Some summer adventures/misadventures with racing!

Hey there everyone, I realized that I have been slacking again in the updates. My apologies for that. Have been having a fun summer working with the Howard County Recreation and Parks Department's summer camps, spending time with Kay and other friends and family, and running/racing. One race I did almost two months ago was the St. Roch's Trail Run (I did the shorter of the three options, the 7-kilometer, which is about 4.3 miles). This was a somewhat challenging and a bit treacherous trail run in the Fair Hill Natural Resources Management Area in the Elkton area of Cecil County in northeastern Maryland. I actually started off pretty nicely after about 10 minutes or so-worth of more rocky and treacherous terrain (which actually involved going over a dried up stream bed over a log (although I think I just went into the stream bed and tried to scurry up the other side, 'cause my balance is not always the best :)- I was moving along at a fairly nice pace, and then I went to make this right turn down a slight hill on a narrow dirt path towards the creek, and tripped over a root or a log, and I fell forward... and so did my glasses. I quickly recovered and got back, similar to how I did when I fell at the Adkins Arboretum Arbor Day Fun Run 5K in Caroline County earlier this year on Saturday, April 18, when I was able to find and pick up my glasses a mere second or two after I got up from the fall. However, this time I could not find my glasses! AAAHHH!
I quickly dropped to the forest floor on my hands and knees, and crawled around looking for it, knowing I would have a difficult time getting through the rest of this race course and driving home safely without them. I was pretty sure I had taken the lead of this shorter distance race at the time (there were a couple of longer race distance options, and one of the guys was ahead of me and he ended up doing a longer distance) that I split from the runners doing the longer distance. So now I was pretty sure it would be a matter of time before some of the other runners in the 7K caught up and passed me, and therefore I would have blown the lead over this. In my mind I was upset and possibly a bit panicky with all this, and seeing know sign of my glasses. I mean, that had to be close, right???? They could not have fallen that far. C'mon! Where were they?? I prayed repeatedly that God would help me find them and keep me safe, because I know He has helped me through worse with running and non-running-related occurrences.
After a few minutes of this, my arms and legs were getting scratched up by the nearby thorns and branches, and I was probably bitten by some bugs and of course getting real dirty, but that did not concern me nearly as much as the thought of driving home without my glasses.
Fortunately, as an answer to my prayers, after about 10-15 minutes after I fell and misplaced my glasses, some runners in the race came to where I was and I said I was looking for my glasses, and out of kindness they took a minute or two out of their time to help me look for it. And that's about as long as it took for them to find my glasses, or at least a few pieces of them. Both lenses had popped out of the frame, but fortunately whole, and the frame was pretty bent. Knowing I did not have the tools or know-how to fix my glasses, I swiftly took the components of the glasses in hand, thanked the gentlemen for helping me, and charged down the rest of the hill, into the stream (which was up a good ways above my waist), and sloshed/waded through the relatively calm stream to catch up to the women who passed by me while looking for my glasses around the time that the guys stopped to help me look for them. By the time I had crossed the stream, I had caught up to the women (who were kind and friendly, and I think they had sympathy for me with my fall and glasses), and I retook the lead and ran on along the rather narrow trails along the creek. As I ran, I was probably not moving as swiftly as I had earlier in the run because I could not see that clearly without wearing me glasses. This did not bother me too much until I got to another stream crossing and had no idea of where to go. Was I supposed to go across the stream, and if so, which direction after that? Or was I supposed to keep going downstream? I saw no course markers anywhere, and I had a feeling at this point the runners behind me were a good distance back, and I did not want to lose any more time or ground. Not that I'm all about winning races or beating people, but I did want to run well and it can be a bit frustrating losing the lead to others because of a klutzy move on my part. Ah well, I guess it can be God's way of having the race going the way He wants it to go and result.
So anyway, the trail had pretty much seemed to dead-end at the water, so I knew whichever way I was supposed to go, I would have to get wet. So I went in the stream (which was not as deep as the other), and just ran downstream instead of across, kind of yelling for help in finding my way as I went (hey, I'll admit, it was probably not the best decision I made, but being on a relative lack-of-sleep from the night before as well as having my adrenaline rushing after my fall and fairly heavy concern about my glasses and my ability to drive home safe without the good vision they help me to have, I guess I could not think that... rationally). Soon after running through the stream, I saw no additional course markers and stopped briefly at a clump of rather large rocks near the bank. I kept yelling, and thought maybe I heard someone yell back faintly, but it was hard to hear over the sound of the water gently pouring of the rocks. As I ran further downstream, I slipped down a really small waterfall of probably no more than a foot high if even, and fortunately God protected me from getting hurt, and I was able to get back up right after.
Soon after that little slide down the very mini waterfall, I looked back the direction I came and I thought I heard noise. It occurred to me to try and hold one of my glasses lenses up to my eye to see if I could see anyone (or any course markers) better, and sure enough I saw some people crossing the stream to opposite bank, where I had run through the water downstream. I quickly darted towards them, running against the relatively gentle current, and soon got back to the other side of the bank where I should have gone before (and later on I had heard there was a course marker around there, but it was not the most visible. Shortly after I crossed the stream, there was this rather dangerous portion where we had to climb over rocks coming out of the ground and stream, and it was around here where I caught up to the women in the lead. I definitely slowed down here, knowing well that I still had a bit of a ways to go to the finish, and that this was not the place to get ahead. In fact, after I reached more solid ground, I stopped to help some of the people over the rocks for no more than a minute or two before rushing off ahead, feeling pretty confident in my memories from doing this course last year that the stream crossings/precarious terrain traversing, was pretty much over with on this course.
At this point I had regained the lead, and I felt like I was moving along at a steady pace. The course seemed to have some steady uphills, but nothing really grueling or demanding (in my opinion the tougher hills were towards the beginning of this course). I was certainly fine with the uphills, especially since it was a trail run, because I felt like I was more in control of my movements and momentum, whereas I would sort of be fighting gravity not to allow me to roll my ankle or fall on a downhill that would likely have rocks and roots. Yea, I can be a real 'fraidy cat when it comes to running downhill on trails.
I felt encouraged as the trail widened and I saw more of the morning sunshine through the trees. With the wider trails, I certainly find it easier to maneuver around any uneven or unsafe ground. As I got closer to the end of the trail, I ran into Phil, the event director walking/jogging about to make sure some parts of the course were properly marked, and I was very fortunate that I ran into him around where I did, because there was one juncture in the woods where I was not sure where to go, and he directed me (and I believe he said that I was almost done). So not long after that, I came to an open area in the woods that looked like the finish area from last year. However, there was not anyone or anything around (such as granola bars or beverages), so I stopped and sorta ran in place a bit to wait for Phil to catch up to see if I was actually finished or not. After about a minute or two, Phil appeared and I asked him something to the effect of if I was done or not, and he said that the finish line was about a quarter-of-a-mile or so away. With that, I thanked him, and ran out into the clearing, saw a clear trail leading up a grassy hill back into the woods. I ran up that hill, through the woods and came up to another sort of wide area in the woods similar to the one I had just left, and only this time I saw packs of granola bars and sports beverages there, and when I reached there my watch read about 56 minutes and 48 seconds.
After falling a couple of times (one of which was down a small waterfall), messing up my glasses, going the wrong way, and running over more adverse terrain than what I normally do for races and runs, I had finally finished whoohoo!!! I was so grateful I got through with broken glasses in hand without any injury and my lenses were not cracked, just very dirty. At that point, I considered it a bonus that God still helped me to win. Last year I had run that course (well I think it changed a bit this year, or so I had heard) in about 51:06, but I had run past the finish line area thinking it was an aid station for the longer distance routes, and I finished right about at the starting line, so my actual time from last year I think had been just under 50 minutes. I did not run faster than this year obviously, however, I may have run faster considering the 10-15 minutes I spent side-tracked looking for my glasses in addition to spending about a few minutes having gone the wrong way. Without all of that, I think the Good Lord would have helped me trounce what I did at this venue in 2008.
At that point, I was just grateful to be done, though a little preoccupied about what to do next about my glasses. I got back to the car not long after other runners finished, and I called Kay (my girlfriend) to let her and her family know what had happened (we had plans that weekend I believe and not having glasses to drive safely may have had to result in a change of plans). They were worried about me, which was to be expected, and her dad even prayed for me over the phone (which was awesome). Not long after, I was talking to another runner at the race who happened to have a toolbox in his car and he was able to at least put my lenses back in the frames, but was not able to correct my frames. At that point, I was simply grateful to have my lenses in my glasses so I could see with better clarity driving back then I would have otherwise.
Now, the vision was still distorted a bit as the frame was bent, but I could still see all right. To play it safe, I stayed off of Interstate 95 (which is how I usually would travel to and from Cecil County), and took the more slower and smaller Route 1 instead. This took me into Baltimore City, where I got lost for a bit, but after the help of asking for directions from a couple of folks, I was able to get back on track and get back to my townhouse in Baltimore County, where I was able to take a shower, which I think I really needed after that run.

Thankfully, I made it back safely! Though, the eventfulness of the day had not quite ended. Not long after that, I managed to clog up the toilet (and fortunately later on I was able to get a plunger and unclog it), and then I think one or two other mishaps happened that resulted in me running in and out of my house to get/buy different things.

That day, I was also supposed to meet up with some of my friends in Carroll County, MD, which is more north and west of where I live. I was already running late and knew I would be driving slowly with my rather "new eyeglass prescription", haha :) Now this was definitely a God-based move, because one of my friends that I was hanging out with was my friend Tom, who used to work at a glasses shop called Pearle Vision, and he had great experience working with glasses. In less than ten minutes, he was able to easily fix up my glasses frames and lenses, and after cleaning it, it looked like nothing had really happened to it at all. That was so awesome for Tom to do that, and I think God used him to help me not have to go to For Eyes (I know, clever name for the place where I've been getting glasses since I started wearing them in Kindergarten), where I probably would have had to pay a fair amount of money for repairs/new pair, and most likely would have had to have waited longer too. It felt great to have my glasses back on CORRECTLY!
And after the day I had, I was certainly thankful to God that I had gotten through it (not that it was really all bad in any way, it was just very... eventful and definitely funny looking back on it).



Now, the next Saturday (July 25, 2009) was another venture en route to Garrett County, Maryland's western-most county for the Kitzmiller Town River Run 5K in this small town near the Maryland/West Virginia state border right along the Potomac River called Kitzmiller (which I had never been too before, and therefore I had never done this race either). I had been thinking of doing this race last year, but did not really find any mention of it over the internet, and that was okay, because they had this new Adventure Sports Center International Adventure Games 10K Trail Run instead at Deep Creek Lake, a famous resort area in Garrett County (and in my opinion, that has been the hilliest trail run I have run so far). Looking back, I'm glad I did that one last year instead of the Kitzmiller Town River Run 5K (which I later found out had been on the same morning), because I do not think they had that trail run at Deep Creek Lake this year. Anyway, I'm sure driving that probably three-hour drive before daybreak on less than six hours of sleep was an adventure in itself, but what happened on the way there really woke me up!
I was house-sitting for my parents in Howard County, so from there I had to go west mainly along Interstate 70 through Carroll, Frederick, and Washington Counties, and then Interstate 68 through Washington, Allegany Counties before reaching Garrett County. Right around the time I was very well west into Washington County, my car (a gold Saturn for those who are new to this blog) started acting a bit funny, and I was fortunate enough to find a place to pull over not long after crossing into Allegany County after I felt the car beginning to shut down. I was not too far from Cumberland and Frostburg, larger cities in Allegany County. After trying to start the car again, it did not start, and fortunately I still had Triple A's number in my phone from late April of 2007 when I had car troubles (and that had been around the time I was getting into the thick of trying to run in a running event in every Maryland county within a year before 2007 was over). I am so glad I save phone numbers, even though it may not seem I may have the most apparent use for them. In relatively short time, I was able to have the car taken to the nearest Saturn dealership, where it could be examined. The main problem was that the alternator belt had been having issues, and after getting that fixed, they had found some other mechanical issues that would cost pretty heavy to have prepared. I told them I would certainly consider it. I was very fortunate to have gotten out of it safe, and I was able to drive the car home. I was a little bummed that I obviously did not make the race in Kitzmiller, but I feel like if it is God's will that I do that race, that He will make it happen. I was even more disappointed that the plans Kay and I had made for the weekend, and not to mention for our upcoming 100-day anniversary that Tuesday (July 28, 2009), would probably have to be suspended until the car was deemed safe to drive longer distances. I am very fortunate that Kay is the understanding, sweet, and compassionate woman of God that she is, because she was not angry with me (though she shared in the disappointment of probably not getting to see each other anytime soon), and was glad that I was safe and even offered suggestions on what to do next. After talking things over with my parents, we came to an agreement that it would probably be wise to go ahead and buy a newer car (since with the unfortunate current economic recession, prices tend to be lower to stimulate the reluctant buyer's desire to buy), versus spend a lot of money making repairs on a car that was getting on in years.
Soon after, my parents and I started researching heavily and test driving fairly regularly. I liked the different cars I had tried, and after much prayer, and talking with my parents, Kay, and a couple of other friends about it, I was fortunate to come across a new 2010 Toyota Corolla (which I hear is quite fuel efficient, oh boy! :) at a local dealership. My dad and I traded in the Saturn (which did not qualify for Cash-for-Clunkers, a government program which I had not heard of until this car searching thing began). With my dad's urging and my want for clarity on what I should buy, I was blessed to have been able to have found a new car a mere six days after the Saturn's alternator belt had problems. On Friday, July 31, 2009, I came away jointly owning a new Toyota Corolla (I am currently jointly owning it with the bank that I took a loan from) as well as a new auto insurance policy. With car loans to pay off, my budget has gotten tighter, meaning maybe not spending much on races as I used too and other such pleasures (at least for now), but you know what, that's okay, because I feel like God really wants me to hold steadfastly to my New Year's Resolution of not running nearly as many races as I had run last year (which was 112, not counting my participation in the Kent Island Relay for Life in Queen Anne's County, Maryland). Besides, I feel like God is telling me that there are other things I need to be making more of a priority, such as figuring out my next steps towards teacher certification, considering graduate school as a solid possibility in the near future, and being there for Kay as well as my other friends and family! I still feel it is important to run and race, but certainly not prioritize it the way I have been these past several years.
I really like the new Toyota Corolla, and so do my friends and family. However, there is certainly something to be said for the Saturn (or as my friend David, who thoroughly supported me in my support of running races in every county of Maryland, called it, the "Maryland Mobile"). That car will always be special to me, and I hope that God uses it to serve well whomever has the good fortunate of driving it. It was the first car that I drove on my own in 2001 when I had gotten my driver's license, it was the car that I drove after high school through my full-time college student years. It was the first car I drove after I was saved through Jesus Christ on Sunday, April 20, 2003. It was the first car I drove when I was able to bring a car onto the college campus of Salisbury University in the spring of 2005. I had taken that car to and from many different races, places, friends and family get-togethers. After all, it had been through every county of Maryland and Delaware more than once over the years, not to mention through Washington D.C. and parts of Virginia. I remember earlier this year, I had taken it up to Centralia (Columbia County), Pennsylvania, an almost-ghost town that had horrible mine fires back in the 1960's. I think one of the longest trips I had taken with it had been in mid-February of 2007, when I went all the way to Lynchburg, Virginia for a conference during my brief stint as a prosuming independent business owner, a trip that was at least a good four-to-five hours. That car had taken me to and from my only jury duty experiences to date. That car was the one I was driving when I started my current job as a teachers' aide at the Homewood Center. That Saturn was the car I picked Kay up in on our first date to Applebee's on Sunday, April 19, 2009! There are so many important memories, and so much great company sat in those seats over the years. In short, that car will always be special to me, and I am sorry if I am getting kind of emotional and sentimental here, but I just felt like I wanted to acknowledge how much God has done for me with that car, and how much of a gift the Saturn is. And I certainly do think that the Toyota Corolla is a terrific gift as well!!

Thank you for bearing with me on this long post. I know it has been over two months since I posted. I am trying to do better. If you are a fairly frequent follower, or a personal friend/contact of mine, you probably knew about a little if not a fair majority of this. So here are all of the details that I recall. I will have another update to bring all of you up to speed in the near future hopefully (like, probably in another week or so).
I thank you all for stopping by, and I hope that none of you were discouraged from trying out running races. These things just happen, and I am grateful to God to be living, in fair health, and that no one was hurt!!
I hope you all have a blessed evening and weekend, and I truly appreciate all of you! Take it easy!


Running Events I have done as of Saturday, July 18, 2009

January

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

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

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

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

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

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

5). 1-mile race – 4th overall – 5:03

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

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

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

February

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

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

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

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

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

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

March

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

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

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

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

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

April

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

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

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

May

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

June

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

July

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

40). Tuesday, July 7, 2009 – Centennial Fun Run 1-Mile – Ellicott City (Howard County), MD – 13th overall – 5:51 (clock), 5:50 (watch)

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

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


Please check out the events I did in 2008:

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

Please check out the events I did in 2007:

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


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

Allegany County

Anne Arundel County

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


Baltimore City

Baltimore County

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

Calvert County

Caroline County

Carroll County

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

Cecil County

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

Charles County

Dorchester County

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

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

Frederick County

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

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

Harford County

Howard County

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

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

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

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

Kent County

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

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

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


Montgomery County

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

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


Prince George’s County

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

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

Queen Anne’s County

Saint Mary’s County

Somerset County

Talbot County

Washington County

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

Wicomico County

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

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

Worcester County