F-F-February W-w-wrap-Up-p-p

We've finally made it to March!  This warmer weather couldn't come a moment too soon.  Hats off to our runners who braved record-breaking cold temperatures and snowy/icy conditions (or terminally boring treadmills) this winter to keep their spring racing goals alive.

The RRCA Ten Mile Challenge was postponed due to weather conditions and may (or may not) be rescheduled in the coming months.  But don't let that get you down, there are still some awesome races (and nicer racing conditions) coming soon.  The Boston Marathon is just around the corner and Clyde's 10k, the Cherry Blossom 10 Mile Race and many more are coming up even sooner.

Some Striders did manage to get a race (or three) in last month.  Here's the rundown:

Nick Grossi and John Chall entered the Penguin Pace 5k, running 18:43 for 4th and 20:19 for 9th overall, respectively.

One week later Nick entered another 5k and bettered his previous time, running 18:01 for 22nd place at the Love the Run You're With 5k.  He was joined by Linda Lou O'Connor who ran 20:40 for 14th (she also won her age group!).

Less than a week after that, the flurry of 5k performances continued, with Linda Lou and Mark Eagles running 20:51 for 4th and 17:53 for 6th, respectively.

Kevin Ford made a trip out to Pasadena, CA to visit family and ran the Race on the Base 10k in 34:01 (a PR), coming in 1st.  On the same day, Mark Eagles ran the Sykesville Shiver Shuffle 5k in 18:33 for 3rd while Carlos Renjifo destroyed the Color Your Heart 5k, running 16:01 for 1st by a sizable margin.

Great job everybody!

January Wrap-Up

Striders Awards Ceremony:

Congratulations to all of our members who won awards at the Strider Banquet on January 10th, 2015.  A special shout out goes to Dorothy Becket and Carlos Renjifo.  Their years of hard work and contributions to the club have earned them each a spot in the Striders Hall of Fame!

Strider Races:

January this year was a fairly quiet month for the Striders Racing Team but there were still some notable performances:

On New Year's Day Brian Shadrick lit up the Winfield Mile in Sykesville, setting a Masters course record and nabbing 4th place in a competitive race.  Brian also got 4th place at the Freeze Your Buns 5k, running a solid 18:18.

Chris Chattin and John Chall turned out for the Burleigh Manor 5k, running 19:17 for 8th place and 20:21 for 14th place, repectively.  Great job guys!

To finish off the month, Tiffany Hevner cracked 90 minutes for the half in the High Cloud Snapple Half Marathon in Potomac, MD.  She ran 1:29:41 for second place!

February is now upon us and the end of winter is sorta almost maybe in sight!  There are only three weeks left until the RRCA Ten Mile Challenge.  Good luck with your training, and stay warm if you can!

December Racing Madness

The past couple weekends have been cold, blustery, and snowy.  Let's get to it:

Sunday, December 8th - Run with Santa 5k (Reston, VA)

A group of us braved the lousy weather and drove down to Reston for this race, put on by Potomac River Running.  It draws some pretty serious competition.  It was very cold, windy, and was snowing moderately the entire race.  On the men's side, Mark led the way, nearly taking a rear end dive at the first turn, finishing 7th in 17:03.  Tunde ran 19:23 for 3rd in his AG.  Mick won his AG in 20:04 and Bobby won his in 20:28.

Jess led the women's team, allegedly outkicking her husband, Jack, at the line.  She won her AG and finished just outside the $ in 4th with an 18:37.  Kendra was 15th in 20:36.

Our team took 2nd in the open division.

Some action shots:

Mark finishing

Jess getting ready to kick it past Jack

Tunde with zero feet on the ground

Mick with a snow beard

Kendra kicking it in

Bobby at the awards ceremony

Saturday, December 14th - Celtic Solstice (Baltimore)


This race is the biggest winter race in Baltimore and is very well organized by Jim Adams and Falls Road Running Store.  The good news was that the rain and snow held off so the roads were dry.  Too bad the hills were still there.  The first 2.25 miles or so are mostly uphill, though the course changed slightly this year back to the 'old' course from a few years back.  I personally found it to be a tad easier at the hills were more gradual.

Carlos ran for the win but had to settle for 3rd in 25:56.  Madison was next in 26:20 (his official time was shown to be 15 seconds faster but I know it is wrong) for 4th.  Mark grabbed 6th in 26:35.  David ran a nice race in 27:04 for 7th.  TJ, battling some lower back pain, went out hard but was forced to back it off but still ran a great time of 27:45 for 10th.  Jeremy appears to be 100% healthy as he clocked 28:33 for 13th, three seconds ahead of Kevin (28:36).  Chris was 16th in 28:50 and notched the top Master spot.  Jason, also still on the mend, cracked the top 20 with a 29:19.  Tunde ran an amazing race, getting his second elite team qualifier in 31:20.  WAY TO GO TUNDE!  Maurice won his AG in 31:32 as did Weems in 32:16.  Bobby was 60th in 32:41 and Mick was right behind in 32:46 for the AG win.

The women also cleaned house.  Julia ran with Sherry Stick for a bit but couldn't quite keep up.  She was 2nd with a PR of 30:18.  In her debut race, Tori ran a fantastic race taking 3rd in 30:41.  Kelly took the Master win, finishing 5th in PR fashion with a 31:57.  Robyn drafted off of Mick most of the race as she admittedly isn't in top form, but easily won her AG and finished 12th in 32:52.  In related news, Tiff is finally back running after tearing her plantar and her and Emily (also still getting fully healthy) ran the race at a comfortable pace and rockin' Christmas apparel!

A few photos:

Postrace group shot...Strider Blue aplenty

Emily and Tiff smiling at the camera, decked out in festive gear

 Reminder that our Annual Racing Team party is set for this Tuesday starting at 6pm at Feet First.  Our Annual Christmas Lights run is Wednesday at 7pm, starting at the Swim Center (bagel run start).  Finally, if anyone is looking for a low-key XC race or a tempo run, Phil is putting on his Rudolph Run 6k/Two Person Relay next Saturday at OMHS.  Race starts at 10am.  If you'll be around, come out and support Bullseye Running!  Click the Bullseye link in the upper left corner of the page to register.

East Coast Turkey Trottin'

Well, Thanksgiving has come and gone and while I suspect all of us stuffed our bellies with delicious food and perhaps some beer and wine.  There were some good performances in various Turkey Day races up and down the East Coast:

Carlos took to the streets of Charleston, SC in a very competitive Charleston Turkey Day Run.  He was seeded #5 based on anticipated finish time.  After crossing mile 1, the leader, a near 2012 Olympic Trials Qualifier was 20 seconds ahead of the chase pack.  Carlos went through the first mile in 4:51 then took over and finished 2nd in 15:32, collecting some $$$ for his efforts.

Carlos at the postrace awards holding his true gift

 In Charm City, Dave ran conservatively at the YMCA Turkey Trot 5k on a hilly course in Druid Hill.  He took tops GM honors, finishing 4th in 19:34.  Mick hit the streets of Brooklyn, NY in at the Prospect Park Track Club Turkey Trot 5 Miler.  He won his AG easily in 32:08.  Jeremy ran a solid 28:40 for 4th at the BCRR Thanksgiving Day 5 Miler.

On Sunday, John ran the Annapolis Striders' Cold Turkey 10k and won his AG in 39:27.

NEXT UP: Run with Santa 5k this Sunday then Celtic Solstice next Saturday...

Sssssooooo it's been a while...

Well, it's been six weeks since the last post.  I guess it's official I may be the worst blogger this planet has ever seen.  Since I have so many results to recap, I'm opting for a list in lieu of a book.  Most notably, Adam set a new team record at the lovely distance of 100 miles at the Burning River 100 in 21:05:21!  Keith also put together a hell of a weekend in July winning a 3-day stage race which included a 50k, 50 mile, and marathon. We have a decent group running the A-10 this Sunday so good luck to everyone racing!

Now for the results:

7/4/2013	6th Annual Smiles for Sophie Birthday Bash and Dash	Nick Grossi	17:05	5th	PR, 1st (M30-39)
7/14/2013	Pikesville Miles That Matter	Maurice Pointer	18:37	15th	2nd (M50-59)
7/12-14/2013	Blue Blazes Ultra (3-day stage race)	Keith Levasseur	4:07:37		50k
		Keith Levasseur	10:08:06		50 mile
		Keith Levasseur	3:43:57		27 miles; Overall event winner
7/14/2013	Utica Boilermaker 15k	Robyn Humphrey	1:04:42	45th	4th (F45-49)
7/27/2013	Crystal City Twilighter 5k	Carlos Renjifo	15:56	12th	1st (M30-34)
7/27/2013	Cricket Baltimore Road Race	Chris Chattin	17:35	5th	1st Master
7/27/2013	Burning River 100 Mile Endurance Run	Adam Wytko	21:05:21	23rd	PR, RTR
7/28/2013	Hadassah Check It Out Challenge 8k	Maurice Pointer	27:26	1st	GM PR
8/3/2013	Casey Cares Foundation 5k	Nick Grossi	17:21	7th	2nd (M30-39)
8/10/2013	Charles Street 12	Maurice Pointer	1:17:54	17th	1st (M50-59)
		Robyn Humphrey	1:22:15	3rd
8/10/2013	Tom Ausherman Memorial 5 Miler	Chris Chattin	29:12	23rd	1st (M45-49)
8/18/2013	BRRC Too Hot To Trot 10k	Weems McFadden	38:34	7th

Sparks Be Flyin'

As Independence Day happened, we're all reminded of the sacrifice Will Smith and others made all those years ago to fend off the alien invasion such that we can continue celebrate our Nation's birth and run races in the tough heat and humidity that is common this time of the year...

Let's get started with last weekend as we had the WDF.  Conditions weren't terrible, but they were far from ideal.  As I stood at the halfway point doing the course marshal thing, there was a nice lead pack that flew back.  Caroline ended up not being able to cover the move but had a good one, running 19:57 for 2nd.  Tiffany was right behind for 3rd (20:00).  Robyn was next, winning the Master division, 20:16 for 4th.  Dorothy destroyed her AG yet again, rounding out the top 10 in 21:54.  A few race shots (courtesy: Mike Fleming):

The lead pack just after the start

Caroline finishing

Tiffany's last few strides

Robyn

Dorothy

 Down in Old Ellicott City, Chris battled UMBC alums at the Ellicott City 5k.  He grabbed 3rd in 18:45 and first Master.

Yesterday was one of my favorite races of the summer, mostly for the age group award structure...the Arbutus Firecracker 10k.  Chris was back at it and won his AG in 37:37.  Jason, still on the rebound, ran 38:32 for 13th and 2nd in AG behind Chattin.  Maurice got the AG win in 39:20 and Dave wasn't far behind in 39:39.

A few brave souls ventured to Reston to run the very competitive Firecracker 5k.  Based on the names, it appears several Africans showed up.  Bobby ran a heck of a race, winning his AG in 19:40.  Mick followed suit with the AG win, finishing 73rd in 20:05.  In the ladies race, Tiffany snuck into the top 20, crossing the line in 19:49.

Finally, the Lang family took a roadtrip to ATL for the Peachtree Road Race, the largest 10k in the world!  This race doubled as the USA 10k Road Championship.  Phil ran 37:54 and Vicki was 44:09 in hot and humid southeast weather!  Ryan Hall ran pretty crappy.  My boy Matt Tegenkamp brought home the USA title!

Catching up

Well, I've been slacking the past few weeks so here it goes:

Nick clocked a 37:04 at the Lawyers Have Heart 10k in DC back on June 8th for 27th.  Sunday, June 9th was Damien's 5k.  It was a hot day so no course records were taken down.  Chris ran 17:21 for 5th and 1st Master honors.  John was 19:09, only good for 3rd in this competitive AG.  In the ladies race, Jess WON in 18:36.  Robyn, reportedly battling a slight hangover, ran 20:06 for 3rd and top Master.  Dorothy was 7th in 21:40.  Here's a few action shots courtesy of Mick:

Chris checking his watch

Jess was able to crack a smile while destroying the field

Post-wine night Robyn

Dorothy nearing the finish line

 Also that day, Maurice took top honors at the Running with the Devils 5k in 18:30.  NICE!

Saturday the 15th meant the Baltimore 10 Miler.  Jason kept his race streak alive on the brutally humid morning, running 63:08 for 15th and 2nd in his AG.  Tunde, acting as a 70:00 pacer, was near spot on in his duties, clocking 70:04.

Sunday was Father's Day and the humidity was front and center once again.  At the Bullseye Running Father's Day 10k, Steve ran a PR of 35:13 for 2nd.  Peter and Chris had a good battle for most of the race, but Peter pulled away over the last 1.5 miles, crossing the finish line in 35:57 for 4th, top Master, and winning the Father/Son team competition with his son, Joseph, while Chris ran 36:43.  Phil, with the help of the volunteers, was able to run his race.  He ran the entire race alone, and I mean alone.  He managed a solid performance of 37:53.  Mick took his AG in 41:25, despite acknowledging pre-race he was using the race as an 'easy' tempo.  Bobby wasn't far behind in 41:55.  He won the Father/Daughter competition with Katie. 

Meanwhile, down in Annapolis, Weems and John ran the Dawson's Father's Day 10k hosted by the Annapolis Striders.  Weems edged John out again, 38:33 and 39:00, respectively.

Keith ran the San Francisco Marathon and added another sub-3:00 performance to his resume, finishing 36th in 2:54:25.  Maurice ran the BRRC Lake Montebello 5k and finished 2nd in 17:37.

Yesterday, Dorothy was our sole participant in the very competitive Baltimore Women's Classic.  She won her AG and crossed the line 25th in 20:20.

Don't forget about the Women's Distance Festival this Sunday.  If you are a guy, please consider helping out.

Well hello Mr. Summer...nice to meet you

"Party in the summer and the heat is on..."  Name that artist

Saturday was certainly a scorcher.  It was in the mid-70s and humid as hell as the sun rose.  Unfortunately, The North Face Endurance Challenge races were kicking off.  In the 50k, Tunde participated in his first ultra and ran well given the subpar conditions, finishing in 5:44:44 for 43rd and 5th in his AG.  Caroline battled through the heat, telling me that the race was way harder than it should have been.  She crossed the line in 5:42:26 for 7th and 2nd in her AG.  Tiffany, also running her first ultra, took 3rd in her AG in 6:02:02.

To nobody's surprise, Keith ran the longest race offered...the 50 miler.  The course definitely had some good hills thrown in but he ran a solid time of 7:27:31, good for 7th overall and 2nd in his AG.

The postrace North Face gang...good day for Striders all around!

 Dave ran the Run for Hope - USATF Master's 8k Championships and clocked a 29:43 for 20th.  However, his team took top honors!

On Sunday, the racing conditions weren't much better, but it was one of the popular local races...the Bel Air Town Run.  Chris led the way for the men, running 18:33 for 26th and 2nd in his AG despite dealing with a stomach bug.  Weems and John had a friendly battle, with Weems taking it, 19:10 (39th) and 19:13 (40th), respectively for 2nd and 3rd in their AG.  Mick rocked his AG, running 19:55.  Dorothy had another day as well, winning her AG handily in 21:41.

Finally, though nobody treated it as a race, the Striders put on the 4.09mi Run Benefiting the Be Strong Stay Strong Fund.  All proceeds went to support two local runners that were severely injured in at the Boston Marathon, Erika Brannock and her sister, Nicole Gross.  Over 300 runners participated with several others donating money, raising $8,000 for the fund.  Runners doing what they love for a great cause!!!

The start of the 4.09mi run

The Brannock family nearing the finish line

A Weekend to Remember

As we honored our Nation's veterans, there was plenty of battles taking place on the pavement...

In Baltimore, we had a small contingent take part int he McVETs 5k/10k.  Carlos ran a solid 15:33 in the 5k, winning his AG.  Shortly thereafter, he took to the roads again for 3rd in the 10k, running 33:14.  Chris was 6th in 36:36 and top Master.  Maurice was his AG, crossing the finish line in 40:57 for 14th.

Meanwhile, in PA, Adam had a huge day at the Bob Potts Marathon.  The course runs on the York County Heritage Rail Trail.  According to the race recap, Adam led most of the race before being overtaken.  He was able to push through some rough patches, running a big PR of 2:44:12 for 2nd.  I believe this is his second qualifier for the elite team!  WAY TO GO ADAM!

Up in Burlington, VT, Mark ran as part of the elite runners in the Vermont City Marathon.  Temperatures were in the low 40s with strong, gusty winds, making it feel close to 30 degrees and a driving rain for most of the race.  He missed a PR by 45 seconds, but still ran a good time of 2:34:09 for 7th...just missing out on the $$$...

On Monday, Memorial Day, before everyone headed out for BBQ and drinks, several team members toed the start line at the Remembrance Run 5k in Columbia.  It was a humid morning and overall the times looked slower than previous years, but we still got at it.  Steve led the way for the men, finishing 4th in 16:53.  Peter made a rare racing appearance and took the Masters crown in 17:13.  Nick was right behind and clocked a PR of 17:20, good for 7th.  John was 2nd in his AG in 19:21.

John doing work

In the ladies race, Emily and Tiffany ran together and finished 3rd and 4th, respectively.  Emily just missed a PR in 19:43 and Tiffany ran 19:45.

Tiffany and Emily looking strong

 We have a lot of people running in The North Face Endurance Challenge 50k on Saturday.  Good luck to everyone!  Also, don't forget the 4.09mi Run Benefiting the Be Strong Stay Strong Fund, for a local runner who was injured at the Boston Marathon.  Please consider supporting this great cause!!!

Please don't stop the music

For those who were curious, yes I dropped a Rihanna reference.  Anyway, it's beginning to feel a lot like summer out there.  The sun is intense, the humidity is high.  I've been told that these are the days that make you a better runner come the Fall season, but it's a bitch...

Chris kicked it off on Friday morning at the NPC-50K National Police Challenge 5k at the U.S. Secret Service Training Center in Laurel.  He could probably give us a race recap, but then he'd have to kill us!  He clocked a 17:43 for 5th overall and 1st Master honors.

Saturday was the Musical Madness 5k, put on by Greg Schuler and Reservoir HS.  Mark paced the way for the men, winning in 16:39.  Dave had a good race despite not feeling great, grabbing 5th in 17:50.  Phil, returning from a long layoff, showed he hasn't lost much fitness, finishing 6th in 18:19 and winning his AG.  Tunde was right on his tail in 18:24.  Bobby was able to hold off his girls with a 19:23, but I think his days are numbered.  Mick won his AG again in 19:41.

In the ladies race, we swept it on dominating fashion.  Jess took top honors in 19:01 as she continues to drop her times and return to college form.  Tiffany clocked a solid 19:30 and Emily ran a 90+ second PR with a 19:41 for 3rd.  Dorothy was the 1st Master and beat the rest of her AG by 5+ minutes!!!

Happy Musical Madness postrace crew

On Sunday, Suzy had an early start with the Pros at the Columbia Triathlon.  She turned pro last year and has an amazing training regiment, while juggling her job as a PE teacher.  The weather was far from ideal, with wet roads and a chilly breeze.  She finished 9th in the Pro division in 2:14:42, which included a 21:30 swim, 21.6 mph average on the bike, and 41:24 on the tough 10k course.  Awesome job Suzy!

Keith rolled down to VA to HOORAH his way through the Marine Corps Historic Half.  He finished 10th in 1:21:02.

Meanwhile, in Finland, the Stenholms both participated in the Finnish National Duathlon Championships.  Reports showed Sari on the podium and Pekka finished with an AG bronze.  Not sure of distances or times as I can't comprehend the website.  I could certainly go for some of that Finnish cold air right about now...

A Winning weekend

Last weekend was light on the racing front as the spring season winds down, but there were a few highlights...

In Maple Lawn, the Maryland Half Marathon kicked off the weekend.  Reports indicated the course is slightly long, closer to 13.5 miles, and is quite hilly.  Nick led the way on the men's side as he continued with his steady diet of racing, running 1:24:04 for 6th overall and 2nd in his AG.  Keith wasn't far behind, finishing 8th in 1:25:09.  I think he needs a break...anyone agree?  Maurice showed his endurance, finishing 2nd in his AG in 1:32:51.

In the women's race, Caroline took off from the gun and never looked back, WINNING the race outright in 1:32:29.  Awesome job Caroline!!!

Caroline starts her celebration just a tad early

 The first annual Wine in the Woods 5k took place in Centennial Park on the Police Pace course.  Madison, despite stopping twice with stomach issues, managed to snag the W in 17:44 and won two free tickets to the Wine Festival this weekend.  Hopefully he actually uses them!

Finally, the Hills of Milltown 5k closed out the weekend.  Dave ran with the young guns and finished 4th on an extremely tough course in 20:04.

Meanwhile in Finland, Pekka raced in the Finnish National XC championships in Helsinki.  Not sure of his final time as I can't read the website but he played it off as a bad race.  He is racing the Duathlon Nationals this weekend.  Good luck big dawg!

Desert-like terrain in Finland...??? #gameface

Shamrock 5k Registration NOW OPEN

Probably the best local race of the Spring:


http://charmcityrun.com/page.cfm?pageid=33&eid=1150

Forget English, we going Metric up in here...

It was another big weekend on the local race front.  The revamped Columbia Metric Marathon Festival, in its 36th year, has a new race director, Grace Tran.  I heard she did a heck of job putting on this event in her inaugural year.

The Metric Marathon is the headline race and is 26.2k, or 16.3 miles of Howard County hills.  Just when you start to get your legs back turning onto Frederick Road around Mile 6, you get knocked in the face with Toll House Road.  It was a good year for the crew.  Jason led the way, running a solid 1:39:44 for 2nd.  Adam wasn't far behind in 3rd with a 1:40:20.  Mick, fresh off his return to the States, showed his NYC Marathon training in Oslo paid off, running 1:53:48 and winning the 60-69 AG.  Bobby had a tough battle in the 50-59 AG getting beat for the win, but crossing the finish line in 1:56:11.

On the ladies side, Robyn continued to exemplify her agelessness, finishing 2nd in 1:55:10.  Last year's big surprise, Donna, finished with the boys once again in 1:57:24 for 3rd.

In the Metric 5k, Kelly blasted the competition for the win in 18:59.  Caroline made a rare appearance in a short race, finishing 3rd in 19:55.  Samantha was 4th in 20:55.  Awesome job ladies!

Meanwhile in DC, Carlos and I decided to take on a solid field at the Veteran's Day 10k in West Potomac Park.  The race features heavy hitters from GRC and Pacers Race Team.  Carlos, shooting for sub 31:00, didn't have his best day, but still ran 31:53 for 10th.  Yours truly had a good race, despite getting a stomach cramp at Mile 4.5, crushing my old (open) 10k PR, finishing 13th in 32:11.  In related news, a former Howard High stud and baller at UNC Greensboro, Joey Thompson is back in town for the short term and has been training with us as of late.  He outclassed the field coming in 2nd overall in 29:57!  If his doesn't leave us for Charlotte, NC, he will be a huge asset come Club Challenge time!

Caroline celebrating 3rd in the 5k!

Tired Jason?





Welcome back Mick.  The hills missed ya... 

GO COACH BOBBY!

Is Robyn really smiling?

Donna even wore a hydration pack for the occasion