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!
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.
For the loyal blog followers, you have probably been asking yourself if this blog even still exists. Well, I'm here to tell you that it does and it will be operating in full force from here on out! I've got a lot of catching up to do since 2013 arrived, so here goes nothing....
The first performance of the year will undoubtedly be one of the craziest ones ever! Keith flew to Hawaii, not to enjoy the beaches, sun, or coconuts, but to run one of the most challenging races the planet has to offer....HURT 100. After experiencing Leadville with him last summer, I thought for sure he wouldn't be dumb enough to do another one of these, but I was wrong. I don't believe anyone had ever cracked the 24 hour barrier before this year. Our boy persevered, saw the sun rise twice, crossing the finish line in 32:37:00!!
Keith needs to see a psychiatrist...
Jessica kicked off the New Year running her longest race ever...the High Cloud Snapple Half. Of course she PR'd, but cracked 90 minutes in her debut...1:29:43 in snowy conditions. Meanwhile, in Lexington, KY, Conrad repped it hard at the USATF XC National Championship. On a tough 12k course, he finished 89th in 43:20 and was the first Master in the open men's race.
Superbowl Sunday meant is was Penguin Pace day. We had a small group run it this year. I wonder why...oh yes, the course is hilly, it's usually cold as shit, and the competition is PATHETIC. Weems was the lone wolf on the men's side, running 19:58 for 7th. The ladies cleaned house. Tiffany won in 20:06, with Robyn not far behind in 3rd (20:54) after a rough night with a bottle of wine so I've heard....
Saturday February 9th was filled with ultras. Keith partook in the Holiday Lake 50k, finishing 5th in 4:02:10. Meanwhile, in Rockburn Park, Adam ran the Mid-Maryland 50k, coming in 3rd in 4:09:10 with sloppy trail conditions on the 5-loop course.
And now to the Main Event, a week ago was everyone's favorite race...Club Challenge. Though the course is awful, I gotta tell you the weather was unbeatable for this time of the year. Temperature was in the mid 30s and the winds were light (except along Freetown Road). I had a good feeling about our team this year, with most everyone healthy and running well. The gun went off and we shot down Hickory Ridge like bats outta hell. The lead pack went through Mile 1 in +/- 4:45. We had a couple PRs (that I am aware of)....Kevin (57:28) and Steve (57:36). The men's and women's teams won but we were edged 559-557 by Falls Road in the coed competition (with the large, but ugly trophy). That has to be the closest margin of victory in race history! After the race, people were complaining about the scoring. The fact is Howard County has hundreds of runners and many of non-scoring males displaced many of our women scorers which costs us. However, many of the top Falls Road ladies were down in New Orleans kicking it at the Rock 'N Roll New Orleans half. Had they been in Columbia on Sunday, we still would have lost and the scoring wouldn't have been as close. Congrats to our I-95 rivals! We'll get 'em next year. Here's a summary of the Striders results:
Mark Buschman 54:14 4th Andrew Madison 55:36 8th Kevin Ford 57:28 14th Steve Olenick 57:36 15th Kent Werner 57:59 17th Seth Geoghegan 59:04 21st Jason Tripp 59:38 26th Craig Lebro 59:48 29th Keith Levasseur 59:59 31st Maurice Pointer 1:05:08 85th Weems McFadden 1:05:39 95th Phil Lang 1:06:11 105th Tunde Morakinyo 1:07:42 127th Mick Slonaker 1:08:15 136th
Shout out Brian Harvey and Kyle Stanton for being in town and helping us out. Brian, last year's New England Runner of the Year, set a course record in 51:00 while Kyle, closing out a 140 mile week, came in 2nd in 52:25. Also, congrats to Jessica for running an amazing race and qualifying for the elite team! She's going to be a force to be reckoned with this Spring and into the Fall...WATCH OUT LADIES!!!
Here's some photos (thanks Denise) and a video (courtesy of Carlos) put together of the finish...
Brian running alone crushing the course record
Yours truly
Madison had a rough 2nd half, but he's tough as nails
Steve....pronator?
Seth regretting he didn't wear a singlet
Jason wasn't the first master in this one...guess they finally drug tested him...
Keith ran 6:00 pace to the 'T' today
Kelly is pretty fast...don't you think?
Is that a smile Jess?
Robyn in professional running attire
I know Mick has been dreaming about running this course again since he's been back in the States
Tiffany kicking it in
Dorothy in beast mode!
AWESOME JOB EVERYONE!!! It will only get warmer and we'll be kicking some ass come April!!!
Registration is NOW OPEN for this race. For those on the racing team, this race is mandatory unless you are injured. We need everyone to bring their A-game if we are going to have a chance against our cross town rivals...FALLS ROAD
I believe the race is capped at 1,000 runners so don't wait too long to sign up.
Saturday featured the last big local year of the calendar year...Celtic Solstice 5 Miler
From personal experience, this is the first year I've made it to the start line to participate between in climate weather and injuries. The race has grown exponentially since it's debut in 2000 from around a hundred people to approximately 3,000 finishers in 2012. Major props to Jim Adams and the Falls Road Running Store for putting on this great event!
As we rolled into the large tent to get our bib numbers, the feel of Old Man Winter was certainly in the air. If you weren't wearing a hat and gloves, you were being looked at as a total idiot.
The starting 'shout-out' went off just past 8:30am and the large herd of runners headed up the 1/2 mile incline into Druid Hill Park. It was pleasant to see some of the younger runners (high schoolers maybe?) shoot out to the front of the pack then immediately lose their stride as the real incline began. Never fails to amuse!
We had some impressive performances to close out the 2012 racing season. Carlos, the race's perennial bridesmaid as he's now known for five 2nd place finishes, led for a portion of the race but was outkicked going around the lake and had to settle for yet another, but ran a PR of 25:35 and solidified his MVR status. Mark followed in the distance, dying around 3.5 miles due to stomach cramping, crossing the line in 26:26 for 7th. Steve and Jason had a photo finish finishing 16th and 18th respectively, in 28:10 and 28:12. Weems and John wrote another chapter in their rivalry with Weems taking the cake, 30:57 to 31:28. Tunde followed in 31:51 for 56th and Bobby was 64th in 32:17.
The ladies cleaned house as well. Robyn posted yet another top 5 finish in 32:38. Caroline finished her breakout 2012 in 7th clocking a 33:12. Dorothy took care of business in GM division in 34:41.
All in all, every Strider mentioned above took top honors in their respective age group (which was only one deep), with the exception of John and Bobby who are the same age at Weems. AWESOME JOB EVERYONE!!! Now for a few pics...
Carlos all alone in 2nd
Steve closing out an amazing 2012 comeback
Jason taking another Master's win...ROIDER??
Weems making it look easy after an 8 month injury layoff
Tunde's game face
Bobby in picture perfect stride
Caroline taking care of the boys per the usual
Just a few studs partaking in a studly postrace photoshoot
Lastly, for my dedicated (but quiet) readers, we want to wish everyone a MerryChristmas and Happy New Year!!! Can't wait to see what 2013 (if we can get past 12/21/12 alive)...
...A 2012 Year in Review will follow in the not so distant future...
This past weekend, the Howard County Striders hosted the annual RRCA Challenge in their home turf of Columbia, MD. In addition to posting the highest ever number of finishers in the history of the event (680), the competition was arguably the best the race has ever seen. 44 men finished the hilly course in under an hour and 22 women finished inside of 70 minutes.
The Striders finished 2nd in all categories (male, female, coed) to a dominant Falls Road team that nearly swept the top 10 in the men's side and put 4 women in front of the Strider's first finisher.
Racing team member performances included:
Carlos Renjifo (3rd, 53:20, PR)
Andrew Madison (11th, 56:18)
Kevin Ford (24th, 58:03, PR)
Kent Werner (27th, 58:07)
Mark Buschman (29th, 58:09)
Keith Levasseur (39th, 59:39)
Conrad Orloff (40th, 59:41)
Peter Keating (41st, 59:42)
Jason Tripp (42nd, 59:43)
Adam Wytko (49th, 1:00:34)
Phil Lang (68th, 1:02:22)
John Chall (128th, 1:06:11)
Caroline Bauer (11th, 1:07:36)
Robyn Humphrey (12th, 1:07:42)
Pat Wilkerson (14th, 1:07:56)
Janeth Scott (40th, 1:14:15)
The teams also got strong support from a few other Striders. On the women's side, Unsong Ostrowski (7th, 1:05:30, top Strider woman), Perla Rodriguez (15th, 1:08:07), and Mary Rzegocki (23rd, 1:10:13) ran great races to round out the female scoring. For the men, Filagot Dinku (12th, 56:59), Andrew Parlette (13th, 56:59), Tom Williams (15th, 57:22), Seth Geoghegan (26th, 58:07), and Craig Lebro (33rd, 58:33) contributed to the scoring.
The Striders annual banquet is right around the corner. Mark your calendars for Saturday, January 7th (5-8PM).
This is a great opportunity to meet and socialize with fellow Striders, while stuffing your face with great food at the same time. Full details are available here: http://www.striders.net/events/banquet/2012.
The racing team finished a great year of running with some awesome performances at the Celtic Solstice 5M. The race, organized by Jim Adams of Falls Road Running, continues to grow each year, which means that the competition grows, too. This year, over 3000 runners participated, making the field quite competitive.
On the men's side, Carlos Renjifo took an early gamble and jumped into the lead a little over a mile into the race. For a few miles, it seemed that he might have enough fuel in the tank to fend off perennial champion Dave Berdan; however, at mile three, Berdan asserted himself, took the lead, and never looked back, going for a record fifth win at the race and setting a record on the newly redesigned 5.1 mile course (25:47). Carlos continued to push for the next two miles, and had a close call, tripping near the slippery lake and almost falling. In the last 250 meters of the race, he was caught by Falls Road's Tristram Thomas, and had to settle for third. The margin for the top three was the closest in race history, with the group separated by a mere 16 seconds.
Next up -- and arguably the most impressive performer of the day -- was Kent Werner, who ran on his own for most of the race and still blazed to 26:35, good for 6th place. Kent's performance follows on the heels of his outstanding time of 2:45 at the Richmond Marathon one month ago. Despite numerous interruptions to his training due to medical residency interviews, his gutsy race performances have earned him a spot back on the racing team after a three-year hiatus.
Mike Colaiacovo, in great form as usual, easily took first in the master's category (27:04) and finished 10th overall. He was followed by the most recent addition to the racing team, Keith Levasseur, who scored a 14th place finish with a time of 27:26. Rounding out the men's competition for the Striders, Brian Fleming finished in 28:43 (21st), Jason Tripp ran a solid 28:42 (22nd) and John Chall finished 31:06 (40th).
With distinctive pink flair, Caroline Bauer represented the Striders women with an excellent time of 32:16, good for 4th place overall. Janeth Scott also had a very solid performance, finishing 16th with a time of 34:36 (1st in the 45-49 category).
Many thanks to Issel Anne Lim for taking some great photos, posted here: Link. Full results are available here: Link.
Happy holidays, and see you all on the roads in 2012!
Mini Race Recap (In Pictures)
The bagpipes sounded, the swords descended ...
...And they're off!
Near the lake, Carlos tries to keep things close as Berdan jumps to the lead.
Kent ran mostly solo, but that didn't appear to slow him down.
The spread between 1st and 3rd was pretty small.
Kent hammers home with a 26:35!
Mike Colaiacovo easily takes 1st Master, with a huge grin on his face.
Keith Levasseur runs a great time (27:26).
Jason Tripp finishes strong, with Brian Fleming close behind. Jason claims that he's looking forward to beating up on the masters runners next year.
Not sure if anyone is interested but the Houston Marathon/Half Marathon is on Sunday, January 15, 2012. The U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials are being run the day before on the same course. I plan on signing up for the half marathon and flying in on Friday so I can watch the trials. Anyone else interested? Early registration opens on May 10th with the general lottery opening June 1st. I think we all have qualifying times to allow for the early registration!
