Monday, February 5, 2024
The Great Stew Chase 15K
Tuesday, January 2, 2024
Wicked Frosty Four
Keeping with the New Years tradition, the Frosty Four Mile race hosted by the Wicked Running Club was in order. The weather was sunny, in the low 30’s with very little wind to complain about. I ran a mile and a half warm up with neighbors, Eric and Dennis. I got off to a good, clean start heading down Derby Street trying to keep Eric close but stay controlled.
I settled into mile 1 behind a Notch contingent of singlets, including Eric, with a 6:48 mile. We rounded the neighborhood behind the Salem Willows and out past Dead Horse beach up the final hill. These miles slowed to 7:11 and 7:13 respectively. I caught Mike Vanne with a half mile to go and gave him some encouragement. We are often finishing our Wednesday Notch runs together so I felt right at home. I would lose one place with 400m to go but held on straight into the fast finish.
I placed 38th with a time of 28:26, chip time 28:24 (7:05 pace per mile). I found Eric and headed back to the Village Tavern for some fuel before heading out for a 2 mile cool down via Derby Street, Collins Cove and the Salem Common. I capped off the even by chilling out with the Lynn Woods crew at the Tavern and supported the award winner ceremony in the back room to the diligent MC work by Alan Yen!
Frosty Four Miles – Salem – January 1, 2024 race results
Thursday, December 28, 2023
Competitive struggles
2023 Chanukah Run-A-Latke 5K
Last road race for 2023 in the books with the Chanukah Run-A-Latke 5K out of Chabad Lubavitch of the North Shore in Swampscott. The weather was decent for mid-December. Mile splits were 707, 723, 705 and 618 for the last 10th. Lost a pack of eight in the middle mile where I got gapped. Official results: 20th place, 6th in the old guy category, 22:15, 7:10 pace per mile. Needed some extra miles so I ran the course again after the race. I cheered on every runner and walker that I ran by while doing the course clock-wise.
Krissy took photos. Chanukah Run-A-Latke 5K race results.
Monday, December 11, 2023
The Mount Hood Nutcracker Challenge - 3.5 XC
Mount Hood Nutcracker Challenge 2023 Race Results
Time for the famous “Nutcracker” cross country race held in
December on the Mount Hood Golf Course in Melrose. You can picture it. A tower off in the
distance, way above sea level with harriers in shorts braving any and all elevation
changes over 3.5 miles. This one had balmy weather in the 50’s. A peek of the
results show it loaded with Cambridge Running Club and Cambridge Sports Union
on page 1. However, Nate Jenkins and Scott Mindel placed 3rd and 4th
respectively for the Central Mass Striders. They teamed up with Matthew Baron
who won overall for the team win. A good all start team if I must say.
I was sucking wind up and down the course. The first mile
was the easiest, mostly flat which is not saying much. Mile two was brutal. Paces
went all over the map. It was charge a hill, recover and open the stride all the way to the finish line. In the end, 8 minute pace for this one overall.
74th place, 28:02! I wore SRR colors but CMS had a few other gents
in front of me: John Pajer and Adam Rundell for what might have been Team Pajer
with a few daughters running and one a few ticks behind me.
Funny story while cooling down with the Lynn Woods guys. The
CSU group was cooling down behind us. I heard the CMS names of Mindel and
Jenkins – a mention of the team having NE Champions or at least picking them up
during their careers. I will hide the rest of the context but I chirped them on
the way by as to be careful about taking trash about CMS. All good fun.
Patrick Bugbee put out a fist bump. The guys continued the cool down for the incredible view from the tower at Mount Hood. I bailed on the notable feast
that awaited at the club house. Kristen managed to get me a mini-Nutcracker to
add to the display at home where at least 10 already reside in various sizes.
Thanks for the Trails 5K
ECTA put on another post-Thanksgiving cross country and trail race via Patton Park in Hamilton. This time it was held on the Saturday instead of the Friday. Same venue and same course used in the past. Weather was decent. Shorts, long sleeve and gloves. I saw some familiar SRR faces out there with Tinger, Bifano and Cullinan. CMS had Todd Callaghan tuning up before his trip to XC Nationals in Tallahassee. The hills on this one were painful as usual. I placed 35th with a time of 25:49. GPS captured 3.29 miles. I had a good finish, getting past four men that were ahead of me with 800m to so I felt good about that. A hot bowl of soup was the reward after the race. A lot of raffles were handed out but my number was not called.
Thanks For the Trails Race Results
Friday, November 24, 2023
Wild Turkey 5 Mile Run
Nakri signed me up a few days ago at New England Running Company in Beverly. Krissy and I took the RAM to the race and caught every red light on the way. I warmed up around the Salem Common, meeting Nakri to grab my number. The Common filled with over 1500 runners with bright sun cracking down on the yellow leaves on the dew filled grass. The 8AM started promptly. I could tell right away my legs were flat and not interested in carrying low 7’s for long.
I soaked in the surroundings seeing Krissy and her walking crew several times along the course. There were at least three beer/mamosa stops run by the local neighborhoods. Music was blasting and people were really into it as usual. Just a great atmosphere. I was on a cruise control to the end, not fussing over place or time. 240th place, 39:32, 10th out of 48 in the 45-49 age group. 7:54/mi pace. I found Nakri and ran an easy 1 mile cooldown. Krissy was wrapping up her walk at the Hawthorne Hotel. We watched the race for a few minutes before heading out for another Thanksgiving Holiday!
Wild Turkey 5 Mile Run Race Results November 23, 2023 - Salem, MA