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We’re getting into multiples, these days …
By JOE SHAFRAN
We’re getting into multiples, these days … It’s not enough to say that someone is running the Boston Marathon or doing the JFK Ultra or the Kona Iron Man Triathlon, rather how many Bostons, how many JFKs and how many of the Kona IronMans in Hawaii one has participated in … and this goes for other events as well - some of my recent columns have reflected multiples. In the last column, I mentioned that Mark Courtney of Grove City, Pennsylvania, came to Annapolis to do the canceled 10K Governor’s Bridge Run but did the 5K instead at Sandy Point State Park, and he told me it was his 10,000th consecutive day of running. He’s in is early 50’s. On April 15 this year, Annapolis lawyer Gill Cochran, nearing 60, marked 30 years of running every day. And I begin to hear of more consecutives … Mary Watko of Annapolis is on record as having run, sometimes with friends, at the Naval Academy every Sunday the past 25 years, the last 12 with her husband Greg and almost every one of those Sundays waving to another runner, John Astle of Annapolis. Watko is on record also for her consecutive three time a week workouts at a local fitness club. This woman, who places high in the Mrs. Maryland senior contests, used to be seen running local races backwards. She explains that she consistently turned around to urge on her husband, new to running, behind her several years ago. Tom Bradford of the Bradford family Annapolis Strider timing team, was off recently to Nova Scotia to continue his streak of running a marathon in every Canadian Province. There’s Milt Taylor, in his early seventies of Odenton, whose next marathon could well be number 175 and still counting. And there is Cinthia “Cindy” Barney, the Athletic Director at St. Anne’s Day School in Annapolis. Asked how she started a marathoning career, her husband Steve tells the story that some years ago when she was a youngster, her father, a present day runner, established a qualifier that one had to be able to run around their house a hundred times in order to run with him.
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In Baltimore, a portion of Lombard street is known as Corned Beef Row where tour buses unload to let their passengers get the sandwich on rye called the “corned beef special” at either Lenny’s, Weis’s or Attmans. Here in Annapolis, I think the County should designate a few blocks of Arundel on the Bay Road as Runners’ and Walkers’ Row. Every year at this time on that road at the Hillsmere Elementary School parking is at a premium for the Vince Berardini memorial 5K run, and then just last weekend, as part of their Spirit events, there was an overflow crowd right next door at St. Anne’s Day School where they had the 5K Run and the mile walk.
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Race of the week. It is the 3rd annual Matzohball 5K and 1 mile fun run/walk at Ellicott City put on by Temple Isaiah, 9 A.M. on June 10. In addition to the post race menu of bagels and bananas, they serve Matzo Balls, but I don’t know if they are the best thing for runners or walkers. No trans fat, but the on-line recipe calls for artery clogging chicken fat and the delicacy has to be eaten soon after they are prepared, else they harden into what seem like light colored cannon balls. The contact number is 301.317.1101. Donations of canned goods go to Elizabeth House at Laurel. The race benefits the Temple.
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Runner of the week. Jim Anderson, an Annapolis Strider who helps put on the St. Anne’s Day School run and walk, and who, at age 47, finished second overall at the Vince 5K memorial on May 12th in the time of 18:03. I don’t envy the man. He has taken on two jobs that will only help him to keep running. He’s the new track and field coach at St Anne’s Day School in Annapolis and has also taken over the Strider’s Junior Running Program with a non-stop program beginning with weekly training sessions at Bates Field starting at 5 P.M. on Wednesday, June 6th and with meets on Saturdays at 9 A.M. on June 8, July 28 and Aug. 25. His philosophy on keeping fit is interesting. He says his desire is to “inspire our children to see themselves on a road of lifelong enjoyable fitness”.
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Hint of the week, for runners, especially, Watch your “FHP” - forward head posture. Your ears should be right over your shoulders when you run. This comes from Dr Tom Chaney at Living Health Chiropractic on Forest Drive in Annapolis. He likes to talk to runners especially about FHP and suggests the head should sit directly on the neck and shoulders like a Golf Ball sits on a tee. A brochure he hands out mentions that the weight of the head is more like a bowling ball than a golf ball and letting it go forward out of alignment puts a strain on your neck and upper back muscles.
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And yes, I did run the Maritime Republic of Eastport .05K Bridge Run from Annapolis to Eastport on Saturday May 12, and did finish, unfortunately a few seconds after they shut down the electronic timer so please believe me when I say I did it in a minute and 35 seconds. The winning time was about 17 seconds. I had stopped to take on some water and spent a few seconds talking with Judy Buddensick, who staffs the water stop each year half way over the Spa Creek Bridge. This is not an excuse, but keep in mind that dogs and strollers are allowed in this race and one has to be careful so as not trip over the leashes and that cuts into one’s time.
An annual remembrance of a departed popular man from Annapolis who was running long before running was cool. He It was “Johnny Boy” Simms who ran at the 5 A.M. hour daily for twenty years from his Parole Street home, north on General’s Highway for about 5 miles to Eisenhower Golf Course and then back. It was about 20 year ago just before Memorial Day that Johnny Boy, then in his sixties, was going north and was hit and killed by a southbound vehicle whose driver police say fell asleep at the wheel and veered off the highway.
The Maryland State Highway Administration is putting the finishing landscape touches to the median of the new Rowe Boulevard Bridges in Annapolis. Along the boulevard they put in new sidewalks that have runners and walkers in mind. One can now run or walk to and from City Dock in Annapolis to Westfield Shoppingtown (the Mall), a distance of about 5 miles, asking that you use caution on a sidewalk change and a cross-over or two. For nighttime, have in mind that there are streetlights and embedded lights on the College Creek bridge but it’s a bit dark on the Weems Creek crossing.
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Running Calendar:
June 2, Washington D.C., 18th annual Susan G Komen, Race for the Cure 5K.
Call 703.416.Race or on the web, www.nationalraceforthecure.org
June 2, Lewes, Del., 8 A.M. Run for Danielle 5K.
Call 302.644.8952 or visit www.seashorestriders.com
June 3. 8:30 A.M., Hunt Meadow (at the pool) Annapolis. 5K and 1 mile run/walk. Benefit Hunt Meadow Swim Team.
Call Roger Hebden, 410.263.6602
June 10, Severna Park, Dawson’s Father’s Day 10K.and Kid’s Run. At the High School.
For the 10K call Lisa Murphy, 410-341-7969
For the Kid’s, call Susan Noble, 410.757.1156
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If you have a suggestion for the runner of the week,
please e-mail me with a contact number.
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