The Washington-Baltimore-Richmond metropolitan areas are full of running clubs. They range from the very active to the mostly social to an all-women running club. Following is the first in a series of articles exploring the myriad clubs in the region, and the programs and services they offer to runners. With this richness of resources, no one need ever run alone.

In this article, James Moreland introduces the series with a look back at his own introduction to running clubs and then profiles the Howard County Striders. James is particularly well suited to this task--he is a member of six clubs. Editor

Some people can start new things all by themselves. They leap into the water and then see whether they know how to swim or whether there will be a lifeguard. Everyone has run before, either in children's games or at school in gym class. Still, unless they are naturals, many people don't just leap into it.

Running is one of the easiest sports to do. There are no fancy uniforms or equipment. It can be done almost anywhere. Still, many people are shy to "give it a try." That is where the idea for running clubs came about. Let's make it easy for anyone, everyone, to come out and safely enjoy this healthy form of play.

When I first started running, it was on a dare from a former runner. I was already too old to be worried about not being "good enough," but still young enough to want to try something new. I did not know about running clubs. Searching my memory banks all the back to high school; I remembered that every high school had a track. I marched over to the nearest 400- meter oval, looked around to see if I was alone, girded myself, and "jumped into the water." Even though the track was shorter than the 440 yards of years before, it took a lot longer to get around than I had remembered.

I did not know that races or clubs were for everyone. I thought races were for professionals or the Olympics. I got used to running Tuesdays and Thursdays for a few months on a lonely track. One day I missed Tuesday, so I went to the track on Wednesday. There was a football game being played on the infield. I decided to go to another track down the road. To my surprise, there were more than one hundred people running around the track! They were of all shapes and sizes, men and women, children, and runners that looked to be in their seventies.

As I walked down the bleachers watching the spectacle, I heard a man with a bullhorn making a final announcement about an upcoming race. Being ornery, I said, "What are all these people doing on my track?" Without missing a beat, the man replied, "Oh, we're sorry. Do you want me to tell them all to leave?" We both laughed and then I asked what was the occasion. He told me that these people were all members of the Montgomery County Road Runners. He informed me that every week, rain or shine, this large group of runners met there for interval training runs.

Before I could ask, he invited me to join the runners. With safety in numbers, I ventured out on the track to join in. At first, I did not know the plan. So, I went to the starting line to begin with a mile run. Soon after, a group of runners approached me from behind. When they got closer, one of them yelled out in a firm voice, "Track!" Confused, I responded by saying, "Yes, isn't that obvious." However, to avoid getting in their way, I sped up. I finished my mile much faster than I had intended.

The coach had been watching. When I stopped to suck in some air, he came over and explained some of the rules of track etiquette to me. It turns out that "track" was a plea from oncoming runners for runners in their path to move over a lane or two and let them pass. Sometimes the request was "One!" or "Lane one!" The faster you run the less time there is for a lengthy conversation.

I watched the rest of the hour hoping to learn more. After they finished, the coach introduced me to some of the runners. He picked runners who he thought I might be able to run with. They told me about how Sundays the club members went to Ken-Gar, a park on the border of Rockville, nestled between Kensington and Garrett Park. I knew the park well, having grown up there. I had no idea that people ran there.

The following Sunday was an exciting homecoming. I had played my first games of baseball, basketball, and tennis in this park and had learned shuffleboard in the little cabin by the parking lot nearly thirty years before. Eight o'clock came and we, more than fifty runners, surged down the path. I was a novice, so I let the group set the pace. They were all talking about sports and news and what races they had run. They made it seem easy.

Six miles later we reached the horse stables at East-West Highway and they all stopped for a water break, uploading and downloading. I still felt fresh and when we resumed, I foolishly rushed out ahead of the pack. Less than a mile later, we passed Candy Cane City, another childhood landmark. By the time we reached eight miles, the others had caught up with me. We turned and headed back. Again, I pushed the pace because I knew we would get to rest at the stables. To my surprise, as I rushed to that "finish line," the others pulled away without stopping. Confused, I started after them but I was already toast. Soon they were out of sight, still talking and running effortlessly.

Another lesson learned. I lugged in ten minutes behind them. They told me next week they were running at Great Falls. This seemed a neat idea, training in a different spot. I was well rested when we reached the new spot the following week. All the same runners were there. This club was very efficient. They lined us up and gave us directions. (It would hard to get lost.) We were to run up the path for six and one-half miles and then come back the way we came. They even planned water stops.

Then the coach yelled, "Go!" One tall runner leaped out and was soon far ahead of the rest of us. "He will learn his lesson," I thought. I stayed with the group. This time there seemed to be less talk and we seemed to be going much faster. I just tried to stay with the group. Just as with Ken-Gar, there were mile markers. That day we hit the first mile marker in under six minutes! I was stunned and turned to the guys and said, "This is like a race!" "It is a race!" was the sardonic reply.

Oh boy, was it ever a time for me to reformulate my plans. I had no clue how to race a half marathon. I had only run in one other race in my life, that was a marathon the previous fall. That was very different. I had been running that race just to finish. Now I was competing. As we reached mile two, I was in a pack of three runners. One man asked the other which age group I was in. The other guy said, "It doesn't matter. He isn't a club member." That meant I was not in the series.

Soon I tired and fell back place after place. When we finished, I felt a little disappointed that I had needed to slow so much but knew what I wanted to do. I wanted to join that club. I wanted to be in that series. By the next race, I was a member of the MCRRC.

Howard County Striders One of many clubs in the metro area is the Howard County Striders. Most of the club's 800 members live in Columbia, Ellicott City, and nearby Clarksville, but runners from all over the area join for the many advantages. Once a member, you become a part of the clan. Anthony Basile moved to Colorado but hustled back into town to help the masters team finish second at Cherry Blossom. Current President Mick Slonaker left the area for nearly a year, set a few lifetime PRs, and returned to challenge the local 50-54 age group runners.

That is not to say it is an elite club. Nearly every Sunday afternoon at 2:00 pm, in the winter, spring, and fall, and Wednesdays at 7:00 pm in the summer, the Howard County Striders (HCS) puts on low-key races. You will see many top runners there serving as the weekly race director or timing crew. There is also a Junior Strider Program for younger runners.

The races start at 2:00 pm and rotate between six different locations. Each season has a series of about ten races. Runners gain points by participation and volunteering, as well as by place. Most weeks there is a two-mile race ($.25 for members/ $.50 for nonmembers) and a longer race(s), 5K or 5M or 10K/15K. These entry fees are $.50 for members/$1.00 for nonmembers. Some scholarship races cost $1.00 for everyone.

At the end of each season, prizes are given out. Vice President Al Greuter just handed over the series' reins to Leonard Guralnick. They keep a lookout for new runners. If you are seen at a lot of races you will be invited to volunteer at one of the races, which is nearly as much fun as the racing itself. The Striders have a great web site, www.striders.net. It is updated frequently with race results showing up usually the same day. Strider Jim Carbary likes to write so there is always a description of the race to go with the results. As editor of Footprints, Carbary is always looking for writers and camera bugs to enhance the newsletter.

At 7:00 am every Saturday morning since 1979, a Bagel Run group gets together in the parking lot in front of the indoor Swim Center in Wilde Lake in Columbia for informal distance runs. Runners form pace groups and head out for 7-20 mile runs. Warren Ohlrich has written a book, Columbia Running Routes, detailing individual routes by mileage. Striders volunteer weeks in advance to put out water at three locations. Long lasting friendships often trace their origins to the Bagel Run, which has become a staple of most members' training regime. Upwards of 60 runners come out during the fall marathon training season.

The year starts with a Prediction Run 8K, no watches allowed. You can start whenever you want but be back at 11:00 am exactly. The competition is fierce, with many runners finishing within ten seconds of 11:00 am. In 2000, Jeff Bosch finished at 10:59:59.87 a.m.

In February, the Striders host the RRCA 10 Mile Challenge, which brings running clubs from all over the state to compete. Usually the dominant team, the Striders have stirred the competitive juices of other clubs and fell to an avalanche of runners from the huge Montgomery County team in 2001.

In the spring, the Howard County Striders easily won both the men's and women's Cherry Blossom Open team competition with the coed masters team finishing second. Two weeks later, former President Paul Goldenberg directed the Clyde's 10K, one of the top ten 10Ks in the region. This race is well known for its post- race food. In the summer, the HCS hosts a Women's Distance Festival 5K, as do all the RRCA clubs. This race is unique in that it starts at midnight but is still the largest WDF 5K in the state, with more than 500 runners - all females!

Later in the fall, the HCS and the Linganore Winery host the Run Through the Grapevine 8K, with elite runner Gerry Clapper as race director. If you want a challenging cross-country course, this is the one. Expect to see Dan Quinn there too. This connoisseur of cross-country races wants more than just running on grass. Finishing guarantees you a wine glass while topping your age group gets you some wine to fill it. Last year everyone got to pick from eight different varieties of bread baked by Gerry himself, as well as sip cider or sample wine from the winery. This year the HCS is moving the Metric Marathon (16.3 miles) to Columbus Day weekend (October 7th) to make this challenging course a great last long up-tempo run or race before the many regional fall marathons.

If you are thinking about learning more or joining the Striders, you can reach them online at www.striders.net, send a letter to Howard County Striders, P.O. Box 563, Columbia, MD 21045 or call the Hotline at 410-964-1998. The low cost for the fine club is just $10 for individuals, $15 for families, and $6 for students.

For a list of all the running clubs and regularly-scheduled group training runs in the region, see our Resources page. Editor