I wanted to beat my best time from my senior year of high school; 19:07.01. However, I struggled pretty much through a lot of the race. When the race started, a lot of us bottlenecked through this fairly narrow opening out of the school's sports stadium and the course took us on a fairly narrow grassy section for about the first half-mile or so until it finally opened up. I went out pretty conservatively, and I got that all right, because I spent a good portion of the first mile jockeying to move up a little bit so I can have enough space to go out at a pace fast enough to go under 19 minutes (which is about 6:07-per-mile or faster). Well, when I finally got enough space to pick up the pace, I was almost through the first mile, which I got through in 6:18. I realized I really needed to pick up the pace from there, but I was already fairly tired out and once I got to the many hils in the middle of the course (including a couple of really steep uphills), I definitely slowed.
I went through two miles in about 12:52 and then slowed a bit more off of that pace to finish the approximately 3.1-mile distance in 20:16; one of my slowest races yet! As I was coming into the finish, I wondered how I had run low 19's on that course when I was in high school (and the way I've been running lately, I'd say I've pretty much been runnign stronger than I was in high school cross country). Still, I'm fnate that I got through all right and for as tired as I was feeling, the Good Lord helped me have a strong kick and finish just ahead of a group of high school-aged runners who were gaining on me and wh I thought would surely get me at the end.
This course has been changed a bit over the years since I was in high school, and last year when I did this race, it was the first year I had run on this revised course. I ran 21:47 (and this was after a period of inconsistent running and racing), so at least I can say I ran my best time on this course so far. Though, I still think breaking 19 minutes is a realistic goal for me, because even though the course has been changed a bit, its difficulty level has not changed from when I ran in high school! God-willing, in the future I can improve on that time on this course. I've been blessed with two great 5K races this past weekend on the Maryland Eastern Shore (one of which was where I accomplished my goal of running in a running event in every county of Maryland within a half-a-year, and the other was a personal best time for me on a particular course :). I could very well be tuckered out from those too! I gotta remember that every race I run, things aren't always going to go the way I would like for them to go, but that certainly helps one to appreciate it when they do go the way you want them to go or better, all the more!
I also have to remember that last night I didn't sleep as well as I would have liked. There were at least a couple of times I got up in the middle of the night; especially to use the bathroom.
Oh yea, this being Thursday, October 30, 2008, I suspect that this is my ten-year anniversary of having run 19:34 at the Howard County High Schools Cross Country Championships at Howard Community College my freshman year of high school (and the 19:34 was my best time that year for the 5K distance, and even throughout my high school running, I often had trouble competing with it). Just thought I'd mention that.
Thank you all for reading; have a blessed night out there!
Running Events I have done this year as of Thursday, October 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
- Inaugural TEVA Genessee Valley Trail Run 5K – Saturday, June 21, 2008 – Genessee Valley, Parkton – 5th overall (20-29 age group division winner) – 20:07
- Inaugural Maryland Running Cross Country Trials (5K) – Tuesday, August 26, 2008 – Oregon Ridge Park, Cockeysville – 12th overall (finished 11th overall, but the gentleman behind me accidentally started late and ran a faster time than I did, so really I ran the 12th fastest time in that race instead of the 11th – I was 9th in age group, awarded for 8th place)) - 19:20.1
Calvert County
- First Annual Southern Maryland Community Network Resolution 5K Run/Walk – Tuesday, January 1, 2008 – Prince Frederick – 4th overall (20-29 age group winner) – 18:47
- 13th Annual North Beach 5K – Saturday, September 27, 2008 – North Beach – 2nd overall – 19:01
Caroline County
- First Annual St. Patrick’s Day 5K – Saturday, March 15, 2008 – Denton – 2nd overall (20-29 age group division winner) – 18:58 (clock), 18:55 (watch)
- Caroline Hospice Remembrances Run 5K (first year running a 5K course here instead of a 5-miler) – Saturday, September 20, 2008 – Federalsburg Marina Park, Federalsburg – 3rd overall (20-29 age group division winner) – 19:15
Carroll County
- Winfield Mile – Tuesday, January 1, 2008 – South Carroll High School, Winfield – 6th overall (2nd in 20-29 age group) – 5:11 (clock), 5:10 (watch)
- Kowomu Trail 5K Road Race – Sunday, August 17, 2008 – Westminster – 2nd overall – 20:21
- 5th Annual Labor Day 5K Rogue Race – Monday, September 1, 2008 – Liberty High School, Eldersburg – 5th overall (20-29 age-group division winner) – 18:28 (my personal best time on this course and at this event to-date J)
Cecil County
- Inaugural Run for Reading 4K – Saturday, May 10, 2008 – Bayview Elementary School, North East – Winner – 13:13 (accidentally cut the course a bit short) As of this race, Daniel Williams ran a race in every Maryland County along the Mason-Dixon Line J
- Inaugural Paws for Life/Mid-Atlantic Horse Rescue May Day 5K – Sunday, May 18, 2008 – Chesapeake City – 20th overall – 29:18
- St. Roch’s Trail Run 7K – Saturday, July 19, 2008 – Fair Hill Natural Resources Management Area (N.R.M.A.), Fair Hill/Elkton – Winner – 51:36 (this was after running a little past the actual finish area J)
- Inaugural Charlestown Riverfest River Run 5K – Sunday, September 14, 2008 – Charlestown – 4th overall (20-29 age group division winner) – 20:13
Charles County
- General Smallwood Sprint Triathlon – Sunday, June 29, 2008 – General Smallwood Park, Indian Head/Ironsides/Silver Hill – 194th overall (112th male finisher) – 1:59:32:
- 750-meter swim – 21:15 (ranked 111th fastest male time at this point)
- 1st transition area – 6:29 (ranked 132nd male time at this point)
- 16-mile bike – 1:10:28 (PR and it was ranked 135th male time at this point :)
- 2nd transition area – 1:18 (ranked 60th fastest male time at this point)
- 5K – 20:03 (ran very evenly or even had negative splits, and it was ranked 4th fastest overall, and 3rd fastest among the males J)
Dorchester County
- North Dorchester High School Eagle Athletics Boosters 5th Annual Eagle 5K Run – Saturday, October 4, 2008 – Hurlock – Winner – 18:49 (as of this race, I ran in a running event in every county of Maryland within 2008; God is Awesome J)
Frederick County
- Inaugural the Great “Deadman’s Hill” Down Hill Mile – Friday, April 4, 2008 – Brunswick, MD – 4th overall – 4:50 (off-track PR for a mile distance J) - They had mistaken me for finishing 8th overall with a time of 4:54
- Frederick Steeplechasers Summer Track Series (Two miles on the track) – Wednesday, June 18, 2008 – Frederick High School, Frederick:
- One mile warmup
- Two miles - 6th overall (13th in age-adjusted time) - 11:47 (I ran negative splits :)
- 3X800-meter relay race – Our team earned 2nd overall – My 800-meter splits were about: 2:53, 2:48ish, and then 2:26 (and I think I ran negative splits on that last one as well as keeping a fairly even pace on the first two J)
Garrett County
- Inaugural TEVA Adventure Games 10K Trail Run – Saturday, July 26, 2008 – A.S.C.I./Wisp Ski Resort, Deep Creek Lake – 6th overall (4th male finisher and 20-29 age group division winner) – 50:24 (I ran negative splits on one of the most hilliest and challenging races I’ve run in so far, and it was great scenery too J)
Harford County
- Leap of Faith Fun Run (7K prediction run – Approximately 4.35 miles) – Sunday, February 17, 2008 – Abington – 3rd/4th overall (8th closest to predicted time) – 27:24 (predicted time: 28:00)
- World No Tobacco Day 5K – Sunday, June 8, 2008 – Liriodrendron Mansion/Ma & Pa Trail, Bel Air -- overall (2nd in 20-29 age-group division) – 19:37
Howard County
- Howard County Striders (H.C.S.) Weekly Series (“Operation Iceberg”) #1: Burleigh Manor Middle School 5-mile run – Sunday, January 6, 2008 – Columbia/Ellicott City area – 7th overall – 32:18
- H.C.S. “Operation Iceberg” #3: Atholton High School 5K Run – Sunday, January 20, 2008 – Columbia – 6th overall – 18:38
- H.C.S. “Operation Iceberg” #5: Jeffers Hill Neighborhood Center 15K (first 15K I’ve done as part of the H.C.S. weekly series :) – Sunday, February 10, 2008 – Columbia – 11th overall – 1:10:11
- Road Runners Club of America Ten-Mile Club Challenge – Sunday, February 24, 2008 – Columbia – 122nd overall – 1:07:58.85 (clock), 1:07:52 (watch)
- H.C.S. “Operation Iceberg” #9: Elkhorn 10K – Sunday, March 30, 2008 – Columbia – 13th overall – 43:42 (clock), 43:39 (watch) – Ran negative splits: 21:53 the first half! J
- Mt. Hebron High School Viking Backers Viking 5K – Sunday, April 13, 2008 – Mt. Hebron High School, Ellicott City – 2nd overall – 18:52
- 30th Annual Clyde’s 10K – Sunday, April 20, 2008 (my five-year anniversary of accepting Jesus Christ as my personal Savior J) – Columbia - - 42:09 (clock), 42:05 (chip)
- H.C.S. “Vernal Velocity” # : Thunder Hill Elementary School 2-miler – Sunday, May 18, 2008 – Columbia – 4th overall – 13:35
- First Annual Friends of the Howard County Library Fun Run/Walk (approximately 2.3 miles) – Saturday, June 7, 2008 – East Columbia Branch Library, Columbia – Winner – 14:25 (I ran a little further past the actual finish area J)
- Damien F. Massella Run for Recovery 5K (new course) – Sunday, June 22, 2008 – Columbia - overall – 18:38
- H.C.S. “Summer Sizzler” #2: Burleigh Manor Middle School 5-miler – Wednesday, June 25 – 6th overall – 32:26
- Police Pace 5K – Sunday, September 7, 2008 – Centennial Park, Ellicott City – 11th overall – 18:17.94 (my personal best time on this course to-date J)
- H.C.S. “Legends of the Fall” #2: Longfellow Elementary School 10K – Sunday, September 21, 2008 – 2nd overall - 44:32 (great pacing, because I went through the first half in about 22:13 J)
- H.C.S. “Legends of the Fall” #3: Atholton High School 5K – Sunday, October 12, 2008 – 11th overall – 20:38 (clock), 20:37 (watch) – I ran with a water bottle J
- H.C.S. “Legends of the Fall” #6: Longfellow Elementary School Two-miler – Sunday, October 19, 2008 – Winner – 11:59.53 (my best time-to-date on this course J)
- Maryland Public Schools 2A South and 3A East High School Cross Country Regional Championships (“Scrubs”/all-comers/junior varsity race) – Thursday, October 30, 2008 – Centennial High School 5K Cross Country Course, Ellicott City – 20:16 (my best time to-date on this revised course J
Kent County
- 32nd Annual Chestertown Tea Party Distance Classic 5K – Saturday, May 24, 2008 – Chestertown – 3rd overall (20-29 age-group division winner) – 19:15 (clock), 19:12 (watch – best time at this event J)
- 27th Annual Rock Hall Flat Five – Friday, July 4, 2008 – Rock Hall – 2nd overall (“Open Men” age group division (20-36) winner) – 32:31 (it probably would have been a bit faster had I not accidentally missed a turn towards the beginning).
- 1st Annual Queen of the Roses 5K – Sunday, October 26, 2008 – Chestertown (same course as the Chestertown Tea Party Distance Classic 5K route) – 3rd overall (2nd in 20-29 age-group division) – 19:03 (my best time on the course to date J)
Montgomery County
- 5th Annual Walnut Hill Ribbon Run 5K – Sunday, February 10, 2008 – Gaithersburg – 2nd overall – 19:51
- Riley’s Rumble Half-Marathon – Sunday, July 27, 2008 – Riley’s Lock, Seneca/Poolesville – 132nd overall (117th male finisher) – 1:48:18 (clock), 1:47:27 (watch) – First half-marathon J
- Sandy Spring Friends School Practice Meet #1 (5K cross country race) – Wednesday, August 20, 2008 – Sandy Spring – 3rd overall (ran unattached) – 19:42 (I really picked it up the third mile J)
Prince George’s (P.G.) County
- Prince George’s Sports and Learning Complex Track Showcase (indoor track) – Sunday, January 27, 2008 – Landover:
- 1,500 meter race – 15th overall - 5:04.9
- 800 meter race – 2nd overall –2:17.5
- 3,200 meter race – winner – 11:24 (best indoor track time for that distance by one second, and the 10:43 3,000 meter split I believe was right around an indoor track best time for me as well J)
- Prince George’s Sports and Learning Complex Track Showcase (indoor track) – Sunday, February 3, 2008 – Landover:
- 800 meter run – 3rd overall – 2:15
- 3,200 meter run – 2nd overall – Have not gotten time yet, but I’m sure it was close to the 11:24 I hit there last weekend J
- Poker Run (3 laps around the lake at the Buddy Attick Park which is approximately 3.79 miles) – Friday, July 11, 2008 – First finisher (my poker hand did not win anything) – 24:44ish (and I was trying to break 25 minutes J)
- 10th Annual Run for Kathy 5K – Saturday, October 11, 2008 – Allen Pond Park, Bowie – 8th overall (male 20-29 age group division winner) – 18:28 (clock), 18:27 (watch)
Queen Anne’s County
- A Day at the Races – Saturday, March 29, 2008 – Queen Anne’s County High School, Centreville:
- 5K (on the high school cross country course) – Winner – 18:59 (probably a little shorter than a 5K, somewhere between 3 and 3.1 miles)
- 1,600 meter/1-mile track open fun run – 3rd overall – 6:34
- Kent Island Relay for Life – Saturday, June 7, 2008 – Kent Island High School, Stevensville – I ran about or almost four miles worth and I was one of the few joggers/runners at the event.
- Kennard Alumini Association 5K Walk/Run & Family Day (new course this year) - Saturday, June 14, 2008 – Kennard Elementary School, Centreville – Winner – 19:20
Saint Mary’s County
- 27th Annual Chaptico Classic 5K – Saturday, August 30, 2008 – Chaptico – 4th overall (20-29 age-group division winner) – 19:10
Somerset County
- 3rd Annual McCready Health Services Foundation Founder’s Day 8K – Saturday, May 3, 2008 – Crisfield – 2nd overall – 34:51 (clock), 34:27 (watch)
Talbot County
- Talbot Kids Fun Run (advertised as three-miles, but less than that) – Saturday, March 8, 2008 – North Easton Sportsplex (Rails-to-Trails), Easton – Winner – Probably ran low-to-mid 14’s based on the times of other runners (I did not run my watch on this one)
- 7th Annual Fall into St. Michaels 5K Run/Walk – Saturday, October 25, 2008 – St. Michaels Elementary School, St. Michaels – Winner – 18:54 (I accidentally made a wrong turn towards the end of the race, but this is the race where I finished out my half-year endeavor; praise God! J
Washington County
- 27th Annual Gary Brown Memorial C&O Canal Five-Mile Run – Saturday, August 23, 2008 – Williamsport - 21st overall – 31:31
Wicomico County
- Mid-Shore Family YMCA Funny Bunny 5K Run – Saturday, March 8, 2008 – Salisbury – 2nd overall (20-29 age-group division winner) – 19:35
- Winter Place Park Summer Cross-Country Series #1 – Saturday, August 2, 2008 – Winter Place Park, Salisbury – 4th overall (won a Chick-Fil-A coupon as a door prize) – 19:01
- Vernon Powell Shoes The Athlete 5K Challenge – Saturday, October 4, 2008 – Salisbury – 5th overall (2nd in 20-29 age-group division; second to Fernando Guerrero, a famous boxer) – 19:08
Worcester County
- Ocean City Factory Outlets 5K – Saturday, April 12, 2008 – Ocean City – 2nd overall – 19:11
- 8th Annual Pink Ribbon Classic 5K – Saturday, October 18, 2008 – Ocean City – Winner – 18:36
Events outside of Maryland
Delaware
(Italicized ones are Delaware counties that I ran in the week of 5-25-to-5-31-2008)
Kent County
- 4th Annual Firefly 5K Run – Wednesday, May 28, 2008 – Smyrna – 6th overall (2nd in male 20-29 age-group division) – 18:53 (clock), 18:52 (watch)
New Castle County
- 7th Annual Friends of Mary Husty 5K – Monday, May 26, 2008 – University of Delaware, Newark – 8th overall (male 19-29 age-group division winner – Now I’ve won my age group in all three counties of Delaware in my lifetime J) – 18:38 (clock), 18:36 (watch)
Sussex County
- 15th Annual Masser Five-Miler – Sunday, May 25, 2008 – Lewes – 12th overall (3rd in male 25-29 age-group division) – 31:47 (clock), 31:45 (watch – My pace got faster later in the race :)
District of Columbia – Washington
- 410th Tidal Basin 3K – Wednesday, March 19, 2008 – Tidal Basin, Washington D.C. – 9th overall – 10:46
- 412th Tidal Basin 3K – Wednesday, June 18, 2008 – Tidal Basin, Washington D.C. - overall – 11:01
Virginia
Accomack County
Arlington County
- Potomac Valley Track Club All-Comers’ Indoor Track & Field Meet – Sunday, February 3, 2008 - Thomas Jefferson Community Center, Arlington:
- 1 mile run – 6th overall – 5:17.0
- 800 meter run – 6th overall – 2:22.5
- 3,000 meter run – 7th overall – 10:59.8
Fairfax County
- 30th Annual Patriot’s Cup 8K – Sunday, May 4, 2008 – George Mason University, Fairfax – 20th overall – 32:27 (clock), 32:23ish (watch)
Northampton County
