Run-A-Latke 5K

This 5K in Swampscott offers a bit of coastal scenery and views of Boston. This is just a few miles from the house. Kristen was hired as the photographer so this presented a chance to get a quick timed run in. Run-A-Latke 5K Photos and Start video

My calf was still tight and took the day before off from running. I got off the line and counted over 20 people head after 400m. I ran sort of flat footed to ease the strain on the calf. Mile 1 went by in 7:11. Then the course climbs a bit before getting out to Humphries Street. I passed the last runner at that point. Mile two slowed to 7:21. 

I was trying to not get caught from anyone I passed in the previous mile. I caught up to a youngster in the last 400m but couldn't catch him into the finish which climbed a bit. Last mile was clocked at 7:07. 11th place. Time was 22:20. I lived and did not die. I jogged another mile before shutting it down and calling it a day. 

Chanukah Run-a-Latke 5K results

ECTA Thanks for the Trails 5K

Tough week had me hobbled with a calf issue since Monday's attempted tempo run. I passed on running the WCRC Turkey Trot in Newbury on Thanksgiving Day. This race, the next day on Friday, would at least allow me to get a run in. I adjusted all expectations to just finish and enjoy the show. Rain was approaching and started 20 minutes before the 10am start in Patton Park, Hamilton.

Coming down the hill. Photo by Roger Perham

I ran a warm-up in the park, running through an area selling Christmas Trees. They were freshly cut, offering a long lasting pine scent. I started off the race in the 2nd row next to neighbor and trail wiz, Freddie Tribeck. She would navigate us through a half mile before I went ahead. My calf was annoyed and each stride reminded me. Oh, new course by the way, now mile 1 stays in the trails, no more Rt 1A road/sidewalk. 

With Roger Perham and Paul Croft

Up and down the hill. I got passed by five runners on the way up. On the 2nd loop, up another hill, shorter and steeper, I passed them all back but one. I walked the 15 yards before cresting through the top of the hill. Two more runners were picked off on the way to the finish. 

George S. Patton Park and a tank of a landmark

Roger Perham caught photos on the bottom of the hill. Matt Curran, cheered me onward with 400m to go. Miss those days we battled. He is tied up with a bad knee unfortunately. 

26th place awaited me. 7th 40-49. GPS measured out 3.25, so race pace was sub 8's instead of the 8:16 paced 25:39 race time for a 5K distance. Overall, I lived, did not drop out, no drama, just slower. Runners are stubborn creatures. I need to be smart, get healthy. Hard to do. 

ECTA Thanks for the Trails 5K results 2021

Thanks for the Trails Video Recap

Rachel's Run - Tyngsboro

This was the 5th and final race of the 2021 USATF New England Cross Country Grand Prix series. This would be my 3rd XC Grand Prix event this fall after running the GBTC Invite in Carlisle and the New England Cross Country Championships at Franklin Park two weeks ago. Rachel's Run would be a 5K course run behind the Academy of Notre Dame combining everything cross country from rolling hills to mud. CMS would have exactly five runners. We had an incentive to finish a masters or senior team to compete for the last of the team cash prizes in the series. My goal was to hang with CMS teammate, Paul Bazanchuk as he finished about a minute faster than my effort at XC Nationals in October.

Trailing Paul After 600M

The opening of the race goes across a baseball and soccer field, up to the school driveway, then dips sharply to the pond (see video below about 600m into the race). Runners are met with a slight climb through orange and white painted roots approaching the hum of Rt 3. The trees get taller and the woods darker with a little mud before going up the steep climb through Abrams Hill. Runners crash down and it rolls gently before flattening out of the woods and back onto the baseball field to complete lap 1 or exactly 1.5 miles. 

Dave Dunham making sure I stay on course

The plan to stick with Paul was working in the first half of the race as I trailed by 5 seconds. He gapped me up and down the rest of the hills in the second lap. I got past a few runners in the last mile to finish with a time of 22:26, 35th place, 5th CMS runner. Paul finished 21 seconds ahead. Our mix of age groups finished 5th in open and 1st 40+. 

Lonely in the 2nd lap

My splits for the 3.09 distance were: 7:25, 7:03, 7:26

CMS finishers: Tim Van Orden 18:29, Steve Brightman 18:48, David Harper 20:30, Paul Bazanchuk 22:05, James Pawlicki 22:26

Photos and Video credit to Kristen Pawlicki

My finish 

Video taken by Kristen Pawlicki, 600m after the start

2021 Rachel's Run 5K men's results

2021 Rachel's Run 5K team results

USATF New England Cross Country Championships

It was good to be back at Franklin Park for the New England Cross Country Championships. The race was held at Mine Falls last year as a 5K during the pandemic while USATF New England flirted with in person racing. The year before, I had very little training off meniscus surgery in the summer of 2019 and dropped out before two miles into the 8K. 

My goal today was to get through 5K quicker than the 5K National XC effort weeks earlier (under 22:30) and keep the pace up for the full 8K. I found myself running with John Barbour early on in this race. We have competed against each other going back into the 1990's. John actually made a friendly comment after the mile marker, running next to me. It must be a good day if I am running in John's company. I would be lying if I said I was not feeling a bit nostalgic running with John who has a tremendous racing background. He is one of the nicest runners out there. The type that is complimenting you and asking how you are doing before you can shake his hand after he won a race. 

John put some earth between us in the wilderness loop. However, I caught up with Brian Bealieau. We went through the 5K mark where I was 40 seconds quicker than at Nationals. I noted and mentioned to Brian that he appeared to be 40 seconds slower than then. He whipped me that day by almost a minute. I was able to get a few strides on Brian over the next mile and a half and hold him off at the end by seven seconds. I would finish with a time of 34:58. John would finish one place ahead in 34:43. Meanwhile, my teammates from CMS, the 50+ team, would duplicate their win at Nationals with a win at New Englands. Scott Leslie (40) would finish 7th overall, cracking the top ten as I told him he would under the CMS tent prior to the race. 

I ran a cool down with Brian B. and Matt Lyons. We cheered on the open race where CMS had Scott Mindel (racing team manager) and Keith McAteer running 32:57 and 33:58 respectively. I broke down the CMS tent, took a few photos of the seniors and hit the road with Todd Callaghan. Photo credits below to Dave Dunham who made sure I kept motivated during my race.

splits: 6:43, 6:57, 6:57, 7:03, 7:01

Masters Results

All other results