The eve before my HOPEFUL completion of my Maryland-wide running quest this year!!!!!

Well, when I was inspired by this goal on the evening of Saturday, March 24, 2007 after completing the Race to Impact 10K in Queen Anne's County, Maryland earlier that day, I never thought I'd get to this point. but by the grace of God I have !!!!! I had already run in some races in Howard, Wicomico, and Queen Anne's County in addition to a prediction run in Carroll County when the thought of trying to run races and other such running events in the other of Maryland's nineteen counties (plus Baltimore City) before the year was over, really struck me to put it in accurate terms. I knew it was going to be difficult in some Maryland counties, like Kent, Dorchester, and Somerset, counties that have very few year-around running events. In addition, I did not really have any ideas for races or other events like that to do in counties like Charles, Cecil, or Washington right then. Plus, I knew I had to juggle all that in between working as a substitute teacher for the Howard County Public School System and working as a service clerk at Safeway (a job where I had to work evenings and weekends, which was usually when a lot of the running events occurred). I was very blessed that I had many weekend mornings free to fit in quick road trips throughout Maryland to do races before work and make progress and make it back to work (I was usually on time :) Yet, for the first two-to-three months, the enormity of it weighed on my mind...
... And now the only county in Maryland I have not run in yet is Calvert County, I have run races and other running events in all the other Maryland counties (not mention Baltimore City, Washington D.C., all three counties of the state of Delaware, and even one in San Diego when I was on vacation in southern California). I also have just one job now, at the Homewood Center in Howard County, Maryland, as a paraeducator, and it has been wonderful for the most part! I have made new friends and compiled photos into a slideshow-in-progress on this endeavor that is a little over a hundred-and-fifty slides!
I am less than twenty-four hours from an opportunity to complete this quest in Calvert County, Maryland. The North Beach 5K tomorrow in North Beach, Maryland is in northern Calvert County and I hope to make that and finish out my quest there. I just wanted to thank all of you readers, no matter how sporadic or frequent, for your attention, interest, support, feedback, comments, Myspace and Facebook posts, calls, e-mails, and general best wishes about this endeavor! I know some of you are from high school, college, way in my past, or maybe we have recently met, I thank you! It is so wonderful to know that I have family, friends, and other runners and readers supporting me not only in Maryland, but throughout the United States of America and even in other countries as well! Thank you so much, I never thought it would get this heavy, but you helped out so much! I know some of you may be young kids, or co-workers, old team mates, old school/classmates, students from public, private, or prep schools, teachers, coaches (especially ones that coached me), friends, and/or family, and I thank you, wherever you are, for all of your help and support. You have encouraged me to come this far and I am sure it is also the result of fervent prayer on both, my part and yours!


In the center is a picture of me in my first race back this year after taking some time off to recover from the Columbia Metric Marathon in the late fall of 2006. This race was the Howard County Striders' Winter "Operation Iceberg" Series # 3, a 5-Kilometer race that started and ended at Atholton High School on Sunday, January 21, 2007, where I finished 15th with a time of 19:43. Not too bad for me considering the snow flurries and being back at running for only the better part of a week!
And now almost eight months and fifty-plus races later, here I am!
I am not going to lie, I have some nervous excitement. I know all I gotta do is make it to and finish the 5K race (it's not like I haven't done enough of those, haha). I would like to run a really strong race with a great, solid finish though! God-willing it can happen. I know it is now forcasted that there will be a "few showers" in the North Beach area of Maryland tomorrow morning, but I heard that this race is held rain or shine, and I hope that definitely holds true this year! One of the things I have been challenged by are races being cancelled or postponed as a result of weather (or some other logistical complication). Plus, having worked at a place where I have to work evenings and weekends frequenly, there was not much guarantee I could be available to make it back to an event if it were postponed!
But I ain't gonna get too worked up about it. I know everything happens for a reason and my confidence in God and His plan for the betterment of this world and the people in it has only grown. I may have been side-tracked a bit here and there on this quest, but it could have been a lot worse and it only makes for more amusing stories to tell and hopefully one day see published in journals on these endeavors. I have been blessed with some great experiences, races, and friends and supporters!!!!
I thank you all so much and I am sorry that you could not all make it to the North Beach 5K tomorrow, but it does not change how much of a roll you have played in this point of my life, inspiring me through the challenges of it and helping me enjoy the more prosperous moments. You all have been in this Maryland-Wide Race with me and it has been a pleasure and a privilege to run with you and I hope our running does not stop anytime soon!

God bless you all wonderfully and have a great night and weekend :)

Running Events I have done this year as of Sunday, September 9, 2007

Maryland

Allegany County

- Queen City Striders Junior Striders Cross Country meet (1 mile and 2 mile) – Tuesday evening, June 19, 2007 – Paris N. Glendenning Park/Frostburg

- One mile race – 2nd overall – 5:51

- Two mile race – 7th overall – 12:37

Anne Arundel County

– Governor’s “Non-Bay Bridge” Run (2.93 miles) – Sunday, May 6, 2007 - Sandy Point State Park/Annapolis – 8th overall (1st in 20-24-year-old age group) – 18:09 (clock), 18:07 (my watch)

– Metro Harriers’ fourth summer track and field all-comers meet – Thursday, July 19, 2007 – North County High School, Ferndale/Glen Burnie, MD

– 1,500 meters – 1st overall – 4:42

– 800 meters – 2nd overall – 2:21

– 3,000 meters – 2nd overall – 10:41

– John Wall Memorial Track Run (One mile) – Saturday, July 21, 2007 – Broadneck Senior High School track, Annapolis – 6th overall (1st in 20-29 year-old age group) – 4:53

– Dog Days 8K Cross Country Run – Sunday, August 5, 2007 – Anne Arundel Community College, Arnold – 13th overall (3rd in 20-29 year age group) – 32:18 (clock), 32:17 (watch)

Baltimore City

- Survivor Harbor 7-mile/3-mile – Sunday, June 10, 2007 – Baltimore City – 2nd overall (3-mile run) – 17:56 (clock), 17:53 (watch)

Baltimore County

– Patapsco State Park Avalon area trail race (a little over 6 miles) – Sunday, May 13th, 2007 – Near University of Maryland-Baltimore County/Arbutus area – 18th overall – 58:03

– PopPop and Pinhead Trail Scramble (about 5-6 miles) – Saturday, June 9, 2007 - Perry Hall/Gunpowder Falls State Park area – 5th overall - 52:14

Calvert County – Nothing yet

Caroline County

- Adkins Arboretum Arbor Day Fun Run (10K) – Saturday, April 21st, 2007 – Ridgley – 1st overall – 37:59 PR (Personal Record/best time in that distance!!!!! :)

Carroll County

- Westminster Road Runners Club (W.R.R.C.) Predicted Time Four-Miler – Saturday, March 10, 2007 – Westminster/Bachman Valley area – 2nd person in, 14th closest to predicted time – 25:34 (my predicted time was 27:00, I was 1:26 fast, whoops :)-

- Andy Hayes Memorial 5K Run – Saturday, April 7, 2007 – Westminster/near Farm Museum – 2nd overall – 18:47

- Inaugural River Valley Run 5K – Saturday, August 25, 2007 – River Valley Ranch, Manchester – 5th overall (2nd in 20-29 age group) – 19:15 (clock), 19:13 (watch)

- 4th Annual Eldersburg Labor Day 5K Rogue Race – Monday, September 3, 2007 – Eldersburg – 7th overall (1st in 20-29 age group division) – 19:35.0

Cecil County

- Fair Hill Natural Resources Management Area (N.M.R.A.) Fools Frolic 22K (I ran the much shorter 5-6 mile route) – Sunday, April 1, 2007 – Fair Hill/Elkton – First person in, but it was not much of a race, just pretty much me and another gentleman chillin’ and chattin’ our way through – 1 hour, 21 minutes, 55 seconds

- Run4Fun 5K Run/Walk – Sunday, June 3, 2007 – Elkton – 5th overall (1st in 20-29 year-old age group) – 19:29

Charles County

- Civista Health Services Run for Wellness 5K – Sunday, May 20, 2007 – LaPlata – 5th overall (1st in male 20-29 age group) – 19:14 (clock), 19:08 (chip)

Dorchester County

- Dorchester Family YMCA Healthy Kid’s Day Fun Run (1.9 miles, mainly flat cross country) – Saturday, April 14, 2007 - Cambridge – 1st overall – 10:54 (ran negative splits too :)

Frederick County

- 11th Annual Frederick Steeplechasers Run for the Pie 10K – Saturday, July 14, 2007 – Frederick 4th overall (1st in the 20-24 age group) – 42:39

Garrett County

- 1st Annual Grantsville Days 5K – Saturday, June 23, 2007 – Grantsville – 8th overall (3rd in male 20-29 age group division) – 18:37 (clock), 18:36 (watch)

Harford County

- 2nd annual Eden Mill 5-Miler (4.8 miles approximately) – Sunday, July 1, 2007 – Eden Mill Park, Pylesville – 2nd overall – 30:37 (clock), 30:35 (watch)

Howard County

- Howard County Striders (H.C.S.) Weekly Winter Series (a.k.a. “Operation Iceberg”) # 3: Atholton High School 5 Kilometer – Sunday, January 21, 2007 – Columbia – 15th overall – 19:43

- H.C.S. “Operation Iceberg” #4: Thunder Hill Elementary School 2miles – Sunday, January 28, 2007 - Columbia - 30th overall - 20:17

- Penguin Pace 5K – Sunday, February 4, 2007 – Columbia – 8th overall (1st in 20-29 age group) – 18:43.86

- H.C.S. “Operation Iceberg” #6: Thunder Hill Elementary School 2 miles – Sunday, February 18, 2007 – Columbia – 2nd overall – 11:52 (my best time on that course :)

- Outback’s 5K for the YMCA – Sunday, March 11, 2007 – Ellicott City – 9th overall – 18:01.05 (clock), 17:59/18:00 (my watch – my best time on that course :)

- H.C.S. Spring Series Race (“Vernal Velocity) #1: Burleigh Manor Middle School 2 miles – Sunday, April 1, 2007 - Ellicott City/Columbia area – 2nd overall – 10:51 (best time on the course :)

- Inaugural Musical Madness 5K – Saturday, May 12, 2007 – Maple Lawn/Fulton/Scaggsville – 7th overall (1st in 20-29 age group category) – 18:48.71

- Damien F. Massella Run for Recovery 5K – Sunday, June 24, 2007 – Columbia – 52nd overall – 19:58.12 (clock), 19:55 (watch)

- Centennial Fun Run (one mile)#3 – Tuesday, July 10, 2007 – Ellicott City area – 1st overall – 5:11 (tied my second-best time on the course :)

- Centennial Fun Run (one mile)#4 – Tuesday, July 17, 2007 – Ellicott City area – 12th overall – 5:44

- H.C.S. Summer Series Race (“Summer Sizzler”) #3: Burleigh Manor Middle School 2 miles – Wednesday, July 18, 2007 – Ellicott City/Columbia area – 1st overall – 11:02

- PRE – Season Cross Country Races – Saturday, August 11, 2007 – Oakland Mills High School, Columbia

- 5K – 11th overall – 18:53 (best time on the course :)

- 3K – 5th overall – 15:12

- Emerson Community Fun Run (one mile) #6 – Tuesday, August 14, 2007 – North Laurel – 1st overall – 5:27 – Hit the fifty-races-per-year mark with this for the fifty-plus club :)

- Emerson Community Fun Run (one mile) # 7 – Tuesday, August 21, 2007 – North Laurel – 1st overall – 5:26 (my best time on the course :)

- H.C.S. Summer Series (“Summer Sizzler”) #7: Burleigh Manor Middle School 5 miles – Wednesday, August 22, 2007 – Ellicott City/Columbia area – 3rd overall – 32:33

- 16th Annual Police Pace 5K – Sunday, September 9, 2007 – Columbia/Ellicott City area – 16th overall – 18:37.69

Kent County

- 31st Annual Chestertown Tea Party Distance Classic (10 miler) – Saturday, May 26, 2007 – Chestertown – 31st overall (2nd in 20-24 age group) – 1:15:01 (clock), 1:14:57 (watch)

Montgomery County

- Gaithersburg Firebirds Track one mile race – Thursday, April 12, 2007 – Gaithersburg – 3rd overall – 5:04.88

- Comus Cross Country 5K – Sunday, August 12, 2007 – Comus/Dickerson – 10th overall (1st in age group division) – 20:29

Prince George’s (P.G.) County

- 49th Annual Larry Noel Greenbelt 15K and 3K (15K) – Sunday, September 2, 2007 – Greenbelt - 13th overall (2nd in 20-29 age group division) – 1:06:50

Queen Anne’s County

- Shore Christian Fellowship Church’s Inaugural Race to Impact (10K) – Saturday, March 24th, 2007 – Chester/Kent Narrows/Kent Island (it was all on the shaded Cross Island Trail) – 1st overall – 38:51

Saint Mary’s County

- National Trails Day 5K (it was a little more than that, probably closer to 3.5 miles) – Saturday, June 2, 2007. – St. Mary’s City area – 1st overall – 21:38

Somerset County

- 2nd Annual McCready Health Services Foundation’s Founder’s Day 8K Run & 2-mile walk – Saturday, May 5, 2007 (El Cinco de Mayo) – Crisfield – 1st overall(8K) – 31:58 (ran faster there this year than last year :)

- 60th Annual National Hard Crab Derby, 28th Annual Mike Sterling 10K – Saturday, September 1, 2007 – Crisfield – 4th overall (2nd in 20-29 age group) – 41:48

Talbot County

- Oxford Day 10K – Saturday, April 28, 2007 – Oxford – 1st overall – 38:35 (big improvement over last year’s 42:04 here, and a well-paced race on a relatively short amount of sleep :)

Washington County

- Tom Ausherman Memorial Series #1 (2-mile/1-mile) – Tuesday, June 5, 2007 – Hagerstown – 6th overall(2-mile race) – 11:36

Wicomico County

- Salisbury University Track & Field’s Seagull Home Opener Meet – Saturday, March 3, 2007 – Salisbury

- 1,500 meter run – 7th overall – 4:48.7

- 800 meter run - 2nd overall – 2:12.5

- 4X400 meter relay (alumni team) – 4th overall (1st alumni team) – 4:01.5

- 4th Annual Tim Kennard 5 mile River Run and 3 mile walk – Sunday, March 4, 2007 – Salisbury – 14th overall (3rd in the 20-24 age group division) – 31:25 (clock), 31:14 (chip – Nice performance for me that surpassed my expectations, especially after running three track races less than twenty-four hours ago :)

Worcester County

- Francis Scott Key Family Resort “Dash and Splash” Run/Walk Series 5K Race#3 at Stephen Decatur High School (on the track) – Saturday, June 30, 2007 – Berlin – 1st overall/only finisher – 18:52 (clock), 18:50 (watch) – Finished out the Maryland Eastern Shore portion of my endeavor with this event :)

Events outside of Maryland

California

San Diego County

- 30th Annual Scripp’s Ranch Old Pros Run and Bike 10K and 2-mile Fun Run (10K) – Wednesday, July 4, 2007 – Scripp’s Ranch neighborhood, San Diego – 73rd overall-39:08 (clock), 39:05/39:06 (chip)

Delaware

Kent County

- March Moonlight Madness 5K – Thursday, March 1, 2007 – Wyoming – 2nd overall (1st in male 20-29 age group division) – 18:28

New Castle County

- 2nd Annual Wilmington Games 5K – Wednesday, July 25, 2007 – Wilmington – 5th overall (2nd in 19-29 age group division) – 19:35 (clock), 18:35 (watch-probably would have been low-to-mid 19’s since I accidentally missed a turn and cut the course a bit short near the end)

Sussex County

- 25th Annual Y.M.C.A. 5-Mile Run/Walk – Sunday, July 29, 2007 – Deauville/Rehoboth Beach area – 13th overall (1st in 20-29 age group division) – 31:59 (clock), 31:57 (watch) – Completing this race, I have run in all three Delaware counties this year!!!!!!!!! :)

- Seven Sisters, Four Brothers 6th Annual Venus on the Half Shell 5K – Saturday, August 4, 2007 – Dewey Beach – 9th overall (2nd in 20-24 age group division) – 18:36 (clock), 18:35 (watch)

District of Columbia – Washington

- Hugh Jascourt Memorial Four Miler – Thursday evening, June 21, 2007 – Northwest Washington D.C./C&O Towpath area – 17th overall – 26:04 (clock), 26:01 (watch)