2025 USATF New England Cross Country Championship – Franklin Park

Car pooled into Franklin Park bright and early with Shawn, Eric and Krissy so we could get the team packet and set up the Notch Tent. The masters race was the 1^st of the morning at 10:30 for the Cross Country Championships. I warmed up a half hour before the start to find some mud and standing water around mile 1 on Playstead Field, within view of the start and finish. The 8K course was the same as what I saw for Codfish Bowl on September 20^th, modified due to the stadium construction. It was partly sunny, in the high 40’s but the wind was picking up (more later).

Eleven masters lined up for Notch, four of which had hit the previous four cross country races (Shawn Conway, Brian Davis, Jason Wertz and I) in the USATF NE XC Grand Prix Series that started in August. A few others missed just one race. My expectations were low, just wanted to finish the race, secure the 5^th race in the series and get a winter hat.

I missed a lot of training with back and hamstring issues. Most recently, I have been spelled with a right knee issue. Fueled on Starbucks, Ibuprofen and hope, I reached the mile in 8:17. I was met by fellow Lynn Wood runner, Mark Rosenblum. We traded places at the top of Bear Cage Hill and I opened my stride forcefully down the back side to keep him close. I passed him before the Wilderness loop (into a headwind). I kept that place for the next 3 miles maintaining most miles under 8:30. Mark would finish just 26 seconds after I crossed the finish line. The chip time was 41:26.2, 77^th place out of 86 (8:21 mile pace). GPS measured 4.96 miles.

The Notch guys were kind to wait for me at the finish, all seemed happy with the efforts they raced. The masters team finished 5^th and the 50+ finished 4^th. We walked back to the tent area to find the tent, eh, missing. In fact, several tents were down and out. Only one out of a dozen was still standing. The wind during our race, according to eye witnesses saw a few teams tent blow away and take out the Notch Tent and others. The result was a few broken aluminum posts. RIP.

Meanwhile, Danny Cosgrove found the rest of us and secured his number for the open race. The old guys watched the race with conviction as Danny was in the top six or seven until moving up to 3^rd in the last two miles. He closed the gap on the leader and with a furious kick into the final straight, and a headwind, would close with in .8 seconds at the line for 2^nd place. A thrilling race against a sub 2:10 marathoner residing in Providence, RI!

Mile splits were: 8:17, 8:29, 8:26, 8:41, 8:03

Results: Mens Masters 8K 40+ USATF-NE Cross Country November16, 2025

USATF New England Masters Cross Country Championship Franklin Park

Oof! That is how I felt after 2.5 miles into the 8K masters xc race today. A warm and windy day was welcomed but I would have preferred cooler temps. I warmed up with Bill Newsham for 2 miles. My opening two miles were decent but I was already 20 seconds behind Mark Reeder who I have been matched well within in recent months. In the end, 36:22, 66^th place in the preliminary results. Maybe only 33 runners behind me but no one younger. It was nice to be with the team and have my dad on hand as we got there early and set up the Central Mass Striders tent 2 hours before the 10AM 40+ race. I had to leave early so not sure how the open guys did. Masters-wise, looks like CMS was 3^rd overall and 50+ may have won it! Masters results and video link next to each finisher: Results

 

Photo by Rodney Hemingway

Photo by Rodney Hemingway

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

USATF New England Cross Country Championships

During the year of the “Crona” racing opportunities have been limited but the USATF New England Cross Country Championships secured Mine Falls in Nashua, NH for November 21. The Central Mass Striders entered a team with a mix of age groups. I was familiar with Mine Falls as I raced a month earlier on said trails. The 5K course would be a fast one in the form of a lolli-pop with a tiny bump or two in the middle mile. Joe Shairs drove us for a quick 45 minute ride. We met up with CMS teammates for our first team gathering since March. We settled our gear in a team designated area on the far side of the field. The women’s race was just wrapping up as we grabbed our team packet with bib numbers from Steve Vaitones. It was a great November weather day with very light wind and plenty of sun giving temps in the 50’s.

All precautions and safety measures were excercised for the event. Waves of 20 runners were sent off at the noon start. 10 seconds in between waves and 20 minutes in between the 4^th and 5^th waves. Masks are mandatory everywhere until you are racing from the start to finish line. I took off in a wide start line of about 18 runners in my 7^th wave of peer performances based on seed time. I entered with a 22:00 5K seed. USATF New England, officials and volunteers did a great job keeping people comfortably spaced and orderly.

I pulled the mask down and onto my wrist after getting up to speed. I found myself in the rear which is as usual for me. I slowly worked my way up in the middle of gents by the 1^st mile showing a time of 6:34. The middle mile slowed down with narrowed trail in the woods making passing a little tricky but doable if calculated right. Also, needed to pay attention to the many roots and tripping hazards in this mile. I moved up a few spots through here putting me a few ticks trailing GBTC’s Jason Pollutro who looked to be the 4th place runner in the wave. Mile 2 went by with a 7:07. Now back on the final straight to the finish but a far mile, I got a good stride getting past Jason and a Greater Lowell runner with a half mile to go. I got to the finish line in 20:32, with a 6:35 effort for the final mile. Overall I placed 68 out of 87 runners, 7^th in the 40-49 age group. Our masters team led by Eric Blake’s 40+ age group leading 15:41 took 1^st place over HFC and GLRR. Our open team placed 2^nd behind Battle Road.  

I was pretty good with the effort. Eased into the pace and felt good to race. GPS stats: 3.03 miles, 6:46 pace per mile, 20:32 time. Splits: 6:36, 7:09, 6:35. I did a 1 mile warmup and then another .3 miles shortly before the start. I wore a light-ish New Balance trail waffle. I ran 1.6 miles for a cool down minutes after the race with CMS teammates.  

Photo credits to Tom D, GSRS and Dave Dunham

Results 

Team Results 

 

68

7

M4049

20:32

James

Pawlicki

M

46

CENTRAL MASS STRIDERS [02-0009]