Let's play some catch-up (now I'm trying to do running events in every county of Maryland within a half-a-year)!!!!!

Left: Me with a medal for finishing among the top three finishers at the 12th Annual North Beach 5K in Calvert County, MD on Saturday, September 15, 2007. Right: My friends and I upon finishing that same race, which significantly marked the conclusion to last year's endeavor to run in a running event in every county of Maryland in 2007 :)


Greetings everyone, as you've probably noticed since the late April of this year not long after I moved to Baltimore County, MD (where I'm still living), I started to fall behind in my blogging. I blogged about some running events I ran back in May as well as my successful endeavors to run in a running event in all three of Delaware's counties within a week, as well as details on my first triathlon experience in Charles County, Maryland. Now I've decided for my next entry to be about my more recent running experiences (and hopefully it stays that way on a fairly consistent basis, as I'm now settled into my new town house and we have internet over there too). I thank you all for your patience with my blogging and your attempts to keep in touch with me (and I hope I have made your attempts worthwhile).

As probably a good handful of you have heard, I am now attempting to run in a running event in every county of Maryland (including one in Baltimore City) within half-a-year! Last year I had so much fun in my endeavor to run in a running event in every county of Maryland within a year, and this year I wanted to do it again. When I started in earnest at the beginning of this year, I was getting in quite a few counties. However, as it got around April, I realized that I could probably do a race in every county of Maryland within the first half of the year, but when the race I thought that would occur in around mid-April in Dorchester County did not end up happening this year, that sorta threw off things. So the short of it is, I went back to the 3rd Annual McCready Health Services Foundation Founder's Day 8K on Saturday, May 3, 2008 in Crisfield (Somerset County), MD (one of my favorite races on the Maryland Eastern Shore that I've done every year that they have had it) after some time off as a result of the plantar fascia injury. Somerset County, in my opinion, is one of the most difficult counties in Maryland with which to find year-around running events in. So I decided that that could be my starting mark for a six month period of running races in all of Maryland's counties. I would have until, I guess, Monday, November 3, 2008 to get them in within a half-a-year. Since then, things have been goin' pretty well. I've gotten races in in Charles, Cecil, Kent, and Queen Anne's Counties, which are some of the more difficult Maryland counties in which to find year-around races and running events (at least from my experience).
Therefore, I have done many races this summer all over Maryland. This endeavor has been fun for the most part (which is no suprise) and I've met some new people and made a few new friends along the way (some weren't even really related to running, but I met them in a local library when I was blogging there :) In this past summer, I completed my first triathlon (the General Smallwood Sprint Triathlon on Sunday, June 29, 2008 in Charles County, MD), my first half-marathon (approximately 13.1 miles and it was the Riley's Rumble Half-Marathon on Sunday, July 27, 2008 in Montgomery County, MD), and the morning before I went to Deep Creek Lake in Garrett County Maryland for my first time on Saturday, July 26, 2008 for the inaugural TEVA Adventure Games 10K Trail Run (which has been one of the most hilliest yet scenic races I've even run in so far :) And of course, I've been blessed to have run a race in all three counties (Kent, New Castle, and Sussex Counties) of Delaware within a week towards the end of May :) This has been a fun year so far, I apologize for slacking on my blogging and keeping some of you more dedicated readers out-of-the-loop. I also hope to go back to some of my older posts and supplement them with photos. I have three counties left in this endeavor, and they are all on the Maryland Eastern Shore (which from my experience one of the hardest regions to find year-around running events because some of the counties there don't always seem to have a lot). Those counties are Dorchester, Talbot, and Worcester Counties, and I hope to do some races in those counties in the near future, God willing!

The plantar fascitis I was struggling with from 2007 into 2008 has pretty much gotten better as a result of God's grace and physical therapy. It's only bothered me in the right foot a couple of times since like May or June, which isn't too bad. I was running some 500-meter and 300-meter repeats on a track near where I live back in August, and I strained a muscle in my left foot. It was weird, 'cause it would bother me when I would stand, walk, or sit/lay-down on occasion, but not really when I ran (I was at least grateful for that). I saw the physical therapist for that (the same one who helped treat the plantar fascia), and I was about recovered from that when I ran the Police Pace 5K in Howard County, MD on Sunday, September 7, 2008 and I sprained my left ankle in the beginning of the race. Fortunately, God helped me finish the race in my personal best time-to-date on that course of 18:17 before I started to feel the pain in my left ankle, just above where I strained a muscle about a year before. Oh my poor left foot.
So yea, I'm still seeing the physical therapist (who has been doing a great, effective job in my opinion) and I've been advised to keep my running to only a few times a week and that my races should not be too agressive. My workouts should not be anything harder than a tempo run; no intervals or speedwork for right now, 'cause I know I can feel the strain on my ankle. So yea, my training these past few weeks has been rather light and I think I've been lucky to get near or over 20-miles-a-week. I'm so grateful that I can still do races, even though not as well right now as I was doing in early September before I sprained my ankle. So that's pretty much what's been goin' on on the health and injury front; believe me, it could be incredibly worse and the sprain was only minor.
I'm still working as a teachers' aide at the Homewood Center; mainly with a high school social studies teacher this year, and that's been goin' well. I've been able to connect with the material a bit, especially with geographical and historical things I've learned in my Maryland-wide running endeavors! I'm taking a course at a community college in Catonsville (Baltimore County), MD (History 101) and I'm hopin' that this Western Civilization history course can not only help me in my job, but help fill in some holes in my undergraduate requirements to earn a Masters of Arts in Teaching at the University of Maryland Baltimore County (U.M.B.C.), where I'm strongly considering attending graduate school at, God willing.

Now to bring this up to the present, last Saturday (September 27) I went back to the North Beach 5K (which is now in its 13th year) that helps benefit Northern High School's boys' soccer program in Calvert County, MD. This was the race in North Beach (Calvert County), MD that I ran last year (Saturday, September 15, 2007) to finish out my quest last year of running in a running event in every county of Maryland within a year :) So yea, this race is definitely special to me! I ran an 18:48 there last year, and since I had hardly run this week because I was recovering from my sprained left ankle, I figured I'd be happy just to break 20 minutes on this relatively challenging course. The weekend before, I ran about 19:15 for the Remembrances Run 5K, but that was on a more flat course in Federalsburg (Caroline County), MD. This course had some rolling hills for the first coupla miles or so before flattening out towards the end.
I started out modestly in the middle of the pack, but within the first half-mile, I was pleasantly surprised to find myself near the front, and as we went up this long and fairly challenging hill, I found myself in the lead. I was so happy to find that I had a decent amount of energy and the toughest hill on the course (at least the first one was in my opinion) was pretty much over with within the first mile or so. The course kept progressing along this road, and we would turn onto these side streets and sort of make our way along the road, or go parallel to it by going on the shaded suburban streets. I was surprise that I was not only able ot maintain the lead, but extend it because after the first couple of hills, I didn't hear the other runners behind me. Eventually, the course went downhill towards the boardwalk and bay, and I knew from last year's course that we were almost done. As I neared the boardwalk, I saw a course marshal standing this intersection, and I misinterpreted a body movement that he did with his arms, and I thought I was supposed to go left. I wasn't thinking clearly nor was my vision the best since I was running without my glasses, so I turned left, but then the course marshall quickly corrected me and I turned around and ran straight towards the boardwalk. I'd say I could have saved about two or three seconds by not making that mistake, but it was cool 'cause I still felt strong enough to make it to the end and with a quick glance back, I didn't notice any runners gaining on me. It looked like I may win this race!

I made a left turn and ran down this paved trail that ran in between the street (on the left) and the boardwalk (on the right). I'm glad this trail was there because I did not want to run and try to run fast at the end on a boardwalk wet from yesterday's and this morning's rain (and fortunately the rain stopped a little bit before the race started). I saw the finish line far ahead and I muscled my way in, relieved that I had made it through this race without any noticeable aches and pains, especially from my left ankle that was sprained a few weeks earlier. I was just feeling tired from probably not running as much as I should have, but God blessed me with the ability to get through the race at a steady pace.
Before I knew it I crossed the line in 19:01, just thirteen seconds slower than last year's time. Not bad considering I hadn't run much this week, and I am confident that I would have barely broken 19 minutes had I not made that wrong turn as I got near the boardwalk. Oh well, at least I broke 19 minutes at least once on this course when I ran it last year.

One surprise that was waiting for me at the finish line was the guy who actually won the race. Yep, that's right, I didn't win when I thought that for the whole time I was in the lead for most of the race. Apparently what had happened was was that since I started a little ways back in the back, I didn't see the young gentleman who won the race, take off really fast at the beginning, and since there were many turns and I wasn't wearing my glasses, I didn't see him in front of me at all by the time I got about a half-a-mile into the race where I thought I took the lead. I just thought that was hilarious that I thought I was winning when I wasn't; I can't say I've ever had that happen. Nevertheless, I was certainly happy for the gentleman that won the race, 'cause I think he ran a personal best time for himself so far (he ran about 18:03). So him being almost a minute ahead of me on a course like that, it's no wonder I didn't see him. I was pleasantly surprised and well-pleased to have finished second overall and almost break 19 minutes when I thought it may have been a stretch to break 20 minutes. They only give awards at this race to the top three males and top three females overall (no age-group awards or anything like that). I wasn't expecting to finish in the top-three, yet God had other plans and I'm grateful that He did. This has been the fastest 5K I've run since I've tapered back from running after spraining my ankle a few weeks back.

After the race, I met up with one of my friends who lives around that area, and her boyfriend, and we went to another friends housewarming party. I felt pretty well during the race and trhoughout the day, so I decided on doing another race that I've kind of wanted to try for a while, the next day: The Baltimore-Washington International (B.W.I.) Airport 4-Mile Run in Linthicum (Anne Arundel County), MD.

So the next morning (this is Sunday, September 28 now), I drove over to the B.W.I. Airport (which is pretty close to where I live) for the B.W.I. Airport 4-Mile Run. I didn't know what to expect from myself since I hadn't run much the week before, yet I had run a 5K better than I expected the day before. I figured that probably the best I could hope for was a finishing time in the 25's or the 26's; and I thought it would be nice if my 5K split was a little under 20 minutes (or that my 3-mile split would be equivalent to that pace.

Most of this out-and-back course was fairly flat with some hills in the beginning, a couple in the middle, and a steady uphill at the end. The race started outside one of the cargo buildings in this wide open road. We started out going straight on this road and down a steady hill onto a flat part of the course. As a result, I think a lot of us had pretty fast first miles. I certainly was not expecting to go through the first mile as fast as 5:52ish. I knew I probably was not going to be able ot hoold it that well, but I would see what would happen, because God may have different plans. The course went up a steady hill, then down a steady hill into the larg Northrop-Gruman parking lot, where there was a water stop. We madea loop around this parking lot and I went thorugh two miles in about 12:12 (wow, now I was on pace to get just under 19 minutes for a 5K, but I figured that was probably not going to be the case since I was feeling pretty tired). Shortly after I started cramping up, and by the time I neared the three-mile mark, I could feel my right foot begin to tense up, just like it did late last year and earlier this year when the plantar fascitis would bother me. The last time this bothered me was on Friday (the Fourth of July) when I ran the Rock Hall Flat Five in Kent County on the Maryland Eastern Shore. Yea, I was a little worried to say the least, but delighted to see that I ran through three miles in 18:45; a 6:15-per-mile pace, a pace that probably helped get in the mid-to-upper 19:20's for my 5K split, and one that would have landed me 25 minutes exactly upon finishing four miles.
WHen I rounded the left and final turn on the course not long after the three-mile mark, I felt pretty tired and I got ready to go up the steady hill that took up a good portion of the last mile. I felt pretty tired at this point from running a little over three miles a bit harder than I expected (and probably from yesterday morning's 5K in southern Maryland), and from my having my right foot and leg getting tense on me. I thought that this would have probably been fine if this were a two-miler or even a 5K, but I was certainly glad this was not going to be longer than four miles.
Once I got to the top of the hill, I was feeling run-down
to say the least, but I knew the finish line was coming up, and far ahead I saw blinking lights of a display that was by the finish line. With that, I tried to pick up the pace. I didn't feel that strong towards the end, but I knew I was working pretty hard. I still felt some tension in my right foot and knee.
God helped me get through this last stretch and finish in about 25:33 (even though the clock got me at 25:34.6, which was probably because I started a second or so behind when the gun started, because it took me about a second to reach the actual starting line from where I was standing and I did not start my watch until I reached the starting line). I was fine with this time, it was pretty much the best I could expect for myself right now, but I was a bit worried about my right leg. Perhaps I strained it the previous day in the North Beach 5K or I didn't stretch well enough afterwards. It could have been what my physical therapist said about more impact being on my right foot because of compensating on it for the hurt left ankle. Maybe this race was just a bit longer than what I should have been doing. Maybe I should have stuck with just the North Beach 5K this weekend, because I didn't need to get in an Anne Arundel County event at this point on my quest, just a Calvert County one, and the North Beach 5K had provided such a convenient opportunity.
Anyway, though, I am happy that I went through my 5K split in well under 20 minutes, and in fact my pace-per-mile was about 6:23-a-mile on average, which is a pace that is under 20 minutes for a 5K. And I have to remember I'm not running as much as I usually do, and I'm not doing much in the way of speedwork lately aside from races.
So with those aches and pains (and hopefully that's all they are and nothing more), I was pretty happy with the race. I didn't feel much tension from my left ankle, so I think that's going all right. Fortunately, I have an appointment with the physical therapist later on this week, so I'll make sure I bring this up to him.


Hopefully I'll be good to go and at least be able to finish my next planned race, which is this weekend at the Hurlock Fall Festival in Hurlock (Dorchester County), MD. It's the North Dorchester High School Eagle 5K Run/Walk, and it has been put on by the Seashore Striders (http://www.SeashoreStriders.com) I haven't run this one before, but I hear it's pretty flat. My friend John and I are planning on doing it. John has done it before and he says he has enjoyed it. I hope to make it out. This should be an excellent opportunity to get a race in in Dorchester County (a county that I find is quite challenging to find year-around running events in, much less in this area of the county as most of the races and running events occur on the south end of Dorchester County in the Cambridge area). That said, I think this will be neat and Hurlock is a pretty little town, not too far from Federalsburg, MD (and pretty similar in appearance). Also, as you may notice below, Dorchester County is the only Maryland county that I have not run in a running event in yet this year. I'm glad at the very least it looks like I'll have an opportunity with this race. Plus it's through the Seashore Striders, and I've enjoyed their races these past few years.

All right, thank you all for reading. Back by at least my own popular demand is a list below of the running events I've run in this year and where I've run them in. I hope that you all have a good night and thank you very much for your patience, support, prayer, and enthusiasm! Be blessed :)

Running Events I have done this year as of Tuesday, September 30, 2008

(Italicized ones are the ones within my attempt to run a running event in all of Maryland’s counties within a half-a-year period)

Maryland

Allegany County

- First Annual Spring is Here! 10K – Sunday, April 6, 2008 – Cumberland, MD – 7th overall (20-29 age-group division winner) – 41:40

- Queen City Junior Striders Meet #2: Paris N. Glendening Park – Tuesday, June 17, 2008 – Frostburg:

- 1-mile cross country race: Winner – 5:52.11

- 2-mile cross country race: 8th overall - 13:13.08

- Andrea’s 5K Memorial Run – Saturday, August 16, 2008 – Barton – 8th overall (3rd in male 20-29 age-group division) – 18:49

Anne Arundel County

-Valentine’s Day 5K Run – Saturday, February 9, 2008 – Kinder Mill Farm Park, Millersville/Severna Park – 10th overall (3rd in male 20-29 age group division) – 17:59.15 (my best time on course J)

- John Wall Mile – Sunday, July 6, 2008 – Severna Park High School Track, Severna Park – 8th overall (fastest heat – 2nd in male 20-29 age-group division) – 5:07

- Annapolis Striders Women’s Distance Festival “Run After the Women” 5K (Men’s race) – Annapolis – 7th overall (25-29 age-group division winner) – 18:50.60 (clock), 18:49 (watch)

- Dog Days 8K Cross Country Run – Sunday, August 3, 2008 – Anne Arundel Community College/Earl Scott Trail, Arnold – 22nd overall – 32:33.04 (clock), 32:30 (watch)

- 22nd Annual BWI 4-Mile Run – Sunday, September 28, 2008 – Baltimore-Washington International Airport, Linthicum – 16th overall – 25:34.6, (clock) 25:33 (watch)

Baltimore City

- Kelly St. Patrick’s Day Shamrock 5K – Sunday, March 16, 2008 – Baltimore City – 61st overall (guntime-based) – 18:33 (guntime), 18:28 (chiptime)

- Dreaded Druid Hills 10K – Saturday, June 28, 2008 – Baltimore City – 22nd overall – 43:12.65

Baltimore County

- Baltimore Road Runners Club (BRRC) Grand Prix Series Eight-Mile Run – Sunday, January 13, 2008 – Loch Raven Reservoir – 11th overall – 53:34

- Patapsco State Park Trail Run (5-6 miles) – Sunday, May 11, 2008 – Patapsco State Park Avalon Area, Arbutus/Catonsville area – 41st overall- 1:05:59

- TEVA Genessee Valley Trail Run 5K – Saturday, June 21, 2008 – Genessee Valley, Parkton – 5th overall (20-29 age group division winner) – 20:07

Calvert County

- First Annual Southern Maryland Community Network Resolution 5K Run/Walk – Tuesday, January 1, 2008 – Prince Frederick – 4th overall (20-29 age group winner) – 18:47

- 13th Annual North Beach 5K – Saturday, September 27, 2008 – North Beach – 2nd overall – 19:01

Caroline County

- First Annual St. Patrick’s Day 5K – Saturday, March 15, 2008 – Denton – 2nd overall (20-29 age group division winner) – 18:58 (clock), 18:55 (watch)

- Caroline Hospice Remembrances Run 5K (first year running a 5K course here instead of a 5-miler) – Saturday, September 20, 2008 – Federalsburg Marina Park, Federalsburg – 3rd overall (20-29 age group division winner) – 19:15

Carroll County

- Winfield Mile – Tuesday, January 1, 2008 – South Carroll High School, Winfield – 6th overall (2nd in 20-29 age group) – 5:11 (clock), 5:10 (watch)

- Kowomu Trail 5K Road Race – Sunday, August 17, 2008 – Westminster – 2nd overall – 20:21

- 5th Annual Labor Day 5K Rogue Race – Monday, September 1, 2008 – Liberty High School, Eldersburg – 5th overall (20-29 age-group division winner) – 18:28 (my personal best time on this course and at this event to-date :)

Cecil County

- Inaugural Run for Reading 4K – Saturday, May 10, 2008 – Bayview Elementary School, North East – Winner – 13:13 (accidentally cut the course a bit short) As of this race, Daniel Williams ran a race in every Maryland County along the Mason-Dixon Line J

- Inaugural Paws for Life/Mid-Atlantic Horse Rescue May Day 5K – Sunday, May 18, 2008 – Chesapeake City – 20th overall – 29:18

- St. Roch’s Trail Run 7K – Saturday, July 19, 2008 – Fair Hill Natural Resources Management Area (N.R.M.A.), Fair Hill/Elkton – Winner – 51:36 (this was after running a little past the actual finish area J)

- Inaugural Charlestown Riverfest River Run 5K – Sunday, September 14, 2008 – Charlestown – 4th overall (20-29 age group division winner) – 20:13

Charles County

- General Smallwood Sprint Triathlon – Sunday, June 29, 2008 – General Smallwood Park, Indian Head/Ironsides/Silver Hill – 194th overall (112th male finisher) – 1:59:32:

- 750-meter swim – 21:15 (ranked 111th fastest male time at this point)

- 1st transition area – 6:29 (ranked 132nd male time at this point)

- 16-mile bike – 1:10:28 (PR and it was ranked 135th male time at this point :)

- 2nd transition area – 1:18 (ranked 60th fastest male time at this point)

- 5K – 20:03 (ran very evenly or even had negative splits, and it was ranked 4th fastest overall, and 3rd fastest among the males :)

Dorchester County

Frederick County

- Inaugural the Great “Deadman’s Hill” Down Hill Mile – Friday, April 4, 2008 – Brunswick, MD – 4th overall – 4:50 (off-track PR for a mile distance J) - They had mistaken me for finishing 8th overall with a time of 4:54

- Frederick Steeplechasers Summer Track Series (Two miles on the track) – Wednesday, June 18, 2008 – Frederick High School, Frederick:

- One mile warmup

- Two miles - 6th overall (13th in age-adjusted time) - 11:47 (I ran negative splits :)

- 3X800-meter relay race – Our team earned 2nd overall – My 800-meter splits were about: 2:53, 2:48ish, and then 2:26 (and I think I ran negative splits on that last one as well as keeping a fairly even pace on the first two :)

Garrett County

- Inaugural TEVA Adventure Games 10K Trail Run – Saturday, July 26, 2008 – A.S.C.I./Wisp Ski Resort, Deep Creek Lake – 6th overall (4th male finisher and 20-29 age group division winner) – 50:24 (I ran negative splits on one of the most hilliest and challenging races I’ve run in so far, and it was great scenery too :)

Harford County

- Leap of Faith Fun Run (7K prediction run – Approximately 4.35 miles) – Sunday, February 17, 2008 – Abington – 3rd/4th overall (8th closest to predicted time) – 27:24 (predicted time: 28:00)

- World No Tobacco Day 5K – Sunday, June 8, 2008 – Liriodrendron Mansion/Ma & Pa Trail, Bel Air -- overall (2nd in 20-29 age-group division) – 19:37

Howard County

- Howard County Striders (H.C.S.) Weekly Series (“Operation Iceberg”) #1: Burleigh Manor Middle School 5-mile run – Sunday, January 6, 2008 – Columbia/Ellicott City area – 7th overall – 32:18

- H.C.S. “Operation Iceberg” #3: Atholton High School 5K Run – Sunday, January 20, 2008 – Columbia – 6th overall – 18:38

- H.C.S. “Operation Iceberg” #5: Jeffers Hill Neighborhood Center 15K (first 15K I’ve done as part of the H.C.S. weekly series :) – Sunday, February 10, 2008 – Columbia – 11th overall – 1:10:11

- Road Runners Club of America Ten-Mile Club Challenge – Sunday, February 24, 2008 – Columbia – 122nd overall – 1:07:58.85 (clock), 1:07:52 (watch)

- H.C.S. “Operation Iceberg” #9: Elkhorn 10K – Sunday, March 30, 2008 – Columbia – 13th overall – 43:42 (clock), 43:39 (watch) – Ran negative splits: 21:53 the first half! :)

- Mt. Hebron High School Viking Backers Viking 5K – Sunday, April 13, 2008 – Mt. Hebron High School, Ellicott City – 2nd overall – 18:52

- 30th Annual Clyde’s 10K – Sunday, April 20, 2008 (my five-year anniversary of accepting Jesus Christ as my personal Savior J) – Columbia - - 42:09 (clock), 42:05 (chip)

- H.C.S. “Vernal Velocity” # : Thunder Hill Elementary School 2-miler – Sunday, May 18, 2008 – Columbia – 4th overall – 13:35

- First Annual Friends of the Howard County Library Fun Run/Walk (approximately 2.3 miles) – Saturday, June 7, 2008 – East Columbia Branch Library, Columbia – Winner – 14:25 (I ran a little further past the actual finish area J)

- Damien F. Massella Run for Recovery 5K (new course) – Sunday, June 22, 2008 – Columbia - overall – 18:38

- H.C.S. “Summer Sizzler” #2: Burleigh Manor Middle School 5-miler – Wednesday, June 25 – 6th overall – 32:26

- Police Pace 5K – Sunday, September 7, 2008 – Centennial Park, Ellicott City – 11th overall – 18:17.94 (my personal best time on this course to-date J)

- H.C.S. “Legends of the Fall” #2: Longfellow Elementary School 10K – Sunday, September 21, 2008 – 2nd overall 44:32 (great pacing, because I went through the first half in about 22:13 J)

Kent County

- 32nd Annual Chestertown Tea Party Distance Classic 5K – Saturday, May 24, 2008 – Chestertown – 3rd overall (20-29 age-group division winner) – 19:15 (clock), 19:12 (watch – best time at this event J)

- 27th Annual Rock Hall Flat Five – Friday, July 4, 2008 – Rock Hall – 2nd overall (“Open Men” age group division (20-36) winner) – 32:31 (it probably would have been a bit faster had I not accidentally missed a turn towards the beginning).

Montgomery County

- 5th Annual Walnut Hill Ribbon Run 5K – Sunday, February 10, 2008 – Gaithersburg – 2nd overall – 19:51

- Riley’s Rumble Half-Marathon – Sunday, July 27, 2008 – Riley’s Lock, Seneca/Poolesville – 132nd overall (117th male finisher) – 1:48:18 (clock), 1:47:27 (watch) – First half-marathon J

- Sandy Spring Friends School Practice Meet #1 (5K cross country race) – Wednesday, August 20, 2008 – Sandy Spring – 3rd overall (ran unattached) – 19:42 (I really picked it up the third mile J)

Prince George’s (P.G.) County

- Prince George’s Sports and Learning Complex Track Showcase (indoor track) – Sunday, January 27, 2008 – Landover:

- 1,500 meter race – 15th overall - 5:04.9

- 800 meter race – 2nd overall –2:17.5

- 3,200 meter race – winner – 11:24 (best indoor track time for that distance by one second, and the 10:43 3,000 meter split I believe was right around an indoor track best time for me as well J)

- Prince George’s Sports and Learning Complex Track Showcase (indoor track) – Sunday, February 3, 2008 – Landover:

- 800 meter run – 3rd overall – 2:15

- 3,200 meter run – 2nd overall – Have not gotten time yet, but I’m sure it was close to the 11:24 I hit there last weekend J

- Poker Run (3 laps around the lake at the Buddy Attick Park which is approximately 3.79 miles) – Friday, July 11, 2008 – First finisher (my poker hand did not win anything) – 24:44ish (and I was trying to break 25 minutes J)

Queen Anne’s County

- A Day at the Races – Saturday, March 29, 2008 – Queen Anne’s County High School, Centreville:

- 5K (on the high school cross country course) – Winner – 18:59 (probably a little shorter than a 5K, somewhere between 3 and 3.1 miles)

- 1,600 meter/1-mile track open fun run – 3rd overall – 6:34

- Kent Island Relay for Life – Saturday, June 7, 2008 – Kent Island High School, Stevensville – I ran about or almost four miles worth and I was one of the few joggers/runners at the event.

- Kennard Alumini Association 5K Walk/Run & Family Day (new course this year) - Saturday, June 14, 2008 – Kennard Elementary School, Centreville – Winner – 19:20

Saint Mary’s County

- 27th Annual Chaptico Classic 5K – Saturday, August 30, 2008 – Chaptico – 4th overall (20-29 age-group division winner) – 19:10

Somerset County

- 3rd Annual McCready Health Services Foundation Founder’s Day 8K – Saturday, May 3, 2008 – Crisfield – 2nd overall – 34:51 (clock), 34:27 (watch)

Talbot County

- Talbot Kids Fun Run (advertised as three-miles, but less than that) – Saturday, March 8, 2008 – North Easton Sportsplex (Rails-to-Trails), Easton – Winner – Probably ran low-to-mid 14’s based on the times of other runners (I did not run my watch on this one)

Washington County

- 27th Annual Gary Brown Memorial C&O Canal Five-Mile Run – Saturday, August 23, 2008 – Williamsport - 21st overall – 31:31

Wicomico County

- Mid-Shore Family YMCA Funny Bunny 5K Run – Saturday, March 8, 2008 – Salisbury – 2nd overall (20-29 age-group division winner) – 19:35

- Winter Place Park Summer Cross-Country Series #1 – Saturday, August 2, 2008 – Winter Place Park, Salisbury – 4th overall – 19:01

Worcester County

- Ocean City Factory Outlets 5K – Saturday, April 12, 2008 – Ocean City – 2nd overall – 19:11

Events outside of Maryland

Delaware

(Italicized ones are Delaware counties that I ran in the week of 5-25-to-5-31-2008)

Kent County

- 4th Annual Firefly 5K Run – Wednesday, May 28, 2008 – Smyrna – 6th overall (2nd in male 20-29 age-group division) – 18:53 (clock), 18:52 (watch)

New Castle County

- 7th Annual Friends of Mary Husty 5K – Monday, May 26, 2008 – University of Delaware, Newark – 8th overall (male 19-29 age-group division winner – Now I’ve won my age group in all three counties of Delaware in my lifetime J) – 18:38 (clock), 18:36 (watch)

Sussex County

- 15th Annual Masser Five-Miler – Sunday, May 25, 2008 – Lewes – 12th overall (3rd in male 25-29 age-group division) – 31:47 (clock), 31:45 (watch – My pace got faster later in the race :)

District of Columbia – Washington

- 410th Tidal Basin 3K – Wednesday, March 19, 2008 – Tidal Basin, Washington D.C. – 9th overall – 10:46

- 412th Tidal Basin 3K – Wednesday, June 18, 2008 – Tidal Basin, Washington D.C. - overall – 11:01

Virginia

Accomack County

Arlington County

- Potomac Valley Track Club All-Comers’ Indoor Track & Field Meet – Sunday, February 3, 2008 - Thomas Jefferson Community Center, Arlington:

- 1 mile run – 6th overall – 5:17.0

- 800 meter run – 6th overall – 2:22.5

- 3,000 meter run – 7th overall – 10:59.8

Fairfax County

- 30th Annual Patriot’s Cup 8K – Sunday, May 4, 2008 – George Mason University, Fairfax – 20th overall – 32:27 (clock), 32:23ish (watch)

Northampton County

General Smallwood Sprint Triathlon!

Sunday, June 29, 2008


Well, the day finally came when I would attempt my first multi-sport event: The General Smallwood Sprint Triathlon on Sunday morning, June 29, 2008 at the General Smallwood Park in Indian Head (Charles County), MD. There was also an International Triathlon with longer distances in the swimming, biking, and running portions of the event, but I chose the shorter sprint triathlon option. I wanted to do this for a couple of reasons. One of them was because while I was rehabbing the plantar fascitis issue in my right foot, I had started lifting weights, going to the pool, and even doing some biking to cross-train, and I figured a triathlon would be a nice goal to help take those activities to the next level. Also it would be a terrific opportunity for me to get in a running event in in Charles County, one of the Maryland counties that in my opinion are harder to find year-around running events in! The only other event I've done in Charles County was over a year ago on Sunday, May 20, 2007 in LaPlata, and it was the Civista Run for Wellness 5K (and I have a feeling that is one of the more popular races in Charles County).

A sprint triathlon seemed fine for a first multi-sport event, because it's shorter (and relatively cheaper), than a lot of other triathlons. The triathlon began with the 750-meter swimming portion in the open water (which is a little bit less than a half-a-mile), a 16-mile biking portion, and concludes with a 5-kilometer (approximately 3.1-mile) running portion. Of course, there are transitions in between the swimming, biking, and running. Those distances for the swimming and biking (activities I don't do all that much) seemed quite long, but it was nothing I hadn't done before. In the summer of 2000 I went to the Resica Falls Boy Scout summer camp for a week with my Boy Scout Troop when I was in high school, and this was up in the Poconos in the state of Pennsylvania. Within a week I had trained for and successfully completed a one-mile swim in an outdoor swimming pool that they had there in 40 minutes (and I think running helped me out a lot in cardiovascular energy). This was just a little less than half of that. Then, in the summer of 2004 in August, my friend Jenny and I (and we spent some of the summer actually training to do this) biked around a lot of Columbia and some of Ellicott City, Maryland. We wanted to bike from where we lived in Columbia to the four larger lakes in Howard County: Centennial Lake, Lake Elkhorn, Lake Kittamaqundi, and Wilde Lake. We definitely stopped a bit and according to my odometer when I got home, I had covered about 20.25 miles. The 16-mile bike would be several miles less than this ride.
I had to keep remembering how God blessed me and my friends involved in these past endeavors to help me have a little more confidence!

My training pretty much took place at Howard Community College's gym. I would go there for the weight room, stationary bikes, and to swim laps in the pool. Towards the end of my training, something had happened to my bike so my dad lent me his to use for the triathlon. When I started swimming more consistently (like anywhere from 2-to-4 times a week, I would try and swim for at least 40 lengths, because I knew about 36 lengths was half-a-mile according to the lifeguards. I knew that since the distance for the swim was just under a half-a-mile, that I was already training at a distance a little longer than the race distance, and I think that helped my confidence towards this. I got up to swimming just a little over three-quarters-of-a-mile. Training with my running also helped of course once I started back with running consistently in mid-May. Actually I thought many of the races (mostly 2-milers and 5K's) helped me out a lot; especially with them back-to-back. For example, on Saturday, June 7, 2008 I ran in the Inaugural Friends of the Howard County Library Fun Run/Walk (approximately 2.3 miles) and I ran that in about 14:25 at the East Branch Library of Columbia (Howard County), MD. Then later on that evening I ran/jogged about four-miles' worth (give-or-take) at the Kent Island High School Relay for Life on the high school's track in Stevensville (Queen Anne's County), MD. Then, the next morning (Sunday, June 8, 2008), I went over to Bel Air (Harford County), MD and ran the World No Tobacco Day 5K (which was mainly on the Ma & Pa Trail with plenty of rolling hills). I worked hard to hit 19:37 at that race, and I found it to be really hot and hilly that weekend too.
Another "bout" of racing occurred in mid-June the day after Howard County Public Schools let out. On Tuesday evening, June 17, 2008, I went over to the Paris N. Glendenning Park in Frostburg (Allegany County), MD to run at the second Queen City Junior Striders cross-country meet. I ran the one-mile (5:52) shortly followed by the two-mile (13:13). I was beat after that, yet God gave me a lot of grace and strength to get through Wednesday's races. Wednesday afternoon (June 18, 2008) found me in Washington D.C. running in the 412th Tidal Basin 3K and finishing in 11:01, not too far off of my best time-to-date on the course from March of 10:46. After that, I went to a physical therapy appointment in Montgomery County, and then that evening I went to Frederick High School in Frederick (Frederick County), MD to run in the Frederick Steeplechasers' 3rd summer "Decathlon" track series event: The two-mile run on the track. Before the two-miler, I ran in the warm-up mile and took it easy. I was very pleased to build into this race of just barely over 8 laps. I ran negative splits; my first mile being about 5:59ish, and then the second one being about 5:48 to have a finishing time of about 11:47 (not much slower than the pace I went in the 3-kilometer race earlier that day, and two miles is just a little more than an eighth-of-a-mile longer than 3 kilometers/3,000 meters). For fun, there was a 3X800 meter (2 outdoor track lap) relay race where there were teams of three and each team member runs 3 legs of 800 meters. I think I was the last leg and we finished second overall. I was really psyched that despite how tired I was (or thought I was) from all my recent running and races, I was pleased to see that I ran the first 800 meter in about 2:52, then the second one in about 2:47, and then the last one God really empowered me to run 2:26. And it was really terrific that my pace on these eight hundreds were either very consistent between the two laps, or they were negative splits (the second lap was faster than the first). God is awesome :)
Then, a few days later on Saturday, June 21, 2008, I ran in the TEVA Genessee Valley 5K Trail Race in 20:07, which is great for me considering that I typically don't run that strongly on trail races (even though I thought most of it was cross-country through open fields, which I tend to do better on). This was at the Gennessee Valley Learning Center (where we've taken the students at the Homewood Center where I work, for field trips) in the more rural area of Baltimore County, MD. Then, the next morning (Sunday, June 22, 2008) I ran in the Damien F. Massella Run for Recovery 5K in Columbia (Howard County), MD in 18:38, my fastest 5K since I started running consistently back in mid-May. Terrific confidence booster the week before my first triathlon!
In addition, the day before the triathlon (and this wasn't probably the smartest or most "orthodox" thing to do the day before a triathlon) I ran a reputably difficult 10K road race. I wanted to run the Dreaded Druid Hills 10K run for my first time in Baltimore City on Saturday, June 28, 2008 to get in a Baltimore City running event. It was fairly hot and hilly, but I managed to hold back a bit and get through in about 43:12.
Of course, I ran a race in all three counties of Delaware within four days in late May, and the day before I started that I had run the Chestertown Tea Party Distance Classic 5K in Chestertown (Kent County), MD on Saturday, May 24, 2008.

I apologize for bragging, but I feel that God used these experiences to help strengthen me in preparing for, during, and in recovering from the triathlon. Afterall, a triathlon (and I guess any sort of multi-sport event) involves switching between events without much rest, and I guess I sorta got used to that by doing running races closer together at times, and also doing what others suggested: Going for runs after I bike, so as to get used to the more leaden and heavy feeling in my legs that is common after a bike ride, as I start running!


So yea, that's the dirt on some of my probably unconventional, but fun preparation for my first triathlon.

The final week before the General Smallwood Sprint Triathlon, I started working at the Teens on Tour Summer Camp through the Howard County, Maryland Department of Recreation and Parks. We went to a few amusement parks and the rides I went on (especially some in Dorney Park, Pennsylvania) made me feel quite sick to my stomach throughout the week. By Thursday night after the work week ended, I felt pretty sick, and fortunately I didn't throw up, get dehydrated, have diarrhea, or anything worse, but it threw off my eating patterns. It was fun to go on the rides, but I felt like it would make preparing for and attempting the triathlon that much more difficult. God helped me recover on Friday and by Sunday morning, my appetite was pretty much back and my stomach was not acting up as much (considering that I was fairly anxious to say the least about the event). And fortunately, my body became used to amusement park rides again and I came to enjoy working at the summer camp and I met some cool kids and co-workers there. If I'm lookin' for some work next summer, it's likely I'll go back to workin' at that camp!

Back to the story, after the Dreaded Hills 10K and the afternoon before the event, I drove from Baltimore City to Smallwood Park to make sure that I knew how to get there to scope out the lay of the land. I ended up staying there for an orientation aimed more at first-timers like myself. One piece of advice that stuck with me was to not do anything on race day that I haven't practiced with in training for the triathlon. Then, they started talking about wearing goggles in the swim, and I realized that I had never gotten around to swimming with goggles, so I figured after asking a couple of people that it would probably not be a good idea to try goggles in the swim tomorrow. I typically wear glasses, so I would probably have visionary struggles enough without risking more trouble by trying goggles, which could easily fog up and/or somehow obscure my vision, which I think would really help me in my first open-water swim.

So the morning of the race came and my brother (who drove with me and came out to support/help me get set-up, and I give him major props for the help, photos, encouragements, and support :) and I rolled into the parking lot with plenty of time to spare. It was fairly hot out, but I made sure to take in a lot of water. Once I got my bike and other things set-up in the transition area, I took a little while to warm-up by myself and spend a little quiet time with God. I have been in prayer a lot about the triathlon, and I know that God helped me grow in faith over the years as I've gone from pretty much hating running and exercise, thinking that it would be a mountainous accomplishment to run a mile without stopping, to getting ready to do a triathlon that I had reason to believe I could actually survive. I've heard "horror stories" of triathlon experiences, especially rookie ones, that have involved cramping up in the water, not being in shape enough to cover the distances in a triathlon, falling off the bike, and then the many challenges that can occur in a run. Still, I wanted to get a running event in in Charles County and I was confident that God would see me through somehow, as He always has been faithful to do!

When we were ready to start my wave (we were grouped by age-group pretty much and I think we wore either green or yellow swim caps), we lined up on the dock. I looked in the fairly dark water, and I was thankful it was well-heated and sunny, because I'm sure the cold water would have made the experience all the more uncomfortable. I was talking to someone my age and he was like, "no goggles?" And I sheepishly grin and chuckle something like, "yea, they said not do anything at the triathlon that I haven't done in my training."
To which he replied, "wow, you're brave."
To which I thought, "oh man....!"
I prayed about it real quick, hoping that God would help me to see clearly and protect my eyes from the stinging salt water.
We jumped into the water and lined up. We lined up by treading water (which I thought made it harder, 'cause it can expend energy, I'm sure especially for someone who doesn't have a lot of upper-body endurance). Anyway, that part was fortunately not as bad as I anticipated. The water was warm and I was able to shoot the breeze with this one guy who was treading water next to me.
Before I knew it, the signal sounded to start (I think the official blew a whistle or a horn) and we were off. I started in the back so as to avoid the fiesty jostling that I heard takes place among the more competitive in these swims. It only took a matter of seconds to see that I was in last place in my heat, and for a few seconds I remembered back to over ten years ago when i started out with this whole running thing with the Howard County Junior Striders track & field program as a sprinter and a jumper, and how it seemed I started and finished in last place within a matter of seconds in the 200 meters or something like that. Oh those days of old...
... And I knew that was in the past, and that I was much stronger than back then. I had to move forward with confidence, grateful that at the very least I was not cramping up or having any such difficulty.
Fortunately it didn't take long for me to start catching up to a couple of swimmers and passing them as I made the first left turn on this traingular-shaped swimming route around a few buoys. I started to feel quite strong here... Well at least I was enjoying myself a little bit. This was much more pleasant than swimming laps at the pool; that got pretty monotonous sometimes.
As I neared the buoy furthest out from where we started in the water, I realized that I genuinely enjoyed open water swimming (at least compared to swimming laps), adn I was even toying with the idea of doing that 4.4-mile Chesapeake Bay Swim sometime (I think that's in June and you may swim parallel to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge in Maryland).

I rounded the far buoy, and we angled ot the left back towards where we started to finish the swimming portion. At this point I was still feeling pretty strong, trying to keep up a steady with rhythm with breathing and my, I guess, freestyle sorta-stroke. At this point I had caught up with about two or three other swimmers and I was no longer in last place in my wave. Some faster swimmers from a wave (or possibly even two waves) behind me passed me, and they were obviously the faster swimmers in that wave. As we got closer to the boat ramp that marked the end of the swimming portion, the seaweed under the water was pretty tall in that area, and it sorta slowed me and probably a lot of the other swimmers down. For a few brief seconds, I was worried that I was gonna get tangled up, but they fell to the side and I moved forward (and I was grateful that I practiced swimming and weight lifting quite a bit before doing this, because otherwise this seaweed situation may have been harder to deal with). It was like I was wrestling with the "moster from the Smallwood Lagoon" (instead of "the Creature from the Black Lagoon" :)- Well, I probably had more corny thoughts going through my head. I was thinking that if I ever was going to do this again, I would probably have to bring a machetti for the swim. Eventually I figured since that it was slowing me down a little bit and I was not that aggressive of a swimmer, I decided to, um, play with the seaweed a bit. I grabbed a hadnful of it and somehow made a lasso with it and started swinging it around as I was paddling along with my other arm. How cool would it have been if I had roped a boat going by and I could have caught a ride back to the boat ramp! Didn't happen obviously, haha! Maybe I coulda roped me a seahorse :)- I eventually left my fist-sized lasso made-of-seaweed in the water, and took another handful of it towards the end.
As we neared the boat docks, I stil felt like I had a fair amount of energy and I was grateful to God that He helped get me and others through that patch of tall seaweed. I figured that I shouldn't just surge to the end with all I had because I still had to run/walk in my bare feet for about a quarter-of-a-mile to the transition zone where my bike was, bike for about 16 miles, and then go run a 5K. Yea, I definitely had to pace myself but at least I was almost done with the swim. Now at this point there were a small pack of swimmers around me, some that had caught up to me and some I was catching up to. When I was probably within about 50-75 meters of the boat ramp, I started to pick up the pace and I was able to pass a few more swimmers and we all got out of the boat ramp at the same time.
I got out of the water, and ran a little to the outside where I stashed a water bottle by this tree. I think I took a swig and squairted some of it on my feet to get rid of the dirt and seaweed from it, because I didn't want to put socks and shoes on it during the bikign and running, for that would have surely caused blisters. After that, I ran past my brother and took on the wad of seaweed I had grabbed towards the end of the swim, and put it in my hair and shouted, "hey I look Samara from "The Ring"" (Samara was this girl from this horror movie called "The Ring" who would come up from a well of water and her dark hair was so long it would cover her face, and I was trying to imitate that with the seaweed... It was sort of an inside joke with my brother). I was glad that I still had it within me to have a decent sense of humor I guess.
After that, I guess I must have dropped the seaweed or let it fall out of my hair, and I ran through the parking lot and through the small field towards the transition zone where are bikes were. even though I really can get apprehensive about running in my bare feet since I can easily twist/sprain an ankle, I was pleasantly surprised to see that I was keeping up a decent pace and keeping up with others.
I reached the transition area, grabbed my towel and dried off (especially my feet so that I wouldn't get blisters). I put my socks, shirt, running shoes, and helmet on, and I was off on my bike.
Coming out of the park had a couple of significantly challenging uphills, and after that I was on this rather small rural highway for a good portion of the ride. This ride had some moderate-to-challenging rolling hills, but it was nothing too incredibly grueling. I rode through the first mile in about 5:46 as others were whizzin' by on their bikes and I thought to myself, "I've run faster than this; I guess I better either pick it up or this is going to be my pace for most of the race". Fortunately, I got into it and I was able to pick it up. I'd say every mile after that first mile was under five minutes, and you know what, I would not have been surprrised if one or two of those miles that I biked were actually under four minutes or very close to it. Despite how hilly this course was, this was probably the fastest I've biked in my life so far and certainly the longest. I doubt I've even biked a mile as fast as five minutes before this day!
I did have to stop a few times. I stopped a couple of times briefly to put my water bottle back in its holder (I was coordinated enough to slow down and take my water bottle out while I was riding, but not put it back, so I had to pull over quickly to do that. Then, I stopped for several minutes to adjust my seat, because someone who passed me said it should be higher. After I raised the seat, I seemed to ride a little better :)

The bike course was pretty much a loop, and in addition to going through Indian Head, it went through Ironsides and Silver Hill and even went kinda near Nanjemoy, all of which are in Charles County in southern Maryland. It was pretty much all rural roads where we biked but it was nice to at least go through the outskirts of a few different towns.

Towards the end of the biking portion (an hour had almost passed), my legs were feeling leaden and I wasn't even sure if I was going to recover from this in time to go and do the Rock Hall Flat Five in Rock Hall (Kent County), MD on Friday, July 4, less than a week away, but I wanted too because I have heard of that race for over a year and have been wanting to do it since Rock Hall is one of my favorite small quaint towns on the Maryland Eastern Shore. So yea, that was a mouthful right there, and the point is my legs started to feel numb and I was just peddling. I was getting into it. I'd say within the last mile or two there was maybe one or two significant uphills and then it was a long downhill back into the Smallwood Park, and then it flattened out until we got back to the transition area. Once I was back in the park, it didn't seem like anyone was around me, and I would say for the last couple of miles I was moving at a pretty strong clip.

When I rolled over to the transition area I rode by my cheering brother and I think I waved to him, and I rode through the finish of the biking portion in an hour and ten minutes and twenty-eight seconds. Definitely well under a five-minute-per-mile pace on my bike and certainly my fastest bike ride to date (and one of my longest). I was happy with that personal best time there, even though I don't bike often. I remembered as a kid being really timid about the small BMX bike tracks near where I grew up with all the dirt hills. I thought it was scary going up and down those hills. These hills weren't quiee as intimidating (at least not the downhills anyway). So yea, I was definitely pleased. I know had I not made those few stops I would have easily ridden under an hour and ten minutes, and if I work harder at biking, I'm sure I can start seeing times under an hour for 16 miles. That would be a nice goal to shoot for if I do this one again (which could very well happen, but I don't think any time in the near future).

This gave me some positive momentum when I got to the transition area, slipped on my "Jesus Christ" headband that my good friend friend John gave me back when we were students at Salisbury University, took off my glasses, and I was off running (well it felt like jogging/stumbling a bit with the leaden feeling in my legs).

The run route started on pretty much the same route as the first mile of the bike course. So therefore, there were quite a few uphills to contend with, including the steady one going out of the park. Of course, it was more challenging in that my legs felt pretty heavy (and clumsy too). Fortunately, my training and recent back-to-back races seemed to help me get acclimated to this within the first several minutes and I was pleased to see that I went through the first mile in about 6:27 or 6:28ish. I thought something like, "wow, if I keep this pace up, I can be right on top of twenty minutes for a 3.1-mile distance," and I knew that would be good for me in my first triathlon.
And this is where I felt God beginning to strengthen me.
Not long after the first mile, we turned around on the course and then went back down a couple of turns before turning left onto some dirt roads and shaded trails in the park. My legs began to feel better and I felt stronger. I was probably around a mile-and-a-half into the run when I went up the last challenging uphill I remember at that point, when one of my shoes (I think it was my left one) came untied. I figured I could probably move more smoothly on a tied shoe, so I stopped real quick to tie it up. Not long after, we angled to the right to these dirt trails that were wide enough for two or possibly even three runners abreast. I'm not much of a trail runner, but these trails seemed well paved and I didn't get hurt on them fortunately. They reminded me of the trails I ran through at Hagerstown Community College over a year ago in Washington County, MD (western Maryland) when I ran in the Tom Auschermann Memorial Cross-Country two-mile race (it was the first one in the series that year and it was on Tuesday, June 5, 2007 if my memory serves me correctly). I remembered that was a fairly challenging course, and that this was not hard compared to that. That helped boost my confidence.
After these trails it was pretty much a consistent downhill. I felt my pace begin to pick up when my shoe (the same one) came untied again. I stopped and pulled off to the side to re-tie it, and this time I double-knotted it. I noticed that my shoes were wet, probably from the water in the swimming portion and sweat from the bike and the run, and I know from experience that wet shoes can lead to loose shoelaces. After I re-tied it, I started back again, trying to make up for a little lost time there.
I wasn't too frustrated about the shoes, I think I was happy that I was almost done my first triathlon. Also, I noticed that I was running by a lot of others that had gotten ahead of me in the swim and/or bike or had started in a wave ahead of me. Not brag, but I felt like running was my strongest part of this triathlon (and that was not much of a surprise).
When I got to the bottom of the hills, we got onto a small path or trail and went over a wooden bridge. I had to be careful, because the bridge was a bit narrow and probably slippery (and somehow I think I managed to pass someone on it). Once I crossed the bridge, the water where we swam in was on my left and the transition area was not far ahead... I recognized where I was and I knew I was probably not much further than a quarter-of-a-mile from the finish line. I angled to the right towards where I heard a lot of the shouting, and started to push it up the short rolling hill in front of me. For a few instants, I was a bit confused on where to go once I topped the small hill, 'cause I didn't see anyone in front of me (unlike the bike ride, I didn't wear my glasses on the run). Though, I think one of the course marshals or crowd members had pointed me to the left, and I dashed in that direction towards the finishing chute. Once I entered the chute, I made a right and dashed down the final stretch. I saw the finish line straight head and I knew I was about to finish my first triathlon. If I was exhausted from all I'd been through in the past almost two hours with this triathlon, I wasn't feeling it in the last ten seconds or so as I bolted through the finish line with a 5K time of 20:03, and completing my first triathlon in just under two hours (an hour, fifty-nine minutes, and thirty-two seconds to be exact).

WWWWWHOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

I completed a running event in Charles County, Maryland this year... AND I FINISHED MY FIRST TRIATHLON :)

I was thrilled about it! I ended up swimming the 750 meters in 21:15, which I guess wasn't my fastest for that distance since I swam a mile in 40 minutes (meaning my half-mile, which is a little more than 750 meters had to be right around 20 minutes or a little faster). Though, for an open swim and the seaweed, I thought that was great for where I was fitness-wise! And then the 16 miles on bike in 1:10:28; a new personal best for me in pacing and in completing that distance in that time :) The 20:03 in the 5K, oh what can I say. I am confident that had my shoes not come untied and had I not stopped to tie them briefly, I probably could have run in the 19:40's or the lower 19:50's. I was certainly pleased that in running through the first mile in about 6:27/6:28ish, I had probably just barely run the rest of the race averaging a pace-per-mile just slightly faster than that, and if not, it was a pace-per-mile that matched that to produce a 20:03 time for about 3.1 miles. I remember running 5K's in high school cross country (and once even in high school track), and struggling to hit times and paces like that, or barely beating them (even for the 3,200 meter which was just under two-miles for indoor and outdoor track). I remember having troubles breaking 13 minutes for the 3,200 meter, and now here I was running two-miles at a little under 13 minutes for an average pace for a longer distance than 3,200 meters (5K is 5,000 meters).
All that math and past aside, God definitely blessed my preparation, triathlon endeavor, and recovery pretty nicely. By the end of the week, I was feeling all right and I was able to run in the Rock Hall Flat Five in Kent County, MD and finish it in 32:31 (which probably would have been a little faster had I not missed a turn near the beginning of the race :)-

Some things I think I could improve on is not being so timid on the downhills with the biking, as I worry that I can easily fall off and hurt myself and my running. Also, I should make sure my shoes are tied well before biking and running. And maybe next time I will try goggles, even though my eyes weren't bothered at all (at least not from what I remember). I can see why people like to do at least several of these triathlons/multi-sport events-a-year, but as for me I think this is fine enough for now. It is a lot of money, and I thought it was actually a little more challenging to fit in working out and practicing the different activities in the triathlon. It was pretty time consuming and it does seem to require a lot of logistics (i.e. attaching the bike to your vehicle, bringing a lot of gear and some change of clothes between the swim, bike, and run). I biked and ran in my bathing suit and that was fine (unfortunately somewhere along the way, I tore a hole in my bathing suit, but I think I'm gonna hang onto it as well as my green swim cap for a while as souvenirs :)

So yea, if I can do a triathlon, I think a lot of others can! Just give yourself more time to train than less than two months and you don't have to do running races back-to-back (although I found those effective for me personally, I guess I'm just weird like that... I think if you're gonna do that, at least have a solid base of running a steady mileage-per-week so as to build up endurance and to get your body used to the physiology of running, I suppose). Thank you all for reading this as well as for encouraging me and praying for me in my endeavors with this. God bless you all and enjoy the evening :)

General Smallwood Sprint Triathlon Performance Data
(You are welcome to check out the results at http://www.setupevents.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=event_results&id=981)

- General Smallwood Sprint Triathlon - Sunday, June 29, 2008 - General Smallwood State Park, Indian Head/Ironsides/Silver Hill (Charles County), Maryland - 194th overall finisher (112th male finisher) - 1:59:32:

- 750-meter swim - 21:15 (109th fastest time among the males at this point)
- Transition Point #1 - 6:29 (129th fastest male at this point)
- 16-mile bike - 1:10:28 (PR and 132nd fastest male at this point :)
- Transition Point #2 - 1:18 (59th fastest male at this point)
- 5K run - 20:03 (4th fastest run time, 3rd fastest male time)