ways under 21 minutes. I was grateful to be there, to have finished the race in fair health, and that my girlfriend Kay was there to support me. That was definitely special to have her there at that particular race that means a great deal, cheering me on! She is quite supportive in that way 
Then, the next day (Sunday, October 4, 2009), sort of a last minute decision, I decided to run the third Howard County Striders Fall Weekly Series race which consisted of either a hilly 5K or a fairly hilly one-one mile race at Swansfield Elementary School Columbia, MD. I opted to do the one-mile for fun and surprisingly finished in about 5:46, which was faster than I expected (I was not expecting much faster than six minutes). Although, I do suspect that course may be just a little on the short side, but if so, I doubt it is that much shorter than an actual mile.
After that one-mile race, I took close to three weeks off of running (to me that seems like a long time without running). Then, I slowly started back later in October and I felt ambitious enough to try the new Harvest for the Hungry 5K Run that started and ended at Mary B. Neal Elementary School in Waldorf (Charles County), MD. I surprisingly felt all right (though I think my right knee/leg tensed up a bit as it sometimes does and I sorta let that slow me down, and I was happy to have finished in about 20:48, which was faster than the last time I had run a 5K in 21:12 (the North Beach 5K). However, I later heard that the Harvest for the Hungry 5K course may have been a bit short, which would not have surprised as I felt that perhaps I did not run quite as strong to warrant a time under 21 minutes.

Anyway, enough of the technical stuff, I am happy to be back running and that I have not experienced the problems with shortness of breath, lightheadedness, or anything like that very often since I have been back to exercising, and if I experience those things, it is usually because I had not eaten within closer proximity to working out, hence I am working out with a lower blood-sugar level. I think a large part of it is God working through my obedience to the doctor’s orders and me focusing on eating more frequent smaller meals throughout the day as well as munching on something light within an hour before working out, and also I feel God has worked through my time out to help me recover a little bit. I may not have much going on in the speed department, but I seem to at least be able to cover distances no greater than six or seven miles without too much trouble (and again, those have usually not been the fastest runs either, hahaha). I am just taking it one day at a time, and I do not have any big race or personal record ambitions on the horizon of the near future. I just want to see what God does with my running and fitness where I am now, so that I can glorify Him who gave me the abilities, health, and passion for doing this.

Some nice highlights since I have been back running have included running a mile in about 5:33 on Saturday, November 14, 2009 at the Glenwood Community Center’s Turkey Trot 1-Mile Fun Run that I did with my friend David, that went through Western Regional Park in the Cooksville area of western Howard County, MD (however, I do heavily suspect that that course was just a little short, but I think at the pace I was going I was still a little ways under six minutes). Also, my fastest 5K that I have run since I have been back was the fairly hilly and challenging Burke Memorial 5K Run in Westminster (Carroll County), MD in about 20:12 (and I think had I focused more and gone harder in some spots, I probably would have broken twenty, though God helped me to keep an even pace). Then, this past weekend, on Sunday, December 13, 2009 I ran the ninth Howard County Striders’ Fall Weekly Series 2-miler/5-miler race at Burleigh Manor Middle School in Ellicott City (Howard County), and I was glad I opted to do the two-miler as it was cold and rainy. I ran that out-and-back hilly two-miler in 12:24 with my first mile being around 5:58  So those have been my fastest times in the one-mile, two-mile, and 5-kilometer distances since I have been back to exercising, and God-willing I hope to improve from there 

Another great piece of running news is that recently I have been spending some time at the East Columbia Branch Library in Columbia (Howard County), MD, which is fairly close to my jobs. This library has bike paths right near it that go towards the scenic Lake Elkhorn and many neighborhoods around it. I ran this one almost-loop-like route on the bike paths (with a little sidewalk and parking lots here and there) that started and ended at this library. The course was only moderately hilly at best, and I would venture to say this course is a little over 5.5 miles long (and I would even say that it would roughly be about 9 kilometers long). A couple Fridays ago (Friday, December 4, 2009) I ran this route for the first time that I made up that leaves the library, goes through the nearby Owen Brown Shopping Center, around a fair majority of Lake Elkhorn (the loop around which has been measured to be about 1.84 miles or so), and then took a bike path up through some neighborhoods before picking up the bike paths again to go around the rest of the Lake Elkhorn loop, then back up through the shopping center, and then back up some more hills for a nice short and flat downhill finish near the front of the library. Towards the end of this run, I thought I could finish it in under 40 minutes, but I finished it in 40:02, started walking, and then started running again when I realized that I forgot that I wanted to stop a little further up closer to the front of the East Columbia Branch Library. By the time I reached my originally-intended finish, my watch read 41 minutes exactly (well there were probably some milliseconds). I figured that I could keep running this course in the future, and God-willing I would get into shape enough to break forty minutes on it (and that would include finishing where I wanted to finish (where I finished in 41 minutes), and not where I accidentally stopped earlier).
Well the next Friday (December 11, 2009), it was all cold and windy, and I would not be surprised if it had been a wind-chill of less than thirty degrees. I was still ambitious to try and get under forty minutes, or at least improve a little bit what I had done on that course the previous week. I started out fairly boldly, covering the distance between the starting point and where I had accidentally "finished" the previous week in 29 seconds, and then I got through a majority of the Owen Brown Shopping Center in about 7:17, which was about 18 seconds faster than I was at that point the previous week. As I ran and prayed along the way, I was grateful that I was not feeling fatigued, sick, sore, or light-headed. I felt energized and in shape, and as I came back from the neighborhoods to finish up the portion around Lake Elkhorn, I was confident that God would help me break forty minutes on this run. By the time I made my last left-hand turn to continue down the almost half-mile stretch of Cradlerock Road before I turned into the library parking lot to finish, my watch was just above 36:10 (and it had been about 37:49 at this point last week). I was happy as I felt myself cruise down the steady decline towards the library parking lot, my momentum slowed only by the dimmer light of the setting sun. Oh my gosh, could I quite possibly even break 39 minutes...
I reached the last turn into the parking lot where I had first stopped the previous week (where I had run 40:02 when I reached that point), and my watch was somewhere around the 38:30's (and I could not read my watch that clearly due to less light earlier in the evening, and I remembered running this last stretch at the beginning of my run in 29 seconds, in just under half-a-minute, and if I sped in real strong, I might be able to break 39 minutes...
... And I did not even complete that thought until I was about half-way down that last stretch and with another ten-to-twenty yards or so, I passed one of the library signs that marked my finish in about 38:56 (from what I could roughly read on my watch with the fading daylight)!!
YES!!!! That has been my best run since I started back running, and not because I beat my goal by over a minute, but because I felt pretty strong all the way through (and I was on a little less than six hours of sleep too). God is good and despite adverse conditions, He can help ordinary folks like you and I accomplish great things!



You may be asking what else has been keeping me busy. Well as of, 8:42 on Tuesday evening (December 15, 2009), I submitted my last item to my online reading course, thus concluding the third of the three teacher education courses I was taking this semester between two different community colleges (I was taking an assessments course as well as a methods of teaching in elementary education course at Anne Arundel Community College in Arnold/Anne Arundel County, MD, and then taking an online class through the Community College of Baltimore County (C.C.B.C.). This had been the first completely online course I had taken, and despite the technological difficulties that God, my family and friends helped me get through, I was able to complete it (my final project and whole class grade is still pending as far as I know). I signed up for two courses at Anne Arundel Community College (A.A.C.C.) because the local community colleges offered classes I was going to take, but those unfortunately were cancelled towards the last minute and at the last minute I was fortunate enough to pick up those courses so I could still make some relatively larger progress towards my elementary education teacher certificate! In addition, I took a second part-time job that is pretty flexible serving as a teacher's aide in an after school enrichment program a few days a week after my full-time job at Homewood. One of the days it meets is on Saturday mornings, which obviously cuts into racing options, but you know what, it may help me to save money that I could be spending on races that I probably am not in the best shape to do right now, and plus, I made a New Year's Resolution to really cut back significantly on the races I have done this year in comparison to the past few years, and so far God has helped me with that!!

Finally, through all of this going on with health, school, work, and running, my girlfriend Kay has been a real gift in her loyalty, support, companionship, and encouragement for me. I know it may not make much sense with all I have going on to try and keep up a long-distance relationship, but God has used her to help me and support me in a lot of ways, and to be honest, despite how relatively busy this semester has been, these have been some of the better days I have known with her in it. I do not think I would have gotten through this semester as well as I have without God, my family, and what God has done with Kay and her care for me (and the fact that she has steadfastly been praying for me). I am happy to say we are coming up on eight months together as a couple, and I am very happy to be with her!

There have been some other endeavors I have been doing a little bit to try and move along a bit in my educational occupation, but more on that later.

Thank you all for stopping by and reading. Hopefully I will see some of you in the running scene in the near future. I wish you an early merry Christmas and warmth as it is almost the winter :)