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It’s a date with destiny for early rising runners
By JOE SHAFRAN
Forget the so-called triple six hex that some cared about this past Tuesday. There wasn’t even mention of it when a sizable group of runners wanted to be part of history, and ran a 6.06K with the 6:06 club in Annapolis on 06/06/06 starting at 06:06:06 A.M, a day that won’t come about again for a hundred years. I don’t know if this is officially sanctioned, but on the Strider’s Stuff e-mail there is mention that if you do this race a hundred years from now, you will be given a Rolls Royce, with a chauffeur and free gas for the rest of your life. This early morning event Tuesday was a fund raiser also, for Girls On The Run, with the fee in the sixes of course. This was an Annapolis exclusive. I doubt if there is such a bunch of dedicated runners called the 6:06 club anyplace else in the world. One of the leaders of the group is Annapolis lawyer, Gill Cochran, whom they refer to as "Leader, Sir!" who stands at Church Circle at the six a.m. hour each morning exhorting dog walkers and anyone else moving at that hour to come join his group, saying, "Come Join Us. We’re famous. We’ve been on Sixty Minutes" and is consistently corrected that it was not Sixty Minutes, but " Good Morning America. "
I am slowly losing my battle to get runners to quit wearing headsets. Things have changed the past few years and I see the tide is running against me. I can’t find too many runners who don’t have those small white buttons in their ears holding their MP3’s or I-Pods or having them attached to an arm or in a pocket. The other day at the Merritt Athletic Club, Steve Cerones called me over and swiveled his computer screen, so I could see it. It was the Nike website, showing their new shoe that has a pocket in it for an I-Pod that not only offers music but instructions on running. Somebody, noting my chagrin on the losing battle, suggested that they would run, leaving the button out of one ear.
I suppose runners especially listen to music on their headsets to keep from being bored or to do homework. So, let me offer a diversion. Leave the I-Pods at home an do your running on the emerging trails on the western and eastern shores. Here in Annapolis, the County and the State have put down blacktop on the new track that parallels the new highway interchange near the Anne Arundel Medical Center if you run it heading south, you just have to be careful crossing Solomon’s Island Road and West Street. The pedestrian signals are there, but not yet activated at the Double T Diner intersection. Once you get across West Street the trail continues on to the Sail Bank on Solomon’s Island Road. I am told it will someday continue on to South County. And over the bridge in Kent Island in Queen Anne’s County, the State and the County have also put down blacktop on the new 3.5 mile trail along Route 8 where trails are the thing. This one connects Romancoke on the water with Matapeake Park. A few years ago the two mile Cross Island trail eastward along Route 50 from the Bay Bridge was installed and is a definite hit for bikers, hikers and runners. I have been told that this trail will be extended some day a few more miles across Kent Narrows and beyond with a footbridge over the Narrows. The only problem I see with the new trail along Route 8 is, that it goes by a golf course and I always fear getting hit with a ball that has been sliced. However as they keep reminding you at the Baysox games, keep your eye on the batter. In this case keep your eye on the golfer about to tee off.
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Running Calendar
Saturday morning is the Crofton Kiwanis 10 K run, That race is always interesting especially if Bill Burlison is among the runners. Burlison is the former member of Congress from the Midwest who never lost that urge to run or run for office. He settled in Crofton and in recent years put his political skills to work and became a member of County Council. This man is not a spring chicken, but you would never know it to see him run. Contact Marty Fallon at 410.451.3998.
The people in Baltimore started something a few years ago, when they added a few races to their marathon and now call it a festival. There’s a distance for everyone. The full and half marathon, the relays and some short runs. And in Washington, if you would like to hob nob with the 26 mile runners at the Marine Corps Marathon the end of October, there is now The Marine Corps Marathon 10K at 9 A.M. that Sunday, along with the Healthy Kids Fun run the Saturday before. More information at marinemarathon.com.
And as usual we have the Army Ten Miler the first week in October, but don’t forget the 3rd annual Navy 5 miler in Washington the end of September. For this one call 202.433.4686. This is a new number. The previous contact number was the desk of a sailor who has been assigned to duty in Iraq.
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