Happy birthday to team Christopher’s Place! We officially turned one in August!
August was a busy month for us with training, racing, and participating in social events:
On Sunday, August 8th, Back on my Feet participated in the second annual Right Side Foundation (of the Baltimore Orioles’ outfielder Nick Markakis) 5k, held in Patterson Park.
Nick was on hand again this year to cheer on the runners, and he was joined by catcher Matt Wieters, second baseman Brian Roberts, pitcher Matt Albers, and the Oriole Bird mascot. This race was the first time back in the Park for many runners since January’s Resolution Run 5k, and the first Back on My Feet 5k for Jay, Mike, and Jimmie.
Adjusting to the evening start time and Patterson Park’s tough hilly course was no problem for CP, as ten runners participated in the 5k: Skyler, Donnell, Jay, Jon, Brian, Leon, Nate, Ricky, Mike, and Jimmie. Many PRs were set! Non-res runners included Reisel, Preston, Jeanne, Claire, Joey, Krystle, and Sarah; and Johannah, Jon, and Erin came out to cheer.
CP celebrated our first birthday on August 18th with birthday hats for the morning run and cupcakes in the circle afterward. Congratulations to our one-year veterans: Brian and Skyler, as well as Alex, Amy, Brendan, Brockett, Jeanne, Johannah, Joe, Justin, Preston, Reisel, and Ursula. The celebrations continued with our Pasta Party on Friday, August 20th, which also served as a rally for Wipeout. We had pasta, salad, and birthday cake as we prepared our costumes for Wipeout and discussed strategy….
…which paid off when CP was named the proud winners of BOMF Wipeout!! Perhaps you heard our Thunderation cheer, led by a very spirited Mike H.? This was our first year participating in the event and we took home the overall trophy after strong performances in the hula hoops (first place), tug o’war (second place), and the running relay (second place). CP was decked out in purple tie-dyed t-shirts, gangster hats, bandannas, and Mardi Gras beads (a gift from Alex in New Orleans)!
We had a great time competing with the other BOMF teams and look forward to our next social event!
As the month winds down, we also wish our CP runners best of luck in the fall semester: Kayla and Julian (University of Maryland), Brittani and Alaleh (Towson University), Thomas and Keith (Johns Hopkins University), and Johannah (Maryland Institute College of Art).
Our graduate student runners include Claire and Jon (Johns Hopkins University), Ursula and Erin (University of Baltimore), Brendan (Loyola University), Reisel and Preston (University of Maryland), and Krystle (Coppin State University). Good luck to everyone in the upcoming school year!
Team members celebrated following milestones in August:
- Ricky, Nate, Jay, Jerry, and Leon reached 100 miles
- Tony reached 175 miles
- Donnell and Brian reached 375 miles
- Donnell passed three of the five tests required for his GED – he’ll take the last two tests soon
- Leon and Steven received Next Steps grant checks, and Leon began drivers’ education courses in early August (and passed his written test in late August)
- Jay started a new job in late August
We’re looking forward to a fun September and cooler weather as marathon training continues!
RESIDENTIAL MEMBER OF THE MONTH: LEON P.
Member since: November 2009
Miles accumulated: 100
BOMF moment: The Resolution Run 5K at Patterson Park.
Biggest challenge with running: Staying fit and in good shape.
Goal in the next three months: To lose more weight, obtain my Maryland driver’s license and find a fulltime job. I’d be grateful for that.
What was your last race and how’d you do in it?: My last race was the Right Side Foundation 5K in August. I only stopped once, and I finished in 37:12.
What advice would you give a brand-new runner?: Try to maintain a positive attitude toward your running goals and the people who help with encouragement.
“Leon has been with team Christopher’s Place since late last year, and he ran his first race with the group in January (the Resolution 5K). Unfortunately, he missed some time with the team earlier this year due a medical issue, but he still joined the circle to cheer on his teammates, support the group and offer motivation.
He resumed running with the night running team at the height of the summer heat and also logged many miles on his own when his schedule conflicted with the team’s runs. Leon’s hard work and perseverance is paying off, and he’s almost at the 100-mile mark. We’re all so proud of Leon’s accomplishments and very glad he is part of Team CP!” – Sarah O’Conner, team leader
NONRESIDENTIAL MEMBER OF THE MONTH: JOHANNAH H.
What advice would you give a brand-new runner?: Keep pushing. Take one step at a time; just aim to make it to that street corner-and then all of the steps after it.
“Johannah has been with Christopher’s Place since the very beginning and is our team’s race coordinator. She has worked behind the scenes to coordinate some of our biggest races, such as the Nikia Half-Marathon, and our more unique events, such as the DC/Baltimore St. Patrick’s Day Double and the Sweet Air Trail Race.
She also helps with social activities, such as the Rowing Day with the Baltimore Rowing Company and the BOMF Wipeout.
She’s also been a dedicated runner and teammate, all while balancing school and work. Johannah’s commitment is much appreciated and we thank her for all of her hard work on behalf of team CP!” – Sarah O’Connor, team leader
[...] to grow with the addition of both res and non-res members. We should be in good shape to dominate Wipeout in just a couple of [...]