Ribfest 5 miler

Larissa Park and I arrived early as planned. I had to set up shop and hand out clothing to half a dozen CMS guys who have been waiting patiently for their order. It is so good to look like a uniformed team - as in wearing the same Saucony threads and colors. The BAE parking lot was just a 1/3 of a mile away from registration so I headed over with Scott Leslie around 8:15 to grab my bib number and technical shirt. I did a light warm up and then came upon a frantic Morgan Kennedy who just arrived. There was no time to spare so I helped him get his bib number. Two minutes later, we were getting the call to line up. The start was narrow but I got in five rows from the front - my usual seeding. The start went off and up a hill and onto a very wide highway for 1.8 miles. I was in good company - around Joe Navas, Jason Porter, and Wayne Levy in mile 1. The head wind was a factor but dealt with it. The mile marker seemed early as my Garmin beeped several seconds later (my Garmin feedback seemed off the whole time so who knows). Joe Shairs, Matt Veiga, and Andy McCarron were about 5-7 seconds ahead of me into mile 2 which was in a shaded neighborhood. Mile three was reached leaving the residential 'hood and back up onto the highway lined with orange cones.

I managed to reel in Andy just before 4 miles. The road was long and straight so it was easy to see who was ahead. There was no hiding anywhere on this course. I started to accept that I had no chance of catching Joe or Matt without a huge surge. I was all out and the internal effort gauge said I was at max. I was seeking that left hand turn and into the downhill finish in a hurry. I got there without any finishing kick highlight - just wrapped it up type of finish - 27:54.91 chip time and 67th place overall. My average pace per mile, 5:35, was good for the 9th CMS team runner. My time was about 10 seconds slower than the Back Shore 5 that I did last month in Gloucester. Not sure what to make of that but my goal for the day was to run between 27:30 and certainly under 28 minutes which was accomplished. I slowly regrouped with the mates and recapped a few stories before heading out for a cool down with Larissa, Morgan, and Matt. The highly anticipated Ribfest festivities awaited. I rushed in and out for a slice of pizza and a soda as it was fathers day and I had to hustle back home to chill with dad. It was good to see the CMS masters team take a win and the open and senior teams placing 4th place respectively in an always competitive team competition. So many good stories in there that don't get print like PR's set by Colby, Arthur, and Morgan. New CMS member and neighbor, Matt Veiga raced well even though he'd prefer a mountain to ascend and descend. Martin raced with broken ribs. Talk about man'g up.

My bogus Garmin splits are below. They are off all the way so I will blame the GPS powers for the mess.

Mile 1 5:54
Mile 2 5:41
Mile 3 5:42
Mile 4 5:47
Mile 5 4:48 (measured 0.93)
Final 27:53

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   

Gold Star Run for Honor 10K

Krissy scored a few comp entries as her employer, East Boston Savings Bank, sponsored the Gold Star Run for Honor 5K/10K. Thus, Joe Shairs and I headed over to Saugus for the 10K that started in front of the town hall. Joe pressed the pace in the opening mile and I followed along. He did most of the heavy lifting as it was just he and I and the open road with light vehicle traffic around Saugus. We knew the course was going to be short, as in 6.10 miles. We would have been sub 35 if this was a 10K distance. Joe took the win here so don’t be fooled by the same time below (shame on racewire and B&S Fitness). I was pleased with the effort and mile splits as follows.

5:23

5:40

5:39

5:48

5:49

5:33

:27 for the last .10 mile

Gold Star Run for Honor 10K

Saugus, MA May 24, 2014

1 Joe Shairs Peabody MA 321 10K 46 M Top Fin *** 34:19 5:32/M

2 James Pawlicki Lynn MA 315 10K 39 M Top Fin *** 34:19 5:32/M

Travs Trail Run

May 18 Full Results

Krissy and I headed up to Maudslay State Park. I love this place and the trails. I have run several Thanksgiving Day races up here. I ran just one other Trav's race that being in 2011. I ran 16:11 and placed 11th. CMS folks in attendance included Nate Jenkins, Derek Dorval, and Greg Putnam. We crashed down the first hill with reckless abandon. This race just has to go out fast. No choice. I had 4^th place behind Greg who was pulling away on hills leading into mile 1. I got passed by Lance Harden about 1000m into the race. He went on to finish second. I passed mile 1 in 5:31 and I was working too hard for that. Foot steps caught up to me 200m later. I surged to make them work in order to pass. This went on for the next 8 minutes. I pushed and recovered a few times. Mile two was 5:46 (ouch). I never got a glimpse of who it was on my tail as they never passed me to reveal identity. They were certainly keeping me honest. I noticed I was pulling away on each downhill and ran out of that approaching the bridge. We had the nasty climb back up to the finish and I managed to pull away by a few seconds. I ran scared and was really hurting on that climb. I held them off, 5th place - 16:27 - and turned back around in the finish line chute to introduce myself with a hand shake for the good fight. I found out later at the awards that he is 51 years young – Spyros Barres – from CT. He just ran 2:44 at Boston! Nate won under 15 minutes and Greg was just under 16 minutes with a 4^th place finish. Derek was 11^th. I picked up a Trav’s Trail Mug and a New Balance voucher. 

Backshore 5 mile road race

May 9 - Full Results

I took advantage of the opportunity of having a day off from work so it was easy to not fight traffic on this Friday night race that starts and finishes at Good Harbor Beach in Gloucester. Krissy and I met up with Dan and Kat Vassallo in Peabody for a quick 20 minute ride up to Cape Ann. CMS had four guys in attendance with Patrick Rich, Nick Taormina, and Dan Vassallo. It was nice to be lining up for a race again. I was concerned how the race would shake out so I had low expectations – figuring a sub 29 would be ahead. I ran a workout two nights earlier, ad hoc, with Junyong Pak at the 5K that he broke down into 400m repeats with 200m rest. That, right there, was the only “fast stuff” these legs have witnessed since April 21. Dan and Patrick took right off and I settled into the pack for the opening mile that included Mark Mayall, Alex Vlahos, Ryan Hayes, David Long, and Larissa Park. The opening mile was 5:26 and I knew that pace was not going to last but it was fun racing and mixing it up. Mark, Alex, and Ryan pulled ahead on some hills. My battle would be with David. I found that fitting as our encounters last year went back and forth all of last year. The next two mile splits were 5:34 and 5:45 as we got back out to the ocean. Ryan and Mark were about 10 seconds ahead and I had a step on David. I started to gain on Ryan very slowly on our way back to the finish and David faded a touch. This was good. Mile four passed by in 5:35. I could see the last hill ahead with the finish line 200m mentally in my head. I had to press the last 800m to catch Ryan and did at the base of the hill. Krissy was there yelling and taking photos (hope to get them downloaded soon). I passed him only to be passed back on the other side, sprinting down and into the finish. In the process, we gained on Mark who seemed to me letting up as he had 4^th place wrapped up. Thus, a 6^th place finish and a pretty satisfying time of 27:44 for me. My last mile was 5:27. It was at least a minute quicker than I expected. We went to the “after party and awards” that included some BBQ a few miles away at Mile Marker 1. 

Marathon Weekend Interview

I had an interview with Rich Tenorio and the Lynn Item.

Lynn’s Pawlicki has marathon weekend

Live for another day

Passing by the SRR Cheer Zone at 30km
Photo taken by Joe O'Leary

The long and short of my Boston Marathon effort was a DNF (did not finish). I got to mile 21 and accepted my last calf cramp since they began half way through the race. The right calf cramp triggered more frequently as I approached Boston College. The left calf started to cramp at some point. Mile 20 to 21 slowed to 8:01 mile (my race was determined to be over). I had a few bouts of practically stopping in my tracks to release the cramps on the last of the Newton hills. I refused to do the marathon shuffle or death march over the last five miles. The mix of running, stopping, stretching, and repeat was not appealing so I pulled the plug. Muscle fatigue and electrolyte depletion is misery. I took on water or Gatorade at each opportunity after skipping the first one. I took a Power Gel around mile 7, 14, and 17.5. I even grabbed a half banana as I ran down into Newton Lower falls hoping that the Potassium would help fight off the cramps.

Family, coworkers, and friends got the following text updates:

10km: 41:35, Pace 6:41
1/2 marathon: 1:27:14, Pace 6:39
30km: 2:05:24, Pace 6:43

Several were concerned with no update after 30km - hoping that the text alert program was having technical issues. No, it was just electrolyte depleted calves....thanks to all that have checked in and gave positive words. This is behind me. Huge thanks to the spectator who let me use his cell to call Krissy for the rescue at Waban Hills and another spectator for a bottle of Gatorade. Patrick Taylor biked from the North Shore to mile 21 to take in the race. He came over to bust my chops and kept me company while Krissy drove from her finish line perch to pick up my sorry ass.

A screen copy of my mile splits once I crossed the stating line in Hopkinton are included. While home tapping at the keyboard, watching the post marathon coverage on the tube - I am reminded that it is not about me. So my whining here on this "about me blog" shall be minimized. I am at peace considering what happened one year ago and what it meant to 36,000 registered runners today and even more beyond that. Taking back the finish line was accomplished today. It meant a lot to Boston and the running community. I can't wait to see, hear, and read how friends did today. To add, Meb Kefleghizi, won today as the first male American to do so in 31 years. Shalane Flanagan PR'd with a 2:22 and change in an incredible fight for 7th place.