Well as many of you readers who have been following my recent posts know, I have started to get back into running after about a month-and-a-half's worth of "off-season". Yesterday (Saturday, November 17, 2007) was my second day back to consistent running, and while during these early phases of a season I would typically stick to running on a track, I decided to run a flat two-mile road race on the Maryland Eastern Shore and take it easy. Yesterday, I ran in the Turkey Trot Two Mile Fun Run at Denton Elementary School in Denton (Caroline County), Maryland. Yes, it took a little over an hour to get there but I've run in that event the past couple of years and I really enjoy. Plus, there are three road races that occur in Caroline County, Maryland these days that I know of and this year I was blessed to be able to make and run in all three of them. I always seem to run pretty well for myself at this two-mile event (and plus, there are a lot of friendly people). When I first ran it in 2005, I ran 11:54, which surprised me because I was comin' off of some time off and some injuries. Then, in 2006, I ran 11:06, currently my best time on the course. Now, while this was the first year I did not run under twelve minutes on this course, I was pleasantly shocked to see that I ran 12:36, and I felt steady pretty much all the way and I do not really recall cramping up at all. I felt a lot better than I did the previous day running about 1.75 miles on the track in the wind. I knew I was going harder than I anticipated, but I actually felt good. I finished fifth overall and the four runners in front of me were strong high school runners, so I was blessed to have won my age group (the photo of me in the upper left is of me receiving my award ribbon). There were also other activities aside from the fun run. There was "turkey bowling" as well as a turkey relay contest (which I hopped in at the last minute on the "Scabs" team). In the relay I was the fourth and final leg, where I ate a pie without using my hands. I don't think I've ever been in a pie-eating contest since I was a kid, and it was hard because I kept laughing and it made it difficult to swallow (you can see what I looked like after mauling the pumpkin pie in the photo in the upper right). It was a pretty fun time. I was thinking that I would be hard-pressed to run under fourteen minutes based on how I had run the previous day at the track, but I was pleasantly surprised that I had run so much better with my healthy in tow.
Oh yea, the photo on the bottom left is the finish line area of the fun run. It's pretty cool, they actually have a finish line ribbon!
Later that evening, I came back to the home front in Columbia (Howard County), Maryland and ran in the Symphony of Lights Dazzle Dash at the Merriweather Post Pavilion. I've heard some people consider this fun running event a race, but I don't really see it as a race so much. It kinda reminds me more of a Relay for Life, where you can walk/run/jog/whatever around the track when and however long you want. Here, there is a 1.4 mile loop through the well-lit and pretty Symphony of Lights (an area of Downtown Columbia with a lot of Holiday lights and decorations that you typically drive through). The run starts at around 5:30 in the evening and you can run as many loops as you want. I figured I run it a couple of times nice and easy, because it was local and I had never run the loop before and wanted to try it.
Well once again, so much for taking it easy. We started off and I guess maybe it was running through the dark, yet under all the Holiday lights, that sent my adrenaline rushing. Before I knew it, I was coming up behind the high school runners who took off quickly from the start. While I was thinking to myself that I was probably going much faster than I should, like at the Turkey Trot earlier that afternoon. The loop had some fairly challenging uphills and downhills, but I've run worse, and the temperature was not that cold for running either. I was beginning to feel msyelf cramp up a little bit towards the end of the first lap, probably from running earlier and from keeping close to the faster runners. Just like at the Turkey Trot in Coarline County, Maryland earlier that morning, there were four high school-aged guys running ahead of me by the end of the first lap. The four runners in front of me did one lap, but I continued on with my second lap and to my pleasant surprise, I felt like I was able to keep up a strong pace and decent form. I think it helped to keep my adrenaline going now that there was no one in front of me and apparently the other runners doing multiple laps were a good distance behind me. I felt like I was in the lead of a race by a huge margin.
And I maintained that position all the way until the end of my approximately 2.8-mile run. When I got near the end with a sign pointing towards the "finish line", but did not see any clear finish line, I kept running forward past the sign and started yelling/slurring "where is the finish line". I probably carried on like this for about ten seconds or so until a woman who I guess knew the course and was standing around the area I was about to run past yelled out to me "you already went through it." Right then, I stopped and looked at my watch whihc read 17:38. Wow! I was not even sure I could break twenty-minutes. Also, I found out I had run a good ways past the finish line and therefore my time for the intended route I could only guess was probably in the lower 17:20's. Had I kept going at that pace for a full 5-kilometer distance (approximately 3.1 miles), I am confident I would have gotten under twenty minutes by a significant margin. I would also not be surprised if I ran at a similar 6:18-per-mile pace (or even faster) at the Dazzle Dash as I had earlier that morning at the Turkey Trot in Denton. Wow!
I just hope I do not hurt myself/burnout. I need to take it easy and "run within myself" as my high school cross country coach used to say. I do not think I should start considering serious racing, going for PR's, doing consistent intervals and such until a good ways into January. I think it's important to make sure that I am running at a solid enough frequency of maybe at least four-to-five times a week, and of course consistently running a strong mileage base every week.
All right, thank you all for reading. I hope you all continue to enjoy the weekend and I hope you all have a nice Thanksgiving :)
Running Events I have done this year as of Sunday, November 18, 2007
Maryland
Allegany County
- Queen City Striders Junior Striders Cross Country meet (1 mile and 2 mile) – Tuesday evening, June 19, 2007 – Paris N. Glendenning Park/Frostburg
- One mile race – 2nd overall – 5:51
- Two mile race – 7th overall – 12:37
Anne Arundel County
– Governor’s “Non-Bay Bridge” Run (2.93 miles) – Sunday, May 6, 2007 - Sandy Point State Park/Annapolis – 8th overall (1st in 20-24-year-old age group) – 18:09 (clock), 18:07 (my watch)
– Metro Harriers’ fourth summer track and field all-comers meet – Thursday, July 19, 2007 – North County High School, Ferndale/Glen Burnie, MD
– 1,500 meters – 1st overall – 4:42
– 800 meters – 2nd overall – 2:21
– 3,000 meters – 2nd overall – 10:41
– John Wall Memorial Track Run (One mile) – Saturday, July 21, 2007 – Broadneck Senior High School track, Annapolis – 6th overall (1st in 20-29 year-old age group) – 4:53
– Dog Days 8K Cross Country Run – Sunday, August 5, 2007 – Anne Arundel Community College, Arnold – 13th overall (3rd in 20-29 year age group) – 32:18 (clock), 32:17 (watch)
– National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Coalition Run for Her 5K – Quiet Waters Park, Annapolis – 7th overall - 22:26
Baltimore City
- Survivor Harbor 7-mile/3-mile – Sunday, June 10, 2007 – Baltimore City – 2nd overall (3-mile run) – 17:56 (clock), 17:53 (watch)
Baltimore County
– Patapsco State Park Avalon area trail race (a little over 6 miles) – Sunday, May 13th, 2007 – Near University of Maryland-Baltimore County/Arbutus area – 18th overall – 58:03
– PopPop and Pinhead Trail Scramble (about 5-6 miles) – Saturday, June 9, 2007 - Perry Hall/Gunpowder Falls State Park area – 5th overall - 52:14
– Bull Run Invitational Reunion Run (3 miles) – Saturday, September 29, 2007 – Hereford High School, Parkton – 24th overall – 19:45 (clock), 19:41 (watch)
Calvert County
- 12th Annual North Beach 5K – Saturday, September 15, 2007 – North Beach, MD – 3rd overall – 18:48 – The event that marked my completion of a race in all my goal areas of Maryland!!!! :)
Caroline County
- 2nd annual Adkins Arboretum Arbor Day Fun Run (10K) – Saturday, April 21st, 2007 – Ridgley – 1st overall – 37:59 PR (Personal Record/best time in that distance!!!!! :)
- Caroline Hospice Remembrances Five-Miler – Saturday, September 22, 2007 – Federalsburg – 3rd overall (1st in 20-29 age group) – 33:59
- 22nd Annual Turkey Trot Two-Mile Fun Run – Saturday, November 17, 2007 – Denton Elementary School, Denton – 5th overall (1st in 20-29 age group) – 12:37
- Westminster Road Runners Club (W.R.R.C.) Predicted Time Four-Miler – Saturday, March 10, 2007 – Westminster/Bachman Valley area – 2nd person in, 14th closest to predicted time – 25:34 (my predicted time was 27:00, I was 1:26 fast, whoops :)-
- Andy Hayes Memorial 5K Run – Saturday, April 7, 2007 – Westminster/near Farm Museum – 2nd overall – 18:47
- Inaugural River Valley Run 5K – Saturday, August 25, 2007 – River Valley Ranch, Manchester – 5th overall (2nd in 20-29 age group) – 19:15 (clock), 19:13 (watch)
- 4th Annual Eldersburg Labor Day 5K Rogue Race – Monday, September 3, 2007 – Eldersburg – 7th overall (1st in 20-29 age group division) – 19:35.0 (best time at the event :)
Cecil County
- Fair Hill Natural Resources Management Area (N.M.R.A.) Fools Frolic 22K (I ran the much shorter 5-6 mile route) – Sunday, April 1, 2007 – Fair Hill/Elkton – First person in, but it was not much of a race, just pretty much me and another gentleman chillin’ and chattin’ our way through – 1 hour, 21 minutes, 55 seconds
- Run4Fun 5K Run/Walk – Sunday, June 3, 2007 – Elkton – 5th overall (1st in 20-29 year-old age group) – 19:29
Charles County
- Civista Health Services Run for Wellness 5K – Sunday, May 20, 2007 – LaPlata – 5th overall (1st in male 20-29 age group) – 19:14 (clock), 19:08 (chip)
Dorchester County
- Dorchester Family YMCA Healthy Kid’s Day Fun Run (1.9 miles, mainly flat cross country) – Saturday, April 14, 2007 - Cambridge – 1st overall – 10:54 (ran negative splits too :)
Frederick County
- 11th Annual Frederick Steeplechasers Run for the Pie 10K – Saturday, July 14, 2007 – Frederick 4th overall (1st in the 20-24 age group) – 42:39
Garrett County
- 1st Annual Grantsville Days 5K – Saturday, June 23, 2007 – Grantsville – 8th overall (3rd in male 20-29 age group division) – 18:37 (clock), 18:36 (watch)
Harford County
- 2nd annual Eden Mill 5-Miler (4.8 miles approximately) – Sunday, July 1, 2007 – Eden Mill Park, Pylesville – 2nd overall – 30:37 (clock), 30:35 (watch)
Howard County
- Howard County Striders (H.C.S.) Weekly Winter Series (a.k.a. “Operation Iceberg”) # 3: Atholton High School 5 Kilometer – Sunday, January 21, 2007 – Columbia – 15th overall – 19:43
- H.C.S. “Operation Iceberg” #4: Thunder Hill Elementary School 2miles – Sunday, January 28, 2007 - Columbia - 30th overall - 20:17
- Penguin Pace 5K – Sunday, February 4, 2007 – Columbia – 8th overall (1st in 20-29 age group) – 18:43.86
- H.C.S. “Operation Iceberg” #6: Thunder Hill Elementary School 2 miles – Sunday, February 18, 2007 – Columbia – 2nd overall – 11:52 (my best time on that course :)
- Outback’s 5K for the YMCA – Sunday, March 11, 2007 – Ellicott City – 9th overall – 18:01.05 (clock), 17:59/18:00 (my watch – my best time on that course :)
- H.C.S. Spring Series Race (“Vernal Velocity) #1: Burleigh Manor Middle School 2 miles – Sunday, April 1, 2007 - Ellicott City/Columbia area – 2nd overall – 10:51 (best time on the course :)
- Inaugural Musical Madness 5K – Saturday, May 12, 2007 – Maple Lawn/Fulton/Scaggsville – 7th overall (1st in 20-29 age group category) – 18:48.71
- Damien F. Massella Run for Recovery 5K – Sunday, June 24, 2007 – Columbia – 52nd overall – 19:58.12 (clock), 19:55 (watch)
- Centennial Fun Run (one mile)#3 – Tuesday, July 10, 2007 – Ellicott City area – 1st overall – 5:11 (tied my second-best time on the course :)
- Centennial Fun Run (one mile)#4 – Tuesday, July 17, 2007 – Ellicott City area – 12th overall – 5:44
- H.C.S. Summer Series Race (“Summer Sizzler”) #3: Burleigh Manor Middle School 2 miles – Wednesday, July 18, 2007 – Ellicott City/Columbia area – 1st overall – 11:02
- PRE – Season Cross Country Races – Saturday, August 11, 2007 – Oakland Mills High School, Columbia
- 5K – 11th overall – 18:53 (best time on the course :)
- 3K – 5th overall – 15:12
- Emerson Community Fun Run (one mile) #6 – Tuesday, August 14, 2007 – North Laurel – 1st overall – 5:27 – Hit the fifty-races-per-year mark with this for the Fifty-Plus Club :)
- Emerson Community Fun Run (one mile) # 7 – Tuesday, August 21, 2007 – North Laurel – 1st overall – 5:26 (my best time on the course :)
- H.C.S. Summer Series (“Summer Sizzler”) #7: Burleigh Manor Middle School 5 miles – Wednesday, August 22, 2007 – Ellicott City/Columbia area – 3rd overall – 32:33
- 16th Annual Police Pace 5K – Sunday, September 9, 2007 – Columbia/Ellicott City area – 16th overall – 18:37.69
- H.C.S. Fall Series Race (“Legends of the Fall”) #1: Swansfield Elementary School 5K – Sunday, September 16, 2007 – Columbia – 8th overall – 19:27
- H.C.S. Fall Series Race (“Legends of the Fall”) #2: Longfellow Elementary School 2-miles – Sunday, September 23, 2007 – Columbia – 4th overall – 13:37
- 10 – The Race 5K – Saturday, October 27, 2007 – Columbia – 20:46 (clock), 20:44 (watch)
- 2A South and 3A North Regional Cross Country Championships – Thursday, November 1, 2007 – Centennial High School, Ellicott City, MD – 21:47
- Symphony of Lights Dazzle Dash (two 1.4 laps = approximately 2.8 miles) – Saturday, November 17, 2007 - Columbia – 17:38
Kent County
- 31st Annual Chestertown Tea Party Distance Classic (10 miler) – Saturday, May 26, 2007 – Chestertown – 31st overall (2nd in 20-24 age group) – 1:15:01 (clock), 1:14:57 (watch)
- Inaugural Oyster Run 5K Race – Saturday, October 13, 2007 – Rock Hall – 2nd overall (1st in 20-35 “open men” age group) – 20:10
Montgomery County
- Gaithersburg Firebirds Track one mile race – Thursday, April 12, 2007 – Gaithersburg – 3rd overall – 5:04.88
- Comus Cross Country 5K – Sunday, August 12, 2007 – Comus/Dickerson – 10th overall (1st in age group division) – 20:29
Prince George’s (P.G.) County
- 49th Annual Larry Noel Greenbelt 15K and 3K (15K) – Sunday, September 2, 2007 – Greenbelt - 13th overall (2nd in 20-29 age group division) – 1:06:50
Queen Anne’s County
- Shore Christian Fellowship Church’s Inaugural Race to Impact (10K) – Saturday, March 24th, 2007 – Chester/Kent Narrows/Kent Island (it was all on the shaded Cross Island Trail) – 1st overall – 38:51
Saint Mary’s County
- National Trails Day 5K (it was a little more than that, probably closer to 3.5 miles) – Saturday, June 2, 2007. – St. Mary’s City area – 1st overall – 21:38
Somerset County
- 2nd Annual McCready Health Services Foundation’s Founder’s Day 8K Run & 2-mile walk – Saturday, May 5, 2007 (El Cinco de Mayo) – Crisfield – 1st overall(8K) – 31:58 (ran faster there this year than last year :)
- 60th Annual National Hard Crab Derby, 28th Annual Mike Sterling 10K – Saturday, September 1, 2007 – Crisfield – 4th overall (2nd in 20-29 age group) – 41:48
Talbot County
- Oxford Day 10K – Saturday, April 28, 2007 – Oxford – 1st overall – 38:35 (big improvement over last year’s 42:04 here, and a well-paced race on a relatively short amount of sleep :)
Washington County
- Tom Ausherman Memorial Series #1 (2-mile/1-mile) – Tuesday, June 5, 2007 – Hagerstown – 6th overall(2-mile race) – 11:36
Wicomico County
- Salisbury University Track & Field’s Seagull Home Opener Meet – Saturday, March 3, 2007 – Salisbury
- 1,500 meter run – 7th overall – 4:48.7
- 800 meter run - 2nd overall – 2:12.5
- 4X400 meter relay (alumni team) – 4th overall (1st alumni team) – 4:01.5
- 4th Annual Tim Kennard 5 mile River Run and 3 mile walk – Sunday, March 4, 2007 – Salisbury – 14th overall (3rd in the 20-24 age group division) – 31:25 (clock), 31:14 (chip – Nice performance for me that surpassed my expectations, especially after running three track races less than twenty-four hours ago :)
- Sneakers and Creepers 5K – Sunday, October 21, 2007 – Salisbury – approximately 4th overall – clock (20:15ish), watch (20:10)
Worcester County
- Francis Scott Key Family Resort “Dash and Splash” Run/Walk Series 5K Race#3 at Stephen Decatur High School (on the track) – Saturday, June 30, 2007 – Berlin – 1st overall/only finisher – 18:52 (clock), 18:50 (watch) – Finished out the Maryland Eastern Shore portion of my endeavor with this event :)
Events outside of Maryland
California
San Diego County
- 30th Annual Scripp’s Ranch Old Pros Run and Bike 10K and 2-mile Fun Run (10K) – Wednesday, July 4, 2007 – Scripp’s Ranch neighborhood, San Diego – 73rd overall-39:08 (clock), 39:05/39:06 (chip)
Delaware
Kent County
- March Moonlight Madness 5K – Thursday, March 1, 2007 – Wyoming – 2nd overall (1st in male 20-29 age group division) – 18:28
New Castle County
- 2nd Annual Wilmington Games 5K – Wednesday, July 25, 2007 – Wilmington – 5th overall (2nd in 19-29 age group division) – 19:35 (clock), 18:35 (watch-probably would have been low-to-mid 19’s since I accidentally missed a turn and cut the course a bit short near the end)
Sussex County
- 25th Annual Y.M.C.A. 5-Mile Run/Walk – Sunday, July 29, 2007 – Deauville/Rehoboth Beach area – 13th overall (1st in 20-29 age group division) – 31:59 (clock), 31:57 (watch) – Completing this race, I have run in all three Delaware counties this year!!!!!!!!! :)
- Seven Sisters, Four Brothers 6th Annual Venus on the Half Shell 5K – Saturday, August 4, 2007 – Dewey Beach – 9th overall (2nd in 20-24 age group division) – 18:36 (clock), 18:35 (watch)
District of Columbia – Washington
- Hugh Jascourt Memorial Four Miler – Thursday evening, June 21, 2007 – Northwest Washington D.C./C&O Towpath area – 17th overall – 26:04 (clock), 26:01 (watch)
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