Welcome to the home of Team CMAC. Are you serious about running? Want to be the best runner you can be? If so, then email kevin.spradlin@us.army.mil or drenner@mcdaniel.edu

RaceDay Ramblings

Team CMAC News & Highlights

In the headlines ...
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01/21: CMAC in 2003
11/12: Spradlin writes from Korea
10/15: Griffin joins CMAC
08/11: Weekly wrap-up
08/01: XC Championships
07/25: Esposito 15th in WRR
07/25: O'Connell wins 3K
07/21: Daily Bread Bun Run 5K
07/11: 3 of top 5 spots in TWS #4
07/11: XC No. 3 - Krebs doubles
06/27: Dauses edges Hugus
06/15: 2 shine in Flag Day 5K
06/13: XC Series Debuts
06/01: Esposito 3rd in Laurel 5K
05/26: Spradlin 23rd of 255 in 5K
05/26: Running Camp offered
05/24: Intervals begin June 3
05/18: Spradlin takes 2nd in 10K
05/12: Team Records recorded
05/11: Two medals, 1 PR
04/20: Esposito, Alvarez 5K
04/10: Ripley close to goal
04/02: CMAC debuts

Who We Are
What characteristics make up members of Team CMAC

Team Roster & Profiles
The most dedicated, committed group of runners the area has to offer

Benefits of Joining
What the CMAC can do for you

Team Records
Our best at nearly every distance. How do your times compare?

Summer Race Schedule
Fill your race calendar with our Short Course Cross Country Series beginning June 13th, 2002

Team CMAC Summer XC Series Entry Form
This form is good for all Short Course Cross Country Series race dates. Please fill out one per race you plan to enter. Can't print it? Don't worry. You can pick one up at any of the Series races.

How to Join
Email trackwrtr@earthlink.net, drenner@wmdc.edu or call 410-751-0035 to discuss your goals. Hey, we want to make sure you're serious about your running before you join the Team. Why spend money that won't do anything for you?.

Changes for CMAC in '03

Group readies for next step

Taneytown, 01/21 -- Some things will stay the same and some things will change, according to CMAC coach Doug Renner in an open letter to Team co-founder Kevin Spradlin.

   Like last summer, "I envision continuing the short course cross country series in conjunction with the WRRC Twilight Series," Renner wrote.

   Once again, the focus of the Team will be on runners heading into high school through post collegiate athletes. Workouts will be held on Mondays and Thursdays at 5 p.m. at McDaniel College and various spots around the county. An additional racing or time trial session on Saturday, depending on the local racing schedule. 

   "I plan on having 'guest' coaches each week," Renner wrote, "including Jill Krebs, Steve Kartalia, Mark Gilmore and others. 

   The new workout format, however, will include a fee of $100 for the summer or $25 each week for each runner.

   Coach Renner hopes to have flyers with these announcements and more distributed to county schools soon. Anyone with questions may contact him at drenner@mcdaniel.edu. 

Spradlin reports in from ROK

Competes in first 5K since July

Uijonbu, South Korea, 11/12 -- Competing for the first time since July and in his first 5K since July 11th, U.S. Army servicemember Kevin Spradlin competed in his first two road races during the first two consecutive weekends in November.

   Though the slower times directly reflect an inconsistent training regiment, Spradlin is just getting back into the groove of running.

   "I'm just having fun with it all," said Spradlin from his place of duty at Camp LaGuardia, about 15 miles north of Seoul. "Even though the times say I've gotten slower, I'm really happy with my effort. I know where I'm at right now fitness-wise, and I know where I want to be."

   Spradlin, 23, competed in his first 5K since the July 11th Men's Low Key 5K race in Uniontown. In Yongsan he finished in the top 20 despite a dismal time of 21 minutes, 37 seconds. A week later, on the same 5K course at Yonsgan's South Post in Seoul, he lowered his time by five seconds "and not trying nearly as hard as the first time." He finished 19th out of 229 competitors.

   Over the past six weeks, Spradlin has gradually increased his weekly mileage to about 40 miles a week. Slight shin pain slowed his progress temporarily, but a change of shoes solved the problem.

   "While in the Army since May, it's been really hard to focus on running, both on my own performances and others' back home. Now I've managed to create a chapter of CMAC here in Korea, with members from my unit. It gives me a project to work on, and it serves as a motivational booster to get me out the door each morning to run with the group."

   Spradlin placed third overall in the WRRC Men's Low-Key 5K in mid-July, 41 seconds behind winner Gary St. Onge.

Griffin joins Team CMAC

Masters runner commits

WESTMINSTER, 10/15 -- Masters runner David Griffin committed today to Team CMAC, the competitive branch of the Westminster Road Runners Club.

   After weighing the pros and cons of the decision for more than two months, Griffin, 41, mailed in his Team enrollment form shortly after placing fourth in the Bachman Valley Half Marathon.

   Griffin's time of 1:23:36 was more than five minutes behind repeat champion Jim Lebo and four minutes, 39 seconds faster than last year's 10th-place finishing time.

   More on Griffin to come . . .

Wrap-up: Ripley takes silver in WRRC 10-miler

Young, Esposito, Foote conquer Twilight 4-miler

Ladies fare well in Hadassah 5K

Team CMAC Records Updated

WESTMINSTER, 8/11 -- As a change of pace, Team CMAC charter member Doug Ripley thought he'd step up for a longer race as a test of endurance.

   Grade: A+.

   Ripley, 34, completed the Sullivan Road 10-miler, part of the WRRC's Twilight Series, in 61 minutes, 51 seconds, good for second overall.

   Though one of four CMAC members competing, Ripley was the only one who ran the 10-miler and was "the big story," according to CMAC head coach Doug Renner.

   "Well, we've got a decent men's 10-mile record for the club now. I was very impressed with Doug's race because . . . we haven't been training for anything longer than five miles."

   It was the first 10-mile mark recorded for the team since CMAC's inception in March. 

   In the four-mile short course race, Sherry Esposito took a commanding first-place finish in 25:26. Teammate Mira Foote was second in the women's division and first Masters, finishing in 32:34. 

   Middle schooler Tim Young, 12, crossed the finish line in 30:17, good for 14th place overall.

   Earlier in the week at the Hadassah 5K in Baltimore, Esposito took second overall and Becky Alvarez was first in her age group. Foote also won her age group.

Click here for 10- and 4-mile results

Click here for Hadassah 5K results

Esposito ranked 15th in Washington Running Report

Team CMAC Records Updated

WESTMINSTER, 7/25 -- Only a part-time runner in that she works a full-time and a part-time job, imagine the results Sherry Esposito would get if she could just run all day.

   Esposito, 24, earned the 15th spot among open ((0-34) women in the Washington Running Report's spring 2002 rankings and the fourth-best Marylander among the top 25.

   To get ranked, a runner must meet the qualifying time in in at least two races within a given ranking period.

   In qualifying races with more than 100 finishers, Esposito posted the top time by a female runner twice: Garrett's 5K (18:51) in Frederick and the Preakness 5K (18:26) in Baltimore. 

   She was also third in the Laurel 5K in 18:55 in early June. 

   She was also the top female in the June 15th Mt. Airy Flag Day 5K in which she posted a time of 18:56. The race did not qualify, however, as only 98 runners crossed the finish line.

   Esposito has started the summer rankings period off with a bang. Just four days ago she was the first woman in "Our Daily Bread Bun Run 5K" in Towson with a time of 19:05, 13th among 377 finishers.

View the Washington Running Report

Hugus beats Reedy in 3rd straight race; Krebs double winner at Morgan Run NEA

Complete results

Team CMAC Records Updated

WESTMINSTER, 7/11 -- Incoming McDaniel College freshman Paul Hugus gave South Carroll senior Dan Reedy a glimpse of collegiate competition as Hugus beat Reedy for the third straight time in Team CMAC competition, this time in the 4,000-meter cross country race on the trails of Morgan Run Natural Environment Area.

   Hugus, 17, who beat out Reedy for the No. 1 spot in the latest Carroll County Times Road Runner Rankings in the high school boys division, shot out from the starting line intent on finishing first. Hugus' time of 14 minutes, 11.8 seconds was slower than his 13:57 on June 27th at Camp Hashawa. But at Hashawa, he beat Reedy -- the top high school runner in Carroll County -- by just two seconds. This time, Hugus left no room for argument, outdistancing Reedy by 23.9 seconds as the SC star finished second overall in 14:35.7.

   For the rankings, Hugus won't be considered a collegiate runner until August 15th

   Team CMAC member Jill Krebs, meanwhile, captured both the 1K and 4K titles on the evening. Krebs ran a rather pedestrian 3:54.6 in the 1,000-meter portion then, less than 20 minutes later, posted a time of 16:18.3 for a seventh-place overall finish.

   In the men's 1K, Krebs' boyfriend, Brendan Henderson, 23, left Kevin Spradlin behind on a steep downhill just 70 seconds into the race. Henderson used the momentum to win in 3:13.9 to Spradln's second-place time of 3:22.1. Henderson also placed fourth in the highly competitive 4K, behind Team CMAC member Doug Ripley.

   Shiloh Middle School runner Tim Young led the pre-high school field, placing 10th overall in the 4K in 18:22.2.

   The next race date is Thursday, July 25th at Runnymede Elementary School. Registration begins at 5:30 p.m. and the first race starts at 6 p.m. sharp.

Dauses edges ex-teammate Hugus in XC 4K

Complete results

WESTMINSTER, 6/27 -- Loch Raven High School senior Rob Dauses edged former teammate Paul Hugus in the 4,000-meter cross country race at Camp Hashawa in Westminster.

   Hugus, who will be a freshman at McDaniel College this fall, ran neck and neck with Dauses and South Carroll senior Dan Reedy heading towards the downhill finish. Dauses edged his ex-teammate by two seconds with Reedy four seconds behind the leader.

   In the 2K, Salisbury runner Tristan Gilbert (Westminster 2000) ran a solid 7:51 to win his second straight CMAC race. Gilbert ran 2:51.2 for 1K on June 13. 

   Click here for the full CMAC Short Course Cross Country Series schedule.

Esposito 3rd in Laurel 5K

LAUREL, June 02 -- Competing as Team CMAC's top female, Westminster resident Sherry Esposito placed third in the women's division of the Laurel 5K in 18 minutes and 55 seconds.

   Esposito, 23, holds the Team 5K road record of 18:26 set three weeks ago. On Sunday, however, Esposito ran into problems.

   It wasn't "my fastest time, but it was pretty hot and humid" she said of the temperatures in the mid-90s and relatively high humidity.

Spradlin 23rd of 255 in 5K

BALTIMORE, May 26 -- Kevin Spradlin, running for Team CMAC, ran his fastest 5K time since high school days by finishing the day's 5K portion.   

   Leaving for the Army on Tuesday, May 28, Spradlin doesn't have his next race planned.

   "Back in March I set a tentative racing plan for all of 2002," Spradlin said. "Not knowing where the Army will send me next week, though, forces me to throw that calendar out the window and start over."

Click here for full results

Spradlin 2nd in 10K

FREDERICK, May 18 -- Team CMAC charter member and coach Kevin Spradlin placed second overall in the 13th Annual Armed Forces Day 10K at Fort Detrick.

   Spradlin, 23, won his age group with a time of 42:13, 51 seconds behind winner and Fort Detrick soldier Ed McDonough.

   Through the first three miles, Spradlin stayed 30 meters behind Toby Miranda, an officer stationed at the military post. At the 22:00 mark, however, McDonough surged passed Spradlin and, 90 seconds later, caught Miranda. 

   With about 1400 meters remaining, eventual fourth-place finisher Chuck Dasey informed Spradlin of being close to the finish line. Spradlin then surged ahead and finally caught Miranda, outdistancing him over the final 800-meter incline.

   Running with a painful right knee, Spradlin's time of 42:13 was his slowest in three attempts at the 10K distance, dating back to October 1997. Spradlin placed second in last fall's Baugher's Orchard race in 41:11. Four years earlier, Spradlin won the Energy Awareness 10K at Fort Detrick in 41:22.

   Despite the pedestrian times, Spradlin has run three medal-winning performances in all three races.

   The turnout, with just 59 finishers, was the race's lowest number of participants in years. In 2001 there were 84 finishers, and the winning time was just over 34:00. The race was previously scheduled as part of the Frederick Steeplechasers Running Club's Grand Prix Series. This year, however, another race was scheduled for the same date and FSRC members participated in the other race.

Click here for full results

2 medals, 1 PR for Team

Esposito wins 5K, Ripley silvers in 10K and Spradlin PRs in 4-miler

WESTMINSTER, May 11 -- CMAC charter member Sherry Esposito placed 15th among 424 runners in the Preakness 5K road race on Saturday in Baltimore.

   By stopping the clock at 18:26, Esposito, 23, was the first female to cross the finish line. She entered the race with a 5K best of 17:45, set last fall in Baltimore.

   Meanwhile, with the same 8 a.m. start as Esposito but competing in the Westminster Road Runners Club's Mill Run 4-Miler, CMAC coach and competitor Kevin Spradlin, age 23, knocked off more than three minutes from his previous best at that distance by finishing fifth overall in 25:45.

   Averaging 6:26 per mile over the relatively flat, tree-lined course, Spradlin's splits were 6:16, 6:40, 6:30 and 6:19. His previous best of 29:16 came in February 2002 at the Bear Run 4-miler in Pleasant Valley. His third best time, now, is 29:23 set last fall at the Pleasant Valley Four-Miler in the Twilight Series on June 28. 

   Nearly two hours later, Team CMAC member Doug Ripley, contested his first 10,000-meter event on the track in years at Towson University. His time of 36:19.73 was good for second place overall. He averaged a shade under 90 seconds per 400-meter lap despite the fact the temperature had started to rise.

   Ripley ran the first 1600 meters in 5:41 and the next 1600 in 5:46. He slowed a bit in the third mile, however, to 5:54.

   After hitting 89-90 seconds per lap between 4400 and 6800 meters, Ripley regained his composure well enough to hit the 8K mark in 29:08. His final six laps were in 87, 87, 88, 89, 89 and finishing strong with his best of 25 laps, hit the final 400 meters in 79 seconds.

XC Championships carry heavy Westminster flavor

Former Owls O'Connell, Esposito set pace

Alvarez a double winner

Team Records Updated

WESTMINSTER, 8/01 -- Led by Westminster High School alum and current Georgetown University 800-meter star Jesse O'Connell, the past, present and future of Westminster High distance running dominated Team CMAC's Short Course Cross Country Series Championships at Morgan Run NEA.

   The races were held in cooperation with the Potapsco Valley State Park officials and volunteers from the Carroll County Equestrian Center. Team CMAC is the competitive branch of the Westminster Road Runners Club.

   As with the rest of the series races in the past six weeks, the competition may have been short on quantity but not for a moment did it lack on quality. Of the eight first-place trophies, five went to Team CMAC runners.

   On a hot Thursday evening in southern Carroll County, Team CMAC's Doug Ripley ran his second best 4,000-meter time of the season. Ripley's time of 14 minutes, 22.8 seconds put him just 7.8 seconds shy of his personal best, set June 27 at Camp Hashawa.

   "Maybe I went out too fast," Ripley said. "I'm definitely gonna feel that one tomorrow."

   Teammate Michael Mullinix, who begins his sophomore year at North Carroll High in two weeks, was second in 15:47.7 for an average of 6:21 per mile. It was a better effort for Mullinix compared to July 11 at Hashawa, when he finished the 4K in 16:14.1.

   O'Connell led from start to finish in the 1,000-meter, mostly downhill competition in the second race. Year 2000 Westminster graduate Tristan Gilbert was one second behind O'Connell (2:48.6 to 2:49.6). Jimmy Bayne, who graduated from Westminster this past May, was third in 2:58.3 while current Westminster runners Cory Gilbert (3:03.3) and Frank Graham (3:05.9) rounded out the top five.

   "The only thing is I have to be ready to do eight of these in a couple weeks, all at 3:10 with just three minutes rest in between," O'Connell said of his upcoming fall training. "Oh yeah."

   Westminster grad Sherry Esposito was the first female to cross the finish line in the 1K, finishing in 3:21.1. Her time bettered CMAC's previous club record of 3:54.6 set by Jill Krebs last month. Esposito also took home the trophy in the 3K, finishing in 12:34 -- the club's second-best mark at that distance. Another Westminster alum, Mark Rabush (former 1:46 800-meter runner at Auburn), finished first in the 3K in 12:28.

   CMAC member Becky Alvarez also earned two first-place finishes. The 23-year-old finished fifth overall in the 4K (18:04.2) and fourth in the 2K (8:21.4).

Ripley wins 2K,  silvers in XC 3K to O'Connell

WESTMINSTER, 7/25 -- Doug Ripley, Team CMAC's top male competitor, took his first Team-sponsored victory Thursday night at Runnymede Elementary School in four tries.

   Ripley, 34, dominated teammate Mike Mullinix in the 2,000-meter short course cross country race. Ripley finished in 7:00.8 to the runner-up's time of 7:51.2. 

   "It was definitely a case of quality of quantity," Team CMAC head coach Doug Renner said of the 15 times posted between both races, noting in particular O'Connell, of Georgetown, who is a NCAA Division I national qualifier for the 800-meter run. "I really want a great turnout for the final races (on Aug. 1)."

   In the 3K, Westminster High School graduate and Georgetown University junior Jesse O'Connell easily won in 10:27.5 to Ripley's 10:39.5. Current Westminster High runner Jimmy Bayne was third in 11.24.9.

   The event was the fourth in the five-race series. The championships, in order of 4-1-3-2K, will start at 6 p.m. at Morgan Run NEA, just 10 miles south of Westminster. 

Esposito wins, Alvarez places in Daily Bread Bun Run 5K in Towson

TOWSON, July 21 -- Despite high heat and humidity, Sherry Esposito was the first female to cross the finish line in the Our Daily Bread Bun Run 5K in Towson.

   Teammate Becky Alvarez was fourth in the 20-29 age group, placing 42nd overall in 21:02.

   "The heat was unbearable," Alvarez said. "However, (we) survived."

   Esposito, meanwhile, finished in 19:05, good for 13th overall among 377 finishers.

Click here for full results 

CMAC runners take 3 of top 5 spots in 5K

UNION BRIDGE, July 11 -- Sherry Esposito, Becky Alvarez and Mira Foote teamed up to take three of the top five spots Thursday evening in the fourth race of the Westminster Road Runners Club's Summer Twilight Series at Francis Scott Key High School.

   Esposito, 24, led the way by winning the 5,00-meter road race in 18 minutes, 40 seconds. The time was her best mark in more than three months, and the mark is second best on Team CMAC's all-time records list.

   Alvarez, 22, was second overall in 20:46. She knocked off 10 more seconds from her June 15th showing at the Flag Day 5K in Mt. Airy. 

   Foote, meanwhile, continues to dominate the county Masters circuit. Finishing fifth overall, Foote clocked a 24:15.

Click here for full results

Esposito, Alvarez place in Flag Day 5K

MT. AIRY, June 15 -- Twenty-four year old Sherry Esposito set her third best 5K mark since April Saturday at the Mt.Airy Flag Day 5K, placing second in the women's division and ninth overall in a time of 18 minutes, 56 seconds.

   Esposito's best 5K time since joining Team CMAC is an 18:26 on May 11. Her 18:51 on April 20th is only slightly better than Saturday's effort, which took place on a cool, overcast morning in downtown Mt. Airy.

   Becky Alvarez, overcoming flu-like symptoms earlier in the week that precluded her from running the Cross Country Series debut races, was the fifth female while finishing in 20:56. 

   Despite feeling poorly, the effort was the 22-year-old's second best 5K attempt since joining the Team in April. Alvarez completed a flat 20:49 on April 20th in downtown Frederick.

Click here for full results

XC Series Debuts

Complete results

WESTMINSTER, 6/13 -- 

Team CMAC head coach Doug Renner is a student of the discipline of distance runner from every facet. And when he gets an idea, he runs with it.

   This past spring Renner came up with the idea of having a Short Course Cross Country Series spread over several weeks of the summer as a way to both prepare runners for the fall season and to foster interest in the sport of long distance running.

   On Thursday night, despite the earlier heat and rain, Renner's idea turned into reality.

   "I'm very pleased with the turnout," Renner said of the 22 runners who participated in the 1K and 3K all-grass events circling Bair Stadium at McDaniel College.

   "I'm very excited about the rest of the series. We got rave reviews from the adults about the short course idea."

   Through the two races, Carroll County high school products dominated throughout the standings.

   In the 1000-meter race, 2000 Westminster graduate Tristan Gilbert was the first of seven runners. McDaniel junior Calvin Woodward was second. 

   NC grad Colleen Lawson beat SC grad Jill Krebs in the 1K. It was Krebs' first post-collegiate race for Team CMAC, having graduated from Western Maryland/McDaniel last month.

   In the 3K, Gilbert led from the start but dropped out just before the 2000-meter mark. Loch Raven High School graduate Paul Hugus took a commanding lead for an easy win over SC senior Dan Reedy. Team CMAC member Doug Ripley placed third in both the 1K and 3K races.

   The races included eight high school runners, four middle school runners, four college runners and three open runners.

XC Running Camp

SHEPHERDSTOWN, W. Va., 5/26 -- 

Shepherd head cross country coach Robert "Moe" Morris will lead a Championship Running Cross Country Camp from Aug. 5 - 9 at Shepherd College from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday of that week.

   The Shepherd College campus is less than 90 minutes from Westminster.

   Morris has 18 years' cross country coaching experience at the high school and collegiate levels. He coached at Martinsburg High School from 1984-1990 and at Clear Spring (Md.) High School from 1992-1998. While at Shepherd, he's coached five WVIAC All-Conference honorees and two NCAA Division II Coaches Association All-Academic honorees.

   The instructional staff includes current Linganore High coach John Grim, Clarke County (Va.) coach Nancy Specht. Kristy Johnson, runner-up at the 2000 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials, will be a special guest instructor.

   According to the brochure, the topics covered include: Daily varied training sessions based upon ability levels; Daily instructional sessions; Experienced, successful staff of instructors; Motivational guest speakers; Swimming pool training and injury rehabilitation techniques; Sports drinks and snacks; On-site athletic trainer; and insurance coverage.

   Cost if $80 per individual if you sign up before July 26 and $90 afterwards. There is a special team rate of $70 per camper if five or more runners from the same school register together.

   For more information call 1-800-344-5231 ext. 5481 or email kfasulo@shepherd.edu.

Intervals begin June 3

WESTMINSTER, 5/24 -- Summer interval workouts will begin Monday, June 3rd at Western Maryland College at 5 p.m.

   Workouts will be held regularly on Mondays and Thursdays at 5 p.m. throughout the summer. Workouts will be conducted largely on grass loops, not on the track as the intervals are designed to be low-impact and to prepare runners for the fall cross country season.

   There will be no Thursday workouts on the following dates due to the CMAC Short Course Cross Country Series: June 13, June 27, July 11, July 25 and Aug. 1

   Hope to see you there, and good luck!