Track Tourney Time

It's hard to escape the tournaments going on this time of year.  Hockey (have you ever heard of the Purple Puck?)  swimming, and indoor track are having regional and state competitions.

What stunned me is that one of the premiere regional locations (which actually held statewide games for a number of years) is the 5th Regiment Armory here in Baltimore.

That's right -- the archaic granite castle that looks like it belongs at West Point.  Built in 1901, it is the home of the Maryland National Guard.  

I knew the landmark was used for other events, like festivals and galas. It has also been the site of such momentous occasions as the 1912 Democratic Convention (where one-time Hopkins student Woodrow Wilson was nominated in a nail-biter.)  I even went to the circus there before 1st Mariner existed (you know how long THAT's been.)  But athletic competitons?

At one time, the interior was the largest indoor space in the state.  It used to host the annual Maryland National Guard Indoor Scholastic Games, which attracted more than 2500 student athletes in individual and team competition in track and field exercises.

Although more modern facilities, such as the Prince George's County Sports and Learning Complex, now see more track and field action, the cavernous armory -- built to accommodate two regiments in formation -- is still a traditional competition site.  Its wood surface precludes the use of spikes, so competitors have to modify their stride with a more traditional running shoe.

Despite its drawbacks, the Armory has its fans, and long tradition of hosting track and field events for high school athletes all over the state.  It provides a challenge -- and experience -- all its own.

Joe and the Snow -- Highlights of the Polar Plunge

It was snowing hard before we left Baltimore, but the intrepid Picklodeons rolled merrily along.  Traffic and accidents on 97 caused us to divert to a southern route, but we reached Sandy Point in time for our scheduled 1:00 plunge.

As promised, Terry came through with clearance to the VIP tent, so after my refreshing dip in the drink.  I was able to get the coveted picture of Joe Flacco, albeit not with Tweety.  (That's Miss Maryland running interference here.)

Also ran into Governor O'Malley after his dive.  This pix was taken shortly before the last plunge was cancelled for medical reasons (not to mention the increasingly bad driving conditions that made transit officials want to clear the park.)

The actual plunge was exhilarating.  Since the air was much colder than the water, it wasn't as bad as I thought (not that I stuck around to frolic in the surf.)  The sand stung as badly as sea nettles, particularly the grains that remained frozen.

I wish I had a picture of me in the water with the rest of the Picklesicles, but there was a camera malfunction and alas, the snapshot was not saved.

Only evidence that I have of being there is on a clip from the Fox evening news.  Here I am with Ravens super fan Sports Steve.  My only noteworthy comment to his preparations for the frigid conditions was that his heart kept him warm.  Sports Steve raised over $11,000 for Special Olympics.  And his beads didn't drag him under.

At the end of a very cold day, the worthiness of the cause and the warmth in our hearts is was what everyone took home with them.

(What they were serving on the buses helped too.)

http://www.foxbaltimore.com/newsroom/top_stories/videos/wbff_vid_2812.shtml

Surf and Snowflakes -- Our Day at the Beach

The forecasters aren't kidding.  There really is snow in the air.  Even if most of it tracks south, the Picklesicles will be slushing, not storming, the beach at Sandy Point.

Tweety is on her way to the Warehouse, and we'll be joining the rest of the Frozen Pickles for our day in the Bay.  We'll be giving you real time updates via blog and Twitter (if we can figure it out.)

We're still waiting for Terry to come through with the secret password to access Joe Flacco's VIP tent.  Since our leader is eminently resourceful, we're sure this intel will reach us enroute.

Countdown to Craziness

It's now official -- Tweety and I have joined the Frozen Pickles Polar Bear Plunge team.  That means we get to ride the Pickleodeon bus to Sandy Point, wear our team hat and flash freeze our buns in brine for a very worthy sports endeavor -- the Special Olympics.

An additional ingredient in the Frozen Pickle recipe may be snow, so we maybe closer to Slurpees before this is over.

Despite the elements, Tweety and Blogue will be reporting live from the action on the beach this Saturday.  Terry's only assignment is to find what tent Joe Flacco will be warming and secure access for his pair of popsicles. 

Having infinite faith in his resourcefulness, we plan to get close enough to snap a pic for the blog.  (Much easier to get in range when Gaither and Oher aren't around.)

Stay tuned.

Jumpstarting the Season

The end of January can be pretty dismal.  Winter is not half over, football nearly is, and outdoor sports and recreation seem as far off as March Madness.

Which makes this the perfect time to crawl out of hibernation and prepare for the coming of spring.  Forget the groundhog -- we've had it with winter.

This past weekend were three season starters that longtime aficionados anticipate every year to help with the doldroms.  In Timonium, the Horse World Expo staged its 14th annual event January 21-24 at the Maryland Fairgrounds.  This four day celebration of the horse featured mounted demonstrations, educational seminars, breed and stallion presentations, and vendors selling products and services for every discipline.

There were also clinics and seminars on every aspect of horsemanship. Riding disciplines included Western, hunters, dressage, gaited and eventing. Clinicians demonstrated their approach to handling and training.

With equestrian competitions beginning in the spring, the Expo offered a look at what's new in equipment, training and technique, plus a lot of quality time with horses of every breed.  For the horse lover, this is nirvana.

For those who prefer surf to turf, the 56th annual Baltimore Boat Show docked at the Convention Center for the full weekend.  While primarily a retail event (with sales of boats, equipment, art, and everything relating to the water) the Boat Show is also a reunion for those who make the annual trek during the most inclimate time of the year.  (Yes, just being there made you think warm)

But for one of those days, there was yet another winter tradition that helps us believe spring cannot be unbearably far away --- the Oriole Fan Fest.  It's hard to believe the temps were sub-freezing when you saw all those O's caps and t-shirts wandering down Conway and snaked around the Warehouse ticket office.  I'm told there were about 10,000 in all.  I think they actually outnumbered the kazillion cheerleaders and laxers who were raising the roof last weekend.

So for those who think they'll undergo severe withdrawal after Super Bowl, take it from those who spent their weekends looking ahead -- there's a lot going on in Maryland this spring and there's always something new to learn about.

Three Cheers for Charles!

Let's hear it for Charles County, who have parlayed two new sports facilities --Regency Furniture Stadium and the Indian Head Rail Trail -- into a splendid new event.

The first annual Saint Charles Half Marathon, part of the United States Running Association Half Marathon Running Series, was created in partnership with the Charles County Department of Economic Development and Tourism.

It will take place April 17 and 18, 2010, starting with a fun run for kids on the Indian Head Rail Trail at 9 a.m. Saturday.  The 13 mile Indian Head Rail Trail, extending from Indian Head to Rt. 301 in White Plains, was completed last fall.  It quickly become a favorite of fitness buffs, nature lovers, and artists who delight in the magnificent scenery it offers.

On Saturday, the packet pickup and runners' expo will be from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Regency Furniture Stadium, home of the Blue Crabs and  popular year round community facility since its opening in 2008.

The main event,  a 13.1 mile run, will start at 8 a.m Sunday. The 5K run will begin at 8:15 a.m.

The 2010 USRA series includes 18 cities in middle size to small markets, with the first stop in Columbia, S.C.  The attraction of Charles County, in addition to its new facilities and fast growth market, is its proximity to Washington DC and its enthusiastic running community which is supporting the challenge.

The Hughesville Running Club is providing volunteers and race directors.  They look forward to welcoming regional runners for a trip through rural agricultural Maryland.  The locals are eager to show off their beautiful countryside, and entertain visitors at a post race party and festival at the finish line.

Kudos for Charles County's Department of Economic Development and Tourism for partnering with this national tour, giving Maryland the opportunity to show more people what we have to offer.

Lots to Cheer About

I was wandering around Baltimore last weekend, fully aware the town was going to be overrun with laxers.  After all, the US Lacrosse convention is the biggest pre-season event of the year, bringing in coaches, officials, players and fans from every tier of competition.

What I didn't expect was a sea of perky ponytails with saucy skirts, matching hair ribbons, manicures, eye shadow and pom poms in every possible color combination on every street corner between the harbor and the convention center.

Earlier in the week, Mark Burdette told those assembled for the World Cup announcement that the Ravens had to roost in the Hoosier equivilent of Elkton because every hotel room in Indy was taken for a cheerleading competition.  According to Mark, every sideline strutter in the world was going to be in Indianapolis that weekend.

So what was this throng doing in Baltimore? 

I caught a few on their way to Panaro's for some pre-competition carbs and learned they were in from Ohio.  (No, I didn't ask if they were the Cheerios from William McKinley High, but I was tempted.)  It seems this particular competition, known for its glitz, light show, sound effects and slick production, was a particular favorite on the circuit.  It had originally been scheduled for early February, but when the organizers realized they were competing against Super Bowl, they punted and opted for MLK weekend instead.

I asked how many competitors were there, and they said hundreds of teams.  Since each team has several squads, (and even more parents,) that put attendance in the thousands.

I tried to get a more definitive number out of the Charm City Circulator coordinator, who was passing out Mardi Gras beads in front of the bus.   "Kazillion" was her conservative estimate.  They were coming out of everywhere and shuttling back and forth from the harbor on the new service.

At this point I offered a silent prayer of thanks for those visionaries with the wisdom to expand the convention center and attach a hotel.  No way this town could have accommodated two major weekend events like this otherwise.

And that's not even counting the vroom-vroomers from the Arenacross circuit up the street.  Imagine:  Red Bull and Monster mixed with adreneline and estrogen in one city block.  Entirely too much energy for me.  I took refuge in Pickles, which turned out to be the sanctuary for a bunch of lax referees between sessions. We all hung out to watch the playoffs with Captain Defense and the neighborhood fans.

Despite the outcome, Baltimore had a lot to cheer about with all the activities in the convention center and arena.  It's a great sports town, mostly because Maryland is a great sports state.   All of the action taking place that weekend were national events that had wide regionial appeal and participation.  That's why Baltimore was selected to host them, and why the whole state is getting more attention from promoters.

We have more cheerleaders coming this weekend -- this time to 1st Mariner for a statewide competition.  Again, the hotels will be filled and the local restaurants become stopovers between events. During the slowest season for the hospitality industry, sports activities offer a significant boost.  That's something to cheer about.