The Annapolis Striders know how to run a race. The club has been 
running unique and entertaining races since 1976. With about 
1300 members, it has hosted the Annapolis Ten Miler for 26 
years. This nationally famous course is the race to run in 
August. Nearly all the Maryland state records have been set on 
this triple H course (hot, hilly and humid).
 
John Astle, Maryland State Senator, the only person to have 
completed the race all 25 years, was the first of seven 
finishers in 1976. In 1994, a new 80-foot high bridge, 2,835 
feet long, was open for the enjoyment of the now more than 4000 
runners. Last year they peaked at 4100 finishers. Ron Bowman, 
the race director for the last five years, is now the club's 
president. Evan Thomas, former president and former RRCA State 
Representative, often serves as the announcer.

I had been running for less than a year when I ran my first A-10 
race in 1988. In fact, I was so new to running I was just 
learning that it was gauche to wear the race t-shirt in the 
race. With the heat, I was going to go shirtless. To my 
surprise, there was a Naval Academy rule prohibiting shirtless 
runners. No matter, the race's premium was always nicer than an 
advertisement/T-shirt. That year the premium was a pair of 
running pants to match the running jacket from the 1987 race. 
The course ran around the stadium, through the cobble stone 
streets in town, down by the waterfront, and through the 
Academy. The halfway point crossed the Severn River on a 
drawbridge, then up the neighboring hills before returning to 
finish inside the stadium on the track. There was a huge 50-foot 
Budweiser balloon mascot, signaling that there would be beer to 
go with all the other refreshments. There were thousands of 
seats to sit on while learning who would take home a trophy.

Already the times were starting to slow. I finished in 62:28 for 
118th place. Last year that time would have been good for 32nd 
place and an age group award. Only two of the nine national age 
group records remain. The course records are:

Open Male 
1980 Terry Baker (24) in 48:09 
Open Female
1982 Eleanor Simonsick (24) in 56:12
Master's Male
1994 James Pryde Jr. (41) in 53:48
Master's Female
1991 Rose Malloy (43) in 1:00:36
 
Both masters records would have easily won the race last year. 
In fact, Simonsick's open time would have placed her fifth 
overall.

The Striders hold only about fifteen races a year but all 
provide a bang for your buck. In February they have a 
Valentine's Day Relay race for a different challenge at only 
$8.00 a couple. Later in the month, they celebrate George W.'s 
Birthday with a race day fee of only $5.00. This interesting out 
and back race had lots of food and tons of prizes and awards, 
three deep in 15 age groups! Ahead of some of the larger running 
clubs, they have their very own marathon run on the B&A Trail in 
March. In April, they go head to head with Cherry Blossom, 
running their second of two ten milers, the Cherry Pit race.

When I was running young and naive, my brother and I rode our 
bikes to Annapolis thinking we could cross the Bay Bridge and 
ride on down to the beach. We got as far as Sandy Point Park 
where the guards nixed our idea. The Striders must have been 
listening. For the last fifteen years, during the first weekend 
in May, thousands of runners get a chance to brave the heights 
and race a 10K that goes across the Bay Bridge.

They have a Mile run in July, a cross-country 5 miler, and even 
a metric marathon (26.2K) in the fall. I had the most fun at 
their other two 10Ks. This June, the Father's Day 10K started 
near the Anne Arundel Hospital on a beautiful day. We raced out 
through the neighborhood and onto the well-marked B&A Trail. The 
first one back was 43-year-old Jim Hage. He was not the first 
one back to the chow line, though. He tried to get me to go on a 
cool down run but I had my priorities straight. I headed back to 
the hospital where they feed us a smorgasbord of runner's food - 
bagels, hot dogs and hamburgers, ten varieties of soda, iced 
tea, beer, fresh fruit, ice cream, and an assortment of 
pastries.

As I get older, I really appreciate an age-graded race and not 
just five-year age groups. Last year on a foggy fall day, we 
lined up for the Old Cold Turkey 10K. Sixty-nine-year-old Yvonne 
Aasen left first. We all jogged in place waiting as the race 
director called out men and women's ages. When you heard yours, 
it was time to go chase Yvonne. Not surprisingly, there were 
only three runners in their twenties, who had to start last. 
Every time you passed a runner you knew they were older then you 
were. Every time somebody caught up with you, you knew it must 
be some young whippersnapper. Ted Poulos was the first one back 
this time. Again, this was a $5.00 race with lots of food 
afterwards. The top ten runners got awards. I got a bottle of 
wine for seventh place.

The Striders have all the de rigueur training groups. There is a 
beginning runner program, a marathon-training program, a Junior 
Striders group, and maybe the only ultramarathon training 
program in the area. They have a Woman's Distance Festival. Of 
course, there is a Sunday morning group leaving the City Dock at 
7:30 am. Saturday mornings the Striders start at 7:00 am by the 
Farmers Market by the Truman Parkway Park 'n Ride with mile 
markers as far as you want to go and water every two miles. 
During the week, runners congregate at the Naval Academy track 
at 6:00 pm.

As a member, you get to read about running in the club 
newsletter The Streak. To learn more, you can reach them online 
at www.annapolisstriders.org, or send a letter to Annapolis 
Striders, Inc., P O Box 187, Annapolis, MD 21404, or call the 
Hotline at 410-268-1165, or email at astriders@hotmail.com. 
Membership is $15.00 for individuals, with special rates for 
families.

The Annapolis 10 ten-miler statistics were provided by George 
Banker who has spent many hours researching and writing about 
the race.