Rock Hall, Maryland
The 27th Annual Rock Hall Flat Five drew what could very well have been its largest crowd of participants in its history. Perhaps it was the scenic quaint Chesapeake Bayay side town and flat terrain that drew local and tourist runners, or the sub-eighty-degree weather that brought runners out to this reputably "hot-as-blazes" five-mile race. Either way, great times were run and great times were had as Rock Hall continued to its Fourth of July tradition with the Flat Five race in the morning followed soon after by a parade and other holiday festivities.
The women's race was pretty tight among the younger ladies. Drew Sanclemente narrowly finished seventh overall and won the female division with a time of 35:13. Just behind her, Ashley Smith finished second among the females and eighth overall with 35:14, and she won the junior women age-group category. Courtney Chipouras was the third female finisher and tenth overall, not too far behind Sanclemente and Smith in a time of 36:39. Chipouras also won the open women age category.
"It was a great day for a race, the weather was perfect," said Susan Schweers, who finished second in the open women age-group category and 34th overall with a time of 41:24. "The town support made it even better."
Jim Lancaster, Coach of Seton Keough's running programs in the Baltimore, MD area, won the race in a time of 29:58, pacing himself well throughout. It has been several years since anyone has cracked a half-hour at this race; great work Coach Lancaster! A good ways back was Noah Wood, who finished second in 32:31 after going the wrong way briefly near the center of town and the finish line area shortly after the race started. Not far behind was third place finisher, Chris Wilde, with a time of 33:42 and winning the sub-masters age category.
"It wasn't too bad this year; not too hot, not too humid," said male finisher Henry Pechin, who took second in the sub-master men age category and 16th overall with a time of 38:02. "A great turnout."
Among the finishers was Dale Wood, who has run the Rock Hall Flat Five every year it has occurred, which has been at least since 1982. In addition, he has a greater running accomplishment in a couple of other Kent County races. He has run the Chestertown Tea Party Distance Classic 10-Miler every year for the past 32 years (never opting to do the shorter 5-kilometer option). Plus, he has done the Still Pond-to-Betterton Beach Tree Run every year that they have had it (and according to him, that event has been around almost as long as the Rock Hall Flat Five). There were a couple of years recently where that event did not officially take place, but he and a few of his friends and family members got together and ran the course anyway from Still Pond to Betterton Beach; post-race party and all!
"The years go by faster, but the miles go by a whole lot slower," Mr. Wood said cleverly about his race.
Though, Dale Wood could hardly be considered a slow runner. Back in his forties, he did the Chestertown Tea Party Distance Classic 10-miler in under an hour-and-ten minutes, meaning he averaged under a seven-minute-per-mile pace for ten miles. At the Flat Five, he placed 89th overall with a time of 59:28
In addition Tim Olinick, who won the Still Pond to Betterton Tree Run earlier in April, placed 37th overall with a time of 41:55. The Tree Run has been one of Kent County's races that have been around for a while (apparently almost as long as the Flat Five) and it is a unique distance of about 3.6 miles.
I would like to thank Dennis Herrmann for helping to put on the race and getting the results together, in addition to anyone else who helped out!
There were different age-group categories awarded and they were broken down like so:
Women
Junior Women = 25 years-old and younger
Open Women = 26-39 years
Master Women = 40 years and over
Men
Junior Men = Under 20 years-old
Open Men = 21-35 years
Sub-Master Men = 36-49 years
Master Men = 50 years and over
Photos coming soon hopefully! Please leave me a comment or send me an e-mail at noahwood@juno.com if you see anything that needs correcting. I apologize in advance if I misspelled anyone's name or did not accurately record anyone's time. Thank you all very much!
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