Team HUM

Why are you in the Baltimore Running Festival this year?

I run for my physical and spiritual heath.  There is heart disease in my family and running helps me keep my cholesterol down and my heart strong.  When I run, I’m usually alone on a trail in the woods and I have found that to be a great place to clear my head from the busyness of life and pray.  Others run to remember loved ones or run with friends.  And, I’m told, some even run to compete and possibly win!

For some of the men at the Helping Up Mission here in Baltimore, the Baltimore Running Festival has become a means to practice a disciplined lifestyle and raise funds to keep the mission running.  Check out their website Helping Up Mission for information about contributing to Helping Up Mission.  From that website, here’s the scoop on Team Hum:

“For the second year, Executive Director Bob Gehman is running a half-marathon in the annual Baltimore Running Festival, along with many other members of ‘Team HUM’.  As Team HUM is Facing the Challenge of training for the event, Helping Up Mission is Facing the Challenge of providing the best care for men seeking to escape the cycle of homelessness, poverty and addiction.  In 2008, our donors sponsored our runners and helped us raise over $60,000, so we could serve a growing client population.  This year, in these difficult economic times, we need even more help so we may continue providing the long-term care needed for the men to recover and restore their role as contributing members of society.  With your support, we will raise $75,000 and reach our “finish line” – one mile at a time, one life at a time!

Since 1885, Helping Up Mission has been coming to the aid of men in the City of Baltimore and surrounding region.  The homeless have been receiving the help they need to start a new life.

Today, most of the men who come to us have a drug and/or alcohol addiction problem.  We know that homeless addicts can get well if they get the right kind of help.  This is what the Mission’s ‘Spiritual Recovery Program’ is all about.

A new dormitory and dining facility opened in November 2007.   Today, we are serving approximately four hundred men everyday!

In addition to Bob Gehman and Spiritual Life Director Gary Byers, 17 men are representing ‘Team HUM’ on October 10th.  We affectionately refer to them as “Team HUM”.  They are training and preparing to face the challenge together.  Two program members are running the Full Marathon (vs. one in 2008): Barry Burnett and Mike Rakowski. There are also 1 Half-Marathon, 1 Relay Team (4 men) and others in the 5K run.  Please support these men as they ‘Face The Challenge’.”

Go Team Hum!

Tom Tasselmyer

Marathon Weather History

Typically one of the driest months of the year with lower humidity and cool mornings, October is a great month for running in the Baltimore area. And for the first 8 runnings of the Baltimore Marathon, there has been very little for runners to complain about weather-wise. The average high temperature for the marathon has been 68° and the average low 49°.

The warmest race day was in 2005 when the morning started with temperatures almost at the 60° mark and the afternoon high reached 78°. The coolest temperature on race day occured one year later, when a low of 37° was recorded in downtown Baltimore.

So far, only one race day has had measurable rain: .05″ in 2004. However, a cold front is expected to slowly move through the region this Saturday, which brings the possibility of scattered showers once again.

As of late Wednesday afternoon the forecast for Saturday morning has a 50% chance of showers between 8am and noon, with temperatures climbing from around 61° at 8:00am to near 68° by 1:00pm. Winds are expected to be from the west around 10 mph. Of course, there are still a few days for the details to change a little.

Tom Tasselmyer

Going for 9 in a row

I’ve been fortunate enough to run in all 8 of the Baltimore Running Festivals so far and, God willing, I’ll make it 9 straight by competing again on October 10th.  But to keep my streak going I’ve had to throw in a couple half marathons and a couple team relays.  Not so for my buddy Frank Grammer (pictured above)!  His streak will also reach 9 this year, but he’s one of a dwindling number of dedicated runners (fewer than two dozen, I think) who have not only competed in each Baltimore Running Festival since 2001, but have run the full marathon each year.

Frank is a great guy who just simply loves to run.  His dedication and reliability is also apparent at Hunt Valley Church, where I met Frank a few years ago and where this  picture was snapped.  It’s there that Frank is on the team that spends Sunday mornings  in an audio-visual room, not much bigger than a closet, faithfully recording the message delivered each week.  It’s great to know these kind of rock-solid dependable guys, isn’t it?  Whatever “race” you give them to run, you know they’ll get the job done…and they do it with a smile!

Good luck Frank!

Tom Tasselmyer

2009 Course Change

Hopefully you’ve already seen the adjustments that had to be made for the 2009 marathon course.  Unfortunately, some work being done at Ft. McHenry means marathon runners will miss the scenic water views running around the fort this year.  Marathoners will head out Fort Avenue, as usual, but then take a left onto Hull Street before getting to Fort McHenry, looping back toward the Inner Harbor on Key Highway.  The adjustments won’t impact the half marathon route and the good news is that the loop around Fort McHenry is expected to return next year.

The recent cool weather has been great for training runs but it looks like slightly warmer, more humid conditions with a chance of showers will return for part of this week.  Hope your training is going smoothly…I’ll see you at the race on October 10th!

Tom Tasselmyer

Here we go again…

With just over three weeks until the 9th annual Baltimore Running Festival it’s about time to ramp up the old Phollowing Pheidippides blog again!  As I’ve done in years past, we’ll start this year’s posting with a review of where the idea of running a marathon originated, which will also bring some clarity to the name of this blog (see below).

By the way…I’ll be running the half marathon this year.   It is easier to train for but still keeps me in shape and it’s a fun and challenging distance to run.

*****

The concept of running a marathon seems to come from an infamous trek made by a greek soldier named Pheidippides way back in 490 B.C. Pheidippides was so anxious to get the news of a battlefield victory back to headquarters, he ran from Marathon to Athens (about 24.85 miles). Unfortunately, after delivering the message “Niki” (victory), he keeled over…but we won’t dwell on that part of the story! The modern day distance for the marathon was established at the 1908 Olympics in London, stretching the run to 26 miles to cover the distance from Windsor Castle to White City Stadium, and tacking on an additional 385 yards so the race could finish in front of the royal family’s viewing box. So, as you pass mile 24 and push your tired legs down the final stretch to the finish line on October 10th, feel free to blame your pain on the Queen!

Tom Tasselmyer

My 12th Marathon Medal

My finishing time of 4:01:36 was a little slower than I had hoped for, but the 8th annual Baltimore Running Festival was a great success from my vantage point.  Bright sunshine, dry air and the hills of Baltimore made it a challenge for me to stay hydrated and on pace, but the specatators and happy running crowds made for a great marathon experience.  I have come to especially enjoy the run down St. Paul Street for miles 5 and 6, the loop around Ft. McHenry for mile 10 and the run through the crowds at the halfway point on Light Street.  I can’t say I enjoy climbing the hills from the Inner Harbor up to Clifton Park, but the run around lake Montebello is somewhat of a reward for that hard work.  The finishing stretch this year down Eutaw Street, lined with cheering observers, was fantastic!  Thanks to all the Baltimore police officers that helped with traffic, all of the volunteers at the water stops, Corrigan Sports and all the sponsors, and the neighborhoods that came out to cheer and encourage and treat us runners with Gummy Bears, oranges, bananas and extra water.

Tom Tasselmyer

Marathon Weather Planner

A light east to northeast breeze might save us from an all out heatwave at the Baltimore Running Festival this weekend.  Still, temperatures are expected to run 5-10 degrees above normal which could make the challenge of 26.2 miles a little more challenging.  Here’s the early outlook for weather conditions in downtown Baltimore during the race on Saturday.

8:00 a.m.
Temp.: 57
Sky: Clear
Wind: Northeast 3 mph

10:00 a.m.
Temp.: 66
Sky: Sunny
Wind: Northeast 5 mph

Noon
Temp.: 71
Sky: Sunny
Wind: East 8 mph

2:00 p.m.
Temp.: 74
Sky: Mostly sunny
Wind: East 8 mph

Tom Tasselmyer

Warmest Baltimore Marathon?

With just three days to go and the forecast for Saturday’s 8th annual Baltimore Running Festival still indicating temperatures climbing into the upper 70s, this may be the warmest Baltimore marathon. Of the seven races so far, the warmest was back in 2005 when the temperature in downtown Baltimore hit 78. That was one of just two marathon days that have had high temperatures in the 70s, the other was the first year of the race, a 74 degree day in 2001. With only one race day recording measurable rain (.05″ in 2004), nearly ideal running conditions have been the rule instead of the exception. The average high on race day since 2001 has been 67, the average morning low has been 48.

The current forecast for Saturday calls for a relatively comfortable morning with temperatures in the low to mid 50s under clear skies. However, bright sunshine will send temperatures climbing fast, reaching the upper 60s by mid morning, low 70s by noon and 75-80 by mid afternoon. Plan on dressing for warm temperatures, drinking at every water stop and walking through the water stops to make sure you get a good drink.

Tom Tasselmyer

5 Day Marathon Forecast

With 5 days to go, the forecast for the 8th annual Baltimore Running Festival is causing some concern.  Two issues will have to be dealt with…a chance of rain leading right up to race time and warm temperatures in the wake of the rain.  The normals for October 11th in Baltimore are a high temperature of 69 and a low temperature of 45, but early indications point to temperatures possibly running 10 degrees or more above normal.  That means temperatures in the 50s as the marathon begins, warming into the 60s during the first half of the race and peaking in the upper 70s by afternoon.  For me, temperatures in the low 50s are ideal.  You might have a slightly different comfort zone, but just about all long distance runners agree that temperatures in the 70s are too warm.  The good news is that we have five days for the forecast to change…stay tuned!

Tom Tasselmyer

Running To Help Others

The Baltimore Running Festival is not only a great event for runners, the 5K, half marathon, team relay and full marathons have raised over $2.5 million for charities over the past 7 years. That means some great support for organizations like Baltimore Reads, Moveable Feast, Kids on the Hill, Health Care for the Homeless, Special Olympics Maryland, Baltimore Office of Promotions and the Arts, Police Athletic League, Baltimore City Community College, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, the AIDS Foundation and Tissue Bank International. In addition to these charities, a quick internet search for “marathon running charities” yielded several organizations that have set up methods for raising money when you run…its not hard to find a good cause for all the time you spend training for and running a marathon.

Recently I received an email from friends who suggested another great charity associated with this year’s Baltimore Running Festival. Jim and Pam McKee speak with great love for Baltimore’s own Helping Up Mission (HUM) and they’re excited about Team HUM challenging the half marathon. Here’s some of the email from Jim and Pam:

Dear Friends,

This week Pam and I made the decision to sponsor Team HUM as they attempt to complete the half-marathon in the Baltimore Running Festival, October 11. You can read more about Team HUM and the run @ http://community.helpingupmission.org/NETCOMMUNITY/Page.aspx?pid=320&srcid=183, but the reason they are running is the number of homeless men and recovering addicts HUM is servicing has increased 40% since this time last year.

The reason we support Helping Up Mission financially is the fact that we have seen first hand how lives are being saved and changed everyday. Another reason is that by partnering with Helping Up Mission we are able to work together with thousands of other people, churches and organizations to do what none of us could do alone.

So there you have it, run for health, run for fun or run for charities…either way the Baltimore Running Festival has something for just about everyone.

Tom Tasselmyer