Rachel’s Run USATF NE XC GP #5 – Tyngsboro

November 19, 2022 – Rachel’s Run 5K hosted by the Greater Lowell Road Runners was the last of the five cross country races in the USATF New England Cross Country Grand Prix Series. I got to all in the series this fall except #3 hosted in Wayland. This course is a tough one with Abrams Hill. The 5K course is the same 1.5 mile loop done twice. The hill is in the middle of the loop. I warmed up with Todd Callaghan and Nate Jenkins – making his masters debut for CMS. I counted nine CMS guys on the 10:45AM start line made up of three masters and six seniors. 

I was wearing a new pair of New Balance waffle racers which felt awesome. I got out and settled into the back end of the field toward the Notre Dame Academy. Krissy got some race footage as the race stretched out one the trail next to the pond 600m into the distance. Rachel’s Run opening lap video by Kristen

Mark Reeder and John Barbour would pass by me before the mile. I kept them close after Abrams Hill and back out through the end of the first loop but they would open up a gap. I managed to close the gap a bit on Mark after the 2^nd pass of Abrams, getting to within 11 seconds at the finish line where I crossed the finish in 22:21 (7:13) and or 62^nd out of 81 men. 

I had fun and did not feel I left much out on the course. I rounded the guys together for a team photo or two (thank you Krissy!) A half hour later, headed out for a cool down with Iain, Dave H., Nate and Kara. I got into some warm clothes and headed over to Maxamillions down the street for pizza hosted by USATF New England. My splits were 717, 658, 730 (6:04 pace for the last 10^th of a mile). CMS masters and seniors would place 1^st as a team. 

Next up: Wild Turkey 5 Mile in Salem on Thanksgiving Day!

Rachel’s Run 2022 Race Results 

Upcoming races through the end of the year

Below are some fun upcoming races on trails, track and roads, most are on the North Shore.

Essex Turkey Trot

Saturday, November 19, Tyngsboro, MA - Rachel’s Run 5K last race of the USATF NE XC Grand Prix

Sunday, November 20, Essex, MA – Essex Turkey Trot 5K road race (only $20)

Thursday, November 24, Newburyport, MA – Maudslay TurkeyTrot (5K XC) 

Thursday, November 24, Salem, MA – Wild Turkey 5 mile road race 

Friday, November 25, Hamilton, MA – 5^th Annual Thanks for the Trails (5K XC) 

Saturday, December 10, Melrose, MA – The Mount Hood Nutcracker Challenge (formerly Assault on Mount Hood), 3.5 XC

Sunday, December 11, Salem, MA – Festivus 5K for Autism road race

Saturday, December 17, Brighton, MA – 2022 USATF-NE IndoorSeason Opener @ the Track at New Balance, limited schedule

Sunday, December 18, Swampscott, MA – Chanukah Run-a-Latke5K road race (low key but scenic on the Swampscott coastline, views of Boston/Nahant)

 

 

BIGGSteps 5K USATF New England 5K Championship Grand Prix Needham, MA

New 5K within the USATF Grand Prix Series here in Needham. I warmed up on the course with Terry McNatt and CMS teammate Sam Wood. It was flatter than what the course profile looked like with a dip down to 2 miles and a climb out of that. There was a light drizzle for the 10:30 start time. I settled in 10 rows deep next to Shawn Conway. I eased out, took me 8 seconds to cross the timing mat and made sure I did not trip or fall on another competitor. 

The first mile was flat, taken out around 6:30 next to Matt Adams from Beverly (Wicked). I had time to give a fist bump to Dirk Walther from SRR who was watching on the side of the road. He just missed his marathon PR at age 40 in Chicago by less than 5 seconds last month. The 2^nd mile dipped down a bit showing another mid-6 paced mile split. The only climb I recall was after mile two and then it flattened out. Paul Hammond was heard coming on me so I pushed in the last quarter mile to get some room from him and Matt. Last climb came after 3 miles up to the finish in front of the Needham High School where I rolled into a chip time of 21:01, 6:45 mile pace! Paul and Matt finished ahead in the results. Results

Garmin Splits: 626, 638, 701, 623 (.15)

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

Great Bay 5K

Great Bay 5K results October 29, 2022

This is a fast point to point course. I got to the race late, 30 minutes before the start. Sadly was thinking about bailing as the right achilles has been hurting. Not wanting to lose another entry fee, put the NB flats on, warmed up and got on the line five rows back from the start. Weather was nice maybe around 40 degrees. Jumped into a 6:22 mile, going off far before the Garmin GPS mile which never picked up a single at the start. The 2nd mile was a bit slower but never saw a split. The folks I was tagging along with pulled away a bit. I tried to stay focused on the last mile that rolls a bit. Coming onto the finish line, was shocked to see 19's as I closed in. Crossed the line in 20:02 official time, 47th place. I was pumped as it was the fastest 5K since 2019 for me before the meniscus surgery. I was pretty close to breaking 20 minutes which was my 5K goal last year. 

With Dave and Krissy after the race in front of the Great Bay Discovery Center

Crossing the finish line

Striding into the finish

Photo by GSRS over the line

Next race: New England XC Championships, Masters 8K, Franklin Park

Brown Bear Invitational XC

October 1, 2022 - This was race #2 in the New England XC Grand Prix Cross Country series which has five races total. I was not thrilled with the 1pm start for the men’s combined 8K (all ages), I was looking forward to running a race at Highland Park in Attleboro which was purchased by the town and converted much of the former golf course into a cross country course for the local schools and community. The CMS limo arrived with Dunham behind the wheel and Verrington riding shot gun. Parking was tight as we were the last race of the day while the women were just getting started. 

The morning rain let up on our noon time arrival. After a warm up and picking up my bib number, team CMS got on the line that included five seniors and me the lone master. There were a few open clubs but mostly the collegiate running clubs. The course was four continuous loops that went through the start line area thus was very spectator friendly. It was surprisingly mud free and not saturated so footing was decent under my Adidas spikes. On the opening loop, I moved past teammate, Brent Ashmore, getting into the 5^th place for the team.

Back and forth with Mark Reeder on the rolling terrain

Trailing Mark on the steepest and shortest hill that we saw three times

I had a little back and forth with a few but could feel a fade half way through the race. As the laps passed by, the race would thin out. Mark Reeder would move on by around 3 miles and I kept him close enough over the next 3K to reel him in on the final straight away. I ran 35:57.9 good for 180^th place out of 215 overall. I could see such a course lay host to a National USATF Cross Country race in the future if parking could accommodate. 

Brown Bear Invitational Men’s XC 2022 results

 

Boston Scientific 5K Marlborough

Boston Scientific 5K September 27, 2022 Marlborough, MAResults 

My company put on a 5K on a Tuesday afternoon in Marlborough. It has been three years since the last time the race was hosted (June of 2019) where I ran mid-19’s. I bumped into a former Salem State Cross Country buddy, Tony Brancleone, who works for RaceWire as a Sales Representative. I have not seen Tony since his days at Saucony over seven years ago.  

I got in a mile warm up around the campus. The start was a nice slow descent which put me in around 12^th place 400 meters in. It flattened out for the first mile but dropped down into mile 2 along the Assabet River Rail Trail. 

Coming back up the Assabet Rail Trail

I picked up two places in the last 400 meters on the tough climb back to the campus finish. My finish time was 21:16, 11^th place, 4^th master. I jogged a short distance to grab a dry shirt followed by hanging out for the BBQ and ice cream. This was the perfect way to spend a lunch hour.  

Mile       Pace      Elevation

1              6:29        -40ft

2              6:40        -84ft

3              7:30        116ft

.10          6:26        8ft