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Running: Youngsters make strides
By Joe Shafran, For The Capital
One of life’s pleasures for me as an older runner is seeing the blossoming of young runners.
I saw two of them last Saturday at one of my favorite races, the surviving bridge run, the .05K over the Spa Creek draw span in downtown Annapolis that drew about 200 runners. Before the race I talked with Will Eden, a standout cross country and track performer at Annapolis High. He tells me he is enrolled at the University of Virginia and will continue his running there. Running runs in the Eden family. Will’s dad is Dr. Scott Eden, who has won marathons and teaches the sport during the summer here in Annapolis. Last weekend, Will was in his civvies, headed to the Anne Arundel Relays on Saturday afternoon.
A few years ago, Cindy Barney, in sports and administration at St. Anne’s Day School in Annapolis, introduced me to one of the cross country runners on the team that she was organizing. It was Evan Larsson who, it turns out was the winner of the bridge run last Saturday - in just over a half minute.
And I keep seeing Evan Beard’s name in the listing of finishers in races here and away. I’ll bet it’s four years since Evan, then about 12, starred in the running segment in one of my TV shows .
And as for my running of the bridge race, I was aiming for 40 seconds but took a bit longer beings that I jogged, not ran, the first 100 yards to talk with Jeff Holland of Eastport, who was running the race he helped organize for the first time and was more into showing off the scar of his recent total knee replacement. However , I did do a burst of speed and finished the last hundred yards neck and neck with a fellow named Mac Milhon. The Eastport Realtor is willing to testify that we both finished in about 62 seconds. I won the prize for the oldest runner and the youngest was 2-year-old Katie Anderson of Eastport, whose parents let her out of her stroller to run with the 250 other humans and the hounds. You just wait ’til next year.
MAIN STORE: There’s a new running store in Annapolis called Gotta Run, at 168 Main Street, sort of across from Peppers. They’re on the ball. They furnished the prizes for the age category winners at the bridge run. They had their grand opening this week just as the new spring shoes were reviewed.
The shoe that is attracting the most attention is the new Adidas with the computer chip in the heel that sells for $230. I sought out two experts to see what they had to say.
Annapolis podiatrist Dr. Lyle Modlin, wasn’t all that impressed, suggesting that shoe styles come and go, but pointed out that the Nike Air has withstood the test of time. Dr. Modlin reminded about something else in the shoe line, that many people, like himself have two different size feet, sometimes by a half size and must compensate for it.
Gary Lidard, of the Athlete’s Foot in the Annapolis Mall, says he knows of the Adidas shoe, thinks it’s great publicity for Adidas, but is too expensive and probably will not stock it. Gary is well aware of the foot size discrepancy and in his 25 years of fitting running shoes has always sold the shoe to fit the larger foot using small pads to bring the other one up to size.
And speaking of shoes, have you seen the shoe in the container of water in the window at Hudson Trail Outfitters in the Annapolis Mall? I’m told it’s an optical illusion, but it does bring people into the store see the line of waterproof shoes .
MEMORIES: I spoke with Lidard earlier this month just as he finished the third annual Vincent’s 5K run and walk at Hillsmere School in Annapolis. This is the race that recalls the life of Vince DiBerardino, who died of Leukemia in June 2002 at the age of 5 .The race proceeds goes to support research in both leukemia and bone marrow transplants. At that 5K, I bumped into Rick Fisher of Severna Park whose daughter Kati, a runner, also died of leukemia last year at 14. A memorial garden is being planned for Kati at milepost one on the B&A trail at Arnold Station. We recall some of the youngsters who have passed away , but in May many people in and around Annapolis like to remember one of the more prolific runners of modern times, Johnny Boy Simms of Annapolis who for years every morning ran 11 miles on the berm of Generals Highway from his home on Parole Street to Eisenhower Golf Course until that May morning almost when a driver fell asleep at the wheel and ran Johnny Boy over.
JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT: I don’t know if Will Eden, Evan Larsson or Evan Beard got their start in running at the Annapolis Junior Striders courses directed by Roger Hebden, but dozens of others did. The 2005 sessions began yesterday at 4:30 and continues on June 18, July 16 and Aug. 27. It’s open to kids from 2 to 12 .This year there’s a practice session Wednesdays at 6 starting May 25. Call 410-533- 5689.
Race Results
Vince’s Run, May 7
1. Thor Young, 35, 19:21:48; 2. Clair Saxton 27, 20:58:08
Maritime Republic of Eastport
.05k Spa Creek Bridge Run
1. Evan Larsson 43 seconds; 2. Shannon Wald; 3. Joe Piete, 47 seconds.
Running Calendar
May 21: Gibson Island, Country School Chessie 5K, Gibson Island, Pasadena. 410-439-4499
May 22: St. Anne’s Day School, Annapolis. Spirit 5K, 3112 Arundel on the Bay Rd. 410-263-8650
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