Maureen Hall sets new masters record!

This fine race has been getting bigger every year since it began back in 2000. The first year the course was 1/5 mile short so the times were faster than may have been expected. Of course, the pouring rain may have evened things out. This year the weather was near perfect. It had been much colder earlier in the week but the last two days had melted much of the ice and snow for the 8:30 AM start. The wind was non-existent and the few places where there was ice were well sand and salted. Many runners ran in kilts and there were even a few bare chests - all men. In the "Jeanne Larrison photo" at the top of the page, is the sentry- cheerleader runners heard coming and going.

This course starts across a little bridge and then scurries up a quarter-mile hill that can later catch up to jack rabbits. Still, after retiring race director Dave Cooley started the runners over the first-time used ChampionChip mats; a lot of the record crowd seemed determined to blitz the first mile. From there, the course meanders through the park with a brief cross- country detour. Photographer Jeanne Larrison shows us in the photo at just above that there were a few unfrozen hazards to maneuver around. The serpentine course falls back on itself more than once. The year however, runners circled the reservoir in it entirety for the first time. In past years, there had been a shorter out-and-back at the Moorish Tower. All the same, the last mile is always lightning fast as the last half-mile is all downhill.

Midway through the race the leaders seemed to be out for a lark, laughing and jostling each other. Later Brian Godsey of Baltimore, MD laid down the hammer and ran the second fastest time for the course - 25:57. Michael Styczynski of Columbia, MD set the course record in 2001 at 25:30. Carlos Renjifo (23) of Columbia outlasted veteran Doug Mock (38) 26:45 to 26:57 for second place. His time ties for fifth all time. Mock is only the seventh runner to break 27:00.

For perspective, the race numbers swell every year, starting with 123 in 2000. They more than doubled to 417 in 2001, adding a bunch to 417 in 2002. That year I predicted that the race would soon expand to 1000 runners. 2003 brought 697 finishers, followed by 832 last year. This year a record 946 finishers chirped their chip across the finish line.

This race brings out a solid Pennsylvania contingency such as Connie Buckwalter who won in 2001, was runner-up in 2003 and third overall in 2002, 2004, and 2005. Darcy McDonald of Lititz, PA, at eighteen-years-old, caps the win and teen record with a 31:26. In past years, the women's winner has been near or even in the top ten overall. This year many top men helped keep McDonald out of the top fifty finishers. After finishing runner- up 2001-2002 and winning in 2003, local favorite Denise Knickman was noticeably absent. She had lost to Buckwalter in 2001 and Vicki Cauller of York, PA in 2002. Last year Jill Krebs, now running out of Richmond, VA, dusted Cauller's then-record 30:49 with a top rated 29:25.

This race has had a master runner win the overall twice. In the first year, Robin Goodwin ran 33:08. In 2002, Greg Cauller joined his wife in the winner's circle with 28:11. That time is the masters record as well. The masters record for the women, excluding Goodwin's short course race had been Donna Lewis's 2001 jaunt in 34:17. The year's runner-up Maureen Hall (40) of Lavale, MD exploded to a huge 31:48 masters course record. The masters award winners, Ted Poulos of McLean, VA (28:26) and Beverly Black of Frederick, MD (33:48), own the second best masters time for the course.

For the grandmasters, Tim Morgan (55) was back to defend his title against top Colombian Mick Slonaker. Neither had ever broken 31:00 on the course. Slonaker had won the grand masters in style, well ahead of Morgan in 2003. Morgan was runner-up last year when Gary Townsend set the record in 31:08. This year's race would go a long way toward deciding the RRCA State Series. (It is the seventh and final race of the series). Frederick's Ron Black was looking to be heard from too. His finish in 31:48 could have won in another year. This year it kept him in sight of 50-54 runner-up Bob Burns of Columbia, MD. Morgan and Slonaker vanished early in a puff of frosty air. Morgan, who had set his lifetime PR at the 8K at age 50 at the Twilight 8K, pulled rapidly away with his patented low-to-the- ground, energy-saving stride. Slonaker was just close enough to see Morgan wheel around the next corner, finishing in 30:46. Morgan's time was 30:11. It should all have been fast enough to win. Along came feather-light, piston driven newcomer, Maurice Pointer of Baltimore, MD. Pointer weighing in at just less than 130 pounds lost no time flying up the opening mile in just under six minutes. From there he took off, rewriting the record books in a swift 29:24.

In 2001 Linell Smith of Baltimore, MD was not old enough to play with the grandmasters. Christy St. Clair notched the opening mark at 38:43. Since then, it has been all Smith. Each year she rolls back the clock with an even faster time. This year's 36:27 is the grandmasters record. For the Veterans, (60 & over) Nancy Berger is third 60-64. She ran the first race in 2000, just ahead of the only women over sixty to finish at all in the first four years. Judy Gilbert set the record last year in 43:38 before moving to the west coast, beating four other women, including soon-to-be seventy Tami Graf of Lusby, MD. This year Graf ran 46:25 to win the 65-69, just seconds behind the 60-64 winners, Sadj Bartolo of Colombia, MD in 46:13 and Louise Ramm of Baltimore, MD in 46:21.

For the Veteran men, Terry Derk of Dauphin came down from rival state Pennsylvania to win 2001-2002. His 35:57 win in 2001 is the course record. The next two years Stan Neumann of nearby Timonium, MD won easily. This year three runners battled for the second fastest time ever. Lou Shapiro of Silver Spring, MD had an easy time of it, finishing in 36:57.

The optional Brooks long sleeved runner shirts in a dominating bright blue were a hit with the huge crowds milling around after the race. The soup and coffee were hot. There were plenty of cold drinks and lots of sought-after sweets to refuel and warm the runners. The Stieff Silver Building made for a good warming spot between waiting for the start and later after the chowing- down, waiting for the awards. The portajohns outdoors are nice; the warm indoor plumbing made the racing experience that much better.

Top Three Overall & Masters Winner

Overall Male

1 Godsey, Brian	        Baltimore, MD   24  25:56.85

2 Renjifo, Carlos       Columbia, MD    23  26:44.70

3 Mock, Doug            Columbia, MD    38  26:56.75



Overall Female

1 McDonald, Darcy       Lititz, PA      18  31:25.95

2 Hall, Maureen         Lavale, MD      40  31:47.40

3 Buckwalter, Connie    Lancaster, PA   35  31:57.45



Masters Male

Poulos, Ted             McLean, VA      44  28:25.45

Masters Female

Black, Beverly          Frederick, MD   45  33:47.85

This seventh race of the Maryland RRCA State Series will have its results posted at www.mdrrca.org/mdgrandprix.htm in the near future. The awards will be announced at the RRCA Challenge in Columbia in February.

Race Day Results

Race director Jim Adams' race web site is www.baltimorerunning.com.