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Merkel and Rowe Take Top Honors at the 34th Northern Central Rail Trail Marathon

By mitchpa on December 26, 2023 • ( 0 )

DiGregorio and Ardanuy Win the Half Marathon as three records fall – Ardanuy, Wallace, and Reilly

By George Banker
Photography by Clay Shaw and Karen Mitchell

On Saturday, November 25, 2023, the Baltimore Road Runners Club (BRRC) celebrated the 34th Northern Central Trail Marathon and the 7th Half Marathon. The race continues to live up to its origin of the small marathon with quality and great volunteers that care for each runner. This is the race where runners come for the love of the sport and not the attraction of sizeable crowds or prize money. There is something about a race where you are closer to nature and running along a trail.

History and Records

Both races start at the historic Oldfields School, a college preparatory school for girls in grades 8 through 12 in Sparks, Maryland. Anna Austen McCulloch founded the school in Baltimore County, Maryland in 1867 and it is the oldest girls’ boarding school in Maryland.

The tradition of the marathon continues each year as runners seek to be a part of the history of the BRRC. The top athletes go after the records. Every year, the race attracts talented runners. Robert Marino set the open record for men in 1995 with a time of 2:25:18, while Joanna Zeiger set the record for women in 1998 with a time of 2:47:25.

The longest standing record belongs to William Desmond, the overall winner and first master in 1991 (2:36:03). The women’s master record was set in 2019 (3:02:02).

The Marathon Race

The defending champion (2:27:46) Daniel Rowe of Baltimore was on the starting line. The 2018 overall and master winner (2:40:48) Michael Wardian of Arlington was on the line to give chase and attempt to take the win. Wardian has the reputation for leaving it all out on the course.

Once the runners reached the trail, the race began as the crowd thinned out. Going through the 10K mark, Rowe passed in 35:18 followed by Wardian in 36:29. Jason Hershman of Lutherville, MD was a bit back with a 39:45.

The out and back course gives each runner the chance to monitor the competition. Going into the half marathon mark, Rowe held for a time of 1:14:37. Wardian was holding in with 1:18:29 and was the leading master. Hershman crossed in a time of 1:23:41.

Each runner knew their place and the competition’s location after the turnaround. Rowe had a comfortable lead which he maintained to defend his title and take first place with a time of 2:27:42.

Wardian was runner up and first master with a time of 2:37:33. In third place was Hershman, with a time of 2:46:10. The second master was Yosuke Baba of Baltimore in a time of 2:51:21. Third master was Doug Mock of Ellicott City with a time of 2:53:23. In 2008, Mock was the overall winner and first master with a time of 2:41:52.

Daniel Rowe of Baltimore:

“I had planned to run the first couple miles with my good friend, Patrick Blair. He is one of my favorite guys to run with – always full of positive energy and enthusiasm. And he is an incredible runner. I picked up the pace to around 5:42 per mile, knowing that would put me in just under 1:15:00 for the first half with the goal of negative splitting. I felt strong at the turnaround, so I dug in a little deeper and started turning out miles in the 5:20s and 30s and held on until the finish.

“I have targeted the Baltimore Marathon the last couple years as my fall goal race. NCR Marathon is nicely positioned, because it takes place about a month later. Your body is usually recovered by then, and you can build off that fitness to (hopefully) run even faster on a somewhat more forgiving course.

“I was really hoping Michael Wardian would get the Forrest Gump world record. He has been a longtime running inspiration, and it is always a treat to toe the line with him. It also thrilled me for Jason Hershman, who ran a strong race and came in third behind Wardian.

“I am learning to really appreciate each marathon I do, knowing that an injury, illness, life circumstance, or anything else out of my control could impact my ability to keep running. Staying grateful in the moment for every race and every run.”

The NCR requires a level of concentration according to Rowe, “Maybe not greater concentration, but a different type of concentration. NCR has a slight incline heading out toward the turnaround, and this stretch can be challenging, especially if there is a headwind. Also, running a straight out-and-back on a rail trail without a lot of turns and landscape variation can be mentally challenging. Putting that aside, it is a very generous course that, in my experience, allows for faster times than a hilly course.

“My PR is 2:27:40. (This year at NCR!) Although it was only five seconds faster than my previous PB (at NCR in 2022), it felt like much more. I ran a smarter race this year. I will also note that I’ve PR’d at NCR three times.

“I would love to see more runners put NCR on their radar. It is a perfect end-of-season race to let loose. This was my fourth NCR. I love the low-key atmosphere, hanging in the gym before/after the race, catching up with friends, running on the trail itself, and the blankets! It is a truly special race, and I hope to be back again next year.”

After the race, Michael Wardian of Arlington, VA said, “I was looking to run sub-2:36 to get the Forrest Gump World Record and also break the master’s course record at the NCR Marathon. I thought the level of competition was good and felt about right for a smaller local marathon. There were a few faster runners, and I was hoping to work with them to get the record. I was able to execute my plan, but I was just a bit too slow and missed the record by 64 or so seconds, which was a bummer.

“I think that the NCR while flat, is not all flat, and you need to account for slight grades in each direction. (My PB for the marathon is 2:17:49 set at the Grandma’s Marathon in 2011.) I did not maintain the same position in the race. I was third until about 12 miles and then Patrick stopped for a quick break, and I passed him, and I was in second place until the finish line. I have run the NCR Marathon twice and loved it both times, great course, people, and community.”

Jason Hershman of Lutherville, MD:

“My goal was to run a sub 2:45 marathon and the strategy was this, in this order: First 4 miles @6:30 pace, next 6 miles @6:20 pace, next 6 miles @6:15 pace, and last 10 miles @ 6:10 pace (or faster). My motivation to run the race was because I trained really hard (and really well) for the NYC Marathon earlier in November and I completely crashed. I was so upset with my performance given how well my training went that I was looking for another marathon to cash-in on, but not so far in the future that I would have to go through another long training cycle. I liked that NCR was three weeks after NYC (the minimum time I thought I needed), it was ~15 minutes from my house, and that my kids (3 years old and 1-year-old) could see me race.

“The level of competition was a pleasant surprise with the caliber of runners at the top, but there are not too many marathons where my time gets me in the top 3. That said, I will take it! I always wanted to podium. I came up a little short and I’m not sure why. Maybe because the course was not as flat as I thought it would be. Maybe because the trail zapped some speed. Maybe I was not recovered from my last marathon as I hoped. I came close but did not execute it exactly.

“Once I hit the turnaround, I took off my headband and took my speed up a notch. I was feeling good. I knew it was downhill, so I felt good going faster, knowing I was not exerting as much effort. And removing my headband cooled me down a lot and gave me a second wind.

“I’m proud to have come back from a poor race, stick to the training for three more weeks and do well here. I think it just reminded me of some of my resilience, which I hope my kids can see, too!

“I ran in fourth place until mile 24 when I passed the third-place runner, which I was shocked, because I knew who he was and how talented a runner he is, but I also knew that he raced a 50-mile race two weeks before and finished first. I knew for sure I would never pass first or second place, but once I got into third, I knew no one was close behind.”

The leading female was Samantha Merkel of Laurel, MD through 10K with a time of 42:15. Trailing in second was Grace Homany of Baltimore with a time of 43:04. Alexandra Austin of Baltimore was third with a time of 46:03.

At the halfway point, the positions remained the same. Merkel clocked 1:30:32 followed by Homany with 1:33:18 and Austin with 1:36:45.

Merkel was in an excellent position with a comfortable lead to secure the win in a time of 3:04:57 (16th fastest winning time). Homany was the runner-up with a time of 3:09:29. The third-place finisher was Austin with a time of 3:10:02.

After the race, Samantha Merkel of Laurel, MD said:

“I was hoping to run the first half in just about 1:30:00, then run a slight negative split to get a sub three-hour marathon. It extremely motivated me; I had been training for months and knew I was in great shape. It was an exciting marathon as far as competition goes, as I knew I could likely make the podium, but I was not sure how close I would be until the race started.

“I realized by mile 10 that my pace plan was too aggressive, so I tried to back off slightly. I briefly ran with another runner from halfway until around mile 15, which helped me stay positive and focused instead of giving up too much time. However, the last 10k was extremely difficult as my left leg started giving out on me. The last 5K I was limping on that side, but I was determined to make it to the line first.”

After the turnaround and seeing the trailing runners, Merkel states, “It fueled my determination. I knew if I completely blew up at the end, second place could definitely catch me. As I slowed down the last 5K, the encouragement from the lead cyclist Cory, and not knowing how far second place was behind me, really spurred me to get to the line, having given it my all.”

Merkel comments about learning from the race, “Not necessarily something new, but it confirmed that I know how to push deep into the pain cave when I have to. I had to push through straining my quad, but it is satisfying to know I gave it my absolute all when it counted.

“I did not have a hard time focusing on the NCR. I trained many of my long run workouts on a similar trail while solo, so I was used to being by myself and making it work. NCR has a slight uphill to the turnaround and a slight downhill coming back, so I tried to use that to my advantage.”

This was Merkel’s debut to the Northern Central Marathon, but she was already familiar with the NCR, “I have not run the marathon before, although I ran the BRRC GPS half a while back. I used to run long runs at NCR in high school, so being on the trail was nostalgic as I passed the little gnome mountain and the spot where my team would sit along the river and have post-run bagels. This race is truly amazing and the race director and volunteers deserve heaps of praise and appreciation for everything they did.”

Grace Homany of Baltimore:

“My strategy was to see if I could hold with the lead woman and the small pack around her. Going into the race having evaluated some competitors, I knew a perfect day could be a win for me and a less than perfect day would probably still mean a podium. I wanted to get into position and hold on.

“My personal goal was to run a 3:05 or faster, and that obviously did not happen. This race was the culmination of a two-marathon cycle for me after coming back from an injury in April. I also ran Baltimore in October as part of this build and I hoped to maintain fitness and execute a faster race on a faster course at NCR. My time on Saturday was only about 10 seconds faster than Baltimore. I dislike making excuses and I think I will explain a few more external factors later, but I would attribute some of my difficulty last weekend to the cold and the lack of pack to draft or pace off of.

“NCR’s standing as a local race in a familiar place with lots of friends volunteering made it an appealing choice as I would not have to spend money on accommodations or travel around the holiday, and I would get to see many people who know and support me as a runner. This was my first time participating in the NCR half or full and I think Johnny Lyons and all the volunteer staff did a fantastic job of putting on an outstanding event. I am so grateful that Baltimore’s running community is strong enough to keep so many cool local races around.

“The level of competition was better than I had expected but still low compared to other marathons I have run. I was excited and surprised to see some faster women on the roster, and that definitely made the day more appealing. If anything, I was anticipating more men running around the 3:05-3:10 range. My legs locked up HARD around mile 10, so the turnaround a few miles later was a helpful way for me to see just how much wiggle room I had left. I was struggling mentally, running alone, and once I saw people coming the other way, my spirits definitely lifted a bit.

“I wish had some revelation to share about myself or my performance, but I think what I learned is to trust my gut. After Baltimore, I felt more burnt out as the weeks went on. The weeks before this race I was more anxious than excited for workouts or long runs, and I never felt settled into trusting my training this cycle. I think I knew it was going to be a hard day, and I did not do quite enough to address some of those mental concerns. I always like to set my expectations high, but sometimes that comes at the cost of me disregarding some intuition. As someone who works with mental health and performance concerns often, I appreciate that racing can bring these less adaptive patterns to the surface.

“I maintained the same position among the women throughout the race. After the turnaround, I learned my close friend Alex had moved into third and that helped motivate me to stay in the game and hold my own. It also made me nervous because I know how strong a competitor she is! I do not think my place overall changed much either as I was passed by two men and passed two men on the back half.

“The focus component of this race certainly caught me by surprise. For me, this weekend was a perfect storm of existing stress as a doctoral student and clinician combined with nerves about the race that made it hard for me to lock in and tune out as I usually like to. I think that discomfort is fairly clear in every single one of my race pictures. Hard to call a PR a bad day, but this really was not a run I felt proud of initially. It has taken a few days to feel better about my performance and to solidify some of my takeaways to use in future training cycles.”

Alexandra Austin of Baltimore:

“I did not have a time goal, per se. I have only run one other marathon prior to this, which was two years ago. Since then, I have improved a lot as a runner – completing a half and full Ironman, 50k and 50-mile ultra. So going into this race, I just wanted to see what I was capable of. There was great competition. Had other racers around me the entire time, which helped me stay competitive and push myself, especially in the last half of the race.

“I exceeded my expectations and honestly surprised myself. Once I reached the turnaround, I noticed I was close to the podium. I moved up two places in the second half. From miles 14-19 I ran 15-30 seconds faster per mile than I was doing in the first half. My second half was actually faster than my first because of this. I picked up the pace and could snag third female overall.

“I learned I underestimate myself big-time. I truly did not know I had that race in me and am eager to see what else I can do.

“In my opinion, flats hurt more than hills. Your legs are hitting the ground the same way the entire time and it hurts. So, you really have to dig deep to keep moving.”

Sarah Wenger of Dallastown, PA, was the first master with a time of 3:10:27 (4th place female). In fifth place and the second master was Maria-France Vidaver of Baltimore with a time of 3:13:00. The third master and in sixth place was Kate Deanehan of Baltimore with a time of 3:17:49.

The Half Marathon

The half marathon has seen success every year since its inception in 2017. The distance is perfect for individuals seeking a race to assess their fitness level. The top athletes were going after the records.

Vince Ciattei of Eugene, Oregon set the male open record in 2022 (1:09:11). Melissa Tanner of Baltimore set the female record in 2019 (1:18:24). The top men’s master record was set in 2018 (1:19:00) by Jeff Berger of Bel Air, MD. Hyunsun Reilly of Bel Air, MD, set the women’s master record in 2022 (1:30:21).

The field included the 2019 champion (1:13:14) Jeremy Ardanuy of Baltimore. Once on the trail, Ardanuy went through the 10K mark in 32:10. Joshua Derrick of Baltimore was in second with a time of 34:42. Scott Wallace of Bel Air, MD, was in third with a time of 35:03.

Once the turnaround is made, runners are aware of their competition’s standings. Ardanuy was not giving up any ground as he took a first place with a record setting time of 1:08:33. Derrick was in second place at a time of 1:12:10. Wallace was in third place and first master in a record setting time of 1:14:43. The second master was Tanka Magar of Nottingham, MD, with a time of 1:19:37 (11th place). The third master was Chris DeCamps of Baltimore with a time of 1:22:37 (14th place).

Jeremy Ardanuy of Baltimore:

“I had no strategy; my goal was just to win the race and run hard. I forgot my watch at home in the morning, so I decided to just run hard and if I felt like I was slowing down to push more.

“Originally, I was going to run the California International Marathon next weekend, but an injury this fall made me miss a month of running, so I did not really have any races on the schedule. NCR is always a fun local event and I love to take part in the flagship event for BRRC. Previously, I have used the race as a workout leading into a marathon, so it was nice to actually race it for the first time.

“There was not much competition with me, as everyone was out of sight within the first mile, probably because I ran the downhill mile way too fast. It was fun to see some guys battling for places after the turnaround and it looked like many runners ran PRs, which was inspiring to see. It is great that a local race like NCR attracts so many fast local runners in both events.

“I ran hard and pushed through the pain in the last few miles when I got a side stitch and had some hamstring straining. As my goal was to run hard, I would say it was mission accomplished.

“I learned that I really enjoy running a race without a watch. It was a great experience; I was fully immersed and felt more in touch with my effort and perceptions of pain. I think it allowed me to forget about time and distance and just focus on moving forward.

“There are fewer distractions and changes in scenery, but concentrating on the little things gives plenty to distract yourself with. Running the tangent lines, running the harder packed areas, and avoiding the looser dirt/gravel, looking for the mile markers in the distance, and the cheers from the runners going the other direction.”

The women’s field included Megan DiGregorio of Baltimore. In 2019 DiGregorio was 5th (1:27:39), in 2021 3rd place (1:23:32), and in 2022 3rd place (1:26:22). Hyunsun Reilly of Bel Air, MD, was 10th (1:31:46) in 2019. Reilly is the defending master champion with a time of 1:30:27. The field included Sherry Stick of Sykesville, MD, the first master in 2018 (1:32:28) and 2019 (1:31:10). Last year, Stick was 6th master at a time of 1:34:44.

Once the runners were along the trail, DiGregorio was leading through 10K with a time of 39:44. Reilly passed in 41:07 and Hannah Toth of Westminster, MD, was third in 41:39. After the turnaround, DiGregorio was holding fast and took first place at a time of 1:25:00. Reilly was second, with a master record setting time of 1:27:49. Toth was third with a time of 1:28:40. The second master was Justine Bello of Washington at a time of 1:34:02. Stick was the third master with a time of 1:36:14.

Legends

The Northern Central Trail Marathon was in its 34th year and going into race day there is one name that stood out, Ronnie Wong, who is a native of Singapore and came to the United States by way of Bermuda. In 1967 Wong was running the Bermuda Marathon for his 30th time. In 2009 Wong was inducted into the BRRC Hall of Fame. He joined the Club in 1982 and has completed over 300 marathons. Wong leads the way in running the most NCR marathons at 33. In 1990, his time was 3:17:23 for 29th place. His best performance was 3:00:00 in 1996. He has competed in his 40s, 50s, 60s, and 70s. Wong attempted to go for number 34, but he did not finish. Wong may be down, but do not count him out.

Phil Anderson of Bel Air, MD, ranks as number two (last race 2017) with 27 finishes.

The third on the list is George Banker of Fort Washington, MD, with 27 (last finish 2022). This year he dropped to the half marathon.

Topping fourth on the list is Monika Bachmann of Upper Marlboro, MD, with 24 finishes (As of 2021). Bachmann was the overall winner in 1992 (3:14:30) and 1994 (3:00:28). She placed runner-up four times.

The runners have all spoken and the BRRC has continued to produce an event that has the history and support of the running community. It goes without saying that the volunteers and the sponsors continue to make a difference. The volunteers remain on the course until the last person crosses the finish line. They gave signature blankets to each finisher at the finish line.

278 runners finished the 2023 marathon; 488 runners finished the half marathon.

See you in 2024!

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