DDH 10k

32 people at the track tonight - absolute insanity!  Apparently the Tuesday track sessions up at Goucher or wherever Harm Shitty does theirs attract 40-60 a week.  I don't know how they do it.  But, a good workout nevertheless. 

As you all know, Dreaded Druid Hills 10k is this Saturday in Druid Hill Park.  The race starts at 7:30am.  We will be timing the event, and it seems like Jim may have enough volunteers for his part but I'm sure if you can help out, we can always use more.  Thus far I think I've got 5 people able to help out and probably could use another couple.  We are going to have the boards up for immediate posting of results (placement wise).  We'll need a few people just to help corral runners as they finish, and then a couple of people on the spindles.  If you can help, please let me know.  As usual I will bring Dunkin Donuts to the race for you to chomp on, and if you happen to have a coffee preference let me know and I can probably scoop that up as well.

If you are able to help, try to be there by 7am.  Also keep in mind that while this race is not as large as the Celtic Solstice, parking is still always kind of sparse on race morning so plan accordingly, and also you have to walk about a quarter mile around the lake to the Moorish Tower (southwest corner of the lake). 

On a racing note, next Wednesday, June 29, starts the BRRC Summer Track Series.  There are 4 weekday meets total (including 7/13 Meet of Miles) and the 2 person-10 mile relay on Saturday August 6 I believe.  If you want to do them, they cost $8 now for non-BRRC members and are slightly cheaper if you are a BRRC member, and that allows you to do as many of the events that night as you'd like.  Next week features the 1500m, the 800m and 2 Mile for the distance events.  The meet starts at 6:30pm.  I am tentatively planning on going to race there next week.

All About the Benjamins

Megan DiGregorio has one goal for this summer: to buy a bike so she can compete in her first triathlon.  She kicked off Project Buy a Bike on Sunday, winning both the 5k and the 10k at MCVETs, earning herself a cool $250.  Meanwhile, down in Columbia, Diane Heiser made out like a bandit, only need a 19:03 to win a couple hundred bones at the Remembrance Run 5k.  This was DH's second win in as many weekends, as last weekend she won the From Blue Point to BULA 5k in NY for the infinity time in a row. 

MCVETs was an unfortunate race this year as there was a small glitch that added about .2 to the race distance.  So I will spot you all at least a minute from the time you ran.  Ed Aramayo took 3rd in 16:58, while Tristram Thomas and Brennan Feldhausen filed in 4th and 5th.  Kris Simms was 8th, and then came the women's podium of Meg D, Denise Knickman and New Becky Parks.  Lillian Pinault, on her birthday, was 5th, and then came Pete Mulligan in 37th.  Jimbo Adams, in his first race in what seems like forever, came across the line in 177th.

Shortly after the 5k, the 10k gets run.  The 10k is very unkind, as it makes runners run out to the Fort on the entirely unshaded Fort Avenue, and by this point of the morning, the sun is strong and the temp is high.  Once again our ladies went 1-2-3, with Meg D taking the top spot from Denise, making her move in the last two miles, and Jackie Truncellito taking 3rd after NBP had momentarily wrestled that away from her.  NBP was 4th.  Pete also doubled, finishing 43rd, and Dan Goodman raced for the first time in a while, finishing 100th. 

Memorial Day Monday, a couple of us were in Winchester, VA, for the Loudoun Street Mile.  Much different from the Westminster Mile, this event features 4 separate races.  Women went off at 9am, and Alyssa Godesky was going up against some fierce competition from the Riadha team.  She finished 10th, though, with a 5:48.1.  Kendra Ingram ran 7:52 last year, and was hoping to do a little better - which she did, to the tune of a 33 second improvement!  She was charged up in the last 500m, I thought it was Maurice or Remus out there running!

Following the women it was a heat of kids, then a slower heat of dudes.  At 10am, the fast heat of guys went off.  This race was stacked.  The course was a net downhill, but with a 500m long incline from 350m to just beyond the half mile, it wasn't necessarily the fastest course.  Former teammate and friend of Alan Webb's, Moise Joseph, won for the third year in a row, crossing in the unreal time of 4:06 (2:05-2:01 splits).  Ben Ingram, running for Runner's Retreat, was 16th in 4:42.9, and missed winning his age division by a lean.  Brennan Feldhausen, competing for the second time in two days, managed to run a 4:53.1.  

In other Monday action, NBP ran and won the 8th Annual Run on the Green 5k in 19:18, and was interviewed by the local TV station afterwards.  Dave Berardi was 6th at the Remembrance Run 5k. 

Our Purple Drink Athlete of the Week award went to Meg D, and Jim Adams earned this week's KC Masterpiece Award, mostly for just being out there. 

Track tonight - don't forget we are still at Hopkins/Loyola track on 33rd tonight.  The workout is going to be 8x800, and for clarification, when I say "on" a particular time interval, that just means if you run 2:30 and we're doing them on 4:00, you have 90 seconds rest.  This is our first workout in REAL heat, so please remember to hydrate well throughout the day, pace yourself during the workout and know your limit.  The DBAP rule does not apply when it is this hot, nobody thinks less of you if you do fewer intervals or run a little slower. 

Also, we are timing the Charles Village 5k this Saturday morning, so if you can help, please let me know.  I've gotten a few responses so thanks!  Sunday is the Bel Air Town Run 5k for those of you looking for a race.  A week from Sunday is Survivor 7, now starting and finishing in Canton. 

Another thing I'm excited about is the influx of interest in the group over the weekend.  In the cyclical world of people moving to and from Baltimore, it looks like we finally may be picking up a few new folks at once, due to some graduations and whatnot.  On Sunday we met Vince Collins at MCVETs, and we have a couple new girls who will be coming out soon.  I will count tonight at track, but I think we are starting to have more chicks than dudes at these workouts!

Our Rain Never Evaporates

Fairly quiet weekend on the racing front (this past weekend) but a solid one nevertheless, with a huge half marathon PR, and a 1-2 finish at a 5k...

Alex Battaglino and Ed Aramayo raced under pseudonyms at the Jingle Bell 5k in Columbia. The pair ran together and separated themselves from the rest. Ultimately, Alex took the win in 16:28 with Ed at 16:30.

Doug "the Ripper" Ripley finished 9th at the Frozen Slopes 6k at Derwood. To run 28:35 for 6k means either it was incredibly, incredibly difficult, or very long.

And our final runner of the weekend, and our Purple Drink Athlete of the Week, was Joel Gladfelter. He ran the low key yet randomly competitive Nittany Valley Half on Sunday, and recorded a PR (1:24:08, previous best was 1:26:48). He finished 21st.

As you are all aware by now, this weekend is a super busy weekend of fun and festivities!

Saturday morning - if anyone is available to help out in the morning at the Fells Point Figgy Pudding 5k, please let me know. I think right now I have 3 or 4 people able to help, but could use 2 more. The race starts at 9am at the end of Broadway square, so if you could be there by 8:30 that would be awesome. Should be done by 10:30 and have you on your way.

Saturday evening - Christgiving at the Majumdar's! Followed by Festivus.

Sunday evening - Awards Night MMX at Falls Road Running Store. I've gotten RSVPs from a good number of folks now. As always, I will be passing out index cards. You know the drill. It's not for me, obviously, but rather for you. I just hold onto them until the next year. Also it's a good chance for me to update information such as DOBs, addresses and emergency contact info, as it (believe it or not) comes in handy every once in a while.

Don't Touch My Junk

Kudos to Zero for the suggestion for the blog title...paying homage to the new TSA policies

I think I pretty much captured everyone's races in the previous post, but I'll fill out the rest of the weekend.

Our lone champion of the week was Dusty Meeker, who won the Wheeling Turkey Trot 5k in 15:35. After a long evening involving a considerable amount of "cheer," Dustin woke up a few hours later and whooped up on all-comers.

Lisa Ievers ran an awesome 5k at the Pie and Glove 5k in Corning, NY. It was her first time under 20 since college, and she claims a PR with the 19:34 5th place. Awesome!!

My brother and sister ran a 15k in NJ, very hilly - with my brother going 1:20:31 and my sister finishing a little after 90 minutes. This race is no joke and maybe one of these years I'll stick around in NJ long enough after Thanksgiving to do it.

Official results on the Stotts: Tom was 11th in 19:03 while Patty was 22nd F in 24:46.

Joel and now Alix Brusewitz were married on Saturday in a very nice ceremony, which involved the performance of the Joel David Band, but prior to that, the pair ran the Bulle Rock Turkey Trot 5k in Bel Air area. Joel ran a surprising 17:55 for 5th, while Alix walk/jogged with family.

Kyle Smits, DDS, was 7th in the annual Pequot Thanksgiving 5M in 27:13.

So it was a pretty sweet weekend of racing, mostly a big Thursday, and our Purple Drink Athlete of the Week - for the first time this year - is Arjun Majumdar! His race was quite impressive, and he also drove to Chicago and back (as in, he did all the driving, I hear) which always takes it out of the legs.

As you know, the next two weeks are loaded with funtime activities!

1. Saturday, December 11, 8:30am, Fells Point Figgy Pudding 5k. I could use some helpers again to time/finish line at this race! Let me know if you're available for about 2 hours in the morning.

2. Saturday, December 11, 4:00pm, Christgiving. If you have NOT RSVP'd to Arjun or Melissa for their annual potluck gathering, please do that, and also let them know what you plan on bringing.

3. Saturday, December 11, nighttime, Festivus. Annual celebration at Tank's house. Bring booze.

4. Sunday, December 12, 4:30pm, AWARDS NIGHT. At the Falls Road Running Store. Pizzas and bevs will be brought by me. Desserts or alco bevs are cool to bring if you want to bring that. This is another thing you need to RSVP (to me) for as I need to know how much food to bring.

5. Saturday, December 18, morning, Celtic Solstice. If you can volunteer, help out, whatever, let Jim know. Following the race we'll get it cracking somewhere, maybe Kisling's.

Race Help Saturday 4/17

Wire to Wire Timing has another event to time on Saturday the 17th. It's a lowkey 5k up at Druid Hill Park. The help of a few people would be most greatly appreciated for just a short time in the morning. I realize everyone has things going on - important racing and training - so don't feel bad or obligated if you CAN'T go. But if you can help out, that's great.

Saturday morning, probably about 8am until maybe 10, 10:30. I'll post more details as we get closer. If you want to respond, use the comments or send me an email.

The good news is that we have our own timing system this time around, so we don't have to beg, borrow or steal (or rent at an absurdly high price).