NHTI Delta Dental 5K

The second to last C.A.R.S. race was back in Concord, at NHTI for a fast 5K. I was worried about the traffic on 93 North on a Friday evening so Krissy took the wheel and got us up there very early around 3:45 for the 6pm start. Perry Seagroves, head xc coach at NHTI, let me hunker down in the athletic building to wrap up some work stuff. Once wrapped up, I found Dave Dunham wandering the halls scaring coeds. I convinced him to find a shirt and do a course warm up with Darin Brown. It was going to be a fast course over two flat loops. 

Mother nature added a challenge of the heat and humidity. There were three heats going off at 6pm and I got into the back of heat one running with John Tuttle in the first mile. We traded back and forth before I tailed off about 1.5 miles in. We talked before the race and both agreed to help each other. I faded a bit more in the last mile only finding energy to convince Heather Searles (21:02) to jump back into the race and help me out. John finished with a 20:51 to my 21:11. I placed 24th overall and first in the 40-49 age group. I was still sweating while getting back into my street clothes heading off for another hour or two of work. 

Splits: 6:31, 6:50, 6:54 (6:13) with an average heart rate of 176bpm

Angels 5K

Race # 6 of the Capital Area Race Series took us to Penacook, NH which is about 10 minutes north of Concord. I was late for the strict 7:05 warm up with Dave Dunham and the gang so went off and ensured that I ran the last mile of the course so that I knew how the end of the 5K would finish. I ran into them as they were finishing the course. I got into my New Balance racing flats 10 minutes before the start. After a prayer and national anthem, the race took off. I settled into a pace that felt right and let the fast folk zip away. The 2nd half of mile dropped nicely letting me into a 6:36 mile. Rumors of the mile into mile two were true. Everyone baked on the hot pavement on the long climb that offered some shade at the top. I was cooked. 

John Tuttle got a step on me at the top and recovered well enough to gap me by 10 seconds from there to the finish. I managed a back and forth with one other runner but in the end lost that battle in the flat ending back to the Merrimack Middle School. 27th overall, 2nd age group, 22:26 chip time, 22:28 gun time. There were about 150 finishers on this warm and humid day. The last three days have been 90+ and humid and today was not as hot but certainly just as nasty with the high dew point. No excuses though. 

Crew setting up the finish line before the race started

Splits: 6:35, 7:35, 7:22, 6:24 for last .14

Angels 5K Road Race 2021 results 

While cooling down with Tim Cox, Lucas Fisher and Darin Brown, we witnessed a Black Bear crossing our path, It was just 50 yards ahead on the residential neighborhood. It was tagged and had zero interest in us as we ran toward it crossing from one yard to the next. It was pretty cool to see and my first bear sighting while running. We slowed down to ensure no cubs were trailing and that the coast was clear and it was. The 2 mile cool down gave me about 7 miles for the day. After taking down a few more waters and a banana, I hit the road back home.

Up next is a leg of the Lynn Woods Relay followed by the NHTI Delta Dental 5K. 

Canterbury Woodchuck Classic 5K

Not just another Concord Area Race Series Race in Canterbury, NH here folks. You are signing up for a fast opening mile which sets up for a tough finish. 

What I have been appreciating with these races is that they are are fresh and new to me. I am glad I ran the course as a warm up with Dave Dunham, Doug Deangelis and Darin Brown. A 172ft drop through the first mile took me through a 6:06 - no doubt fastest mile in two years. Mile 2 was not entirely flat but brought the pace back down to earth with a 6:54. The last mile has four hills to get up and over. I was looking forward to the finish as mile three past by in 7:21. I think I lost 3 placings in the last half mile. 20:54 for the 5K (6:44), 3rd AG. More importantly, I was able to finish in front of a few who were ahead of me in the last two series races (10K and 5 mile) which I felt good about. Nice way to finish up the month of July. 

2021 Canterbury Woodchuck Classic Overall Results

Bill Luti 5 miler

The CARS events continued with the Bill Luti 5 mile road race in Concord, NH. Joe Shairs drove us to the race for the 8AM mass start. After a mile plus warmup, did some light stretching and got in about four rows back from the line. Felt decent, good form for the 6:55 opening mile. That was followed by a long climb and a 7:34 mile. 

The course rolled from there but would say more fast than slow. Knee had some issue before mile 4 which had me easing up on any downhills. Wrapped up with a 7:10 last mile to place 104th, 6th in age group and chip time of 36:08 (7:14). Not too bad and quicker than the 10K three weeks ago.

Joe killed it with a 28:58, top senior. Dave Dunham was the 2nd Senior. The team placed 2nd overall which has been the norm the whole series.

Capital City Classic 10K

C.A.R.S race number 3 was hosted by Runner's Alley in Concord, NH with the Capital City Classic 10K. The 8AM start was met with warm and muggy air under bright sun. A strong field of 300 plus enjoyed a mass-start, my first of which,  post-Covid. I started 12 rows back. Jumped out at the start and settled in with no sense of urgency. 

The 7:00 flat opening mile gave me no confidence that I was going to run any faster for the next 5 miles. Each mile thereafter slowed down. After 4 miles, there was a hill that seemed to break some or make some. A few began to walk. I had dead legs on the backside and saw my slowest mile of 8:08. I rallied a bit in the last 400m to find 73rd place and find a 7:39 pace, 47:29 chip time. I grabbed a water and had a seat in the shade for a few minutes.

I went for a slow cool down with the Duct Tape and Spit guys (Dave Dunham, Doug Deangelis, and Darren Brown) who placed 2nd as a team. My right calf cramped so bailed before another mile. Looking forward to the next race but a few degrees cooler or with a lower dew point.

Over the River and Through the Woods 5K

A hybrid, mostly a road race with a stretch of trails in the middle made CARS #2 a fun one on a sunny Saturday morning. Got a chance to warm up and see the course before the 9AM start with the CMS and friends crew. Lined up at cone 34 and zipped out for the start where each runner got about a 4 or 5 second head start. Mile 1 passed just under 6:40. 

I hung with Christin Doneski in the trails pulling me through a 6:55 paced 2nd mile. Lost her in the final mile with another similar paced mile but finished strong at the Delta Dental Northeast Headquarters. Surprised at the age group win but was buried behind many seniors in the 50-59 age group. 

ATHLETE NAME: James Pawlicki 

FINISH TIME:   21:23 

OVERALL PLACE:    36 

DIVISION PLACE: M4049 :  1 

Results 

Got in a 2 mile cool down with Joe Shairs. He crushed the course with an age group win, 11th place, low 18 minutes. Dave Dunham was a half minute behind him. Looks like our team placed 2nd overall, without Joe in the team results.

Canterbury Shaker Village Cross Country 5K

The first 2021 race of the Concord Area Race Series was hosted with the Canterbury Shaker Village XC 5K. This was my first time to this neat little village about 15 minutes north of Concord. After running the course as a warm-up, it was clear the terrain would not disappoint with elevation changes. 

Each runner went off every 10 seconds after lining up per your seed time. I was the 34th runner to go from the start line with an introduction from the announcer. The first mile drops down pretty good with a mix of grass and trail. Mile 1 was just under 7 minute pace. Mile 2 had us climbing up and down on the property. I was pretty flat getting passed by Christin Doneski who did encourage me to hang in the last mile and climb.

My legs had other thoughts. I was wiped out and was just looking to finish up. I passed one runner with about 500m to go to offset one runner passing me around the mile. 

I finished 28th overall with the 22:44 time and 3rd in my age group. In summary, tough course with every second earned the hard way. I was the fourth runner on the 2nd place, Duct Tape and Spit team behind Scott Clark, Dave Dunham and Doug Deangelis. 

https://www.gsrs.com/results/4225 

Back to the races in 2021

After firing my long term agent and losing my Dr. Scholls & Gold Bond Sponsorships I had turned to Pro Bowling and the PBA Tour. However, after losing a flo-match with Kyle Troup, I got banned from the 2021 tour. 

I had no choice but to return to the thriving running scene in New England. I filled the 2021 race calendar with some events that are proudly being hosted within the Granite State. At this point, it is the only game in town that a runner can bank on. The racing will start with the Canterbury Shaker Village Snowshoe race in March (edit - had to help dad move so never got to the race). The snowshoes will get retired after that for another four years. 

Going forward, I have committed to the Capital Area Race Series (CARS2021) which will consist of 8 races from May to September. There are six 5K's, one 5 mile and one 10K. Two of the 5K's are cross country style which suits me just fine. If the Bay State COVID policies change, I will be seeking off-road races especially cross country in the fall. 

Aside from that, the goal early on this year is to cover five miles for each daily run attempted and if that falters, shoot for 25 miles for the week. I need to cover at a minimum of 25 miles for the Nike footwear test that ends in March. After that I will work in some mid-week tempo runs to get out of the comfort zone. Lastly, I want to put four uncomfortable 400M laps and taste some oxygen debt in April to kick of the 2nd quadrant of the year. The ultimate goal for the year is to break 20 minutes in a 5K (6:26 mile pace).