Photos are courtesy of Jeanne Larrison.

After eight years, this race has grown too big for its britches. (Before the race, runners lined the street as far as the eye could see.) As the table below shows the race grew from a fantasy rite of passage for the winter into a cult race where runners appeared from all directions. Like the pet rock craze, everyone wanted to be a part of this now huge winter race in the heart of Baltimore. Race Director Jim Adams has said that the race will need to be capped next year with more than 2,500 runners signing up for the trip. Runners parked around Druid Lake and either jogged in (about a mile) or took one of the many shuttle buses to the start. The starting line backed all the way to the cross street behind the start.

The race starts on a little bridge over the Jones Falls Expressway (Route 83) and climbs up to circle in and around Druid Hill Park. The course meanders around like a drunken Scot and many a runner was seen running in a kilt. Bagpipes were blaring as runners darted past the two mile mark. Though the race was spared the coming storm, residual water chose to freeze on parts of the course, which was shortened ever so slightly. Runners were directed across the grass to avoid a small lake in the road in the second mile cutting perhaps fifty meters. Just past three miles, there was no avoiding the real lake. Druid Lake is more than a mile around and usually very windy.

Today, the early morning sky gave way to weather that was ideal for fast times. Runners got to pass by their car as they wheeled counter clockwise around the lake. With about a quarter mile left, they passed the Moorish Tower. Leaving the lake behind, it was a hairpin ski slope quarter mile to the finish line. With no wind around the lake, the splits were negative for many runners; especially at the sprint to the bottom of the hill they had climbed to start the race.

At the start, 2002 winner Greg Cauller of York, PA, now 48, was asked if he would be winning. He nodded towards last year's winner and course record holder (25:19) Dave Berdan (26) of Baltimore, MD and said, "There's your winner." Standing right beside him was masters phenom Andres Wright (41) of Frederick, MD. Wright politely said nothing but he was thinking he would be taking a shot at the overall win as well. By the halfway point, the race was over as Berdan pulled away to record the second fastest time for the race (25:29). Meanwhile, Wright was getting a real battle for the runner-up spot. Michael Colaiacovo turned thirty-five in 2004 and was fourth in 28:10. Then last year he sped up to 27:06. This year he leapfrogged past Frank Sprtel (35) of Silver Spring, MD, who had run 26:53. Colaiacovo just did hold off Wright in a near photo finish 26:19 to 26:21 with Sprtel fourth in 26:28.

Wright's blazing time set the masters record with the top three runners getting a check. Eleventh place Cauller was awarded first master in 27:39. He had set the previous record as top master in 2006 with 27:31. Lined up in front was coach of third place woman Laura Ramos, the always confidant Robert Marino. Marino had turned fifty in September and is looking for a track 10 Mile race where he plans to set the American record, which is around 55:00. Today, he said his training was a little off but he hoped to beat 30:00. TranslationHe knew Mike Hart had run 29:30 last year to just miss Maurice Pointer's event record 29:24 from 2005 and he sure as hell planned to beat both times.. He did easily finishing 18th overall in 28:19. Editor's Note: Hart has retired from running though he still makes an enormous contribution to running as a race volunteer.

Loping Lou Shapiro (66) of Silver Spring, MD reset his Best of 2007 time for five miles with a swift 34:07. That will just make John Elliot have to redouble his efforts to gain back the title.

Noah Wood sends us a photo of (l-r)John Gygax, Sheryl Kline masters winner, James Moreland 3rd AG 55-59, and Alison Suckling grandmaster winner

Speaking of titles, women's master Sheryl Kline was sixth overall, charting new ground in a sub-thirty-two finish (31:55). She was looking to match-up against 40-44 winner in 2006 (Robyn Humphrey with 32:22) or maybe last year's masters winner Kelly Dworak who incidentally ran 31:54. Instead her competition would be masters event record holder Maureen Hall (42) of Lavale, MD. Hall prefers the odd years, racing the best time of 31:48 in 2005. Last year she struggled a little finishing in 33:39. Kline, who is the local champion of Anne Arundel is used to a top finish but then so is Hall who owns Allegany County. Kline was hoping Hall would go out a little too fast on the opening hills and run out of juice. Kline felt great and was able to hold off Hall, who ran a solid 32:37 for ninth overall. Alison Suckling (52) of Arnold, MD was the top grandmaster in a new record of 33:46.

In the Open division, Katie Breitenbach (27) of Elkridge, MD had the third fastest time ever in a solid 30:03. Vicki Cauller of York, PA had taken down Jill Krebs 2004 course record of 29:25 with a sparkling 28:51 last year. Back in 2002 Cauller was eighth overall in 30:49 while her husband Greg was the winner. Long distance legend Sun Feng (38) of Columbia, MD was next this year in a swift 30:24.

After that the competition was fierce and brutal on the final downhill plunge. The next five runners finished with thirty meters of each other. Laura Ramos (28) of Washington, DC just held onto third by exactly one second in 31:52. Marcia Adams (32) of Catonsville, MD was next. Alana Van Allan (23) of Baltimore, MD flashed by less than a second later in 31:54. Masters champion Kline was on her heels in 31:55. Seventh place Christine Trzcinski (24) was barely gaped, coming home in 31:59.

The race had a big tent to hide from the rain that was threatened but it was not really needed. There were so many urns of coffee for before and after the race, it was a surprise that the porta johns were not more crowded. There were lots of cookies, chips, and snacks as well as lots of hot soup and bottled water. The race eschewed race shirts this year making basic entry inexpensive but offered a special deal for a race jacket for runners. The zipper jacket in grey with the Celtic Solstice logo discreetly on the back is a real keeper. Kudos to Director Jim Adams (center in photo) of Baltimore's Fall Road Running Store for ordering this great product from Brooks.

This event was the final race of the Maryland RRCA State Championship Series.

Costumes were the order of the day.

Year Totals and Winners

* Event Record				
					
Year  Runners Winner Men         Time   Winner Women	  Time
2000  123     Sean Smith	 26:32	Robin Goodwin	  33:08
2001  274     Michael Styczynski 25:30	Connie Buckwalter 30:22
2002  417     Greg Cauller	 28:11	Vicki Cauller	  30:49
2003  697     William Jesse	 27:31	Denise Knickman	  31:35
2004  832     Matt Seymore	 25:59	Jill Krebs	  29:25
2005  949     Brian Godsey	 25:57	Darcy McDonald	  31:26
2006 1521     David Berdan	 25:19*	Vicki Cauller	  28:51*
2007 1903     David Berdan	 25:29	Katie Breitenbach 30:03
					
Masters	
2007	Andres Wright	26:20		
2005	Maureen Hall 	31:48		
Grandmaster
2007	Robert Marino	28:19		
2007	Alison Suckling	33:46		

Brightly colored racers snaked their way through the opening miles.

Top Ten Men

PL  Name                      Hometown               Age  Club      Time
  1.Berdan, David             Baltimore, MD          M26            25:28.20
  2.Colaiacovo, Mike          Baltimore, MD          M38  HCS       26:19.10
  3.Wright, Andres            Frederick, MD          M41            26:20.60
  4.Sprtel, Frank             Silver Spring, MD      M35  PR        26:27.85
  5.LaMonte, Joe A            Arlington, VA          M27  HCS       26:56.70
  6.Heidt, Brian              Silver Spring, MD      M31            27:17.70
  7.Klaschus, Matt            Street, MD             M21  FRRS      27:22.65
  8.Lockwood, Max             Washington, DC         M37            27:24.30
  9.Loper, Shawn              Belcamp, MD            M29            27:27.05
 10.Barela, Mark              Washington, DC         M28  HCS       27:34.60

Halfway into the race, runners looped back on each other.

Top Ten Women

PL  Name                      Hometown               Age  Club      Time
 1.Breitenbach, Katie        Elkridge, MD           F27  HCS       30:02.20
 2.Sun, Feng                 Columbia, MD           F38  HCS       30:23.90
 3.Ramos, Laura              Washington, DC         F28            31:51.65
 4.Adams, Marcia             Catonsville, MD        F32            31:52.65
 5.Van Allan, Alana          Baltimore, MD          F23            31:53.50
 6.Kline, Sheryl             Arnold, MD             F44  AS        31:54.95
 7.Trzcinsski, Christine     Unknown, NA            F24            31:58.25
 8.Budrow, Nelly             Glen Burnie, MD        F34            32:06.40
 9.Hall, Maureen             Lavale, MD             F42  BRRC      32:36.55
10.Mezei, Gundula            Catonsville, MD        F27            32:43.90

Runners check out results, which appeared very quickly.

Full Race Day Results