Great Bay 5K Race for a Healthy Estuary

It was a perfect fall day in the upper 40’s for the race start in Stratham, NH with the fast point to point course finishing at the Great Bay Discovery Center in Greenland, NH. The race had well deserved moment of silence and notice of race dedication for Bob Kennedy who was the long-time race director who tragically passed away this past July. I did a 2 mile warm up and got on the starting line with Thom Lubas of Wicked and NE 65+, about a dozen rows back. My watch was not ready as the start went off so I was fiddling with that as I started the race. 

It did not bother my pace as I caught up to Karen about a half mile into the race. She, Don Withee and I were repping Notch. Karen and I ran together through 1.5 miles passing the mile around 7:25. I motored through for a 7:18 second mile. A few hills in the final mile had me slowing back down for a 7:29. I lost about a dozen places coming into the finish with a 23:15 net time, good for 5^th place in the 50-54 age group. It was my first race as a senior age group runner. Don set a lifetime PR (while in his mid 50’s) with a 19:11 and Karen ran 23:46. Krissy, Maryann and I hung out for a great post race at the Discovery Center. Where else can you get Pizza, Cookies, Brownies and Starbucks Coffee at 9:30AM following a fast 5K?

Place 135 (5^th 50-54)

Pace 7:29

Net time 23:15 (Gun Time 23:23)

http://www.iresultslive.com/?op=summary&eid=6196

BSC 5K – Marlborough, MA

Full Results: https://my.racewire.com/result/9556839

34^th place, 24:37 and 7/22 in the 40-49 age group. I went out on the downhill as easy as possible. Still ran 7:11 for the 1^st mile and 7:37 for the 2^nd mile. The gut check was the uphill last mile which hurt, checking in with a 9:04 for the last 1.1 miles. Overall the time was about 90 seconds slower than last year. The race does not get any easier. 

Boston Scientific was able to raise over $5K from the race entries and donate to Community Servings. 

North Shore Runfest 10K

I had some weekend plans change allowing me to run a 10K road race on Sunday in Salem. As you will see in the results, there was a plethora of Notch runners. I warmed up for a less than a mile to test out the left leg which has been sore. I lined up for the start far enough back from the start line to stay out of trouble. The weather was perfect with the sun and slight breeze. The course took the race from Congress Street (Shetland Park) out to the Salem Willows and back making it almost three miles by the time the race reached Lafayette Street. My mile paces were hovering about eight and a half minutes throughout. The last three miles was along Lafayette Street taking a left at Salem State, through Forest River Park and meandered the side streets back to Congress Street. I finished in a “chip time” of 52:49 and place of 167. The clock time was 53:27. 

North Shore Runfest's 10k Run/Walk!

Name: James Pawlicki

Bib: 167

Gun Time: 53:27

Chip Time: 52:49

Chip Pace: 8:29

Overall Place: 154 of 419

Gender Rank: 124 of 228

Age Group Rank: 32/49 

Lynn Woods Relay and My Relay History

I ran leg 2 for Team Notch Brewing Second Wind last night. It was a non-humid night and cooler than usual for mid-August in the 70’s. Mike Vanne led of with a 19:57. We both had Dave Jellerson for a high school XC coach. I ran a 19:41. I was suffering on the climbs on the course. Lack of fitness! I handed off to Trevor Henry who crushed a 16:19. John Hayes wrapped us up with a 23:31. We finished 7th out of 9 in the masters team division and 30th out of 76 teams. 

Below is my Lynn Woods Relay history.

For the Lynn Woods Races and running historians, 2010 was the year when the start and finish moved from the stone pillars/steel gate at the base of the Gannon Golf entrance to where it is today (current) next to the baseball/softball field.

Name	Relay Date	Leg	Split	Team Name	Cat	Place	Final Time
JIM PAWLICKI	2022-08-31	4	17:52	CENTRAL MASS STR 40+	S	9	1:09:34
JIM PAWLICKI	2021-08-25	3	18:29	DOS AMIGOS	N	4	1:10:07
JIM PAWLICKI	2018-08-22	2	15:57	CENTRAL MASS STRIDERS 40+	S	4	1:01:42
JIM PAWLICKI	2017-08-23	2	15:07	CENTRAL MASS STRIDERS 40+	S	2	1:00:32
JIM PAWLICKI	2016-08-24	4	15:08	FAST FUNCTIONAL FITNESS	M	9	1:05:22
JAMES PAWLICKI	2015-08-26	4	14:48	CENTRAL MASS STRIDERS	M	4	1:00:06
JIM PAWLICKI	2014-08-20	1	14:19	SPIDER ONE	C	9	1:05:25
JIM PAWLICKI	2007-08-21	3	14:26	CMS	M	3	55:53
JAMES PAWLICKI	2006-08-23	1	13:47	2 CLOSE4 MISSLES SWITCHING 2 GUNS	M	1	55:18
JIM PAWLICKI	2001-08-22	4	14:12	GBTC LAST MINUTE	M	2	56:31
JAMES PAWLICKI	1999-08-26	3	13:20	GREATER BOSTON CROSS	M	2	52:28

Miles Over the Moon – 4 miles – Salem, MA

Almost three months since my last road race. This Friday night steamer had an earlier start at 7:30PM offering more day light for the safety of the runners and drivers. I got my masters PR here running 5:30’s even for a solid 22 minute effort in 2016. I remember the finish being in the corner of the Salem Common. As for 2024, I had a goal to see if I could squeak under 8:00 but was not to be. The legs felt like junk since running in Lynn Woods earlier in the week. 

Splits of 7:38, 8:23, 8:26 and 8:00 got me to the finish line with an average heart rate of 168! It was nice to see one of my college coaches with Steve Czarnecki outside his Osgood Street home cheering the race. Also, props to the Notch Crew yelling support on Bridge Street. It for sure put a smile on this guy’s face.

Long overdue race results from February, March and April

Race Results that I have been long overdue to capture on the blog:

StretchLAB Super Sunday 4 Miler - Bedford, NH 2/11/24. This was a USATF New England Championship Race. I missed my goal for a 7 minute pace, running a 28:25 overall net time or 7:07. 426^th place. Gun time was 28:47. Course had a slight change for the better in the middle from the ’23 version. Splits: 6:59, 6:52, 7:14, 7:15

https://results.raceroster.com/v2/en-US/results/feu2urjjeskf44qz/results

Hibernian 5K – Lynn, MA 2/24/24 – Race #1 for the day. I forgot my watch but in the end, everyone said the distance wound up at 3 miles. I liked the counter-clockwise direction for the first time, really no elevation until after 2 miles where the course raised up to Boston Street. Good flat and fast finish but I was spent for the last half mile. Rich Lally pulled away from me as I settled for 21^st place and official time of 21:25, 6:54/mile.             

https://my.racewire.com/results/37784

Hamantasch Run 5K – Arlington, MA 2/24/24 – Race #2 for the day. Comp entry as Kristen was the race photographer. I think this was my first race in Arlington. The course seemed to go down for mile one after starting in front of the town hall, flat second mile and then effort to get back up to the finish over the last 700m or so. 23^rd out of 142. 25:22 was the time good for 8:10 pace. Splits: 8:17, 7:59, 8:03 and 7:33 for the last 10^th. Cool bright blue beanie for each entry.

https://results.raceroster.com/v2/en-US/results/pq2fwxj2nq7fhh9k/results

Frank Nealon Boston Tune-Up 15K – Upton, MA 3/20/24 – Our Tri-Valley Front Runners hosting another solid event out of Upton for the USATF New England 15K Road Championship. I wanted to run a faster pace than the Great Stew Chase effort in February. Mission accomplished on this rolling course. An average of 161 on the beats per minute (heart rate) says it all. Gun time: 1:13:58, Chip Time: 1:13:39. 376^th out of 614 overall.

Splits were: 739, 739, 802, 733, 751, 753, 800, 812, 803 and 7:15 for the last point four. 7:54 pace per mile. Felt pretty good about the effort!

https://www.athlinks.com/event/51543/results/Event/1069936/Course/2430334/Results

April Fools 4 Mile – Salisbury, MA April 6, 2024 - This flat and fast out and back four mile is hosted by our Winner’s Circle Running Club friends. I ran my PR of 21:59 (5:15/mi) twenty years ago – with Joe Shairs right on my heels! Light rain started as the field took off. I felt a tweak of the right hamstring in mile 1 so that kept my attention for the rest of the way. Still hit 162 BPM average. 30^th place. 30:21 chip (7:36/mi pace), 30:24 gun time. Splits were 7:37, 7:41, 7:46 and 7:51.

https://runsignup.com/Race/Results/139499?customResultsPageId=66785

The Great Stew Chase 15K

I missed the start, heard the starting gun go off from around the corner. Guess I was too casual on the warm up over to the race, one and a half miles away. Krissy had my number waiting for me at the start. She could barely pin the number on my shirt as the race of 200 scattered off. I told her not to worry, my official time should get picked up. I looked over at the start and saw no timing mat. Crap! It is all about gun time today. I got on my way with no panic and caught the race a few minutes later. 

I moved through the race, trying to be casual about it and settled into a low 8 minute pace effort by 3 miles. The weather was in the mid-30 with plenty of sunshine. A bit of a breeze from the west. I backed off in the hills of Centennial Drive and out toward Rt. 1. On the way back, I was not feeling to great but managed to keep in the 8's for pace. The last few miles were just flat effort-wise. I came into the finish with a personal time of 1:19:29 (8:32 pace) and clock time of 1:20:49 (8:41 pace) meaning I missed the start by 1 minute 20 seconds. I managed to place 3rd in the age group. 

I changed into some dry clothes and sat down inside the Knights of Columbus for the Vegetarian Stew, Water and Oatmeal Raisin Cookie. I caught up with some folks and cheered on all age group winners who were snagging winter hats. At the end of the day, managed to cover 11 miles that gave me a touch over 30 for the week. Photo creds to Shannon Cram. 

 

The Great Stew Chase 15K Results - Lynn, MA - February 4, 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 38^th 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