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More than a function of throttle position, Wide Open is an expression of our core philosophy. We recognize no boundaries and accept no compromise. Where others perceive a barrier, we see an opportunity. We create premium marine power to take you faster and farther. We give you control to shatter expectations. The world offers limits. Mercury Racing offers freedom.
We turn ideas into metal, concepts in horsepower, and horsepower into speed. We leverage technology and creativity, science and craft. We invest in unbeatable experience, facilities and resources. We are always out to win. We are racers. The pursuit of speed is our passion. The water is our venue. The goal is to put our customers out front. And keep them there.
Passion. It's what defines the Mercury Racing Apex Series, pure competition outboards designed to perform at the pinnacle of closed-course racing - the quickest, fastest, smartest four-stroke outboards to ever boil the water.
The performance, innovation and technology of the Mercury Racing 500R outboard continues to garner attention and awards from the marine industry, with the most recent recognition coming from Boating...
High-performance boating fans are invited to join the exciting world of high-stakes poker at the inaugural Bago Big Bet Poker Run, June 20-23, 2024, in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, where adrenaline meets the...
For more than five decades since its establishment as Mercury Marine Hi-Performance Products Department in 1973, Mercury Racing has provided amateur and professional boaters with a complete line of ma...
Mercury Racing boosts its support of circuit racing with the addition of the 60 APX model to its Apex series of pure competition outboards. The 60 APX is designed specifically to power catamaran tunn...
On February 15, the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) and Boating Writers International (BWI) honored the Mercury Racing V8 500R outboard with a 2024 Miami Innovation Award in the Outbo...
The mission of the Maryland Racing Commission is to regulate pari-mutuel betting in Maryland through the implementation and enforcement of policies, and to safeguard the participants in racing, as well as the betting public. The Commission oversees and regulates both the harness and thoroughbred horse racing industry in Maryland. This includes Maryland's seven off-track betting sites. Maryland is also the proud host of the Preakness, the second jewel of thoroughbred racing's Triple Crown.
All of the participants, from the track itself to the jockeys to the concessionaires who provide the food and drink at the racetrack, are licensed by the Maryland Racing Commission. The Commission ensures proper distribution of wagering dollars and regularly reviews the financial statements of the racing associations. The Maryland Racing Commission also maintains its own lab to test for drugs in horses to maintain the integrity of the sport. All of these measures protect and perpetuate first class horse racing in Maryland. E-mail Maryland Racing Commission for more information.
La Comisin de carreras de caballos de Maryland supervise y regula la industria relacionada a las carreras de caballos, incluyendo los caballos con arreos y los caballos de pura sangre. Esta Comisin incluye los dos sitios fuera de las carreras. Tambin, Maryland es el anfitrin orgulloso del Preakness, la segunda joya de la Corona Triple de carreras de caballos de pura sangre.
Todos los participantes, desde la carrera a los jinetes y los concesionarios que provean los alimentos y las bebidas obtienen sus licencias de la Comisin de Carreras de Caballos de Maryland. La Comisin asegura la correcta distribucin del dinero de las apuestas y examina peridicamente los estados financieros de las asociaciones de carreras. Para mantener la integridad del deporte, la Comisin de carreras de caballos tambin mantiene su propio laboratorio para realizar las pruebas de drogas en los caballos. Todas estas medidas protegen y perpetan las carreras de caballos de primera clase en Maryland.
In sports, racing is a competition of speed, in which competitors try to complete a given task in the shortest amount of time. Typically this involves traversing some distance, but it can be any other task involving speed to reach a specific goal.
A race may be run continuously to finish or may be made up of several segments called heats, stages or legs. A heat is usually run over the same course at different times. A stage is a shorter section of a much longer course or a time trial.
The word race comes from a Norse word.[1] This Norse word arrived in France during the invading of Normandy and gave the word raz which means "swift water" in Brittany, as in a mill race; it can be found in "Pointe du Raz" (the most western point of France, in Brittany), and "raz-de-mare" (tsunami). The word race to mean a "contest of speed" was first recorded in the 1510s.[2]
Running a distance is the most basic form of racing, but races may also be done by climbing, swimming, walking, or other types of human locomotion. Races may be conducted with animals such as camels, dogs, horses, pigeons, pigs, snails, or turtles. They also may be done in vehicles such as aircraft, bicycles, boats, cars, or motorcycles; or with another means of transport such as skates, skateboards, skis, sleds, snowboards, or wheelchair. In a relay race members of a team take turns in racing parts of a circuit or performing a certain racing form.
In track and field, distances from 1500 metres upwards often feature sprint finishes. They can also be found in cross country and road running events, even up to the marathon distance. A runner's ability to sprint at the end of a race is also known as their finishing kick.[5] Multisport races, such as the triathlon, often have running as the final section and sprint finish tactics are applied as they are in running-only events.[6]
In cycling, sprint finishes are an integral part of the sport and are used in both track cycling and road cycling. Cycling sprints are often highly tactical, particularly on the track, with cyclists occasionally coming to a near halt at points before reaching a high speed finish.[7] The longer track races such as scratch races often feature sprint finishes, as maintaining a steady pace within the peloton allows opponents to conserve energy through drafting.[8][clarification needed] Road races are similar in this respect, in both short criterium races and long-distance races. Sprint tactics also form a major part of points classifications in road events, where cycling sprinters specialise in reaching an intermediate point first, thus gaining extra points and resulting prizes.[9][10]
Sprint finish tactics are also used in speedskating, cross-country skiing, long-distance swimming,[11] horse racing and other animal racing sports.[12][13] The finishes of races which are outright sprinting events in themselves, such as the 100 metres track race, are not normally referred to as sprint finishes, as all competitors are already sprinting by default (thus it is not a racing tactic).
As for driving over an hour for a six minute race, think about all the gymnasts who travel across the country or across the world to do a 10-second vault. Or the sprinters who travel worldwide for a 20-second event. My sister takes my nieces all over the USA to compete for 3 minutes in cheer. The duration of the competition is totally irrelevant to the travel time. The two are un-related.
If that's the case, then why don't I travel farther to run 5Ks and 10Ks? Simple. Because there are plenty 5Ks and 10Ks to choose from that are relatively close to my home. I have so many options locally, that there's no need to travel. But mile races are rare. I honestly don't understand why. They're much easier on race directors. Maybe I do understand why, though. Perhaps it's because the participants don't view it as a challenge. Many people run 5Ks to cover the distance. If the distance were reduced to a mile, they probably wouldn't be as attracted to it.
What's so hard about a mile? If you aren't a runner, this is something you won't understand. It's hard because it's intense. In order to race it at 100% effort, you need to be super uncomfortable for the entire duration. The goal isn't to "complete" the mile, but rather to run it as hard as possible. This goes back to my above point. Many people are attracted to 5K races because there is an obvious achievement in covering 5 kilometers on foot, particularly running the whole time. With a mile, that achievement may not seem as significant.
Goals
My "A" goal was to break 5:50. I was confident I had the physical ability to do it, but I wasn't sure if I could pace it properly or maintain the intense level of discomfort that it required.
Before the Race
Greg and I left the house at around 6:40 for a race start time of 8:40. I had my pre-run snack in the car: almond butter filled pretzels. I didn't want to eat too much because I wanted a mostly empty stomach. I was sure to have a big dinner the night before.
I decided to wear the New Balance Super Comp Pacer. Not to be confused with the Super Comp Trainer (which has a high stack height and is meant for long runs). The two shoes are basically opposites. The Pacer weighs in at 5.2 ounces for my size 6.5. It's low to the ground and extremely responsive. Not a lot of bounce, but there is a carbon fiber plate. I wear these shoes at the track when I am running anything shorter than mile repeats. I like to get the feedback from the ground so the bouncy/cushy super shoes are not my preference at high speeds.
It took us 70 minutes to get there, and we arrived at 7:50. I got my bib and went to the bathroom. Greg and I then scoped out the course to find a good location for him to be. We found a good spot about a tenth of a mile before the finish, where he could stand on an elevated platform and have a good angle for photos. I then started my warm up.
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