An Ras Mor 5K

Final turn in Cambridge
Photo by Scott Mason

The Somerville Road Runners and Ras Mor 5K in Cambridge played host to the USATF New England Championship. This was the third race in the Championship series as teams already competed in the Jones Group 10 mile and New Bedford Half Marathon. The rain was coming down as Joe Shairs and I headed into Cambridge. The weather is something we can't control. It is what it is. We spun around the neighborhood that surrounded Massachusetts Avenue and the Asgard seeking a quiet spot but none to be found with my lack of patience. I took to the garage on Green Street which in the end cost $19 for four hours. It was piece of mind and a dry haven. We got our numbers around the corner and then headed out for a warm up with Justin Freeman. I tried to recall the course that I did in 2011 (16:34). However, the course has changed so I really only showed them the first half of the course which was primarily out to Harvard Square and back. The new course took a right hand turn into the residential area of Cambridge and looped back to almost where we started. That made up the 2nd half of the race.

I started the race about four rows back. I got off the start and in motion with no slips, trips, or falls. The rain backed off and was very light but we had to be conscious of puddles and staying off any painted surfaces on the roads (reduce slipping and waste). I wore my iNov8 233's and stayed out of trouble. The temperature was in the low 40's and we headed into the wind on Massachusetts Avenue. I noticed my legs were tight and never really loosened up. I passed mile one around 5:22 to the left of Joe, not the 5:05 something we heard by a volunteer. Joe passed me shortly thereafter. Eric Narcisci (Whirlaway) was now with Joe and the started to pull away. I eventually caught up to Wayne Levy (BAA) and we went back and forth for the next mile. CMS teammate, Tim Mahoney came by with 800m to go and I got on his heels. I started to rig a bit as SRR's Joe Lauer went by with 400m to go. He has been very timely passing me with force in the closing miles of these USATF races. The 3 mile mark came up quick and so did Jason Porter (CMS). I expected him to be in front of me during the race so really shocked me to come around. We turned right for the last 150 meters and went for it. I crossed the line with a gun time of 16:58 and mat to mat bib time was 16:56. I went into the race with light mileage over the past few days so it was all good. I really expected to be in the 16:5X range. Thus I was content with the effort. Looking back, I would not change anything other than not give in a bit with three minutes to go. 

I connected back up with a bunch of CMS teammates and we headed out for an estimated four mile cool down along the Charles River and back into Cambridge via Mass Ave. CMS had a few athletes run PR's like Morgan Kennedy and Colby Chrusciel today which was awesome. Dave Dunham ran his 100th USATF New England Championship. He and Dave Lapierre ran their first race as Seniors (50+). It was nice to see Tim Van Orden and Al Bernier jump into a team race again after a layoff. Race results via coolrunning are here. Photos by Scott Mason can be found here.

Stu's 30K

Stu’s 30K - Clinton, MA - March 2, 2014

Full Results

Photos by KrissyK

Tired but standing at the Stu's 30K finish
Photo by Krissy Kozlosky

I put the Stu’s 30K on the schedule as it made sense for a few reasons. I am running the Boston Marathon so I figured that a steady long run would be suitable. The race is put on by Central Mass Striders and wanted to support it. I was also driving back to the North Shore from the US Snowshoe Championships so it was not hard to veer off Rt. 2 and into Clinton for 18.6 miles. Race director Evelyn Dolan put a shirt to the side for me. I ran a 2 mile warm up with Reno Stirrat (former CMS member way back in the day). The first mile brought back some memories of when I ran this race back in 1997 when it was a USATF New England Grand Prix Championship. My goal for the 2014 version was to keep the pacing between 6:30 and 7:00. I was a little sore from the snowshoe race 24 hours earlier. If I had fresh legs, I would have wanted 6:15’s or better. I went about the earlier miles easy and settled in the top 20. It was hard to let guys get away over the next few rolling miles but I had to run smart. The miles went by quickly as I was engaged but not worried about my place or who was passing by or pulling away. The course is hilly and I actually preferred the incline portions more than the declines. I stopped by each water stop which had Gatorade at the 2^nd table and took it in. I took the one GU I carried and then another I got at a specific table late in the race. The legs stayed together but I was really tired all the way. I expected that but it is all about the big picture. The last hill was memorable passing not one but two Polar Beverage store front signs. They are symbolic - bet they were also there in 1997. The hill is a major slap in the face with less than a mile to go. I wrapped up the race in 18^th place in 2:03:37 – 6:38 pace per mile. I was tired enough to not bother with a cool down. I was a lump of coal in the cafeteria after I changed into warm clothes and got some Chowder and Fluids from the happy volunteers that included CMS President Stephen Laska and CMS coach and women's manager Barbara McManus. 

USATF-NE 10 mile championship Amherst MA

Like last year, the USATF-New England Road Race Grand Prix series kicked off in Amherst, MA today. Kristen and I picked up Joe Shairs at 7:45 on the way for the two hour drive to Amherst. A warm up with the team followed at 10:15 and I brought some of the CMS crew through the finish line area so everyone knows what it is all about just in case. Not before long, I was on the starting line in the midst of a sea of navy blue CMS runners about three rows back from the starting line. I eased into the race with no panic. The goal for the day was 5:45 pace. The course always provides a challenge so splits were going to be all over in terms of pace according to a grade up or down. Mile one passed in 5:46. Mile two passed in 5:18 for the quickest of the day and the most generous dropping nearly 200 feet in that mile. The sun poked out temporarily for a bit at this point.

The next two miles drag with some climbing and I spotted a 5:51 and 6:12 here getting into the dirt road and dodging puddles of water and mud. At least it was not icy like last year. Another 5:51 mile passed as we approached pavement and I started to reel in Joe Shairs and then Matt Clark. Rich Smith was wheeling and dealing along side and looked good on the down hills which I appreciate. I eased up a bit to get an inventory from Joe who was not feeling too good. Keiron Tumbleton wheeled passed and I tagged onto him for the next few miles giving him about four strides into the lowest part of the course for the second time of the day. I was not looking forward to the climb back to the finish which starts shortly after eight miles. Then again, I know that not too many around me were relishing it either. I just tried to maintain up the hills. I heard Dave Dunham yelling for me with about 1200m to go. It sounded like Dan Verrington was closing in on me. I got to the base of the parking parking lot and set my sights on Keiron Tumbleton and another runner with whom I battled with during the race. I just got past them before the finish line passing the clock at 57:16 good for 48th overall. I was pretty happy with the effort as it is barely under 5:45 pace and was quicker than last year. Overall, it is my second quickest effort going back 11 years to 1999.

Results

Photos by Kristen

My Amherst 10 mile history

Year Time Pace Note

2009 57:37 5:46 USATF-NE Grand Prix Championship

2005 57:27 5:45 tune up for New Bedford Half Marathon

1999 56:24 5:39 USATF-NE Grand Prix Championship

The CMS teams did very well. The open team scored a second place showing with Justin Fyffe finishing second overall. The masters team took the team win behind a solid effort from guys who were not 100% on their game today. Kristen and I hung out with the team for some laughs over the pizza and soup offered by the volunteers. Kristen, Joe, and I hit the road back home to watch Team USA lose to Team Canada, 3-2 in overtime, in the men's Olympic gold medal game. Next up for me will be the New Bedford Half Marathon in March.

CMS men's open and masters team photo taken shortly after everyone finished today.

Top row: Kevin Gorman, Dan Verrington, Jim Pawlicki, Joe Shairs, Jim Johnson, Kevin Tilton, Christian Muentener, Mike Quintal, Dave Harper, John Pajer Botton Row: Jeff Goupil, Justin Fyffe, Dave Quintal, Scott Clark, Ernie Brake, Greg Hammett Missing: Matt Clark

The Great Stew Chase 15K

A chase it was. CMS mates Mike Quintal, Joe Shairs, Dan Verrington and I battled over the 15K (9.3 miles) course this morning. Looking at our finishing paces for the day, some would argue that we were just out for another Sunday, long run. The weather gods brought plenty of sun today, but also brought some wind that did not help us on our way out to Dearborn Road where the turn around at 4.9 miles awaited. The four of us were never separated more than five seconds on the way out. Each took turns fighting the wind and or tucking in for wind protection. Meanwhile, Eric Narcisi and Marc Leblanc were about 10 seconds ahead leading the race. Tomoaki Uchiki from GBTC trailed them by a few yards.

Dan took charge on the way back. Joe pulled away from Mike and I once we had the wind at our backs heading into mile 8. I kept talking to Mike over the last mile encouraging him to place any surges that he was dropping earlier in the race. A few last hills remained to get to mile nine. I dropped Mike a bit and was trying to reel in Joe. The best I could do was get within three seconds as we approached the finish line. Mike was right behind me. My Garmin advised that I ran 5:42 pace so I was pumped because that is close to what I ran last year. Technology does not always work right but the pace was according to covering a distance of 9.5 miles, not 9.3 miles. Chalk it up to GPS tracking error. I wound up in 6th place with a time of 54:12. CMS had four runners in a row as Tomoaki passed Dan right at the line. Kristen took a ton of photos. Results.

My dad Leo and I after the race.