Fast mile course and lots of ice cream make for lots of smiles.

Glenelg boy (6) dies during Main Street Mile Fun Run.
It has been learned that Connor Bryce Smith, age six, died during the race. Young Smith was a veteran of three races, starting at age three. For more news about this tragedy and for information on the memorial service for Connor is planned for 10:30 a.m. April 28 at the Nichols-Bethel United Methodist Church in Odenton go to the Westminster Road Runners Web site.

Starting on the east side of town near Route 140, Westminster Road Runner Club's signature race is run in two heats. The course blasts down at about a 6% drop for the first quarter mile before flattening out somewhat. Closing on three quarters, when some of the younger racers are flaming out, there is a little tester hill. It would be nothing on a flat course but after the drop at the beginning, tiring muscles note that it is uphill.

This year runners were able to see the finish much better with a bright balloon arch. Veterans of the race know to race down the left side of the road where the finish chute is located. Every second counts.

This year the weather, which has been the second coldest April in about 100 years, suddenly warmed up. The skies looked threatening but runners were only met with a few scattered drops. At fifty degrees with virtually no wind the race was near perfect weather. The first heat is timed with racers of all ages. The second heat, which helped bring total participants to around seven hundred, is untimed and mostly for the younger folks.

Last year's winner, masters runner Carl Clark of New Market, MD (4:13), was absent. The race went to Matthew Waggoner (29) of New Cumberland, PA with 4:08. Waggoner is a very strong runner who was runner-up at last year's Germantown 5 miler with 25:19. Still, he claimed that this street course probably gave him about ten seconds over what he could have done on a track. Runners' opinions vary from little help to as much a thirty seconds. Generally, the younger the runner, the more the topography seems to help.

Sherry Stick (28) of Eldersburg, MD repeated as the women's champion saving a second from last year's time of 4:51. She also won in 2001 in 4:51. Her reign may soon be over as young Brittney Rooks (13) of Baltimore, MD powered to a 4:57 for the runner-up spot. Rooks had won this year's Cherry Pit 10 Mile outright in 66:40. When the runners are this young, they tend to improve quickly. Last year she had three overall wins including her first Cherry Pit and she ran a 5K in 19:14.

The men's runner-up is former Salisbury State Seagull Dock Mock. When Mock first came to the area he wasted no time showing is medal, winning the Annapolis 10 Miler in 50:10. Now forty, he obviously still has the stuff blasting a swift 4:22, which has many times been fast enough for the win.

Third place Danny Fink (43) of Morgantown, WV is no stranger to fast courses. Last year he won a close battle at the Main Street Mile in Frostburg, MD with 4:05.7. That course is more than 5% the whole way. He also finished sixth overall in 49:39 at the most notorious downhill race of all, the Great Allegany 15K. This PR maker is all downhill, usually with the first 20 racers going under 5:00 per mile for the first couple of miles. Fink had an ordinary 17:38 5K in mid march but his 4:27 finish today shows he is getting it back in gear.

For the women Becky Alvarez (27), now Rhodes, of Westminster, MD dropped three seconds from last year's runner-up spot but had to settle for third overall with 5:15.

Masters men seemed to thrive on this course. Stuart Pineo (45) of Columbia, MD won the masters title with 4:35. While he has already won a 5K out right this April, his times in the mid 17:00s do not give fair warning of his mile prowess. Ginger Rowley (45) of Clarksville, MD dropped sixteen seconds from last year's 6:40 and moved up to the top spot. Last year she was the fifth master.

Other standouts included fourth overall and age group 30-39 winner Remus Medley (36) of Baltimore, MD. One would think Medley is more of a long distance runner. After all, he won the 2005 North Central Trails Marathon in 2:43:08. Another runner with mild credentials in the 5K, 17:08 best for 2006, to race such a fine race as his 4:28 mile.

Delvaughan Rooks (15) of Baltimore, MD is just starting to bust 19:00 for the 5K but he easily won his division with a sparkling 4:47. Nicholas Wilber won the 20-29 division 4:28. Matt Reinhart, the 40-49 division winner, had a fine 4:39 for the fourth fastest master time.

Bob Weiner (60) of Accokeek, MD has always preferred the mile, racing a solid 6:00 for the win. This is a vast improvement over his National Masters Track Championship in Boston in March as he through aside the coils of 50-59. Weiner was an active in the George Mason Mobil Invitational Masters Mile. In 1995, he raced a 4:55.15, finishing ahead of former Olympian Frank Shorter in a race that featured four-time Boston marathon winner Bill Rodgers.

For the grandmasters, Maurice Pointer (51) of Baltimore, MD came back to defend his 4:47 title from last year when he was at the top of his division in the Runner Rankings. Hearing his first split at the halfway point was 2:27 and not the 2:15 of last year, he knew he would have to sustain over the tougher second half. He did and slipped under 5:00 with 4:58 to win the title. He plans to be at Pike's Peek in two weeks. That race will feature a number of top grandmasters, including the reemerging Chuck Moeser (55) of Sterling, VA.

Check out the Pike's Peek 10K on our Featured Races page.

Last year Terry Permar (51) of Perkasie, PA set the standard at 33:42. Dan Lawson (50) of Gaithersburg, MD was next in 34:29. He also won a Runner Ranking title in 2006. Coning from the south are the tops guns of Williamsburg. Stephen Chantry (52) was top dog in two ranking periods and was the year's champion for the Runner Rankings. Rick Platt (56) is coming off a new Virginia state record set at Ukrops in 35:31. He aims to prove that Pike's Peek swift course will net an even faster time. If we can get Tom Stevens (51) of Middletown, MD who won at Sallie Mae in 34:31 last year or Dave Schafer (51) of Middletown, MD the former longtime marathon record holder in Maryland, running 2:20:08 in 1984, it could be an epic battle..

Back in Westminster, a large contingency of volunteers dished out scores of gallons of ice cream with toppings for the grateful runners. Age group prizes went three deep and there was cash for the top three overall and the masters champion.

For a fun event that is inexpensive, $7.00, you get a T-shirt as well. The race is definitely a confidence booster for many runners as the spring weather finally arrives.

Full results

Awards

Male
Overall
Matthew Waggoner		4:08.6
Danny Fink			4:27
Remus Medley			4:28
Masters
Doug Mock			4:22
11-12
Patrick Rollo			5:04
13-15
Delvaughan Rooks		4:47
16-19
Alex Unglesbee			5:07
20-29
Nicholas Wilbur			4:35
30-39
Tad Morris			4:38
40-49
Stuart Pineo			4:35
50-59
Maurice Pointer			4:58
60-69
Robert Weiner			6:00
70& over
Jim Beahm			6:29

Female
Overall
Sherry Stick			4:50
Brittney Rooks			4:57
Becky Alvarez Rhodes		5:15
Masters
Ginger Rowley			6:26
11-12
Danielle May West		6:16
13-15
Anne Rachael Demarre		5:34
16-19
Kristin Duling 			5:40
20-29
Ashley Baker			5:37
30-39
Dorothy Carpenter		6:19
40-49
Carol Remy			6:36
50-59
Patricia Reddick		7:00
60-69
Nancy Berger			7:23
70& over