1. PRAY for RAGS

I haven't written for awhile --

But, I must tell you about Mark Ragonese, a.k.a. RAGS. I did not know Rags when I registered to run in the Premiere Baltimore 10 Mile Race to benefit University of Maryland Heart Center. I received a special invitation from Corrigan Sports to run in this Baltimore 10 Miler, because four years ago I ran in the 2004 Baltimore Marathon. Eighteen months before the '04 Marathon the Good LORD had healed my broken back with a Hand of GOD miracle, through the Laying on of Hands!

I cannot tell you about my miracle right now, except to say: "Glory be to GOD!" It is a spectacular miracle for which I continually THANK GOD! Right now I am posting to my Blog because Rags needs your prayers to ask GOD for a miracle like the one I received. Two weeks before the 10 Mile Race, Mark's neck was broken in a freak accident while he was setting up for another race-event sponsored by Corrigan Sports, the Survivor Harbor 7 Mile Race.

When Corrigan Sports sent out the final instructions for the Baltimore 10 Miler, they notified the public of Mark's accident, and they dedicated additional Race-Day efforts to benefit RAGS. They produced the RAGS logo at the top of this post. Corrigan Sports has also established a Trust Fund to raise money to help defray the cost of RAGS' Rehabilitation Treatment. Please click on the logo above or the TRUST FUND links to make a donation.

PRAY for RAGS! And send him some encouraging words on his hospital Blog/ Journal:

Caring Bridge.

2. Baltimore 10 Miler

Rags -- I prayed for you all of the way! GOD was my strength!

YOU were my inspiration! Your story made me all the more determined.

Here are some pics:

00 Ready ...Set ...

01 GO! Race GUN Start.

02 About one minute after GUN.

03 My Pace Group Hopes for 12-min/miles.

04 Cresting 1st Hill

05 Ahead by 'this' much so far!

3. Baltimore 10 Miler

06 ONE (1) Mile behind me.






I had to pee so bad that I blew right past the first mile marker in search of a port-a-potty!

[Note to RAGS] -- There were enough potties at the Zoo start line. The problem with me, and a couple hundred other runners, was that we had misinterpreted the race start time. I was in a line at the Zoo-potties for about 10 minutes and had moved forward half the distance, when all of a sudden no one was behind me. A race official had called the runners to "get ready," but I did not hear him. The guy in front of me had not heard anything, but no one else was getting in line. So, leaving about 15 runners in each of the 10 potty-lines, I hurried over to my 12-mile pace area. The runners there seemed uncertain of the start time, as now it was a couple of minutes past 7:30 AM.

And then -- we're off! The guy I had left in the potty-line passed me within the first half mile and said he had made it to the start-line with only seconds to spare. I was terribly uncomfortable, but I was reassured to see several pairs of potties staged on the first mile of the race route. However, several people were in each of those lines! Finally, after the first mile marker, I spied a potty with no line. It was occupied, but just for a few seconds! My prostate makes me a slow pee-er, so I think I lost about two minutes. But it was worth it! Now I could run without holding my knees together.

[Note to Corrigan] -- The email for 'final instructions' before the race could have reiterated the 7:30 AM start time. And maybe a second loud-speaker/announcer could have been posted at the front of the potty lines.

07 TWO (2) Mile Marker

08 THREE (3) Mile Marker -
- - - Into the Sun.












09 THREE (3) Mile - Looking Back.













10 Long Hot Road after 3.

4. Baltimore 10 Miler

11 How Hot the Sun!?
12 FOUR (4) Mile Marker - Further into the Sun!
13 FOUR (4) Mile - Cups of Water; and some SHADE!
14 Around the Lake. Where did the shade go?
15 FIVE (5) Mile Marker : 58 min : 23 sec

5. Baltimore 10 Miler

16 FIVE (5) Mile : 58m 38s : Holding My Pace!
17 FIVE (5) Mile

HALF WAY!
18 Are We Home, Yet!?
19 SIX (6) Mile Marker
20 SEVEN (7) Mile Marker

6. Baltimore 10 Miler

21 What's up? ---UP!!
22 EIGHT (8) Mile Marker -- the Wall!
23 EIGHT (8) Mile - My Toes -r- Numb! I have to walk a few paces -- several times!
24 Dog-Ear at Nine (9) Mile Levels Field.
25 NINE (9) Mile Marker

7. Baltimore 10 Miler

26 NINE (9) Mile : 1h:47m:18s : On Pace!

27 NINE (9) Mile - Ahead 'THIS' Much!

But not for long. My legs are gone! And my toes are still numb. I walk around the next corner; and stop. I bend over and reach for my toes to crack my back. "POP! Pop. Pop." My L4-5, and S1 vertebrae open up. But, not much relief. I walk a few more steps, and then force myself to run. Several more times in the next half-mile I have to walk. It's ALL UPHILL! I could be done...

I run into a crowd of early finishers. They are cheering us on: "You're almost there! KEEP on GOING!" "Just around the curve it's ALL DOWNHILL! You can see the finish line!" ...But I cannot see anything -- my vision is blurred! I feel like I'm moving in slow motion; my legs weigh 1000 pounds each. My heels are crashing into the asphalt like jackhammers -- very slow jackhammers! I am nauseous! I think a race official got right into my face and asked: "Are you OK?" Was I hallucinating?! No ...no, that was just a police officer directing traffic at the park entrance. Yes! That's it! Now I recognize the slate sidewalk! My eyes refocus as I look up and see the crest of the first hill. Only now ...it must be the crest of the LAST HILL!

28 TEN (10) Mile FINISH LINE -- Just Ahead!

Around the curve, and -- THERE IT IS! I stop to take one more picture. Can I sprint the finish? No, it's way too far! I'm going to be sick! I say a quick prayer for RAGS, and I ask the SPIRIT of GOD to carry me, and RAGS, if he needs it. With 50 yards to go, I remember the great miracle of the LORD that I had received five years ago. I break into a sprint! And I give it everything I have left! Finally, I cross the FINISH LINE with a fast, strong limp!

29 PHOTO FINISH [Courtesy CORRIGAN SPORTS]

Chip Time: 1:59:42

A cameraman stepped out of the crowd and focused his big camera square on the finish line as I stepped onto the chip recorder. Somehow, I found the strength to raise my arms in VICTORY! My bib number was announced on the loud-speaker; and then my name! I wanted to shout: "GOD BLESS RAGS!" one more time! But, I was gasping for air and could not speak a word.

Just past the finish line I stopped running, and I gulped down a couple of dry swallows of air to keep from puking. I staggered over to a chair to remove my chip. As I caught my breath and recovered from the abusive finish, I wondered why the cameraman had focused on me!? What was so notable about my finish that my name should be announced on the loud-speaker? My sprint couldn't have been that impressive. Had I peed myself? My bladder felt like it had ripped open during the sprint. Had I lost control of my bodily fuctions, like when you die!? Was I some kind of spectacle? Did my big belly catch their attention? Or my knotty old knees? Maybe it was my big grey beard blowing up in my face!

No! It was none of these things. I know it was not even about me. It was about the hat -- the official RAGS / HEY BUDDY tribute hat! I was wearing the hat in honor of RAGS! Everybody was watching the hat! And they were thinking about their good friend, RAGS! And they were believing: "If that old broken down man with the big grey beard can can run 10 miles -- RAGS can get well again!"

And RAGS will get well again! I believe that with all of my heart!

"HEY BUDDY -- GOD BLESS YOU!"

8. Baltimore 10 Miler

30 I beat these guys!

31 Quick! Give Me a Drink of WATERmelon!

32 Opps! There it is! --BEER!

33 Melons with a Beer Chaser at 10 AM!


34 PARTY!

9. Baltimore 10 Miler

35 Kicking Back after the Race.

36 Premium Tents + RAGS Fundraisers.

37 Medical Attention -- NOT for me!
38 Results Boards.39 Results Boards.

10. Baltimore 10 Miler

40 Results Boards.
41 Results Boards.
42 Maurice, the Master -- 52 years old!
43 MASTER -- Maurice Pointer.44 MISTER -- TedtheRabbi.

Overall, I finished ahead of about 100 runners. The time of 1h:59m:42s and the distance of 10 MILES was EXCELLENT for me! It was the best PACE for the only RACE I have run since the Baltimore 2004 Marathon. The Marathon had truly been a MIRACLE for me! This Baltimore 10 Miler was also a miracle; or, the beginning of a miracle. I had to work very hard to make ten miles! But, with GOD'S help, this will be the start of my comeback tour!

That's all for this post! I will try to put something together for DANGER BARBIE, who entertained us with live music after the Race. I captured some video clips of their performance, but since the BEER Tent was right next to the stage, each time I got a beer my cell-phone camera audio pickup was crushed by Barbie's amps / speakers. Let me just comment -- Barbie is a cute act with a good sound. And she does a decent Pat Benatar!