The temperature was a pleasant sixty degrees with a nice cool breeze blowing off Allen Pond. Some clouds hovered overhead briefly as runners marched from the parking lot to pick up their race packets. Soon the happy music, the beautiful flowers at this lovely park, and the cheerful moods of the many volunteers showed those clouds to the door. Bowie, MD, is a little way off from the huge running centers in Montgomery County and Northern Virginia, nestled just west of Anne Arundel County. Still, a race such as this is a powerful draw for race lovers.

The race started five years ago and after hearing many good things about the race, I decided to check it out. I have now added this on to my short list of must do races. The course is scenic and fast. That is right, scenic and fast. This small Prince George's County Park is amazingly well maintained. The course begins at one end and races past a soccer field on one side, with an ice rink on the other. The park road has just enough roll to make it interesting, not hilly. Leaving the park, the runners head gently up into the neighborhood before circling back. By the mid point in the race, all of the rolls are gone as the runners reenter the park to swing around the pond for the last half-mile.

The Run For Kathy honors the late Kathy Long-Popp who succumbed to cervical cancer at the age of 36, in June 1999. The first race was held that October. The race is very serious about raising funds for The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins. So far, it has raised more than $40,000.

The one-mile fun walk is free. It moved me to learn that they also gave free entry to cancer survivors. The park was a happy playground being shared by others. After collecting a well stuffed goodie bag, we moved over to the starting line. The first year of the race, there were 164 finishers and it increased to 256 by 2001. Last year the race was rescheduled to November to avoid that painful time of the snipers. The finishers total dropped to 122.

First year winner Kurt Kroemer still has the record of 15:59 that he narrowly earned over Steve Nearman (16:02). Since then, it has been all Ted Poulos (41) of McLean, VA. He has won the last three years. In 2001, he ran 16:25 for the third fastest course time and one of his last races as a submaster. Three other runners ran sub 17:00 that year. Last year he held off Bill Dunn (24) of Alexandria, VA, running 16:53 to 16:57. Nobody else was close. This year Poulos had two runners on his heels as he poked out of the woods with 400 meters to go. Poulos is the master of winning the close ones. Still, the look on his face told us that he knew the race would not be over until he crossed the finish line. His time was 16:58. Bill Schultz flashed across a few quick steps back in 17:01 with Arturo Fernandez, also of Bowie, MD, on his heels with 17:03.

After that, Lionel Scatliffe (49) of Alexandria, VA proved he still had the stuff, holding off Pablo Caballero by two seconds, 18:21 to 18:23. Jim Noone of Fairfax, VA had won the ten-year age group 50-59 in 2001 with a nifty 19:31. Last year he was bumped to third place, slowing to 20:01. Competing with the top half of the age group can be daunting. This year at age fifty- nine, he cruised to victory in 19:37. For the older folks, it is even tougher with a 60-99 age group. This keeps many of the older runners away. With the absence of Chan Robbins, John Gluck (66) of Alexandria, VA moved up from second to first. Annapolis Striders standout runner Milton Taylor (70) of Odenton, MD was second in 25:16.

Last year Katie Dickerson (22) of Germantown, MD set the record in 18:59. This year another young gun, Eileen Kickish (23) of Washington, DC, had an easy time with only the second sub 20:00 time ever for the women. Sheryl Klein of Arnold, MD was next and the masters champion in 21:09, pushing last year's runner-up Nadine Connell of New Carrollton, MD to third. Katherine Clagett (33) of Brandywine, MD and Jennifer Johnson (24) battled mightily for fourth place, with both winning their respective divisions. Clagett eked a victory by one second in 21:12. Cheryl Hendricks of Waldorf, MD won the young masters division (40-49) in 24:07.

For the women, only one other runner besides runner-up Sheryl Kline ran a qualifying time for Ranked Runner in the Washington Running Report. That was 50-59 winner Sabra Harvey of Indian Head, MD in 24:14. Second in that division, Lainey Bernstein of Potomac, MD, just missed a PR, running 25:05.71. That time would have been second in the 40-49 division. She was just out kicked by second place in the 30-39 division, Sherry Beenas of Rockville, MD, in 25:04.49.

At the finish, when most of us are at our weakest, volunteers gently handed each runner a bottle of water. There was a large pavilion nearby stocked with fresh bagels, bananas, apples, and "Love that Chicken from Popeye's." What could be better than a picnic lunch by a picturesque pond on a lovely autumn day? Random awards! You did not even need your number. They found you. How about dinner for two or running apparel or green fees at a local golf course! Soon afterwards, the awards were announced. First place got a pair of Brooks running shoes and $50 cash. Second Place received Under Armour apparel. Third place received $50 to Ruth's Chris Steakhouse. Age group winners earned medallions. Then it was too soon to leave. This day needed a walk around the pond.

The race Web site is very professionally done. It contains messages from the recipients of all the fine work they did on this race. They have all the information you could want about the race and the goals of their donations, as well as complete results from every year of the race.

The efforts of Kathy Long-Popp's family, friends and volunteers have honored and celebrated her life. If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation, please send a check payable to Run For Kathy at 14410 Autumn Crest Road, Boyds, MD 20841. You may also send a message to donations@run4kathy.org or get more information at the race Web site.

Race results are available