USATF New England Indoor Track & Field Championships Masters 800M

As a runner in recent years, I have neglected the "speed" discipline of interval sessions. You know, for example, run 6 times 800M at 5K race pace with 400M or 2 minute recovery stuff once a week. Thus, I get into trouble when I get a birdbrain idea to run, uh race, a track race. I have barely averaged one track race a year for the last decade.

I have to thank the incentive or schedule of the All Terrain Runner Series hosted by USATF New England. Over each of the last five years or so, the series has consisted of a snowshoe, trail, road, cross country, mountain, and indoor or outdoor track race. The lack of snow has usually found the snowshoe event getting cancelled. However, all other disciplines have been staples.

The track event within the 2019 ATR series was an 800M which had to be run at one of three meets: USATF New England Indoor Masters meet in January (Providence, RI), USATF New England Indoor Open Championship (Harvard), or USATF New England Open Outdoor Championships in July (Holy Cross). I selected the meet at Harvard late this week.

I ran a 4 X 400M workout on the treadmill late in the week. The 400's we're run at a mild 6:00 per mile clip (about my 5K race pace). I entered the meet with a 2:34 seed time which was #12 or at the cutoff for the men's masters "fast" heat. I was good with that. The alternative was a combined men's and women's 800M heat. I watched Harris Hardy win that heat with a 2:36 before I walked onto the Harvard oval up on the outside lane next to Bill Newsham (GBTC) and Jon Waldron (CSU).

The gun went off and followed Jon around for lap one. There was no competitor behind me. Pressure on. My stride was not smooth as I tried to get around Jon but failed. I did pass before 400M and put dropped the gauntlet I guess putting all my eggs in that 3rd lap. I caught Bill entering the final lap and moved into 8th place. I caught one runner. Now my stride was really clumsy. No kick here friends. Form failure lights went off. I was lucky to stay upright and keep moving forward in lane one. 

So much for looking good for the finish line. Dust settled at 2:29.5, 7th place. I really had a blast. It was not pretty but I managed a smile and fist bumps for the finishers next to me. Wish I had another chance for a 800M soon. Shall I take another crack in July?

http://www.newengland.usatf.org/USATF_ASSOC_2/files/01/01c8b127-323a-4aa8-9e5d-8be968876370.txt

Photos and video by Krissy

Bradford Valentine Race - 5 miles

Bradford is a village and former town according to Wikipedia. Go get your history. Not too many road races out there for the tough folks seeking to hit the pavement in early February. Bradford just so happens to be home of Dave Dunham and Dan Verrington, long time CMS studs. Mr. Verrington lives steps away from the start and finish. In fact, three generations of Verrington’s ran in the race on Saturday.

The Bradford Valentine Race has a 6K and 5 mile distance. I tried to convince Krissy to take part in the team event where I run a distance and she runs the other. She would have none of it and I stubbornly ran the same 5 mile distance she wanted to tackle with friends. Sure. No problem. I seem to have forgotten the hills and elevation on this one. A mile in, I was reminded. Into mile 2, yep, just passing by Bradford Ski Area. Enough said.

I got a huge can a whoop ass laid on my legs and trainers. But nice course though. I got zero company after setting up camp once Jaclyn Solomine (the UML alum and her dad won the team event for father/daughter) went by after a mile. I had one 19 year old constantly 15 seconds ahead but no head or tail wind on the day was going to help me. 31:24 for a time at the finish line, 11^th place, 1^st 40 plus age group.

Dug deep into the archives to see what I ran here back in 2006 at age 31. 7^th place with a sterling 27:57, rather respectable that I would not have called it a hilly course then. Dave Hinga smoked the course in 25:45. Time flies. Splits below, stopped my watch about 7 seconds after the finish. 2019 Bradford Valentine 5 mile results.

Lazy Dog Classy 3 mile

Shawn and I jumped into the front from the gun. I led down Euclid Ave and Shawn led up the hill at mile 1. We would swap the lead back and forth for mile 2. Our pace was right around 5:50 per mile. I had a stride up Magnolia and back down Euclid for the final left hand turn back onto Broadway. I barely held Shawn off by 2 seconds to cross the line first in 17:47.

I am glad Shawn was there for the company in not only the race but for the warm up and cool down. I want to thank race director Stephen Martin for his dedication to put the race on to support the Lynn Classical Girls Track Team. Shawn and I won Rolly's Gift Cards and a scratch ticket (mine did not hit any jackpot). Shout out to Mike Fitzgerald for the photos race photos and after. Grab a copy of the Lynn Journal this Thursday for a juicy interview with yours truly.

45th Annual 15K Great Stew Chase

Attendance was down this year with under 200 finishers. Need to see an increase in attendance. Picked up a fleece blanket for 2nd in the age group. Tail wind heading out and in our face for the last few miles. Kept my place after the 1 mile marker until 7.5 and got gapped by over 20 ticks plus to the end. Think I was 58 and change last year. Still had some surges throughout today.

James Pawlicki, Bib:   78, Age: 44, has finished the 45th Annual 15K Great Stew Chase in a place and time of   59:22.1  6:23 010   59:22.8 0

Ran to the race for the warm up and a bit over 2 mile cool down with EJ and Rob. Picture below of me passing my dad and coach. Photo by John Mulroy.

Fat Ass 50K

On my radar to run with Katie, Todd, and Nick for at least 3 out of the 5 10K loops within Bradley Palmer. Matt Viega was in the group too. Weather was great for January. Little mud, maybe degrees when we finished? They dropped me before the end of the 2nd loop aid station. I caught Katie and Todd on the 3rd. Todd and another went by and exited the aid station quickly into the last loop. They stayed within scope for a few miles. Inched by Todd and the other guy at the end. I ran past the finish line clock thinking there was an out and back to get extra for a 50K but Todd said no so we stopped at 30.3 miles. Who knows? 50K? GPS loss? 4:05:15 or so, low 8 minute pace per mile. Distance-wise, my longest single run. I ran 30 miles in Lynn Woods a few years ago but much slower.

So, I did stop at at the aid station area (we set up at the clock to be closer to the course). My right calf endured cramping in the 3rd loop, more in the 4th. Talked myself into the last lap with Nick and Todd going too. Last lap was a mental game while still running in slow motion and worrying about cramping.

Here are my fueling notes for the day and recap that I put down in my notes following the race while it was fresh:

Pre-race: Cliff Bar, Coffee at 6AM. RedBull at 8:20, Pick Juice and Hot Shot at 8:45.

Race started at 8:58

End of loop 1 – no drink or fuel but had 6 salt stick pills 1 HotShot and a Pickle Juice waiting for me at the aid station. I waited for group to get a drink or fuel. Maybe 30 seconds spent there?

End of loop 2 – I ran over to my truck in the parking lot, 25 yards off the course. I drank half of an Arizona Iced tea, taking down two Endurolytes. I brought one Shot Shot and Pickle Juice to my station at the time clock. Started to lose ground to Nick, Todd, and Katie – all now single file in the last mile before getting there. I lost a minute to them in the aid station.

Loop 3 – light calf cramps came on. Caught Katie before the fields. She said she was stopping after that lap. Could see Todd up ahead on the carriage road. I started to push ahead. Caught him but kept distance in the single track. Passed him on the carriage road where I had room. Motivated to go for two more loops because of position and had fuel waiting. Took two salt sticks, finished iced tea (1/3rd) and took half of Todd’s can of coke left behind. Tossed a sandwich bag with two Salt Stick pills in the back of my shorts (so I thought, see below).

Loop 4 – took time at my aid station, Todd and Brendan (met him after the race) passed me there and got a good jump. Cramp in right calf worried me. I stayed steady to keep cramps away. Kept Todd in sight while the red jacket runner (Brendan) moved about the same cadence but had 90 seconds on me.  Fought on the stone dust with my sandwich baggie to get two salt-stick pills. The bag was falling down my ass crack. In the attempt to pull them out with frozen hands, I broke one but washed it down with my HotShot that I carried. Closed on Todd prior to field. He was hurting, cheered me to continue forward. I could see the red jacket (Brendan) ahead on the carriage road. I pushed from the top of the hill to the bottom. Closed in but kept distance at entrance of the single track which had some elevation up and down. I lurked during single track but focused on staying upright. I was very tired. Mud was muddier now that several runners have gone over it for hours. Again, focused to stay on feet. Got close, maybe 10 seconds to Brandon on the carriage road back to field but was worried about cramping or falling. Caught Brendan on the field before the parking lot and ran through finish. I thought the 50K finish had an out and back to the clock. I got to the wading pool where I stopped and turned back as Todd was wondering what I was doing. Todd said we were done. 30.3 miles. Sounds good!

Fat Ass 50K Race - 19th annual
Saturday January 5, 2019
Held at Bradley Palmer State Park, Topsfield, Mass.

The 19th GAC Fat Ass did not disappoint. Great January weather, possibly a record turnout, and good running conditions. Thanks to everyone that helped make this event special. Hope to see you for # 20. See you on the trails and stay well.
Roger Martell Sr. RD

https://www.gaconline.net/fares19.html

Complete Results for 50 KM finishers

1 Pat Coran 3:23

2 Brian Burke 3:49

3 Nick Taormina 4:03

4 Brenden Burke 4:05

5 Jim Pawlicki 4:05

6 Todd Callaghan 4:05

7 Matt Curran 4:08

8 Gregory Lowe 4:25

9 Derek Cavatorta 4:30

10 Rowley Brucken 4:32

Wicked Frosty Four Mile

I lined up for the Frosty Four Mile road race in Salem today to kick off the New Year. Unseasonably warm temperatures close to 50 degrees allowed a singlet only. In short, this is basically 2 miles out to the Salem Willows and 2 miles back past Fort Lee. CMS was represented well with Dave Dunham, Dan Verrington, Joe Shairs, and Martin Tighe warming up together. I ran a few minutes with Kevin Delaney from CSU. The start of the race was quick and I settled in after 200m behind Dan Donato (Notch Brewing), Joe, and David Long (Wicked) after a few left hand turns onto Derby Street.

I would trail them down Derby Street by 5 seconds with the mile in 5:42, holding 6th place. I would pass Dan approaching the hill before Winter Island. At mile two (5:47), I was still 4 seconds behind Joe who was a step behind David. Joe would get by David into the wind leaving the Willows. I would catch David with 800m to go. I took the right turn on the Charter Street like a pedestrian and David got a good surge there and held strong to the finish line. I would finish 2.7 seconds back from him and 7.5 behind Joe. My last two miles were 6:04 and 5:55 revealing a head wind. Joe and I would run another 4 miles back to the Willows and back. I got a 1st place age group medal when I got back to the awards at Village Tavern.

               Twelvth Annual Wicked Frosty Four
            Tuesday, January 1, 2019 USATF Certified MA14043JK
         
Place No.  Name                Div/Tot  Div   Ag S City              St Time      Pace     
===== ==== =================== ======== ===== == = ================= == ========= ===== 
    1  709 Dan Chruniak          1/25   M3539 35 M Beverly           MA   22:29.3  5:38 
    2  467 Jonah Hulbert         2/25   M3539 38 M Marblehead        MA   23:03.2  5:46 
    3  411 Joe Shairs            1/31   M5054 50 M Peabody           MA   23:23.2  5:51 
    4  721 David Long            1/36   M4549 45 M Beverly           MA   23:28.0  5:52 
    5  395 James Pawlicki        1/27   M4044 44 M Lynn              MA   23:30.7  5:53 
    6  399 Kevin Delaney         2/31   M5054 50 M Arlington         MA   23:45.8  5:57 

Assault on Mount Hood

Another trip to Melrose for the Assault on Mount Hood 3.5 mile cross country race. It was a cold but dry and sunny. A little wind did not matter much as we did not run in any one direction for more than two minutes. In AOMH fashion, not only was this a new course, but runners got to hang out at the Golf Club near the parking lot this year. That meant white table cloths instead of the flannel at the Fish and Game Club. Yours truly did not hang out after the race but rumor had it not much food or beer was swirling unless you opened up the wallet.

As for the race? I took a digger, epic fall onto pavement on a 90 degree left turn on mud which looked like dry dirt. I must have stepped on a banana peel. The fall was violent enough to stop my GPS watch at 0.6 miles. I was lucky not to take anyone else out. I did not break anything so I got up and got moving with the adrenaline flowing, thanking the CSU guys for ensuring that I was OK.

As usual, constant up and down nature makes this race so much fun. Krissy arrived before the start and took some video. I will try to link them up below. When the dust settled, I ran 22:54, 20^th place. I got a mini-nutcracker from the table so I have a memory of the race aside from some sore body parts the next day or two.

Scott Mindel is a beast, winning his 3rd Mount Hood race in a row.

2018 Assault on Mount Hood 3.5 mile cross country race results

Fourteenth Annual Assault on Mt. Hood XC Race

Saturday, December 8, 2018 Start time 12 noon

CMS runners below

    1  322 Scott Mindel    1/37   M3039 32 M Burlington     MA   19:20  5:32

    9  314 Gregory Putnum  2/64   M4049 49 M Stoneham       MA   20:44  5:56

   11  208 Joshua Perks    4/64   M4049 44 M Windham        NH   21:27  6:08

   12  194 Eric Narcisi    4/37   M3039 38 M North Andover  MA   21:34  6:10

   20  203 James Pawlicki  6/64   M4049 44 M Lynn           MA   21:54  6:16

   21  311 Jeff Goupil     6/37   M3039 31 M Arlington      MA   21:55  6:16

   22  247 Joe Shairs      1/58   M5059 50 M Peabody        MA   22:09  6:20

   37  148 David Lapierre  6/58   M5059 54 M Chelmsford     MA   24:15  6:56 

   60  320 John Pajer           10/58   M5059 56 M Leicester      MA   25:17  7:14