Photo: Mark Hoon (left), age 40 of the MCRRC team, finished sixth overall in 55:53.

Last year's new course was labeled short. It was not really new if you have enjoyed any of the many Howard County Striders races because you passed along parts of quite a few of them. It was not really labeled because there were not any mile markers. It was a fun romp through the fabled hills of Columbia.

This year the start about 400 meters back of last year's start laid to rest any of the feeble bleating of runners crying for a personal record (PR) on last year's course. The first mile seemed a little short to most runners but it was downhill. In a big multi-club challenge race with perfect weather, runners do tend to gun the start. As usual, our Howard County starter playfully encouraged other clubs to, "Take it easy. No need to push the pace."

From the start, it was clear that Izudin Mehmedovic (20) from the host team was still mighty pumped from a 4:08 mile run last week. He comfortably held off racing legend Dock Mock (37) a former 50:00 10-Mile winner at Annapolis. Craig Morrell led the always powerful Falls Road Running Club. DC Road Runners led by their ace Joe Racine (26) had four of the top ten runners. Masters champ Mark Hoon (40) led the huge Montgomery County Team.

Men's Top Ten Finishers in 2005

    1  Mehmedovic, Izudin      M20   Howard Co Striders   53:24.28
    2  Mock, Doug              M37   Howard Co Striders   54:09.04
    3  Morrell, Craig          M33   Falls Road Running   54:19.76
    4  Colaiacovo, Mike        M35   Howard Co Striders   55:18.48
    5  Racine, Joe             M26   DCRRC                55:47.06
    6  Hoon, Mark              M40   Montgomery Co RRC    55:52.15
    7  Fox-Boyd, Michael       M25   DCRRC                55:54.38
    8  Welton, Joseph          M30   DCRRC                56:59.17
    9  Zander, Zach            M25   RASAC                57:03.68
   10  Rapine, Richard         M32   DCRRC                57:05.14

For the women, the tiny Westminster club boasted the Challenge's top runner with a sub hour effort rarely since in recent years. Jill Krebs (24) ran 59:50. Her teammate Diana Poole (24) would have easily won the race last year with her 1:01:57. The powerful home team four of the top ten finishers, including master's champ Julie Thienel (41).

Women's Top Ten Finishers in 2005

   1	27  Krebs, Jill             F24   Westminster RRC           59:49.46
   2	48  Pool, Diana             F24   Westminster RRC         1:01:56.37
   3	75  Selmer, Carrie          F20   Howard Co Striders      1:04:49.54
   4	89  Eckstaedt, Christine    F22   DCRRC                   1:05:50.74
   5	92  Beven, Helen            F39   Montgomery Co RRC       1:06:08.76
   6	95  Thienel, Julie          F41   Howard Co Striders      1:06:17.44
   7	101 Humphrey, Robyn         F40   Howard Co Striders      1:06:56.00
   8	104 Zerfas, Patricia        F42   Montgomery Co RRC       1:07:02.61
   9	113 Hargis, Jill            F44   Annapolis Striders      1:08:13.96
  10	118 Lang, Vicki             F36   Howard Co Striders      1:08:31.57

Scoring includes a combined race, as well as the top ten men and the top four women from each team. Howard County took first in all three events. This race is the first of seven and perhaps eight races for the MD RRCA State Series. New Maryland RRCA State Representative Phil Lang (also Howard County Striders President) with the help of most of the Clubs picked out the races, which will score for this year series.

RRCA State Championship Races

Race	                   Location                    
Date/Time          Club Sponsor
MD RRCA 10-Mile Challenge     Columbia, Howard County     2/20 
at 8:15 am  Howard County Striders
SpringBurst 8K               Greenbelt, P. G. County        4/09 
at 9:00 am	   Prince George's RRC
Tentative
Mission of Mercy 5K Frederick, Frederick Cty    5/14 
at 8:30 am  Frederick Steeplechasers 
Bel Air Town Run 5K           Bel Air, Harford County	  6/05 
at 8:00 am  RASAC
Rockville Twilighter 8K       Rockville, Montgomery Cty   7/17 
at 8:45 pm  Montgomery RRC  
Annapolis 10 Miler            Annapolis, Anne Arundel Cty 8/28 
at 7:50 am  Annapolis Striders
Larry Noel 15K	              Greenbelt, P.G. County	  9/04 
at 5:00 pm  DCRRC
Celtic Solstice 5M            Druid Hill Park, Baltimore 12/17 
at 8:30 am  Baltimore Running Coalition

Photo above: Kevin Yates, age 33 of the MCRRC, placed 29th with a time of 1:00:03.

For Overall results and team results

For information on the MD RRCA Series