GBTC Invitational masters mile

Todd Callaghan (CMS) picked Brett Rickenbach and I up at the house for a quick drive into Harvard at noon. This gave me a chance to sleep in late and have a big breakfast. We got bent for $10 to park which I knew was coming. We stashed our gear next to Joe OLeary and the SRR guys inside. A big group of us headed outside for a 2.3 mile warm up in mud, slush, and ice around the athletic fields. We warmed up early enough to check in a second time to get our hip and chest numbers. We had a long wait. There were five heats of the mile to wait through before our masters race (2 heats) lined up. I got into heat 1. It was going to be competitive between Al Bernier (CMS) and Ethan Nedeau (aR) for the win. Todd and Dan Verrington (CMS) were in the heat as well so I was familiar with half the field. Brett was track-side yelling splits at me. I heard the 36's turn to 38's after a few laps. The race thinned out quickly and I hung back. I was cooked with the 2:27 at 800m running behind Mark Capparella (Mass Velocity). I could see Al and Ethan battling at the end of the straight away that I was on. Todd was going at it as well with a pair of guys. I went around Mark with 400m to go to finish a distant 6th and a time of 5:03.1 - 9 seconds slower than my effort at BU earlier this month. In summary, pretty much a shit-show for me but the effort put on by peers and t'mates kept the overall spirit up. It was nice to see Al win the race as the man has wheels. Todd as well kicked some ass showing he is no rookie to the indoor oval. The CMS masters headed out with Jesse Morrow (SRR) for an out and back on the Charles River on the ice and slush. In the end, I was grateful for the opportunity to race in the masters mile at the track meet today. The mile event is also race #1 in the All Terrain Runner series so I am all in and should be able to run some if not all of the races this year. I am undecided about a race next weekend (Super5 or a track event in Providence). The week after will be the Great Stew Chase 15K in Lynn which will provide for a good tune up for 10 miles in Amherst next month. I think I am done with the indoor track racing but will keep an eye out for maybe one more that I hear is a masters event in Providence.

Lazy Dog Classy 3 mile

The Lazy Dog Classy 3 mile road race in the home town of Lynn was on the SRR Grand Prix. As a result, taking a win like I did the last two years was out of the question. I just wanted to run something respectable and hang on to some of the guys that I train with at the track workouts at Tufts. I ran over to the race changed into some flats and the SRR singlet. I had a few more minutes to jog around with Nakri Dao before getting on the line.

Suffering in the middle on Magnolia Ave

Chris Antunes (SRR) and Steve Gendron took the lead and I was fourth. I moved up to third before the mile in 5:16. Aharon Wright, Bradley Harris, and Andrew Clifford went by on a down hill and I slipped off my pace in an ugly way. Kieran Condon got past me shortly after and I had about enough of the passing. I stayed behind Kieran but he was holding the 15 yard gap into mile two. I started to hear some foot steps before reaching the parking lot through Equitable Bank. I gave up two more places in the next 30 seconds as I ran past Krissy at Magnolia Park. I had to wake up but the legs flat. I turned left on Euclid Ave and kept those two guys close until the last turn onto Broadway. I picked up the pace and charged past them before reached the finish line in 7th place overall - 6th for SRR. GPS got 3.03 miles and mile splits were as follows: 514, 534, 541. Pretty rough. I should have skipped the race in favor of the Ice Fishing Tournement at Flax Pond. Dennis Floyd, Nakri, and I did a slow run back over the course. The next race will be the masters mile at the GBTC Invitational. The race will also serve as the first in the All Terrain Series.

The Lazy Dog Classy 3 mile race results
KrissyK smugmug photos

1 mile BU mini meet

I picked up Martin and drove to the last of the three mini-meets at Boston University. I got there in time to catch CMS teammate Scott Leslie take his heat of the 3K. There were several heats of the 3K and 400m before the mile event came up. My seed time of 4:52 put me into heat nine. My heat had seed times on the sheet two seconds quicker to three seconds slower. This gave me an idea where I sat among the competitors. I encouraged David Long to come to the meet at the Frosty Four and was excited to see him there in my heat. I warmed up inside the facility with laps outside the banked track with Rod Hemingway and Caleb Evanter from GBTC after watching the 1st heat of the mile.

The plan was to push a lap after 800m and see what happens. The race went out hard and I cautiously latched into the back of the race. Lap one was quick and noted a split of 35 after lap one. I was right behind Kevin Delaney, David, and Rod for the first four laps - seeing a 2:26 as I approached the clock (unsure of actual 800m split). I waited one more lap and wound up for a move into lane two passing the previously mentioned guys over that lap. I ran scared into the last 200m and just held them off where I could feel myself losing form. I got a time of 4:54.03 in a distant 5th place (4:45 won the heat). Check out the video of the race. My legs were pretty week as soon as I finished.

My goal was to break 4:50 but had a feeling based on recent workouts that such would be a challenge. I had some fun cheering on anyone I knew in the races and had to leave before the mile races ended. Looking ahead, I intend to run the Lazy Dog 3 mile road race in Lynn and enter into the GBTC Invitational with another mile. That mile event will get me started with the USATF All Terrain Race series.

Boston University Mini Meet #3 race results

Wicked Frosty Four Salem

Arrived early with Krissy to score primo parking and a table inside the Tavern in the Sqaure. Headed out for a 2 mile warm up with Dennis Floyd, Joe Shairs, and Martin Tighe as late as possible so as to not sit around for fifteen minutes before the ten o'clock start. The wind was going to be in the grill for the 2nd half of the race. Noted. Cold only if you were not moving. The sun felt good. New Balance flats and CMS singlet ready for battle with eight minutes to spare. Jordan Williamsz was in the house chasing the lead police vehicle from the word go. Dan Chruniak was in second with Joe hunting him down after a mile. He got close at mile two. I found a partner in David Long. Matched strides from start to finish. Not even separated by two seconds, ever. Tough as nails as mentioned in the past. Surged as if I was coaching him. I followed and matched where applicable. Tried to help at mile three. Lasted thirty seconds while the wind resisted any forward motion. Settled in like a vet, waiting to open up at an opportune time. However, Dave got a good jump down the stretch into the finish besting me by a tick. The crowd was into it but my legs were tap city. 22:45 (5:42/mile), 5th place, third 40+ behind Joe and David. I got some warm clothes on and ran the course in the opposite direction with the guys. I will get back on the horse for eight laps of oxygen debt at BU in a few days. Is a sub 4:50 possible? 4:52 seed time is in.

Today's mile splits per Garmin
5:29
5:37
5:52
5:44

Wicked Frosty Four results - January 1, 2015
Last three years at Frosty
2015: 5th 22:45 (5:42)
2014: 7th 21:46 (5:27)
2013: 1st 22:22 (5:36)