Get a comp entry if you won a race in the past year

Squantum 5 mile road race next Wednesday night (August 12) in Marina Bay. The course has a few hills but the opening and closing miles are flat. Harpoon Beer and Hot Dogs at the end. What else could you ask for?

Level Renner 10K Brockton

With team prize money in the offering along with solid competition for all age groups, the Central Mass Striders ran in the humid air of a beautiful DW Field on Sunday, July 19. The course is multiple loops on the access road with a beast of a hill referred to as Tower Hill just after the start, 2 miles, and at the end. This course is not for whimps. Race director Kevin Gorman, founder and CEO of Level Renner was all smiles as my car of Krissy and Joe Shairs arrived. Soon I would see CMS mates Dan Vassallo, Dave Dunham, Arthur Besse, Greg Putnam, & Scott Deslongchamps. I started out with a pace (mile 1, 5:41) that could not be held but felt my race position among peers was correct (top 20). Miles 3 and 4 hurt while pace slowed to the six’s which lost me a few places. I came through the line pretty wiped out with a time of 36:30 (5:53/mile average) and 15^th place, 5^th 40+ runner.  We got the win but it was not easy. Dan took 2^nd and Greg won the master category with Joe 2^nd. They picked up some well-earned dough.  The raffles that followed created quite a buzz of anticipation for all. I expect the race to only grow in participants and teams in the future.

2015 Level Renner 10K photos by KrissyK

Level Renner 10K 2015 race results

Into the finish line

Less than half way

Joe, Dan, Greg (Eveline on shoulders), I, Arthur, & Dave

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

Loon Mountain Race - New England Mountain Running Championship

Krissy and I headed up to the Loon Mountain Race (6.6 miles). The ride to 60 Mountain Road in Lincoln, NH was about 2 hours. After getting my number and talking to Scott Mason about his GTI, I went out for warm up just shy of a mile. I changed into my racing gear and CMS singlet. Krissy headed to the top of Loon Mountain with Scott to work their craft behind the lenses. I got on the starting line with several team mates who have been crushing it within not only the USATF New England Mountain Series but the All Terrain Running Series. I have hit all of the ATR races so far but nothing to speak of in terms of an outdoor track 5,000m. Thus, I need to get to the remaining races which should not be a problem as long as I stay healthy.

There was a new start this year at LMR which was behind the lodge instead of down at the river. As a result, they extended the finish line back to the top of the gondola or about three minutes beyond the top of Upper Walking Boss. My expectations for the race were really simple, give my best effort and don't give in to walking until UWB as it is just inevitable. I started out huffing and puffing right away and I really thought I was taking it easy. There were some ups and downs and we hit the nordic trails which I really like. Dave Dunham and I traded spots in there. It was wet and muddy in several areas. Any standing water was ankle deep. I put on a little hustle to pass Dave and get after Kasie Enman and Kim Nedeau. I clocked my fastest mile of the day in 7 flat.

Heading down to Upper Walking Boss
Photo by KrissyK

I never did catch Kasie but got as close as a few seconds. I appreciated any shade on the course. I was slow on all climbing but resisted walking among those that had to. I was just waiting for Upper Walking Boss which is a devil including some 40%. I was running with Alex Hall from Whirlaway. While we were walking up, I tried to crack some jokes - making it up on the fly to cope with the misery. Some worked, some didn't. I kept it light. Had to. Running or hiking up this is insane. Kim Nedeau was the only runner to go past us on UWB. We seemed to get to the top sooner than in the past. Why? We did not have the switch backs up. Why? They did not mow it. I am OK with that.

Alex and I got into a trot before we got to the top and we hauled ass to the finish which took another three minutes of a steep down hill and a little steep hill up into the finish where Krissy was. I finished 25th overall with a time of 1:06:28. That is 10:05 average mile pace if you are keeping score at home. Josh Ferenc crushed it running 8:37's!

Head down and up into the finish
Photo by KrissyK

CMS did pretty well getting 6 guys in the top 17. Todd Callaghan (7th), Scott Leslie (11th), Chris Mahoney (12th), Dave Dunham (13th), Erik Vandendries (16th), & Matt Veiga (17th). I got some water and chatted it up with some of the guys I battled with. Then I headed over and hung out with Krissy and cheered on the next 45 minutes worth of runners into the finish. We headed down in the gondola and took a quick soak in the Pemigewasset River before hitting the road to beat some of the traffic.

Loon Mountain Race New England Mountain Running Championship 2015 results

Hollis Fast 5K

The Hollis Fast 5K was the next race in the USATF New England Grand Prix in Hollis, NH. This one is quick being that it rolls downhill, gently. The race is on a Thursday night so proper planning is in order. The rule of the day is to leave as early as possible no matter what direction you are coming from. I left work early and met up with Joe Shairs and Greg Putnam in Stoneham. The traffic heading to the race even at 4pm was tough but expected. We got to the even with an hour to spare, pick up our numbers, and run to the start via the finish. We arrived with about 10 minutes before the start. I shook some hands and got on the line. The start bolted out. I got out and passed a few people in the opening 400m and settled in. The pace did not settle but the jostling of runners cleared up. Mile 1 passed by in 5:07 via my watch with Joe just ahead of me. I went by him and kept in contact with Wayne Levy from the BAA. Mile two went by a little slower than mile 1. The race around me started to thin and the legs started to warn me that the course was flattening out. Joe, Patrick Callaghan, Joe OLeary, and Harry Stants flew by in the last 800m. I had no juice to react. A 5:31 last mile said it all. 16:21 official. 16:08 was my time from two years ago, a GP year.  Still a good effort to help out CMS take the masters team win. 

Vermont City Marathon

2:52:19, more to follow
Overall results
Vermont City Marathon photos by KrissyK

In a nut shell, I was looking for a sub 2:50 at VCM. I had some company early with rock star and ex-teammate Jeff Goupil. His friends had a “Fathead” of him on the side of the course which had me cracking up. I kept it light, talking, and lurking behind Joe Shairs and the BAA crew of masters/seniors for the first 10K. I kept my game plan and did not chase. Jeff got anxious and took off ahead. I caught Wayne Levy and ran for a bit through 10 miles. “Brother Narcisi” (Michael) was in the mix and stepped ahead of me at half way (1:24). He looked good and pulled away. I motored up the big hill at 15 and shared some smiles and blew some kisses to Krissy. Only 11 miles to go! A light sprinkle of rain felt good. A few Narragansett masters flew by and then we hit the neighborhood with a million turns. I was getting tired and felt the first calf cramp of the day before 19 miles. My mind filled with horrible thoughts of depleted muscles and was not looking forward to the cramp game over the last seven miles. One can fly over the last four pretty easy on the bike path and I was a complete mess as then both calves were cramping every few minutes. I had to slow down to as slow as 7:00 per mile. Michael Narcisi was coming back in the last two miles. His presence kept me going and motivated to try to close in. It worked and I passed him as we got into Battery Park. He PR’d and I ran a minute faster than my result here in 2013. Net time was 2:52:19 and the gun time was 2:52:23. 46^th place overall and 7^th in the 40-44 year old age group.

2015 Vermont City Marathon Results

In closing, it was a good experience and a great weekend. Several friends ran great races. It was awesome to see Joe Shairs win his age group. We had an interesting winter of training and really focused on some decent long runs in April. I was a scoring member for CMS (open/masters) in the USATF New England Grand Prix standings (3^rd runner for the open team and 2^nd runner for the masters team). Both teams placed 3^rd overall. Krissy and my father were in attendance. She took a ton of photos and I was clear headed enough to hear her yelling each time I ran past her. Lastly, I need to figure out the muscle cramps (calves). I took enough fluids (either water or Gatorade) at almost each available offer, expended four Powergels (first two at 55 minute intervals), and three salt stick tablets (one before the hour, another before 2 hours, and the last in desperation a mile after the 1^st calf cramp). I actually spit out the last one as I was reaching for water. That was hilarious stopping and bending over for it off the ground at 20 miles. I am surprised that I was able to get back up and run. 

My splits below:

Nice summary from VCM after I finished the race

Coming into mile 9 solo. Dan Verrington is lurking behind.
Photo by KrissyK

Smiling after the hill at 15 miles
Photo by KrissyK

Sprint mode into the finish waiting for calves to cramp again
Photo by KrissyK

Crossing the finish line
Photo by KrissyK

Trav's Trail Run

Headed up to the race with the girls (Krissy, Maryann, and Katie) to Maudsley State Park in Newburyport for Trav's Trail Run (almost 3 miles). I warmed up with Greg Putnam and a big Wicked Running Club group over the three mile course. I saw Nate Jenkins at the start next to Melissa (wearing the CMS singlet!) and gave them a fist bump. We bolted down the hill and rolled through. I got passed twice after 800m. I passed one of them up a hill soon after. I caught up to Dan Chruniak (Wicked RC) shortly about half way through the race encouraging him to come along. I wanted to run hard to the stone bridge and not give anyone a chance to pull up from behind. I could see Greg Putnam ahead putting the hurt on three youngsters up the hill. Steve Dowsett (of New England Runner cover hall of fame) seemed to fall back a bit but no one was close to me to offer a surge on the hill. Nate cheered for me as I crested the last bump before flattening out into the finish line. 6th overall, 2nd 40+ to Greg. The 16:44 this year was slower than the 16:27 last year. I high fived a few and cheered some on into the finish before heading out on a cool down with Greg and Steve for close to another three miles. I picked up a Trav's Trail 2015 mug and a card to redeem a pair of New Balance shoes. The girls got some gear in the raffle. It was a good day. Full results

Please recycle!
Photo by KrissyK