|
Governor’s Bay Bridge run registration nearing completion
By JOE SHAFRAN
We’re into that time of year when we have a lot of bridge runs. The highlight for me is the Saturday May 12th run across the Spa Creek draw bridge in Annapolis for the Maritime Republic of Eastport. I like to call it a certified .05k The record is 17 seconds set a few years ago by a 19 year old Midshipman. I say certified because this race has a distinction of being closely measured, having a convertible Mercedes-Benz pace car, a half- way-across water stop and several other bizarre features. I did my first run in 38 seconds by my watch In the Tidewater they have had a run over the bridge and through the tunnel. Locally again, reading the Strider’ s Stuff e-mail, there was mention of the Bridge-to-Bridge half marathon and 5K last weekend in the Tilghman – St.Michaels area and then we have the king of them all, the Strider’s Governor’s Bay Bridge run Sunday morning May 6 that may well have closed off registration at about 3,000. This is the event that precedes the afternoon walk across the span. This is the jinxed race. It’s been canceled over the past years for a variety of reasons but this year, having run out of excuses by the bridge people, it is a go. Volunteers are needed. Go to the Strider’s web site. This is called the Governor’s Bay Bridge Run, but I can’t find any record that a Governor has either shown up for the race or has run it. Last year Kendal Ehrlich ran it. I called Governor’s O’malley’s office the other day and they said to call back Friday (April 27), the only day they announce both his schedule and that of the Governor’s wife for the following week. Runners gather at Sandy Point State Park and at 6:50 sharp are bussed to the Stevensville starting line. The 10K course has a nearly three mile 7 percent climb up the westbound lane of the bridge and finishes at Sandy Point.
* * *
The local contingent is back from the rain soaked and wind blown Boston marathon last week on what they called Monsoon Monday and everyone seems to be in good shape. Robert Cheruiyot of Kenya won the race in 2:14. Deena Castor of the U.S. expected to be the first American woman finisher since 1985, developed stomach cramps, lost time at a pit stop and came in number 5 in 2:35. There was a test by medical researchers at Tufts University, they chose a dozen people, well out of shape, put them through some training, got qualifying waivers, had them run it, all finishing in 6 hours plus. I haven’t seen their findings yet, but when they are released, they may forever change the science of running for years to come.
* * *
The runner of the week is Michael Wardian of Arlngton Virginia who you just might see in the Beijing Olympics in 2008. Michael, 32, runs many of our local races. He qualified for doing the Olympic tryouts later this year when he ran the recent Shamrock marathon in 2:21, a personal best and about his usual time. He had run Boston last week in 2:31 saying those 50 mile wind gusts were something else.
* * *
In this past week of tragic news, you may have noted the death of 6 year old Connor Cooper of Glen Elg in Howard County who was running with his mother at the Westminster One miler in Carroll County Wednesday evening April 18th and collapsed and died. An undiagnosed heart condition was blamed. This was the youngster who started running 13 minute miles at age 3 and got it down to 8 minutes last year. I’m wondering how many of us think about our hearts. I see a press release from the Big Vanilla Athletic club that the June 5th speaker in their health series at the Arnold location is Dr. Jonathan Altschuler, the Annapolis cardiologist who is a runner, a triathlete and who works out in a gym .His subject is Exercise and Heart Disease, Dispelling the Myth. The talk is free and open to the public.
* * *
Hint of the week comes from a reader who e-mailed me recently that women especially should not run alone in a wooded area. I’ve mentioned this before and have almost given up warning women, often time with headsets, running alone into wooded areas. They not only can’t hear my warning but but one of them, not wearing headsets, must have heard me, but yelled back that I should not be so condescending. I should say the reader who e-mailed me cited the instance of a break-in theft from a car of a visiting runner who had parked in a space near the east end of the B&A trail at Annapolis and wondered who may have been lurking in that wooded area.
The race of the week is in the form of a question. What recent certified marathon was run entirely on water? I may have gotten this from Metro Sports magazine for D.C. Virginia and Maryland. The answer is the North Pole Marathon, April 7th that took place on the frozen Arctic Ocean. It started in 2002 with just the race director, there were 78 runners this time. The wind chill is between 10 and 20 below. See about it at www.npmarathon.com. Registration fee is $12,000 which includes air fare from Spitzbergen Norway, to the pole and all the hot cocoa you can consume.
* * *
A while back I metioned Commander Len Hamilton, a fighter pilot, now a professor at the Naval Academy, who is an accomplished marathoner but who gave up long-distance running on hard surfaces to save his knees, switching to triathlons, and became so accomplished in that sport that he was named coach of the Naval Academy Triathlon club, which he tells me won the national championship in competition with 78 other colleges and universities last weekend. They do a 10k run.
Running Calendar
April 28, 8A.M., Bates Jr High track, Annapolis. Striders 2007 Beginning Running Program. Also Tues. and Thurs. at 6 P.M. Call Evan or Penny 410.721.6614. Must be able do a brisk 20 minute walk.
April 28, 9 A.M., Severna Park, Severn School Inaugural APA, Salute the Legends 5K and Fun Run for the late Coach Jim Doyle . Call Ellen Humphries Ponder 410.279.2645.
April 29, 8 A.M., Aleph Bet Jewish Day School, Spa Rd. Annapolis, 5K Run/Walk Call the school at 410.263.9044.
April 29, Indian Creek School, Crownsville 8:30 A.M. The David A. Nagey Caring for Kids 5k run and walk. Contact Ramsey Alexander at 410.263.4295.
May 6, Patapsco State Park, 8 A.M., 12th Kiss-A-Pig 5K. for the National Honor Society at Glen Burnie High. Call Kendra Schillen, race co-chair. 410.768.9484.
May 12, Hillsmere School, Annapolis, 8:30 Annual Vincent’s run for charity. Visit www.vincentsrun.org to register and for information. Vincent was 5 when he passed.
* * *
If you have a suggestion for the runner of the week,
please e-mail me with a contact number.
Previous Article Next Article
|
