2 marathons, 15 days: a blistering pace?
Sometimes, successful marathon running means backing off when pressing on seems the only way to go.
For Robert Yara, one of those times came last week, and as a result, come Sunday, Yara will be running in his second marathon in 15 days.
"This was just sort of a feeler for me," Yara said Sunday after he had won the Baltimore Road Runners Club's 5K Championship at Goucher College in 15 minutes, 44 seconds. "It's only the second time I've run this week."
A week earlier, he had finished fourth in a marathon in Burlington, Vt.
"I should have won or, at least, finished second," Yara said about the Vermont marathon, which he completed in 2:26. "I had to stop a couple of times. I got a real bad blister; in fact, I still have it.
"My last stop was at 21 [miles]. Stopping at 20 for a minute tightened up my muscles. The first time I stopped at 14, I was with the leaders."
Restraint allowed Yara to finish and stay in line for the South Bend Marathon this weekend.
"Blisters or not, I'm going," Yara said. "I bought the [airplane] ticket three weeks ago. They make a big deal out of it. The finish is at the 50-yard line inside the [Notre Dame] stadium."
Yara's decision to run in Vermont was another story.
"I've been out of town on business a lot lately," Yara said. "I came home from San Antonio on Friday and jumped on another plane for Vermont."
When you run as many marathons as Yara does, that can be expected. He has qualified for the United States men's Olympic Marathon Trials in Columbus, Ohio.
"I might do three a year," Yara said about his marathon running. "I might do seven or eight. Vermont was just one of those spur-of-the-moment things."
Males: 1. Robert Yara, 36, 15:44; 2. Doug Moyer, 32, 16:01; 3. Frick Welling, 20, 16:03; 4. Jeff Sanborn, 37, 16:05; 5. Layne Party, 31, 16:09; 6. Michael Mamo, 16, 16:14; 7. Mark Bogardy, 33, 16:18; 8. Clayton Deel, 33, 16:19; 9. Mark Rosasco, 32, 16:22; 10. Dan Esser, 31, 16:22.6. Masters: 1. Dave Lowe, 44, 17:05.
Females: 1. Stacey Nicholson, 28, 18:19; 2. Carol Zimmerman, 32, 18:55; 3. Joy Glass, 36, 19:16; 4. Pat Milleson, 32, 19:47; 5. Edie Tress, 41, 20:21; 6. Carolyn Stoll, 30, 20:24; 7. Carole Rosasco, 31, 20:42; 8. Cindy Silate, 16, 21:20; 9. Christy St. Clair, 42, 21:57; 10. Margaret Mudge, 16, 21:56. Masters: 1. Tress.
Males: 1. Nathan Boyer, 29:54; 2. Dave Starnes, 31:07; 3. John Jagde, 31:51; 4. Richard Norris, 32:35; 5. Mike Dougherty, 33:25.
Females: 1. Margaret Cooper, 32:15; 2. Leslie Morgan, 39:41; 3. Kristin Gavlinski, 42:37.
Males: 1. Michael Sterling, 30, 9:35; 2. Scott Douglas, 26, 9:42; 3. Paul Jacobson, 27, 9:55; 4. Michael Santoni, 28, 9:59; 5. Tim Smith, 20, 10:02. Masters: 1. Dave Lowe, 44, 10:52.
Females: 1. Jenny Caple, 25, 12:27; 2. Tracey Smith, 21, 13:38; 3. Cheryl Santoni, 27, 13:58; 4. Judi Bullock, 44, 14:38; 5. Liuda Galinaitis, 33, 15:17. Masters: 1. Bullock.
Friday, MCRRC Go for the Gold Track Meet, Rockville, 7 p.m., (301) 353-0200.
Saturday, BRRC A Place for Your Pace, Loch Raven, 8 a.m., 566-RUN2.
Saturday, Rodgers Forge 5K, Rodgers Forge, 494-8649.
Saturday, Separation Day 5-Miler, New Castle, Del., 9 a.m., (302) 656-5816.
Sunday, Bel Air Town Run 5K, Bel Air, 8 a.m., 879-6410.
Sunday, Police Chase 6-Miler, Argonne Drive, 9 a.m.
Sunday, Savage River Moonshine Classic 10K, Westernport, 9 a.m., (301) 359-0476.
Sunday, Reach the Beach Triathlon, (301) 228-2505.
Sunday, Aidswalk '91, Johns Hopkins University, 9 a.m., 685-1230.
June 12, BRRC Track Series No. 1, Catonsville High School, 6:30 p.m., 566-RUN2.
June 13, WRRC Twilight Series #2, Pleasant Valley Four-Mile Run, Westminster, 7 p.m., 857-5427.
June 15, Gunpowder Neck 10-Miler, Aberdeen Proving Ground Edgewood Area, 8 a.m., 838-5504.
June 15, BRRC A Place for Your Pace, Loch Raven, 8 a.m., 566-RUN2.
June 15, Run for Rick 5K, Bay Ridge, 8:30 a.m., 269-5981.
June 16, GBMC Father's Day 5K, Sheraton Towson, 8 a.m., 494-8649.
June 16, Annapolis Striders' Father's Day 10K, Edgewater, 8 a.m., 268-1165.