The running scene

Runner spearheads new club; new off-road trails; upcoming fall races

Friday, Oct. 2, 2009

You might park at the St. Mary's County Welcome Center. After that, you might lock your car, tie your car key into your shoelaces and run a short distance up the road to Three Notch Trail.

Built on a county-owned, railroad right of way, the multi-use trail is currently only three miles. In time, though, it will run continuously for about 26 or 27 miles from Hughesville to Lexington Park, said Kathy Bailey of St. Mary's County Recreation and Parks. Thus far, two phases of construction are complete, and the amount of time it will take to finish the trail will depend on funding, Bailey said.

On a late Friday afternoon, a runner has the path mostly to himself. A couple turkey vultures scatter as he passes by. Down toward the southern end of the trail, past the Amish Market on Route 5, two men clear brush out of a yard. Signs posted near a cornfield, meanwhile, warn against trespassing.

Craig Barrett of Benedict sometimes sees Amish horse and buggies on this last half-mile of the trail. But as one heads back in the opposite direction, one will see that buggies are not allowed to use the other 2.5 miles, which crosses into Charles County, although one might be running along and suddenly hear hooves clacking on the nearby road.

Barrett, 39, runs here a couple times every week — on his easy days. When the marathoner and, as of last week, ultra-triathlon finisher, does his 20-milers, he takes to roads like Route 231, with its wide shoulders and cars whizzing by at 50 or 60 mph. For long runs, three miles back and forth can get a bit repetitive. Even so, the flat pathway, which is marked every half mile, could provide runners a nice venue for intervals or speed training.

On the trail, between the Charlotte Hall Veterans Home and the Northern County Senior Center, one finds a small water cooler, with cups, hanging off a white, picket fence. Further along, Patuxent Velo Club (www.paxvelo.com), a local cycling club that supports the extension of the trail, has donated a bench. Southern Maryland triathletes, meanwhile, have the Patuxent River Tri Club (paxrivertri.com).

As of late, runners, cyclists and walkers have some off-road options. Charles County's 13-mile Indian Head Rail Trail, completed last week, runs from Theodore Green Boulevard in White Plains to Mattingly Avenue in Indian Head. Parking is available in Indian Head at the Village Green (100 Walter Thomas Road) and Charlie Wright Memorial Park (101 Dr. Mitchell Lane) and in White Plains on Theodore Green Boulevard.

During high school, Barrett ran to stay fit for other sports. "As I got older," he said. "I had more responsibilities, and those sorts of things started to fall off."

In 2006 some of his co-workers were training for the Marine Corps Marathon. "I saw what they were doing," he said, "and how much fun they were having and camaraderie and said, ‘I want to do that.'"

Thirty pounds heavier than he is now, Barrett initially struggled to run a mile. But he stuck with it, and after six months he decided to enter the 2007 Marine Corps Marathon. He followed an online training program, and the race, which he called a disaster, took him nearly six hours to finish.

Barrett persevered. In 2008 he ran three more marathons, including Marine Corps in 4:37.49. He also founded the Hughesville Running Club (hughesvillerunningclub.com), which will host this weekend's Hughesville 10K/5K. The out-and-back courses start on Burnt Store Road.

It was the beginnings of the Three Notch Trail, as it happens, that motivated Barrett to start the club. "I kind of felt like instead of waiting for others to decide how my community was going to be, I felt like I should do my part to mold my community," he said. "My part was starting a running club."

Though the running club has struggled to attract members, the inaugural Hughesville 10K/5K was successfully held last year. A tropical storm postponed it a week, but the event drew about 120 runners. Luis Navarro won the 5K in 17:47.05 and Victor Papagno won the 10K in 37:57.15. Suzanne Edgar was the top female 5K finisher in 21:39, while Jessica Schwab's 40:57.75 made her the top female and second overall finisher in the 10K.

Last year's event included a festival, with live music, after the races. However, due to a lack of sponsorship and interest, the festival was canceled in 2009.

Barrett and the Hughesville Running Club have received support from Charles and Calvert counties' Chesapeake Bay Running Club (www.cbrcmd.org), which made the Hughesville 10K/5K part of its annual Grand Prix Racing Series. CBRC-sponsored races include the Lower Potomac River Marathon in March, the Chaptico 10K in August and, in its second year, the Lower Potomac River 10-Miler on Oct. 11. According to the club's president, Richard Braam, who moved to St. Mary's County about a year ago, the group has about 100 members. Group runs are organized somewhat informally through e-mail.

"So many people have this perception that we're all these elite runners," he said. But that's not the case, and Braam thinks the misperception discourages beginning runners from contacting the club.

In fact, Braam enjoys helping new runners avoid committing the same missteps he once did. They include buying the wrong type of shoes or increasing weekly training mileage and intensity too quickly.

Braam said his own mistake was entering a marathon for his third race. Even so, Braam has come a long way in the seven years since he immersed himself in the sport. His weight has dropped from more-than-200 pounds to 152, and he recently ran 2:49.20 in his second Boston Marathon.

Barrett, by the way, will not be running in his own Hughesville 10K/5K. He has too many responsibilities on race day, for one, but he also might need a couple more weeks of recovery.

Seemingly at odds with Braam's advice to gradually increase advance to the sport's longest races, just last weekend Barrett finished the Chesapeake Man Ultra Triathlon, which is the official Ironman distance of 2.4 miles of swimming, 112 miles of cycling and 26.2 miles of running.

To prepare for the swim, Barrett trained in the Patuxent River. Fishermen would see him wading in the water and say, "Hey, are you one of those triathletes?"

"Yes," Barrett would say. "Yes I am."

Head to the races

Hughesville 10K/5K — The second annual race will be held from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Oct. 3 at 15035 Burnt Store Road, Hughesville. Races begin at 8 a.m. with a 10K, 5K and fun run for children. Fee is $25 for the 10K and $20 for the 5K. Register at www.hughesvillerunningclub.com.

John R. Petruccelli 5K Run/Walk — A 5K cross-country race will be held at 8 a.m. Oct. 3 as part of St. Mary's College's Hawktober Festival and Family Weekend. The college is in St. Mary's City. Fee is $20, $25 on race day. Go to www.smcm.edu/alum/petruccelli.

Lower Potomac River Ten-Mile Run — The Chesapeake Bay Running Club will present its second annual race at 7:45 a.m. Oct. 11. The race is limited to 200 runners. It starts at the Piney Point Lighthouse Museum, 44701 Lighthouse Road. Fee is $40. Call 301-863-8431.

Vivian Ripple 5K — The 5K run and walk will be held at 8 a.m. Oct. 17 at the Harry Lundenberg School of Seamanship, 45353 St. George's Ave., Piney Point. Registration begins at 7 a.m. Fee is $25. Call 301-475-8102.

Harvest for the Hungry 5K and 1-mile Fun Run/Walk — The inaugural race will be held at 8:30 a.m. Oct. 24 at Mary B. Neal Elementary School, 12105 Saint Georges Drive, Waldorf. Registration begins at 7 a.m. Fee is $25 for the 5K before Oct. 21, $5 for the mile. Proceeds Hungry Kids Helping Kids Campaign. Call 301-638-2617.

CAASA's ninth annual Step-by-Step 5K Fun Run/Walk — The race will be held at 9 a.m. Nov. 7 in Solomons. It begins at Calvert Marine Museum, 14150 Solomons Island Road. Go to www.active.com.