Run for the Hills 10K - Hamilton

The Run for the Hills race is aptly named behind Pingree High School. There are several short momentum breakers on the course. I had to sign up so I got to the race early to fill out an application. I was still laughing about a closed online registration portal on a Tuesday afternoon. I introduced Greg Putnam to Colin Carroll before showing Greg the course. It was muddy in the swampy sections. The course is one loop for the 5K and two loop (repeat the 5K loop) for the 10K. It was awesome to have the CMS teammates on the line. Colin was undefeated in the North Shore Trail Series in 2015. Greg has been racing well and looking to take no prisoners. Therefore, there was no surprise when they passed me a few minutes into the race - making me look like I was in the JV race. I somehow kept Colin in sight - only if there was a straight away on the first lap. He was not his usual self. The gap was getting smaller as we started the 2nd round of hills in the second lap. I told Greg earlier that the second lap was going to hurt. It did. I caught Colin in the middle of that second lap. We were both hurting, he admitted later that the lack of training caught up. I managed to get a little room and hold onto 2nd in the end. Greg smoked the course in what has to be a course record (edit - Joe Shairs ran quicker in 2008, 36:57). Colin was on my heels - 11 seconds behind. I drank a ton of Gatorade and ran a cooldown with Jason Matuelwicz over the loop for 4th time for the day. My reward beside muddy legs was a half dozen homemade chocolate chip cookies made by RD Cathy Lanois.

2015 Run for the Hills Race Results

Kupenda 5 mile cross country

Photo by David Dunham

This was a new course laid out by Patrick Rich within the trails behind Gordon College in Wenham. I took the lead about 800m from EJN on a trail that I love - chipped wood footing in the shade. I pressed hard on the terrain and built a lead. David Dunham was on hand taking photos and filling me in on the lead which was helpful. I faded on the 2nd big loop but the lead was good as I could not see anyone behind me. I chased a few snakes off trail on the closing loop to find the finish in 29:10...would have placed me 11th in the Pop Crowell Cross Country Invitational held in October of 2013. I cooled down with the gang - Robert Molnar, David Dunahm, Jenn Brooks, Matt Curran, and Dan Verrington who placed 3rd, just behind David Long. I am glad I went. It was a rare win but was pleased with the effort. My right achilles is bugging me as of yesterday afternoon so I will be keeping an eye on that heading into the Ribfest this weekend.

Kupenda 5 Mile Cross Country Race

Wenham, MA, June 7, 2014

1 JAMES PAWLICKI  29:15  5:51   

Ravenswood Trail Race - Gloucester

The Ravenswood 4.1 mile Trail Race was the next event in the North Shore Trail Series. I ran a short and easy warm up with John Gillis and Todd Callaghan. It was nice to see these guys. Matt Curran joined us on the way back to the start. We got some race instruction from director, Jenn Brooks and the 160+ runners were off. Getting a good position here is key off the start. I got in behind Todd on the narrow trail with Dave Long in tow. Dave ripped by on a downhill a few minutes in to catch Todd on our first turn down into Magnolia swamp. I had Erich O'Neil hot on my heels through the swamp. He wanted to pass a few times after we came up and out of the swamp but I fought each move. With all of the single track on this course, I wanted to retain my own line of sight and dictate my pace - picking it up and or backing off when I wanted to. 

I had fairly good trail legs on the Ledge Hill trail where Krissy waited behind the Nikon D60 lense at the vista. Erich was a few strides behind. I pushed the pace and lost his presence. I pressed as hard as possible. Todd and Dave were long gone no doubt battling each other. I peeked at the Garmin after the 3 mile marker which was the traditional scarecrow - 21:18. Not much excitement from there to the finish but ran hard to the line for a third place finish with a time of 28:40. My Garmin measured 4.34 miles. Todd picked up the win in 27:05, almost 25 seconds quicker than his previous best a few years back. Dave took a digger, proud of the bloody cut on his left elbow. He finished with a solid 27:29. Erich was right behind me in 29:26 and Matt Curran at age 56 was fifth in 30:10. I cooled down with John, Todd, and Dave for 1.8 miles through the Magnolia swamp talking about our races. They were still hungry for more miles so we did another loop but finished up at the Magnolia Soccer fields. There was a wide assortment of sweets, coffee, and cider awaiting us even though we arrived late. The highlight at this race are the raffles given away by Jenn. Krissy had my bib number when 127 was called and picked up a trustees of reservations membership for the family. 

Ripping past the vista at the Ravenswood Trail Race
Photo by KrissyK

Ravenswood 4.1 mile trail race results Sunday October 20, 2013

Photos by KrissyK

Stone Tower 15K Trail Race

3rd place - Stone Tower 15K
Photos by KrissyK

Sean McDonough dominated this race from the start taking the win in 59:03 at the Stone Tower 15K trail race in Lynn Woods Reservation. This was another stop in the North Shore Trail Series. I battled David Long (59:28) back and forth but he stood tall in the last third of the race. He was crushing the down hills all day. I would close the gap on the flats and climbs. I ran out of gas in the end. Otherwise, this was an awesome course in Lynn Woods from Race Director Liam Brady. I think it was the same as last year. He said it is 9-ish, referring to it being a touch short of 15 kilometers.We got the best of the Lynn Woods landmarks with our entry fee: Dungeon Rock steps, Steel Tower, and Stone Tower three times from different trails. I was a puddle on the last climb up it in the last mile. I can't wait to see the pictures that Mike Fitzgerald got there - no doubt with my head down crawling past each time. I will see Sean and David next week at Ravenswood for a 4.1 mile jaunt. 

Stone Tower 15K Lynn Woods

Lynn, MA, October 13, 2013

3 JAMES PAWLICKI  M  39   LYNN  MA 1:00:40  6:31

Stone Tower 15K and 5K photos by KrissyK

Stone Tower 15K race results

ECTA 10 mile trail race - Hamilton

Half mile into the second loop. This photo by Krissy is one of my all time favorites. 

This race as part of the North Shore Trail Series. ECTA - Essex County Trail Association conserves and purchases land around the county so my dollar is going to a great resource and service. Furthermore, this race bounces around Hamilton showing runners the various trails in the area including private land opened up just for the race. Thus the start and finish - even the overall distance will vary year to year. Each runner got to enter a raffle and a chance at gaining entry into the Stonecat Trail race in November. I was hoping to win an entry and had several others pulling for me but it was not meant to be. The race waited for the train to pass by at 9:07 and we started off within minutes as we were to cross the train tracks in the first mile. CMS-mate Joe Shairs took the command with David Long and I in tow. David and Joe would trade spots over the next three miles while I kept my head down and focused on footing and proximity. The course is a mix of everything you expect in a New England trail run. There was nothing technical however for footing but you had to pay attention. I pulled beside Joe after three miles and took the lead leaving Appleton Farms. The course got twisty on single track heading back to the half way point (also the start / finish line). I came through 5 miles around 31:15 or so and began the identical 2nd loop. David Long was not too far back and Joe not too far back from him so I had to keep on pressing through the trails. I could feel my legs were much more tired. I some time to think and came to the conclusion around 6.5 miles that if anyone wins a race in the trail series that an automatic lottery by-pass should be granted for the Stonecat Trail Marathon. I started to pass runners who were still on their first lap and I had less than a mile to go. I had to be careful passing them on the single track trail and I made sure that I communicated my passing on the left of them while also supporting their efforts. I crossed the line in 1:02:45 in a pretty tired state but at ease picking up a win in the trail series. I earned the trashed plantar in my right heel that cropped up after Lone Gull the previous weekend. David was right behind me in 1:03:11 and Joe came through in 1:04:55 (top master). The poor guy was limping into the finish and hobbled around post race. I know we both took Sunday off to let the wounds heal. Rumor has it that we plan on running 30 kilometers all while being surrounded by water.

Krissy caught me smiling. I was surprised to see here out there in the swamp.

Joe and I carefully calculating our steps. Photo by Roger Perham

ECTA 10 mile trail race photos by KrissyK

Greenbelt’s Run for the Hills 10K

Muddy and beaten to the finish
Photos by KrissyK

Progress. I managed to keep my shoes on this year. I lost a shoe in the mud last year, finished 5^th with a time of 40:09. I managed 38:14 (6:10) on Saturday, good for 2^nd place and stayed in front of Dave Long which has been a challenge (he dusted me at Kupenda and the Firecracker Four). This was race number three of the North Shore Trail Series. I trailed a group that included Matt Curran, Chris Smith, and David Long early in the 1^st of two loops that start and finish on the Pingree school athletic fields. I passed Matt half way through and got past Chris and David 200 yards before entering the 2^nd loop. They were hammering the down hills pretty hard. Me, not so much, kept it under control and would catch up any lost ground on the flat sections. The mud was manageable, however, nearly stopped me in my stride once. The deer flies were not bad at all – rare for this time of the year. I caught second place, John Dudley, shortly after the 2^nd loop began. We chatted briefly and made him aware of the potential stalking behind me. I kept the pace and put a few seconds on the gap to the finish line. I never saw the winner, Zack Schwartz, after 2 miles. He killed it despite losing a shoe at some point. It looks like will be joining the ranks of SRR after I talked to him during the cool down. Photos by KrissyK.

I am going to run some mile repeats tonight with the SRR crew, run easy tomorrow, and give the Jim Kane Sugar Bowl 5K a test this week.

Greenbelt's Run For The Hills 5K/10K

Hamilton, MA, July 13, 2013

Place No.  Name                Time    Pace  Div/Tot  Div   City            St

===== ==== =================== ======= ===== ========

1  227 Zack Schwartz      37:13  6:00   1/11   M2029 Medford     MA

2  186 James Pawlicki     38:14  6:10   1/19   M3039 Lynn            MA

3  249 John Dudley          38:42  6:14   2/19   M3039 JamaicaPlain MA

4  163 David Long            38:57  6:17   3/19   M3039 Beverly         MA

Finish line came almost two minutes quicker this year

Kupenda 5 mile - Wenham

Just beyond half way. Dave Long and Matt Curran lurk behind. 

This was race number two in the North Shore Trail Series. The Kupenda 5 mile course is a two loop course that heads out into Chebacco Woods. It was one of those days. Each stride was heavy and the stride was mechanical. I took the lead 400m in and more or less kept that through 3 miles before Dave Long took over up a hill. I faded into third and kept Matt Curran as close as I could. I was wiped but was thinking that maybe I could find a surge in the last mile. However, it was not meant to be. It was frustrating to have the leader so close but it seemed like 200m as we went around the quad at Gordon College for the last 600m on a spectator friendly course (despite the rain which stopped during the race). I pulled along side Matt on the last right hand turn on the grass leading into the finish and that was it. He had made a statement matching my kick. He earned it holding second place. Dave ran a smart race running winning it with a time of 29:13. Matt and I were 29:24 and 29:25 (5:53/mile) respectively. Full results.

Matt Curran taking command before the finish. John Ayers watches in the backdrop.

Pipestave Hill Trail Race

L-R, Pawlicki, Dunham, Jones, Scott
Photo taken by Mike Fitzgerald

I jumped into the first of the 2013 North Shore Trail series of races with the Pipestave Hill Trail Race in West Newbury Thursday night.This race was a first for me so I was foreign to the area and course. Thus, I made a plan to scout the course with Dave Dunham. It was a mix of grass fields, single track trail, and fire roads. Throw in some roots, rocks, mud, one bridge and a few hills – like Pipestave Hill – and you’ve got a nice 5K trail race. The course was a large loop followed by a small loop within the first.  It was a chilly night with some wind. I could not warm up enough jogging slowly before having a moment of silence for the recent Boston Marathon bombings and walking the 150+ runners over to the start below a soccer field. Getting off the starting line was tough as my legs lost any warm blood flow. Andy Scott jumped right out with Dave Dunham and I in tow. Justin Jones (D5K) had to bail 800m in as his shoe came untied. Andy led Dave and I through the single track. I did all I could to stay close to Dave who is better at the technical stuff than he says he is. I passed Dave before we approached the end of the 1^st loop as I felt Andy was gapping us too much. We had a good climb over the field again and found that I was not gaining on Andy who had at least a 10 second lead. He doubled that as we exited out of the woods and back to the field for which we were running against the race (they were heading into their 2^nd loop). Andy finished 1^st in 17:59, I in 18:22, and Dave hung onto 3^rd with a 18:41. Full results. Dave had some calf issues that cropped up causing him to run slower than last year while he is more fit this year. I closed out the night with a cool down over the course, got in a D5K group picture, and caught up with a few folks on racing plans.

Kupenda 5 mile trail race - Wenham

I hit up the Kupenda 5 mile trail at Gordon College in Wenham on Saturday. It was race number two of the North Shore Trail Series. I jumped into the lead in the first mile shortly after we hit dirt. Dmitry Drozdov, Jonathan May, and Sean McDonough were in the mix. The lead felt comfortable through mile 1 and 2. My legs were light, quick, and hitting the terrain and hills with authority. Dmitry went by and I trailed him onto the quad (half way mark). It was just a matter of time before he took command. I stayed on his heels until my wheels fell off in the second trail loop around 3.5 miles. He floated to the finish for the win (28:06) and I held 2^nd place (28:31). Jonathan followed with 28:57. Full results. I picked up a gift certificate for New England Running Company. Rumor has it that they have Inov8 on the shelf now and I could use some new treads. Roger Perham took over 300 photos. 

After a nice workout last night with SRR, the plan is to rest up and hit the track for a mile leg in the 26 X 1 mile relay at Tufts on Saturday. I am not looking to repeat any episodes of hamstring issues. 

North Shore Trail Series

New England Running Company and Montrail are introducing a trail series to the North Shore which kicks off this Saturday at Gordon College. The North Shore Trail Series showcases some of the best trails in the area. I have either run some of these races in the past or frequent the trails that these resources offer. Get out there and support these if you can.

June 5: Kupenda 5K Trail Race
July 17: ECG's Run For The Hills
August 28: ECG's Beverly Commons 8 Mile Trail Run
September 18: ECTA 10 Mile Trail Run
October 17: Ravenswood 4.1 Mile Trail Race
November 6: Stonecat 26.2 Mile Trail Run