MAYORS CUP XC 2009








Date:    10/25/2009 10:50 AM
Type:    Race
Course:    Franklin Park 5K
Distance:    5 kilometers
Duration:    16:48
Pace:    5:25 / mile
Equipment:    Brooks Mach 11 XC Spikes (Brooks Mach11 XC)
Weight:    166 lb
Heart Rate:    Average: 169
Misc:    Quality: 4/10, Effort: 7/10
Field Placement:    7 / 356 (2%)
Weather:    62° F, Sunny
Event URL:    coolrunning.com/results/09/ma/Oct25_20thAn_set5.shtml
Notes:    Boston, MA - Back at Franklin Park for the Mayor's Cup races. I race frequently in the fall at Franklin Park but it still has never served me well as a "home field" advantage. It's not a good course profile for me. My best is tough topography / good footing - like Northfield Mountain's high school courses or Wickham Park in Connecticut. Franklin Park is a classic bad footing / minimal hills kind of course and just seems to bring out the worst in me. I haven't won a 5K here (last week's 1st place finish out of 4 total runners aside) since I won the Catholic Memorial Invitational in 1991. That was the same course but run in a different order - Bear cage was the final lap. At least that gave me the hill at the end and I won that race on a good footing day.

My plan for this one today was to go out with the lead and then try to make a move late. It did not go as planned. I got out really slowly in the muddy field (the course was very soft and muddy today with lots of rain yesterday) but managed to work into top 10 for the first mile with my standard 5:05ish first mile. It was then that I thought I could pick it up and get into the mix with the top few kids. But I never could find that next gear. Every time I would try to switch gears I'd hit another mud pit and it would just send me back to slow. XC is not a rhythm sport anyway but this was to the extreme and I was not shifting gears effectively at all.

I was never far from the front but never a factor either. The sluggish legs since the half marathon continued into today's race. Oh well. I feel like on a faster course day I would have been a factor in the front but that I have not been doing the strength / core type work to stay fast on tough footing. I don't get that tired but I can't stay fast.

Individual Results: http://coolrunning.com/results/09/ma/Oct25_20thAn_set5.shtml

Team Results: http://coolrunning.com/results/09/ma/Oct25_20thAn_set8.shtml
Statistics:    Calories: 390
VO2 Max: 61.0








Date:    10/25/2009 12:00 PM
Type:    Race
Course:    Franklin Park 8K
Distance:    8 kilometers
Duration:    27:43
Pace:    5:35 / mile
Equipment:    Brooks Mach 11 XC Spikes (Brooks Mach11 XC)
Weight:    166 lb
Misc:    Quality: 5/10, Effort: 2/10
Field Placement:    99 / 147 (67.3%)
Weather:    62° F, Sunny
Event URL:    coolrunning.com/results/09/ma/Oct25_20thAn_set1.shtml
Notes:    Boston, MA (Franklin Park) - So...a new adventure today. I've never doubled a XC course so I didn't really know what to expect. Pretty low risk given that I didn't have a chance to score for my team with the talent level as it is at Mayor's Cup in the championship race so it was worth a try and I'd gladly do it again. Went out a bit conservative and then probably coasted too much from there. Even with the coasting approach, I passed people throughout the race. I actually felt really good on the 8K but that may have more to do with running over a minute slower than I did at Codfish a month ago. These were slow conditions but I ran this like a rode race where I just found a comfortable gear and just stayed relaxed and really enjoyed. Not a painful race at all - which speaks to some combination of my lack of toughness and too conservative an effort.

I guess I kept waiting for the shite to hit the fan but I felt looser and stronger on this race than I did for the 5K. Maybe next year I'll try again and attack the second race a bit more for the last 3K at least.

Individual Results: http://coolrunning.com/results/09/ma/Oct25_20thAn_set1.shtml

Team Results: http://coolrunning.com/results/09/ma/Oct25_20thAn_set2.shtml

Team race was very close - not that I was a factor in helping any. New Balance Boston scored a 3 point victory. If I could have run what I did at Codfish (low 26) then I would have been helpful but the course then was much faster than the course today.
Statistics:    Calories: 624
VO2 Max: 60.7






Gotta go...

Date:    10/11/2009 8:10 AM
Type:    Race
Course:    BAA Half Marathon



Distance:    13.1 miles
Duration:    1:11:08
Pace:    5:26 / mile
Equipment:    adidas Adizero Mana
Weight:    169 lb
Heart Rate:    Average: 166 / Max: 172
Misc:    Quality: 9/10, Effort: 7/10
Field Placement:    21 / 3989 (0.5%)
Age group:    35 – 39
Group Placement:    3 / 298 (1%)
Gender Placement:    20 / 1788 (1.1%)
Weather:    50° F, Sunny
Event URL:    coolrunning.com/results/09/ma/Oct11_BAAHal_set1.shtml
Notes:    Boston, MA - The 2009 BAA Half Marathon. This race - run virtually from my backyard - remains one of my favorites. It's a challenging and interesting course.



"The 13.1-mile, rolling course features a combined loop and out-and-back route, beginning and ending at Roberto Clemente Field in the Back Bay Fens neighborhood of Boston (also known as the Fenway). With a start on Park Drive adjacent to Roberto Clemente Field, the course proceeds through the Riverway and over Route 9 into Brookline. The course then passes Jamaica Pond and the Arborway on its way to Franklin Park, with a turnaround in the Franklin Park Zoo.

Returning from Franklin Park, the course follows the Arborway to the Jamaicaway to the Riverway before finishing back in the Fenway neighborhood at Roberto Clemente Field."

I have had a bad 10 days of running with a bad race last Sunday and a lot of runs where I have felt like arse. I have also done little to prepare properly for this race - not enough long runs, no tempo runs, no hill workouts. I ate poorly and slept poorly this week. I had a flu shot that left my left arm dead for three days (weird).

My goal was primarily to see if I could eek out a better race than last year. I suspected the competition would be deep this year as these things have a way of over correcting and nobody felt good seeing a guy like me on the awards stage for overall last year.

My approach was pretty simple:

1) Go out conservative - I watched enough XC on Saturday to reinforce this belief.

2) Find a pack - this is not a course to run alone.

3) Run the course - easy up the hills, shift gears down and flat, run tangents, finish strong.

Competition was unclear until the elite / low number runners walked over from the tent. I was bib #19 so I think I was included in the mix but I live so close I didn't really explore the option much. I did become a bit indignant when the race marshalls wouldn't let me to the front at first even with the appropriate number. I know, I get it, I am bigger than most runners. Just let me by so I can do some strides, OK? Good, thanks.

Start - Mile 1:
Back Bay Fens and Riverway
The race begins on the north side of Roberto Clemente Field on Park Dr. at Kilmarnock St. in the Back Bay Fens, heading north. The course takes a left on the Riverway -- around the rotary -- in front of the Landmark Center, and proceeds along the Riverway past Longwood Ave.

Good pack quickly formed with teammates Jon Fortescue, Wayne Levy, Bernie Jones, and the lead women pack. I liked my spot.





Hit the mile with a low HR and feeling very comfortable in 5:28. A bit slower than I planned but I wasn't too worried. It was more important to use the pack than to be 10 feet in front of them.

Mile 2 - 3:
Riverway, Olmsted Park, and Jamica Pond
Remaining on the Riverway, the course takes a right exit immediately after crossing over Route 9 (Boylston St.), near the Brookline/Boston town line. There, it picks up the beginning of Pond Ave. in Brookline in front of the Brook House. The course continues on Pond Ave., passing Olmsted Park on its way around the rotary at Pond and Chestnut St. Through the rotary, the course takes Chestnut St., continuing south and running towards Jamaica Pond. After a right onto Perkins St., the course keeps Jamaica Pond on its left and takes a right onto Parkman Dr. (Jamaica Park is on the right side of the course).

I was really pleased with how light my legs felt and how easy the pace felt. I also felt good about the value of running with the lead women's pack - they chased me down and spit me out like a grape last year at mile 6. Last year, I felt like a more conservative start and I could have hung longer with them. The mantra in my head became, "don't get squashed like a grape." Every time the women would surge, I heard this and stayed with them.

Also, they were executing the course to perfection and this allowed me to go mindless.

These miles went 5:30 and 5:31.

Mile 4:
Arborway and Arnold Arboretum
At the end of Parkman Dr., the course takes a right onto Pond St. where the Jamaicaway meets the Arborway, continuing on the Arborway and the rotary at Center St. Still on the Arborway, the course passes Arnold Arboretum on the right and continues on the overpass above Forest Hills.

Felt really good still and pack was in tact. Not much going on other than a glass of water and just trying to stay relaxed. The pace picked up to a 5:23.

Mile 5 - 7:
Forest Hills Overpass, Franklin Park, and Zoo
At the base of the overpass, the course enters Franklin Park on Circuit Dr. via the rotary in front of Morton St. and Forest Hills Cemetary. In the park, the course continues on Circuit Dr. and enters the Franklin Park Zoo at the entrance near The Playstead and White Stadium (South Entrance). After a short loop within the zoo, the route exits the zoo from the same entrance, and exits Franklin Park via the same route as it entered (Circuit Dr.).

These miles went 5:31; 5:33; 5:26. Good pacing for a challenging section of the course. Stayed with the lead women's pack and felt great. Saw Renee and Brad as I exited the zoo. Got thrown for a little bit of a loop as they moved the water station to only one side of the course and only on the way into the zoo. This kept me from taking by gel when I wanted but I felt OK.

Mile 8 - 10:
Arborway, Jamaicaway, Riverway
Heading back towards the start/finish venue, the course follows the Arborway to the Jamaicaway to the Riverway. Note: the course passes to the south of Jamaica Pond on the return, as well as staying on the south of Olmsted Park (within Boston's city limits).



Right at mile 8 I got cloudy headed. I need my gel badly. At the same time the lead woman dropped a major surge and I lost the pack. I grabbed my gel, downed it without water and re-focussed. My mind came back within a minute and I sprinted back up to re-form the pack. This was key. Tried to get teammate Lou Rafetto to join the group as we caught him at the overpass. He hung for a bit but had gone out fairly aggressively.

Miles went 5:25; 5:20; 5:19. Fast part of the course but you have to take advantage.



Mile 11:
Riverway
Continuing over Route 9, the course travels along the Riverway to the Fenway (just prior to the Park Drive/Brookline Ave. Rotary in front of the Landmark Center.

Probably relaxed too much here. I had fallen off the lead woman and was ahead of the rest of the pack that had now dismantled. I wish I had pushed harder here. Ugggh...



This mile went 5:24. OK, but could have gone sub 5:15.

Mile 12 - 13.1:
Fenway and Finish at Roberto Clemente Field
The final mile brings runners into the Fenway via a right hand turn at Park Dr. Running the perimeter of the Fenway, the course passes the Museum of Fine Arts on the right and makes its run to the finish in a counter clockwise direction around the Fens, meeting Roberto Clemente Field from Park Dr. (north).



Still too content with how things went. Too busy evaluating a degree of success and less energy spent just hammering in the last mile. Mistake. My bad.



Splits for 12 and 13 were 5:22 and 5:20. Again, OK but I could have been better. This kept me out of the sub 1:11:00. Needed a target but was alone. I did gain on the lead woman but ran out of territory.



At the finish line, they put up a ribbon for the lead woman...no problem.


BUT, one of the volunteers took two steps off the finishers mat and then walked right in front of me while I was in full sprint at the finish line. Completely unexpected and I couldn't avoid her. She went flying. My neck hurt. Not sure what she was thinking...hope she is OK.






Video of the women's finish and the aftermath of the great collision:




Splits:

5:28; 5:30; 5:31; 5:23; 5:31; 5:33; 5:26; 5:25; 5:20; 5:19; 5:24; 5:22; 5:20

Team won! Much more competitive field this year...



RESULTS: http://coolrunning.com/results/09/ma/Oct11_BAAHal_set1.shtml

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Tradition Continues: B.A.A. Teams Make It Nine For Nine at the B.A.A. Half Marathon

10/12/2009

In the history of the race, they have never been beaten. The tradition continued on Sunday, October 11, 2009 as the B.A.A. Men's & Women's Open teams kept their winning streak in tact as they won their 9th consecutive team titles in the B.A.A. Half Marathon.

Led by Will Dobbie's 10h place finish, the B.A.A. men had all five scorers in the top sixteen. Dobbie was followed by Terry Shea, Paul Ryan, and Mike Fisher in 12th through 14th place. Josh Ferenc ran a PR to finish 16th and round out the scoring.

Wayne Levy, the inaugural winner of he B.A.A. Half Marathon, placed second overall in the Master's competition. While they did not defend their Master's title, Levy led a strong team of James Ellis, Paul Davies , Michael Libenson, and John Stuart to a second place finish in that division. Their combined time of 7:01:55 was less than 3 minutes behind the winning team. Jon Fortescue, currently third in the 2009 USATF New England Grand Prix Master's standings was forced to drop out with hamstring problems at the 3 mile mark.

The women placed two in the top ten to extend their winning streak. Kasie Enman was the top B.A.A. woman in 7th place, followed by Mariko Holbrook in 10th. Maria Varela sealed the victory with her 11th place finish and the women took the next three places for added insurance: Renee Knapp, Lara Johnson, and Beth Coughlin were 12th through 14th respectively.

And the overall results are impressive: The B.A.A. took 26 of the top 100 spots and 30 athletes finished under 1 hour and 30 minutes. Of the 3989 finishers, 90% of the B.A.A. Running Club participants finished in the top 10% of the field.


B.A.A. HALF MARATHON RESULTS
10    Will Dobbie 1:07:39
12    Terrence Shea    1:07:46
13    Paul Ryan    1:08:06
14    Mike Fisher    1:08:09
16    Joshua Ferenc    1:10:13
18    Brendan Prindiville    1:10:59
21    Joshua Gordon 1:11:08
22    Andreas Heilmann    1:11:24
24    Bernard Jones    1:11:29
30    Wayne Levy    1:13:03
34    Matthew Herman    1:14:07
35    Louis Raffetto    1:14:28
37    Michael McGrane    1:14:57
44    Anthony Crudale    1:17:22
45    Chris Benestad    1:17:26
46    Kasie Enman    1:17:29
64    Mariko Holbrook 1:20:58
68    Maria Varela 1:21:35
87    James Ellis    1:23:38
88    Wayne Chan    1:23:43
89    John Barrett 1:23:45
91    Shaun O'Brien 1:23:48
94    Renee Knapp 1:24:01
97    Paul Davies    1:24:18
100    Sean Biggs    1:24:36
106    Lara Johnson 1:25:17
112    Beth Coughlin    1:25:34
128    Teddy Fitzpatrick    1:26:28
166    Michael Libenson    1:29:19
182    Bryan Dove 1:29:59
188    Jacquelyn Cilley    1:30:19
211    John Stuart    1:31:44
222    John Podobinski    1:32:15
331    David Rein    1:35:46
423    Steve Liakos    1:38:06
918    Mae Shoemaker    1:46:00
952    Michael Davis    1:46:21
3942    Mark Monti 2:43:45


MALE OPEN TEAM RESULTS
1. Boston Athletic Association = 5:41:47
Will Dobbie 1:07:38, Terrence Shea 1:07:44 , Paul Ryan 1:08:05 , Mike Fisher 1:08:08, Joshua Ferenc 1:10:12, Brendan Prindiville (1:10:58), Joshua Gordon(1:11:07)
2. Somerville Road Runners = 6:37:52
3. Community Running = 7:30:19

FEMALE OPEN TEAM RESULTS
1. Boston Athletic Association = 3:59:59
Kasie Enman 1:17:28, Mariko Holbrook 1:20:57, Maria Varela 1:21:34, Renee Knapp(1:24:00), Lara Johnson (1:25:16) , Beth Coughlin (1:25:33) , Jacquelyn Cilley (1:30:18)
2. Cambridge Running Club = 4:49:19
3. L Street Running Club = 4:54:20

MALE MASTERS TEAM RESULTS
1. Somerville Road Runners = 6:59:10
2. Boston Athletic Association = 7:01:55
Wayne Levy 1:13:01 , James Ellis 1:23:37, Paul Davies1:24:17, Michael Libenson 1:29:17, John Stuart 1:31:43, David Rein (1:35:45), Steve Liakos (1:38:05)
3. L Street Running Club = 7:58:33

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gotta go...

Date:    10/4/2009 10:30 AM
Type:    Race
Course:    Topsfield 8K XC
Distance:    8 kilometers
Duration:    28:00
Pace:    5:38 / mile
Equipment:    ASICS (Trail Shoes)
Weight:    169 lb
Misc:    Quality: 1/10, Effort: 7/10
Field Placement:    17 / 54 (31.5%)
Weather:    83° F, Humid
Event URL:    www.gbtc.org/blog/gbtc/2009/10/complete-results-of-todays-topsfield-xc.html
Notes:    Topsifeld, MA - Sometimes XC just beats you. Today, XC beat me like a baby seal. I didn't have it from the get go and this is a challenging course to not have it and still somehow fake it.

I suspect the combination of a tough Friday run along with some substantial humidity piled onto a hilly course (when I am not hill-ready) did me in pretty well. I went out conservative in 5:19 and just slogged from there.




Team ran nicely, however and we finished second place. I definitely let the team down but I think it would have taken me + 1 other guy at the back to help out our solid 1-3 runners.


Either way, I still love XC.

Shoemaker ran with only one shoe after his spike plate broke and still won.



Men 8k Team results

1 Greater Boston Track Club (GBTC)
2, 3, 9, 11, 13, (16), (21) = 38
2 Boston Athletic Association (BAA)
1, 4, 7, 15, 28, (30), (34) = 55
3 Central Mass Striders (CMS)
6, 8, 14, 17, 18, (19), (22) = 63
4 SISU
5, 10, 12, 25, 26 = 78
5 Greater Lowell Road Runners (GLRR)
20, 24 ,29, 31, 35 = 139
6 New England Track and Trail (NETT)
23, 27, 32, 33, 36 = 151

Men 8k Individual Results

Place Name Club Time Score
1 Jarrod Shoemaker BAA 25:48 1
2 Ryan Place GBTC 25:53 2
3 Dan Smith GBTC 26:17 3
4 Matt Carter BAA 26:17 4
5 Mike Griffin SISU 26:26 5
6 Jim Johnson CMS 26:32 6
7 Peter Mallet 26:47
8 Kevin Gallagher BAA 26:57 7
9 Kevin Tilton CMS 26:57 8
10 Matt Haringa GBTC 27:18 9
11 Ryan Miller SISU 27:27 10
12 Dennis Wolff RIADHA 27:31
13 Junyong Pak GBTC 27:33 11
14 Matt Germain SISU 27:37 12
15 Rob Espinosa GBTC 27:42 13
16 Dan Navaroli CMS 27:45 14
17 Josh Gordon BAA 28:00 15
18 Dan Lounsbury NBB 28:32
19 Ryan Eckel GBTC 28:32 16
20 Jim Pawlicki CMS 28:35 17
21 Dan Verrington CMS 28:49 18
22 Dave Harper CMS 29:01 19
23 John Barbour GLRR 29:10 20
24 Doug Chick GBTC 29:16 21
25 Dave Dunham CMS 29:17 22
26 Dave Hannon NETT 29:17 23
27 Dave Quintal CMS 29:31
28 Bruce Davie GBTC 29:41
29 Mark Reeder GLRR 29:56 24
30 Eric Mendoza GBTC 30:03
31 Jamie Aubuchon SISU 30:05 25
32 Steve Bartholomew SISU 30:10 26
33 Ben Gray NETT 30:17 27
34 Mark Bell BAA 30:29 28
35 Adam Harder GBTC 30:36
36 Peter Lagoy GLRR 31:01 29
37 Scott Bosworth GBTC 31:10
38 John Barrett BAA 31:30 30
39 John Ethington 31:47
40 Brian Beaulieu GBTC 31:52
41 Mick McHugh CSU 31:54
42 Andrew Bianchieri GLRR 32:06 31
43 Frank Kjarnsgard NETT 32:20 32
44 Ben Winther NETT 32:33 33
45 Dave Menard BAA 32:36 34
46 Brian Hare GBTC 32:39
47 Phil Riley GLRR 32:47 35
48 Jon Granger NETT 33:05 36
49 Bruce Bond GBTC 34:04
50 Joel Bargmann GBTC 34:14
51 Ken Ross GBTC 34:18
52 Christopher Stowe SISU 36:06
53 Chris Smith NETT 37:36
54 Chris Dwyer GBTC 37:48











Gotta go...

Date:    9/26/2009 11:30 AM
Type:    Race
Course:    Franklin Park 8K
Distance:    8 kilometers
Duration:    26:30
Pace:    5:20 / mile
Equipment:    ASICS (Trail Shoes)
Weight:    169 lb
Heart Rate:    Average: 167 / Max: 174
Misc:    Quality: 7/10, Effort: 6/10
Field Placement:    25 / 202 (12.4%)
Weather:    60° F, Sunny
Event URL:    coolrunning.com/results/09/ma/Sep26_Codfis_set2.shtml
Notes:    Boston, MA (Franklin Park) - The real XC season is beginning...

The 41st running over the Codfish Bowl today featured a good team performance - 2nd overall and we beat all of the college teams.

I've been battling a head cold the past 3-4 days and woke-up real groggy from a necessary Nyquil night. Also, tweaked my lower back somehow yesterday so felt a bit hobbled all down my left leg. But, you run with what ya got...

This one ran pretty much like past races. First mile was a comfortable 5:04. Pretty dusty out there with the course very dry. Stayed a bit off of teammates Jonathan Fortescue and Wayne Levy with Jared up ahead and Terry beginning is progressive pacing around a half mile in.

 

Second mile also felt comfortable and just battling to get my left leg to loosen up with the lower back pain grabbing at me. Breathing felt very comfortable and legs, while not peppy, felt consistently strong enough.

Back and forth with Jim Emord from GBTC for a while.



The next couple of miles were consistent but unimpressive. I felt comfortable but couldn't really shift into a better, faster gear for some reason.

On the last mile, started to focus in on a few spots. The GBTC guy went by me which helped me pick it up. I caught Fortescue and encouraged him on as I also passed GBTC back. Caught Wayne Levy on Bear Cage and then saw Jose Ortiz come back into focus as we approached the final backstop. Caught Ortiz on the final straight and got a couple seconds on him to sneak into the top 25.

Good but not great race today. Best time at the Franklin Park 8K but not quite on par with my recent racing.

Really pleased with how we did as a team. Terry Shea set the tone and then Jared and our three-pack did a good job of squeaking by all of the college teams.

Splits:

5:04 (161/169); 5:33 (169/172); 5:27 (169/171); 5:27 (170/174); 4:55* (170/174)


RESULTS: http://coolrunning.com/results/09/ma/Sep26_Codfis_set2.shtml

Team:

Team Scores
=================================================================================
Rank Team Total 1 2 3 4 5 *6 *7 *8 *9
=================================================================================
1 Greater Boston TC 27 1 3 5 8 10 27 51
Total Time: 2:07:46.70
Average: 25:33.34
2 Boston Athletic Associati 88 2 17 22 23 24 42 60
Total Time: 2:11:30.40
Average: 26:18.08
3 Bentley College 95 13 18 19 20 25 32 40
Total Time: 2:11:51.60


2 Terry Shea Boston Athletic 25:24.3
19 Jared Markowitz Boston Athletic 26:16.0
25 Joshua Gordon Boston Athletic 26:30.0
28 Wayne Levy Boston Athletic 26:38.2
29 Jonathan Fortescue Boston Athletic 26:41.9
48 Matthew Herman Boston Athletic 27:05.3
77 Aaron Price Boston Athletic 27:47.5
92 Mike Brown Dowling Boston Athletic 28:11.8
120 Anthony Crudale Boston Athletic 29:13.7
140 John Barrett Boston Athletic 30:26.2
158 Dave Menard Boston Athletic 31:22.6
178 Sean Prior Boston Athletic 33:03.3
DNF Chris George
DNS Matt Carter
DNS Wayne Chan

The women's team (first ever at Codfish) finished 6th out of 23 teams with Renee finishing 9th overall with a PR sub-19:00 XC 5k.


Statistics:    Calories: 635
VO2 Max: 63.9


Gotta go...

Date:    9/20/2009 9:10 AM
Type:    Race
Course:    Lone Gull 10K
Distance:    10 kilometers
Duration:    32:27
Pace:    5:14 / mile
Equipment:    adidas Adizero Mana
Weight:    169 lb
Heart Rate:    Average: 166 / Max: 174
Misc:    Quality: 8/10, Effort: 6/10
Field Placement:    25 / 777 (3.2%)
Age group:    20 – 39
Group Placement:    23 / 165 (13.9%)
Gender Placement:    25 / 413 (6.1%)
Weather:    61° F, Sunny
Event URL:    coolrunning.com/results/09/ma/Sep20_LoneGu_set1.shtml



Notes:    Gloucester, MA - First time running the Lone Gull 10k (a three-year old race / 1st time Grand Prix event). Not geared up or particularly focussed on this event but I'm always game to hop in a Grand Prix and see what I've got.



Well...I set the course record...as did 24 people before me. These events get a tad more competitive when they grow-up to become Grand Prix events.

This was a really nice race course - rolling with some hills that provided variation but nothing that would straighten you up or deaden you out. This was almost enough to make-up for the very poor logistics (someone forgot the key to the bathrooms, not enough porta potties, loooooooong lines for number pick-up and another looooooong line for chip pick-up).

All the usual suspects with just about every club having a presence. Too bad the CVS 5K was today too because that's another good championship race. Reach the Beachers? Ehhh...you are a different animal.

Warm-up was way too short because of the above stated logistical issues. So, I had a simple plan of going chill until I loosened up and then just run by feel. No real race strategy. I wasn't the only one as Mike was contemplating a marathon pace effort in the car....so I asked him what his PR was (34:xx) and I told him to beat that and his only response was, "Eeeek!"



Renee had even less of a warm-up so she really wanted to ease into it.

Race went off late and not a single runner had a bead of sweat on them. There was lots of debate about whether they would fire off a gun or just say go or whatever at the start. I guess they found a gun. Maybe in the pace El Camino?



Stayed chill in the first mile and didn't worry about the congestion on the roads - these things sort themselves out. When it got too boxed, I stepped to the outside finally and caught up to Carlos Rivera.



This became a race of ever evolving goals and targets. OK, so let's beat Carlos today. Passed Carlos...

Then started some back and forth with CMS' Kevin Tilton. He left me for most of the race. I found a decent pack to work with and started to loosen up. The 5:05 first mile felt chill. The effort really never felt too severe after, either.

Tried to shift to a little more of a XC mindset. I started to pick a runner ahead and then leap from a pack or a runner or two up to the next. I did a much better job of avoiding the "no-man's land" that I seem so adept at finding.

After a bit I caught up to Henry "Hank" Scollard. I was hoping to sneak attack him but some fans and other runners spilled the beans that I was there. So, when we hit a hill I surged up it and passed.

I passed Matt Clark from CMS - he had run a good time at the Joshua Billings. I could not, however, catch Andy McCarron who also ran very well at the Billings.

Around mile three I really started to feel good and loose. The legs lightened and the pace became really comfortable. The splits remained pretty consistent even with some variation in the course with some rolling hills and turns.

Then I saw teammate Bernie Jones up ahead (formerly Mueller). I don't think I have beaten him ever so that became a new goal.



I caught him with about a mile to go and saw Jonathan Fortescue. He has been running very well. I caught up to him with less than a mile and opened up some space.



Next came the return of Kevin Tilton into view. I caught him as we approached he final hill and I used that and the final sprint to nip him by a few seconds.



I hit my 5 mile PR en route to a 12 second PR in the 10K. Pleased with today's race. Beat some guys who often have my number and the guys ahead of me usually are...except Michael Brouilette who is running really well over the past few months.

Notable stud performances today by Dan Vasallo and Dan Smith. Renee ran very well and PR'd along with a 3rd place Grand Prix finish. Sadly, the BAA women were one short of a team so the strong individual performances didn't matter from that standpoint.

As for the men, we lost to Addidas New England RC but held off R.U.N.

http://coolrunning.com/results/09/ma/Sep20_LoneGu_set7.shtml

I run much better at these Grand Prix events when I have a notion that I matter to the team scoring. It keeps me focussed.

1. ADDIDAS NEW ENGLAND RC
30:39 30:44 30:44 31:06 32:39 = 2:35:52
756 Dan Vassallo 24, 749 Curtis Wheeler 23, 748 Nicholas Wheeler
23, 767 Nate Krah 23, 766 Jon Healey 26
2. BOSTON ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION
30:41 31:19 31:56 32:08 32:27 = 2:38:31
638 Will Dobbie 27, 643 Matthew Ely 33, 657 Ben Schmeckpeper 26,
807 Jared Markowitz 26, 648 Joshua Gordon 35
3. RETAILERS UNION (RUN)
30:20 31:17 31:36 31:55 34:16 = 2:39:24
845 Joseph Koech 40, 844 Casey Moulton 27, 846 Justin Freeman 32,
842 Titus Mutinda 44, 843 Tom Casey 22

So, good race...I have faster in me but without taper and amid a mileage build-up I will always take a PR that feels "easy."


Splits:

Mile 1 - 5:05(155/166),
Mile 2 - 5:18(168/169),
Mile 3 - 5:11(167/169),
Mile 4 - 5:21(168/171),
Mile 5 - 5:14(168/170),
Mile 6 - 5:16(171/172)

Effort never really crept into the red zone but the focus was OK.

Results: http://coolrunning.com/results/09/ma/Sep20_LoneGu_set1.shtml

Statistics:    Calories: 794
VO2 Max: 66.4

BAA Write-Up:

Brett Ely Captures the 2009 USATF New England 10k Title
9/20/2009

What a difference a week makes. After battling through pouring rain at the Ollie 5 Mile in South Boston last Saturday, the B.A.A. teams returned to the Massachusetts shore on Sunday, September 20th for their second USATF New England Grand Prix Championship in as many weeks. This week, however, the weather could not have been better as runners lined up for the Lone Gull 10k, which was contested along the picturesque Gloucester coastline.

The race, in its third year and serving as a first-time host for the USATF New England Grand Prix, experienced some pre-race growing pains as race organizers tried to keep up with a field size that had nearly doubled from the previous year. Over 800 runners lined up at the start overlooking Good Harbor, and it was Brett Ely who took first among the women, winning her first-ever USATF New England Grand Prix title. Ely, who has represented the B.A.A. on numerous championship teams as well as at two U.S. Olympic Trials Marathons, won convincingly as her 35:29 was 44 seconds ahead of second place.

Renee Knapp also had a noteworthy performance, in spite of a truncated warm-up due to pre-race bathroom lines. Knapp placed third overall and was the second B.A.A. woman across the line. Both Ely and Knapp were members of the winning women's team at the USATF New England 5 Mile Championship last weekend.

In the men's race, Will Dobbie placed 4th overall and was joined in the top 10 by Matt Ely who placed 10th. From then on, the remaining scores took every fifth place with Ben Schmeckpeper in 15th place, Jared Markowitz in 20th place, and Josh Gordon in 25th place. Despite their solid showing, the men's team had to settle for the runner-up spot.

Holding strong in the USATF New England Grand Prix Masters' Standings was Jonathan Fortescue. The 42-year old from Wellesley ran 32:22, a 90 second PR, to take second overall among the Masters. Also running a PR was Mike Brown Dowling who covered the course in 34:10.

The final race in the 2009 USATF New England Grand Prix Championship will take place on Sunday, October 18th at the BayState Marathon.


RESULTS

4. Will Dobbie 30:41
10, Matthew Ely 31:19
15. Ben Schmeckpeper 31:56
20. Jared Markowitz 32:08
25. Joshua Gordon 32:27
27. Jonathan Fortescue 32:33, 3rd Masters
30. Bernie Jones 32:41
39. Matthew Carter 33:10
46. Wayne Levy 33:28
57. Mike Brown Dowling 34:19
59. Michael McGrane 34:29
72. Brett Ely 35:29, 1st Female
77. Andy MacDonald 35:54
93. Renee Knapp 37:06, 3rd Female
109. Sarah Dupre-Healy 37:39, 7th Female
121. David Consigli 38:20
144. Kyle Bowers 39:54
161. Mimi Fallon 40:49
169. Jesus Zeus Estrada 41:16
218. David Rein 43:37
235. Joseph Edwards 44:15

MEN'S TEAM RESULTS
1. Adidas NERC= 2:35:52
2. BOSTON ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION = 2:38:31
Will Dobbie, 30:41; Matthew Ely, 31:19; Ben Schmeckpeper, 31:56; Jared Markowitz, 32:08; Joshua Gordon, 32:27;
3. RUN = 2:39:24

Ok, gotta go...

Date:    9/17/2009 5:00 PM
Type:    Race
Course:    Thompson Island 4K
Distance:    4 kilometers
Duration:    13:08
Pace:    5:18 / mile
Equipment:    ASICS (Trail Shoes)
Weight:    169 lb
Heart Rate:    Average: 150 / Max: 173
Misc:    Quality: 8/10, Effort: 6/10
Field Placement:    1 / 373 (0.3%)
Weather:    60° F
Event URL:    coolrunning.com/results/09/ma/Sep17_Thomps_set1.shtml
Notes:    Boston, MA (Thompson Island) - Back at one of my favorite races of the year, the TI4K XC Race. This is a race we have won as a team since 2004 and I won as an individual in 2005. After a year off in 2007 they returned the race last year and were slated to score 10 runners - they did not. This year the depth of our team would be tested as they went to a 10 person cumulative time scoring. We fared quite well. Nice races by all of the Unicorns tonight.

Details: We placed 10 runners in the top 32. Our cumulative win was by over 22 minutes.

1. 2:28:41 POTSADR UNICORNS (14:53)
============================================
1 13:08 Joshua Gordon
2 13:38 Mike Brown Dowling
3 13:42 Matthew Herman
4 14:07 Chris George
5 14:49 Renee Knapp
6 15:14 Shaun O'Brien
7 15:18 Dima Feinhaus
8 15:40 Beth Coughlin
9 16:20 Sean Prior
10 16:45 Chris Degrace

See http://coolrunning.com/results/09/ma/Sep17_Thomps_set3.shtml

Results: http://coolrunning.com/results/09/ma/Sep17_Thomps_set1.shtml

On a personal level, Mike Brown Dowling came after me like a bulldog this year. I loved it. He went out hard and pushed the pace with surges. Once we hit the first incline I was able to final get enough separation to take command but I loved the feisty approach Mike took and he carried that to a very solid second place.

I was pleased with my pace. Not too hard an effort but a steady, focussed attempt to attack the course in spots.

Also, this is just a great event - team, Bill Rodgers, XC, beer, BBQ, mthrfckin boats...

Renee finished first woman. We each got a Timex watch and a hat. Our team earned a trip back to Thompson Island for a Clam Bake - very nice!

Past history here...I PR'd a little.

9/4/2008    Run   
Thompson Island 4K
Race    4 km    13:23    5:24    172    181

8/31/2006    Run   
Thompson Island 4K
Race    4 km    13:33    5:28    171    177   

9/1/2005    Run   
Thompson Island 4K
Race    4 km    13:33    5:28    174    182   

9/9/2004    Run   
Thompson Island 4K
Race    4 km    13:45    5:32    175    183   

9/4/2003    Run
Thompson Island 4K
Race    4 km    14:17    5:45    176    183   

9/5/2002    Run
Thompson Island 4K
Race    4 km    15:10    6:07   
Statistics:    Calories: 318
VO2 Max: 61.6




Gotta go...

Date:    9/13/2009 11:15 AM
Type:    Race
Course:    Joshua Billings RunAground
Distance:    6 miles
Duration:    33:13
Pace:    5:33 / mile
Equipment:    adidas Adizero Mana
Weight:    169 lb
Heart Rate:    Average: 166 / Max: 174
Misc:    Quality: 8/10, Effort: 7/10
Field Placement:    1 / 429 (0.2%)
Weather:    78° F, Sunny
Event URL:    www.plattsys.com/results/res2009/josh09.htm
Notes:    Lenox, MA - Sometimes the fat kid wins the race...

This was the first time I was finally convinced to participate in the Josh Billings RunAground Triathlon (http://www.joshbillings.com/index.html). My brother ran in it years ago and then decided to return to the scene this year. My nephew ran as part of the third place team last year but was unavailable this year because of his schedule running XC at UMass. So, I decided, what the heck?

This event turned out to be much more enjoyable than I could have imagined. Our team was supposed to be solid coming in but not the favorite. We had Chris Fisher (a very solid Master's cyclist), Charlie Zuber (32 years a member of team Chocolate Springs and a helluva padler), Shawn Jennings (another great paddler and Masters Wrestling champion), and then myself slated for the run. Charlie's brother, Bob, was the heart of the favored team that featured a cyclist that opened up 6 minutes on the entire field last year, Bob, and Charlie's paddler from last year, along with New Balance stalwart Mark Mayall at the run. Apparently, people had been predicting victory for this crew for weeks.

My own team had tremendous doubt about me given my larger-than-normal-runner stature. Both paddlers had a hard time imagining I could keep up with any number of talented runners slated to run. In order to minimize anxiety across the team, Charlie (who was visibly taken aback by my girth the night before the event), opted not to disclose my stockiness to his co-paddley. Apparently, after they threw me the wrist band Shawn Jennings turned to Charle, "that dude's way to big - I want a wafey runner...a fast guy."

I had my doubts too with this being the 4th race this week (Bad Habits 5K - 15:49 on Monday; Under Boston Red Sky 4.2M - 21:02 on Thursday; and Ollie Road Race 5M - 26:43). Still, I have not been feeling that beat up with all of the quality this week (of, a track workout on Tuesday, too) and in the past couple of weeks I have started to feel like I have absorbed some fitness and that the summer injury bug has begun to fade in the rear view mirror. On the flip side, I had no pop on my morning shake-out run or warm-up run at the race site. This was also the longest and toughest course on the week's docket.

I felt very relaxed all morning. Mostly, I kind of suspected that I'd be a non-factor as Bob Zuber's biker had blown away the competition by six minutes last year and I ain't making up no stinking six minutes against any runner of reasonable quality. So, I figured, I'd come, hold position and be a serviceable cog. My brother Brad and I jogged down to where the bikers would be with 2 miles to go in their leg to see how far ahead Bold Move would be. Ummm...three bikers, mine included, came zooming by in a tight pack of three. It was on! I perked up and started to focus in on the event. Today, would in fact be a race day...

I then headed back to the boat / run transition and went to the bathroom for the umpteenth time. I watched as my Chocolate Springs team followed just a boat length behind the favored Bold Move. At the very outset they had both dusted the 3rd place team. I now turned to my brother and declared that my ideal situation would be to get the handoff in second place with about 10-15 second deficit. I did not want the lead. If I got the lead, I was prepared to slog the run until passed and then zero in on that guy; I knew there would be plenty of wiggle room from the third place team so I would be able to go as tactical as I wanted.

Sure enough, Bold Move came in first and tossed the wrist band to New Balance's Mark Mayall. Side note: I've never spoken with Mayall but have read his blog for a couple of years. The one thing I noticed was we have run a ton of races together and usually finished +/- 10 seconds of each other. This dual meet was set to be a fun one. Mayall sprinted off past the timing mat and out onto the dirt road that began the running leg. Pretty shortly after my team hit shore and threw me a lame dock wrist band toss. I grabbed it out of the sand, put it on my wrist and began the chase.

I loved the spot I was in. There was a gap but this was a hilly six mile course and there was plenty (p-l-e-n-t-y) of time to play catch-up. At the same time, I really wanted to make my presence known to Mayall as quickly as possible. I gave quick chase and decided that the beginning of this course was flat enough for me to ground swell and then chill when the hills began. So, I caught up to Mayall and then began the assessment miles. The plan was to stay behind Mayall for at least two miles and then match him move for move and if it came to a final sprint I was confident that my kick would be sufficient to get the job done.

The early pace felt extremely comfortable. I was really pleased with how free and light my legs felt and my HR was very low. This was all good. The diesel fumes from the pace truck were not that great but I figured we were both having to deal with that nonsense so, while unpleasant, I didn't think that would ultimately be a deciding factor and it was out of my control anyway. Also in front of us was the live radio broadcast van and it was a nice diversion to listen to their commentary as we chugged along. Lots of comments about my heart rate monitor and my size...

We hit the mile (5:34 for me / 5:50 for Mayall) and it felt like a snail's crawl. There was temptation to surge ahead but...this was not a time trial so I remained committed to place. For all I knew, Mayall was just chilling with a plan of steamrolling the hills over the last 3 miles on a course that he has a a favorable history with.

Over the next mile it felt like Mayall was doing reverse surges. We kept having slow-ups an it was getting uncomfortable to stay behind. I could sense he wanted me to pass so I could carry the burden but I didn't want to do that yet. All of this led to a very slow 5:47 2nd mile where we remained a step apart.

With two miles done and my body feeling very good I decided to gently take the lead. The idea here was not to break Mayall but to pull him a little out of his comfort pace and if it woke him up I was confident that I had plenty in reserve to begin some real pace. I was fueled a bit by what I think were inadvertent whispers from Mayall. Maybe I was imagining it but I thought I heard him mutter "shit....damn...uggh" and a few other such things very gently under his breath. Regardless, his experience was clearly going less well than he wanted it to and I just wanted to run a pace that felt slightly less constrained.

I started to create some space. The hills began and I was really enjoying the beauty of the course. I liked the hills - they were tough but almost all had a complimentary down hill (although it is a net uphill course). The course was a nice change of pace from all of the flat work of the previous races this week and I felt that the course could do it's own damage to Mayall without me having to inflict it all directly.

Once I sensed that things were in good shape and I had some separation (with a couple of miles left) I decided to throw down one good mile to be sure. I dropped a 5:10 5th mile and it was pretty clear that it would take something pretty special from Mayall to make up even 20 seconds on the hilly 6th mile. I pulled off the throttle in the final mile with the idea that if someone came up on me I had plenty in the tank to shift gears and finish it off. It turned out that Mayall was now close to four minutes back but I have never looked back in a race and I never will.

I saw teammate Charlie Zuber around 5.5M and he realized the deal was done. He told me to go to cruise control and he seemed pleased. I chilled it out, soaked up the great atmosphere at this event and just really tried to enjoy the moment. The competitive side of me thought about working the pace to try to be the "fastest" runner on the day but then I opted for the more enjoyable victory trot in. I ran the race I wanted to run and I have never been a "time trial" kind of runner anyway. I'm just a stocky little runner with a lot of years of experience that enjoys a good running drama when the opportunity presents itself.

Good victory for the team. Chocolate Springs won for the first time in 32 years. Not one of us were the fastest. We finished 3rd, 2nd, 3rd in our own segments but we raced smart and we won by quite a few minutes.

I stuck around the finish line to shake Mayall's hand. He wasn't a happy person. He'll get me some other time just like he has gotten me before as success is a very fluid thing. While Mayall didn't run to his capabilities today, he wasn't all down as he looked for the silver lining on the day in his reflection on his blog, "The one semi-positive to come out of this is that the pelvic area didn't tighten up on me afterward..." Like, I said success if fluid and I have had many days where I am looking for that one sliver amidst a bad running day. Still, a bad day of running is better than a good day of most anything else...

Splits:

Mile 1 - 5:34(162/168);
Mile 2 - 5:47(162/166);
Mile 3 - 5:37(163/167);
Mile 4 - 5:41(168/171);
Mile 5 - 5:10(168/170);
Mile 6 - 5:21(172/174)

Results: http://www.plattsys.com/results/res2009/josh09.htm

Also, after the race I had the pleasure of running back out on the course and joining my brother, Brad, for his first race in years. He looked great and put me through the ringer on the final hill. He is still a ridiculously good runner.

Statistics:    Calories: 767
VO2 Max: 61.8


Story from Berkshire Eagle




Enjoy the post race interview below!




Gotta go...

Date:    9/12/2009 10:00 AM
Type:    Race
Course:    Ollie's Road Race
Distance:    5 miles
Duration:    26:43
Pace:    5:21 / mile
Equipment:    adidas Adizero Mana
Weight:    169 lb
Heart Rate:    Average: 165 / Max: 170
Misc:    Quality: 6/10, Effort: 5/10
Weather:    63° F, Rain, Windy, Humid
Event URL:    www.coolrunning.com/results/09/ma/Sep12_OllieF_set1.shtml
Notes:    Boston, MA - Ollie Road race (Grand Prix event - I have done them all this year and it is tempting to jog the BayState Marathon just to get a jacket but think the week between BAA Half and Mayor's Cup might be better spent with the little 5K all comers XC meet).

Decided against trying to tear it up today at Ollie. With a long run Sunday, race Monday, track Tuesday, race Thursday, and some good miles in between sitting in my legs and one more race to go this weekend it just seemed better to run a relaxed effort. So I did.

Very rainy and windy out today. Temperatures felt good and breathing felt very comfortable. My legs were a little less poppy than at other points this week but that is to be expected. Also, not thrilled with the performance of the Adidas Mana racers in the rain - really slick. Need to get a pair of Asics Banditos again - especially for the BAA half which is notoriously rainy with oily roads.

Mile splits were all f'd up today but the first mile was in the 5:15-5:20 range. After that, basically maintained pace and did some passing as people faded. Ran a bit with Chris Benestad before he turned on the motors, caught up with Wayne Levy toward the end, passed John Colavincenzo in the middle, trailed Ben Schersten by about 5 seconds most of the race, and saw Carlos Rivera a bit ahead. So, about where I'd expect to be given the moderated effort and such.

Felt really comfortable the whole way. Just had a nice time chillaxing.

Renee PR'd and ran very well.

Results: http://www.coolrunning.com/results/09/ma/Sep12_OllieF_set1.shtml

Statistics:    Calories: 639
VO2 Max: 63.8





Gotta go...

Congratulations to both Chad Carr (Let's Run Summer Series 2009 Champion) and Chris George (this year's solid runner-up). Well done, my reign stops at four years.  It isn't easy staying healthy and running five races well over five months.

2010...the Comeback?






Date:    9/10/2009 6:30 PM
Type:    Race
Course:    Marsh Post 4.2
Distance:    4.2 miles
Duration:    21:02
Pace:    5:01 / mile
Equipment:    adidas Adizero Mana
Weight:    169 lb
Heart Rate:    Average: 168 / Max: 172
Misc:    Quality: 8/10, Effort: 7/10
Field Placement:    2
Weather:    64° F
Notes:    Cambridge, MA (Marsh Post VFW) - The last race in the 2009 Let's Run Summer Series. Not much series drama heading into this one (no shot of winning the series that I have won since 2005 as I missed August's race because of a work conflict). I would have been the underdog anyway but the July race was run with clear knowledge that I would not be running August. Either way, the combination of a talented Chad Carr who stayed healthy and balanced life conflicts enough to run strong and steady for five straight months, my own injury issues, and my own inability to balance work conflict from interfering with my race schedule, made it so I could finish no better than third place here in 2009. Still...a pair of shoes and some pride were on the line for this one race so I was game for toeing the line and giving battle.

Nice cool night for racing. My legs felt absolutely dead on the warm-up (I guess the mix of a long run Sunday, race Monday, track Tuesday, and double digit miles yesterday doesn't count as an official taper). But, this is a flat course and you can fake a flat course for a bit.

The race went off and I decided to take out out and change things up early. Chad gave chase along with Chris George. I didn't feel light legged but my breathing felt easy. I know Chad was coming off a half-marathon in Virginia and Chris was coming off the 20k in Connecticut so they were both conceivably joining me in the tired legs division. Neither looked tired.

I got the impression Chad wanted to coast early so I took it out pretty good. We hit the dirt path and I threw a surge in and he matched pretty well. My goal here was to see if I could get him out of his comfort and also maybe find my own fast legs that were available on Monday but not today. No luck but I did manage to get us going better.

We both cruised pretty well up through the S curves but then Chad started to pull away. As I tried to match his solid move I felt only heavy legs. I was able to maintain pace but not match and he opened up well.

I cruised in case he hit a wall along the way but he did anything but. Instead he ran what I believe was the second fastest time on the course (looking remarkably like Ian Nurse's display of force last September when the 20:xx course record was set). I let up a little as we got toward the final big green sign. Wish I hadn't because I ended up a couple ticks over 21 minutes. Still, I got beat by a good performance. I did set a PR for this course by 11 seconds. I'll take it. Congratulations to Chad on a series well run and a closet that must now be full of Brooks shoes.

Also, Renee ran smart and took first for the ladies. Well done!

Results

Statistics:    Calories: 537
VO2 Max: 68.1

Gotta go...

Date:    9/7/2009 10:10 AM
Type:    Race
Course:    Bad Habit 5K
Distance:    5 kilometers
Duration:    15:49
Pace:    5:06 / mile
Equipment:    adidas Adizero Mana
Weight:    169 lb
Heart Rate:    Average: 166 / Max: 171
Misc:    Quality: 8/10, Effort: 5/10
Field Placement:    1 / 167 (0.6%)
Weather:    68° F, Sunny
Event URL:    coolrunning.com/results/09/ma/Sep7_BadHab_set1.shtml
Notes:    Brighton, MA - Bad Habits 5K along the bike paths of the Charles River. Course started on the dirt path just behind the Elliot Bridge Tunner then headed to Arsenal Bridge, around the Marsh Post, hairpin turn after the bridge back onto the bike path and finished a ways past the boat rental spot.

Was clear in my head about running this one tactical with a win in mind and not worrying about time or even pacing. Pretty clear group of about a half dozen at the starting line that had ambitions of a victory and some reasons for confidence.

After the "ready, set, go" start, some guy in yellow who had been doing some very aggressive strides took off for the very early lead. I chased about four others so that I could see how it would start to take shape. The guy in yellow blew himself up almost immediately. A marines corp guy then asserted himself as the leader and I left the small group to give chase. I settled in right behind him and felt very comfortable on the flat, paved terrain after all of the recent running on challenging courses and footing.

We went by Renee and Byrun who were spectating this morning and then I decided to start some Ryan Carrara-esque strategerie. I started throwing in short, concerted surges to pull the leader out of his comfort zone and force him to run uneven and see if I could get his breathing to sound uncomfortable. Each time, I would surge ahead and then once he sprinted to catch up I would step behind him and settle.

Once we got past the s-curves, the marine corps guy made a strong surge and opened up a few seconds. I waited to see if the secondary pack was charging and gave myself a moment to get around the tight turns and then I caught right back up with him. After that, I went back to a number of surges but this time I wouldn't settle in behind him but rather run right next to him and forced him to keep up a few steps faster than seemed comfortable. With about a mile to go, it seemed like his breathing was right about the very high end of his comfort zone so I decided to make my real move and I took off and could see his body burning with some lactic acid. At that point, I decided to keep the faster pace up and over the bridge and hit the hairpin (carefully). I could see that I had opened up a good gap now so I just settled back into a comfortable stride and finished up. The cyclist was real jazzed up about me being sub-16 but with a track workout, a Thursday race, and Saturday, Sunday races this week I am picking and choosing a few select moments for effort so I didn't really bother to pour any gravy on this one.

I was pleased with both the strategy today and how my body felt after a higher mileage week and a long run yesterday. This race did little to beat me up but it was a lot of fun and translated into a pair of XC spikes and a night of improv for Renee and I in Somerville.

Splits:

5:16, 5:15, 4:52

Results

Statistics:    Calories: 397
VO2 Max: 65.4

Gotta go...

Date:    8/29/2009 9:10 AM
Type:    Race
Course:    Thomas Chamberas XC Race
Distance:    6 kilometers
Duration:    20:14
Pace:    5:26 / mile
Equipment:    ASICS (Trail Shoes)
Weight:    169 lb
Heart Rate:    Average: 163 / Max: 174
Misc:    Quality: 7/10, Effort: 6/10
Field Placement:    19 / 150 (12.7%)
Age group:    30 – 39
Group Placement:    4
Weather:    60° F, Rain, Humid
Event URL:    coolrunning.com/results/09/ma/Aug29_7thAnn_set1.shtml
Notes:    Carlisle, MA (Great Brook Farm State Park) - Thomas Chamberas 6K XC race on a VERY wet, rainy, and muddy morning. The course was slick and sloppy with intermittent slick surface mud and deep vernal pool style puddles. Lots of good competition today and I ran slower than last year (part weather and part my continued tentativeness on running fast down hills or on sharp corners until I am 100%). Also, still sore from last weekend's XC and trail races.

Went out pretty conservative in 30-something place. Probably should have gone out faster but I couldn't get a good feel for the footing and when I did get more aggressive I slipped big-time and had to do a Matrix-style recovery to keep from falling down.




So, I got into the single track portion of the course in a pretty poor position and then got stuck for a while where there was nowhere to pass. I felt really good at that point but it was like a traffic jam up front and we all snaked our way through the windy course.

I was extremely tentative on the sharp downhill winding portion of the single track and actually stepped aside to let some people pass since I was having a hard time navigating.

Once we got back to the wider, rolling muddy sections I opened back up and started to pass some guys.




A guy from Navy bit it so hard I watched his feet go above his head and he disappeared into a monster puddle - he resurfaced and said he was OK. I told him that there were better ways to cool off.

I started to feel really strong. We hit the slick grass along the cornfields and I picked it up. I passed a bunch of runners and then got to thick but less muddy grass for the final kick. I opened up well and blew by Dan Verrington. I also passed a GBTC guy a few feet before the finish line (he had really let up) but they reversed us in the shoot saying he didn't know where the line was so it was only fair to put him back.



I guess...but seriously, run through the line.

I saw some good signs today. Was able to shift gears well and pick up in spots where footing would allow.

Renee finished a solid 3rd place and held first until about a mile to go.

This race was a lot of fun.

Race results

Statistics:    Calories: 477
VO2 Max: 61.5

Gotta go...

Date:    8/23/2009 9:30 AM
Type:    Race
Course:    Mt. Toby Trail Run
Distance:    14 miles
Duration:    1:47:08
Pace:    7:40 / mile
Equipment:    ASICS GT-2130 Trail
Weight:    169 lb
Heart Rate:    Average: 153 / Max: 170
Misc:    Quality: 6/10, Effort: 4/10
Field Placement:    17
Weather:    78° F, Overcast, Humid
Event URL:    www.sugarloafmac.org/mttoby_09.php
Notes:    Sunderland, MA - Back at the Mt. Toby Mountain race with 1900' of climb. Add a bunch of rain the night before and you had hilly, humid, wet, slick, and challenging.





I ran nice and steady throughout. I worked the uphills a bit and really was quite cautious on the downhills in order to prevent any setbacks as I continue to try to get back to fit. Renee kicked butt and dominated the women's field and took home some champagne and $100. Nice!

Pretty uneventful run for me. A lot of people came back toward the end of the race as they petered out. I felt very strong and was pleased with how it went. I certainly did not put a race effort in but it still makes for a very solid and challenging long run.


Race results

My previous best was 1:33:21 last time I ran this and that would have been good for 3rd today. I have run this in 2003, 2005, 2007, and now 2009. This was my slowest but also with a much lower effort (HR 153 whereas the others were 163).




Statistics:    Calories: 1789
VO2 Max: 45.2

Gotta go...

Date:    8/22/2009 10:30 AM
Type:    Race
Course:    Tomato Trot Farm Race 5k
Distance:    5 kilometers
Duration:    18:54
Pace:    6:05 / mile
Equipment:    ASICS (Trail Shoes)
Weight:    169 lb
Heart Rate:    Average: 171 / Max: 176
Misc:    Quality: 8/10, Effort: 8/10
Field Placement:    1
Weather:    83° F, Sunny, Humid
Event URL:    www.redfirefarm.com/news/2009/TomatoTrot2009RacePlaceOverallResults.html
Notes:    Granby, MA (Red Fire Farm) - Ran the Tomato Trot Farm Race on a very humid morning. Course was tough but a lot of fun.





Basically, deep, thick grass fields all around a tomato farm with tons of mud and puddles and plenty of hills. This is another one of these hidden gems on the XC scene that more people should really know about. You can't really worry or think about time on a course like this. I went out moderate for a half mile to see if anyone would shake out and give me a run for the fruits and veggies - one guy went with me and pushed the pace for close to two miles but then the terrain ate him up and he ended up finishing 5th. I was a bit uncertain at times about the course because the signs were at normal eye level and I was always looking down to make sure I did not end up on my tuchas. One downhill was particularly scary where it was a sharp down hill with a u-turn right hand turn in slick mud with a left cant...nearly bit it both times through this section. Another spot I blew past the grass path and ended up adding some distance and running right through the deep, muddy tomato field before finding my way back to the path. Still, I pushed decently throughout this race and was able to stay strong enough to win pretty convincingly. Renee was top women and finished 4th overall. Apparently, last year's winner skipped the entire last section so it'd be interesting to see if I still managed to somehow beat that time. Others should definitely add this to their race calendar!




RESULTS

Statistics:    Calories: 397
VO2 Max: 53.2

Gotta go...

Date:    8/15/2009 8:30 AM
Type:    Race
Course:    Montague Mug Run
Distance:    5.5 miles
Duration:    31:39
Pace:    5:46 / mile
Equipment:    ASICS DST14 (DS Trainer 14)
Weight:    169 lb
Heart Rate:    Average: 162 / Max: 168
Misc:    Quality: 6/10, Effort: 4/10
Field Placement:    3
Weather:    85° F, Sunny, Humid
Event URL:    coolrunning.com/results/09/ma/Aug15_Montag_1_set1.shtml
Notes:    Montague, MA - Raced the Montague Mug Run for the first time. Great course! Hilly and hard. Beautiful scenery for running. Stayed with Jesse Reignier and Tim for the first mile and then lost ground on downhills a lot and settled into no-man's land and just enjoyed the run. Legs weren't that peppy today but HR was manageable. Renee kicked butt and won a killer pewter mug. I got some maple syrup and a normal mug.

Results

Statistics:    Calories: 703
VO2 Max: 58.8