I signed up for Trav’s a few weeks back but wasn’t sure if I’d be able to run it. It is one of my favorites and it is close to home on an excellent course, tough to pass up. The problem was that it fell the day after Wachusett. Normally this wouldn’t be a problem, I’ve done that double five of the previous six times I’d done the Trav’s race. This year would be a bit different as Wachusett was an “up/down” race this year.
I was pretty sore when I got up on Sunday morning, but nothing seemed so bad that I couldn’t race. I figured I’d give it my best and see how fast I could go. I headed out for a warm-up on the course and saw only a few others out there (mostly UNFRIENDLY elite types). I took it easy and just tried to loosen up. With 15 minutes to go I put in another mile and did some strides. I felt pretty decent, so I just jogged around and waited for the start.
It was surprising to see a couple of Kenyan’s on the starting line. I guess the $$$ attracted them, it was more surprising when the start command was issued and Joseph Ekuom took off at an angle way to the right of where the course went. Some of the other guys followed, but I took the direct line to the dirt road and the ½ mile drop that always goes by in a blur.
I hit the bridge and the first mud puddle in 15th place and almost immediately lost another two places on the steep climb up. I made up some ground as some HS kids began to feel the piano landing on their backs. By the mile (no mark but a general idea of where it is) I had moved up to 12th and had a couple of guys in sight. On the long straight-away I pulled in one guy and on the downhill into two miles I caught another. With ¾ of a mile to go I passed the last guy I’d catch.
I worked the final downhill pretty hard and could definitely feel the soreness in my hip sockets from the previous day’s downhills. The final uphill was tough but I knew I would be close to 17 minutes so I pushed it hoping for a decent performance. I was a bit bummed that I hadn’t closed on 8th place but was happy with the time. I was only 15 seconds slower than last year (when I did not double up), which was a good sign and I came out of the race not much more sore than I entered.
This race is a classic that I look forward to doing many more times.
Trav’s Trail run – May 24, 2009
3m Cross-country
===== =================== === = =======
1 Joseph Ekuom 39M 14:32 4:51
2 Tom Webb 22 M 14:35 4:52
3 Matt Ely 33 M 14:41 4:54
4 Mathe Kiplagat 26 M 14:50 4:57
5 Matt Carter 30 M 15:35 5:12
6 Chris Kealey 41 M 16:14 5:25
7 Mike Cohen 30 M 16:23 5:28
8 Ed Jensen 36 M 16:39 5:33
9 Dave Dunham 45 M 16:43 5:35 CMS
10 Justin Maloney 30 M 16:57 5:39
I was pretty sore when I got up on Sunday morning, but nothing seemed so bad that I couldn’t race. I figured I’d give it my best and see how fast I could go. I headed out for a warm-up on the course and saw only a few others out there (mostly UNFRIENDLY elite types). I took it easy and just tried to loosen up. With 15 minutes to go I put in another mile and did some strides. I felt pretty decent, so I just jogged around and waited for the start.
It was surprising to see a couple of Kenyan’s on the starting line. I guess the $$$ attracted them, it was more surprising when the start command was issued and Joseph Ekuom took off at an angle way to the right of where the course went. Some of the other guys followed, but I took the direct line to the dirt road and the ½ mile drop that always goes by in a blur.
I hit the bridge and the first mud puddle in 15th place and almost immediately lost another two places on the steep climb up. I made up some ground as some HS kids began to feel the piano landing on their backs. By the mile (no mark but a general idea of where it is) I had moved up to 12th and had a couple of guys in sight. On the long straight-away I pulled in one guy and on the downhill into two miles I caught another. With ¾ of a mile to go I passed the last guy I’d catch.
I worked the final downhill pretty hard and could definitely feel the soreness in my hip sockets from the previous day’s downhills. The final uphill was tough but I knew I would be close to 17 minutes so I pushed it hoping for a decent performance. I was a bit bummed that I hadn’t closed on 8th place but was happy with the time. I was only 15 seconds slower than last year (when I did not double up), which was a good sign and I came out of the race not much more sore than I entered.
This race is a classic that I look forward to doing many more times.
Trav’s Trail run – May 24, 2009
3m Cross-country
===== =================== === = =======
1 Joseph Ekuom 39M 14:32 4:51
2 Tom Webb 22 M 14:35 4:52
3 Matt Ely 33 M 14:41 4:54
4 Mathe Kiplagat 26 M 14:50 4:57
5 Matt Carter 30 M 15:35 5:12
6 Chris Kealey 41 M 16:14 5:25
7 Mike Cohen 30 M 16:23 5:28
8 Ed Jensen 36 M 16:39 5:33
9 Dave Dunham 45 M 16:43 5:35 CMS
10 Justin Maloney 30 M 16:57 5:39
Here are the results of the DRC runners in the group shots:
Dave 16:43
John 28:44
Rose 29:00
Nichole 31:06
DL 31:12
Greg 32:39
Cathy 33:12
Denise 34:38
Steph 36:10
Dave 16:43
John 28:44
Rose 29:00
Nichole 31:06
DL 31:12
Greg 32:39
Cathy 33:12
Denise 34:38
Steph 36:10
1 comment:
Hey Dave, nice to bump into you at Trav's last week. Glad to read that things are going well. I love Maudslay--Trav's Trail & the turkey trot are the only NE races I run now that I live in Minnesota (I have family in Newbury). There should be a snowshoe race there, too.
Good luck at Mt. W...
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