This is the 4th time I have run in the Ripley
Race 5K. The race is in honor of Col.
John Ripley, USMC. Colonel Ripley is famously known for his heroics in Vietnam when
he was ordered to “hold and die,” against 30,000 North Vietnamese troops and
200 enemy tanks that were preceding toward a U.S. position. John Ripley scaled the struts of and then successfully
blew up the Dong Ha Bridge, preventing the enemy from crossing, earning him a Navy
Cross.
It is also the race that supports the Semper Fi Fund. I was inspired to become a Semper Fi Fund
Community Athlete two years ago at this race, when I witnessed the remarkable
strength and determination of a dozen athletes who would not let their injuries
stop them.
As for this year’s race, I had just come off a lack luster
performance at the Marine Corps Marathon and we had attended the Navy-Notre
Dame game at FedEx Field the night before.
That game would keep us out till past midnight and sitting in the cold
wind most of the night. In the morning
in think it was around 44 degrees when we got to Navy-Marine Corps Memorial
Stadium and the wind was a steady 25 mph with gust up to 45 mph.
I decided I was going to wear the Kilt for the run…not sure
why since I usually don’t wear it unless I get $100 dollars in donations to the
Semper Fi Fund. But I braved the chill
and wind and headed out.
Believe it or not, this was a fast race. There was group of runners from a runners club
who bunched up the start line and took out like a shot. My goal was just to run a steady pace. After leaving the stadium and turning right
onto Rowe Blvd, you run down toward the Maryland State House. There you are at 1 mile. And I hit it at 7:35…nice
pace can I keep it up? Now you head downhill
toward Main Street toward the city dock, left on Randall toward the Naval
Academy Gate 1 and then left on King George St. The wind was really hitting me in the face
heading up King George and it is back uphill.
You hit the 2 mile mark at the College Creek Bridge. There, I
got hit by a gust of wind that must have been 40+ mph, that got the kilt lifted,
but more importantly I ran that second mile at a 7:34/mi pace.
The third mile takes you the rest of the way up the hill on King
George and then left onto Taylor Ave back toward the stadium. I was feeling pretty good and felt really good
as I hit that 3 mile mark with 200 yards to go and a steady 7:36/mi pace.
I carried that in for a 23:32 finish. I ended with 7:35 pace. I finished 57 of 607 overall and 10 of 77 in
my M40-49 age group. Six of the 10 top male
finishers were in my age group and all came from the same running group that
took out and the beginning of the race.
Jon Brianas, a former Supply Officer shipmate of mine from
my time at the Naval Academy, organizes the event. As usual it was well run and he makes it truly
feel like a family event. Jon is a
cancer survivor and the Co-founder of Turning Point Sports. I encourage you to look into any event that he
runs, such as the National Youth 5K Series, he promotes youth fitness and it is
a very good program.
I really was happy with my run after the Marine Corps
Marathon, a business trip to Bloomington Indiana, the late night football game,
and taking a complete week off of running before the Ripley.
Next up the Remembrance 5K, the last of the USMC Henderson
Hall Ooh Rah Run Series…Then the Chesapeake Bay Bridge 10K…standby for that
post.
