After running the Annapolis Striders’ Dog Days 8K Cross Country Run last year in 1:01:04, I hoped to run this year’s race in less than an hour. We had a beautiful morning for the run, and I was able to meet my goal.
This race is part of the MD/DC RRCA Grand Prix Series, and it was my third Grand Prix race of 2025 (I still need to decide which I want to run as my fourth if I want to be eligible for awards). My previous races in the series for this year were the annual Club Challenge and the Fast & Furriest Run for Rescues 15K. Road Runners Club of America clubs across the state organize races that are part of this series. Last year, I was the only person to complete four races in my age group, so I won an award that I received at the Club Challenge.
Race day was Sunday, Aug. 3, and the race began at 8 a.m. Packet pickup that morning was easy. I spent the previous night at my mom and stepdad’s house and didn’t have to leave as early as I would have had to if I’d driven from Salisbury. I wore my Eastern Shore Running Club tank to represent the club.
The Dog Days 8K course includes about a mile on grass before heading onto the sidewalk, road and trails at Anne Arundel Community College in Arnold, Maryland. Knowing the course from the previous year helped me know what to expect and where I’d likely be the fastest and have to slow down.
I ran the first two miles before stopping to walk. I knew my first mile would probably be my fastest of the day because it was on grass and it was flat.
I stopped at the first water stop and got Gatorade, then on the way back, I got water. I also got water around mile 4. The whole time, I was keeping an eye on my times, trying to average under a 12:00/mile pace to come in under an hour — 8K is close to five miles. Again, a volunteer at the earlier water stop called me “kiddo.” I had just read my post from the previous year and remembered that as well.
The course was mostly the same as 2024, but a couple changes had to be made because of construction. The course was well-marked and easy to follow.
Because I knew what to expect and because the weather was nice — I took a screen shot of the weather after the race and it was 72 degrees with a dew point of 61 degrees — this year’s race didn’t feel as hard as last year’s. There are some hills, which aren’t part of my usual runs in Salisbury.
I picked up the pace for the last part, which was on the same grassy loop we’d started on, and finished with a time of 57:54. I know 8K isn’t exactly five miles, but I finished with just short of 8K on my watch, so kept my watch going until I hit 5 miles and ended with a time of 59:06, still well under an hour.
While I didn’t win any awards, I finished a little further up in the crowd than I did last year — 142 of 179, compared to 143 of 163 last year.
I enjoy low- or no-frills races like this one. The earlier registration entry fee was $15 for non-Annapolis Striders members, and there was not traditional swag like a shirt or medal — which is perfect! We did get a wet towel at the end, which was nice. My favorite part of a race is the race experience, not the swag. I also enjoyed the post-race Rita’s Italian Ice.
It was great to be able to feel strong at this race and meet my goal.
Splits
Mile 1: 10:22
Mile 2: 11:41
Mile 3: 13:02
Mile 4: 12:17
Mile 5: 11:40 (kept watch running till I got 5 miles)
Time on results: 57:54; time on watch: 59:06
She Runs by the Seashore 