Relay

Oakland Mills indoor track and field coach Sam Singleton has no idea whether other coaches have something similar to his strategy of training relay runners.But his results are hard to match.Singleton requires runners on the 800-, 1,600- and 3,200-meter relay teams to complete consecutive intervals in practice. For instance, an 800 relay runner may finish eight straight 200 intervals at 90 percent speed, a consistent way to magnify strength and endurance.That formula is a major reason the Scorpions' six relay squads -- three boys, three girls -- are all among the Baltimore area's finest.

The sophomore sprinter added to an already impressive running resume with four gold medals in leading the No. 1 Eagles to the Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland track and field championship. She won the 100 and 200 meters and ran legs of the winning 800- and 1,600-meter relays. Undefeated in the 100 and 200, she has won seven IAAM titles in two years. An All-Metro first-team selection during the indoor track season, she helped the Eagles take that team title, too, by winning the 55 and 300 meters and anchoring the gold-medal 800 relay.

BARCELONA, Spain -- At the celebratory news conference, Jenny Thompson forgot to turn on her mi-6,6l crophone."Sorry," she said, sheepishly. "It's my first time in here."Thompson didn't win the women's 100-meter freestyle, and she didn't even make the final of the 200 freestyle, but yesterday she won her first gold medal of the Olympics in grand style.The U.S. swim team needed a lift after losses by Janet Evans and Matt Biondi, and Thompson swam the fastest relay leg in history to help set a world record in the women's 400-meter freestyle relay.

On April 19, psychology major Kaitlin Ames of Churchville participated in Stevenson University's Relay for Life Event. More than $38,000 was raised to support the American Cancer Society. More than 500 Stevenson University community members gathered together in the Owings Mills Gymnasium to participate in the American Cancer Society's Relay For Life, a 12-hour overnight event, symbolizing a night in the life of someone fighting cancer, a disease that never sleeps. Relay teams made up of friends, family, classmates, clubs and local businesses raised funds throughout the year and at the event to support American Cancer Society programs in cancer research, education, advocacy and patient services.

Baltimore County launched a new phase of its rapidly expanding curbside recycling program yesterday by beginning a pilot project in Relay that substitutes a pickup of mixed paper and yard waste for one of two weekly trash collections.Instead of having two trash pickups a week, Relay residents will have what county officials are calling one-plus-one curbside recycling collection: one day for trash and one day for recyclables. Early yesterday, County Executive Roger B. Hayden kicked off the project by donning a bright orange jumpsuit and spending 45 minutes helping crews pick up recyclables in Relay.

Western Howard County's Relay For Life, the overnight fundraiser for the American Cancer Society, will hold a team meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Glenwood Community Center, 2400 Route 97, Cooksville. The theme for the meeting is "You Are the Heart of Relay," and information about Relay for Life will be provided. Everyone is welcome. Friends and relatives of cancer survivors, religious organizations, service clubs, schools and the public are invited to form teams, which raise money during the year for the event.

A Baltimore County Circuit Court judge has upheld the approval of development of a controversial housing project in Relay in a ruling some attorneys say could undermine the zoning authority of municipalities and counties in Maryland.The project, known as Hilltop Place, calls for the construction of 198 townhouses on 24.37 acres owned by developer Carl T. Julio.In a recent opinion, Judge J. William Hinkel said the County Council acted in bad faith and was negligent when it froze development of the property in 1991 after other agencies had approved it.The purpose of the freeze was to enable the county to buy the land.

BARCELONA, Spain -- At the celebratory news conference, Jenny Thompson forgot to turn on her mi-crophone."Sorry," she said, sheepishly. "It's my first time in here."Thompson didn't win the women's 100-meter freestyle, and she didn't even make the final of the 200 freestyle, but yesterday she won her first gold medal of the Olympics in grand style.The U.S. swim team needed a lift after losses by Janet Evans and Matt Biondi, and Thompson swam the fastest relay leg in history to help set a world record in the women's 400-meter freestyle relay.

When Cal Ripken took the throw from Mike Devereaux in the sixth inning Monday night, the most important part of the game's most important play was already over.The powerful, one-skip, off-the-artificial-surface relay was the window dressing that finished the play. But it was what preceded the throw that typifies the most overlooked aspect of Ripken's game -- his uncanny ability to read a situation and position himself to make the play.There is nothing fancy involved, just a superior knowledge of the game and the situation.

Woodlawn coach Gerald Russell said he hoped to use yesterday's Baltimore County Indoor Track Relay Championships at the Fifth Regiment Armory as a springboard to the regional and state meets.With the Warriors' seven-point win over Perry Hall, however, he first might have to pull his runners out of the rafters."We're still trying to peak for regionals and states," Russell said. "I think if the kids keep focused, they have the potential to go all the way."Woodlawn won the meet with 63 points, followed by Perry Hall with 54 and Milford Mill with 23.The Warriors exceled in the short- and middle-distance events, mixing and matching relay teams to gain a sizable lead before the longer events.

Laurel Park Bullet Catcher follows more traditional path, reaches winners' circle Bullet Catcher, who made local and national headlines Jan. 11 after escaping from the Laurel Park backside and taking a 1.6-mile journey on nearby roads, won his first race in nearly two years with an impressive performance in Friday's eighth race, a $40,000 allowance. Jerry Robb Jeremy Rose Abel Castellano Abel Castellano The 4-year-old gelding broke alertly then tracked the pace to the 16th marker before he surged ahead to win by 21/2 lengths in 1 minute, 4.71 seconds for the 51/2-furlong distance.

The online grocer Relay Foods started service in the Baltimore area back in December. Starting this weekend, Relay will offer pickup service for customers who have placed orders online. Previously, the only option for Baltimore customers purchasing groceries from Relay has been home delivery. The pickup locations are Baltimore Clayworks (5707 Smith Ave. in Mount Washington) and in front of Trohv (921 W. 36th St. in Hampden ). The pickups will operate from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

When Jameel McClain suffered a serious neck stinger late in the third quarter of the Ravens' 31-28 overtime loss to the Washington Redskins last Sunday, the responsibility of wearing the helmet that transmitted defensive coordinator Dean Pees' calls did not go to veterans like free safety Ed Reed, strong safety Bernard Pollard or inside linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo. That honor went to Josh Bynes, an undrafted free agent last year. And if Ray Lewis (torn right triceps) and Dannell Ellerbe (right ankle, left foot, both thumbs)

It took a little while, but Jameel McClain has finally gotten used to the voices buzzing in his head. After Ray Lewis tore his triceps late in the Week 6 win over the Dallas Cowboys, McClain assumed his role as the Ravens' starting middle linebacker. With the new gig came: two small speakers in his helmet, a green dot the size of a quarter, the responsibility of relaying the play calls transmitted by defensive coordinator Dean Pees to his fellow defenders and making sure each is where they are supposed to be before the snap.

Et cetera Snyder, McFadden win Paralympic gold Baltimore's Brad Snyder , 28, won his second gold medal of the London Paralympics on Friday, a year to the day after he was blinded by an improvised explosive device while serving with the Navy in Afghanistan. "It is an emotional day, but it's kind of a day of celebration," Snyder said after winning the 400-meter freestyle S11 gold in 4 minutes, 32.41 seconds, by a margin of 5.83. "I zeroed my focus on performance and was able to put a lot of the emotions away.

Online grocer Relay Foods of Charlottesville, Va., is rolling out service Tuesday in Baltimore, Washington and Philadelphia and plans to offer groceries from local suppliers and farms through home delivery and, eventually, at pick-up sites. Relay, which until now has operated only in the Charlottesville and Richmond markets, sees untapped demand in Baltimore, Zach Buckner, Relay's CEO, said Monday. The company is expanding thanks to its June acquisition of Washington-based Arganica Farm Club, an online farmers' market now serving Baltimore, Washington and Philadelphia.

Kristen Nicolini and Alison Ross established themselves as the county's finest female distance runners during the past cross country season.Yesterday, the Annapolis duo proved they are equally adept indoors as they joined forces with teammates Becky Morris, Christine Mowry and Lisa Jewell and set two meet records at the Anne Arundel County Relay Championships at the Fifth Regiment Armory.Nicolini, a senior, and Ross, only a sophomore, teamed with Morris and Mowry to win the 4 x 1,600 relay in a record time of 22 minutes, 51.4 seconds.

The monthly telephone surcharge that funds the state's new telephone relay center for people with hearing problems will be reduced from 31 cents to 17 cents in May, the governor's office announced yesterday.Joseph Harrison, a spokesman for the Department of General Services, which is responsible for overseeing construction and operation of the relay center, said upfront construction costs will be paid for as of May. As a result, he said, the state can further reduce the surcharge imposed on the state's 1.3 million telephone customers each month to pay for the center.

Someday, people will tell their grandchildren about this. How, under the swooping roof of the Aquatics Centre, on the final day of his final Olympics, they saw Michael Phelps race for the final time. They'll remember how they saw him, one more time, take a deficit and transform it into a lead. And they saw him win gold. “I did it,” Phelps said simply after an emotional day in which the 27-year-old Baltimore swimmer bade farewell to the sport he transformed. “Through the ups and down of my career, I've been able to do everything I've wanted to accomplish.

Bob Bowman was done, or so he thought. Something of the Michael Phelps Whisperer to the media, he can be counted on for insights, such as on Tuesday night after the Baltimore swimmer became the most decorated Olympian ever after winning a gold medal as anchor of the 4x200-meter freestyle relay team. Bowman delivered. Often emotionally, sometimes sardonically, he offered wisdom on the eventful night and then took off. But he came back. Oh wait, he said, almost forgetting about his other talking point, Allison Schmitt, gold-medal winner and Olympic record-breaker.