USATF NE 5km champs - Rhody

I don't like 5km races, too darned short and no time to really settle in....but you gotta race all distances if you want to be an Iron-runner. I've never made it to all seven races so I'm crossing my fingers that I'll stay healthy. Only three more to go!


Dan picked me up and the 1:30 drive went by quickly with lively discussions of races past and future. We met up with a big CMS contingent and headed out onto the course for a warm-up. This course is very boring and very exposed, basically looping through the parking lot at the Twin River dog track in Lincoln RI. We did our standard 3 mile warm-up then I put in another mile with some strides (joined by WRT legend Craig Fram). I was not feeling very good, I had a bout of carsickness on the ride down and was still feeling queasy. Mostly I think it was just nerves as I was very nervous about racing 5km.


The start line is very tight at Rhody only about 1/2 a road wide. It is kind of funny as the road is very wide after the start but they funnel us all in to get under the start banner. I lined up about 3 or 4 rows from the front and could not believe how hard my heart was pounding in the last minute leading up to the race. Usually I get into a zone and just relax on the line, today I felt like I'd never raced before and just couldn't wait for the gun to go off.


Finally we were gone and I was steadily passed by people in the first 1/2 mile. I was having trouble gauging how I was doing early on as it seemed quick but a boatload of folks were streaming by. I was aiming for 5:10 at the mile then hoping for 5:20 & 5:20 which would bring me home right around my 40+ PR (16:27). I hit the mile in 5:13 and was working pretty hard. Terry McNatt (who ran most of the 12km champs with me) went by just after the mile. I tried to focus on going with him as I know he has better leg speed than me. I kept looking ahead as well, trying to reel in Dan V and Tim Mahoney and also trying to keep TiVO in sight.


The second mile at Rhody is always tough as it is kind of lonely out there and it is just a long gently curving (and maybe slightly uphill) and full exposed section. Last year I was completely alone during most of this mile, this year I had people all around me. I caught Dan and Tim M at about 1.5 miles and stuck with Terry as we passed the 2m mark in 10:35 (5:22). I was wheezing a bit and feeling rough.


It seemed like just after 2 miles a few guys pulled by and some others pulled away, but I also closed a little on TiVO and tried to keep Terry close. I just kept thinking "hold on" and kept looking for the starting line which would mark about 500m to go in the race. I knew that I wouldn't be outkicking anyone as I was full-out so I did my best to move in the last 1/2 mile. Mike Platt (Whirlaway) went by in the last 1/2 and I could not respond. I hit the three-mile mark in 15:55 (5:20) and dug down for whatever was left.


I didn't have much left, and actually almost tripped on the final turn/uphill onto the track. I bumped into Joe Lemay as we both tried to cut the tangent. I think he may have thrown an elbow at me, but it went way over my head (he is about a foot taller than me). The 100m on the dog track was over before it started and I crossed the line wheezing in 16:30.


All in all it was a decent run for me. I was a little bummed about missing my 40+ PR, but I did run my fastest time of the year, taking 5 seconds off my track time from earlier this season. I also felt I ran agressively, racing it more than worrying about hitting any particular time.


We finished out the day with another big warm-down with about 10 guys looping around the parking lots and checking out the women's race.

Checking out the results, we really lucked out that Kevin Connor came and gave us a full five man team. That got us second place!

MALE MASTERS TEAM RESULTS
1. WHIRLAWAY RACING TEAM
15:39 16:05 16:10 16:12 16:26 ( 17:14) ( 17:16) = 1:20:32
Sean Livingston, Craig Fram, Scott Anderson, Mike Cooney, Mike Platt
2. CENTRAL MASS STRIDERS
16:04 16:26 16:30 17:04 17:38 ( 19:56) ( 20:06) = 1:23:42
Joe Shairs, Tim Van Orden, Dave Dunham, Dan Verrington, Kevin Connor
3. GREATER LOWELL ROAD RUNNERS
15:46 16:34 17:09 17:22 17:48 ( 18:15) ( 18:50) = 1:24:39
Tom Doody, Mark Reeder, David Oliver, John Barbour, Tom Offenbacher

Top masters
1 1 M4049 14:46* 4:46 Joseph Koech 40 M 449 Melrose MA
2 2 M4049 15:39* 5:02 Sean Livingston 40 M 341 Barrington RI
3 3 M4049 15:46* 5:05 Tom Doody 47 M 133 Pelham NH
4 4 M4049 15:54* 5:07 Titus Mutinda 45 M 450 Lowell MA
5 5 M4049 15:56 5:08 Joshua Brown 41 M 462 Burlington VT
6 6 M4049 15:57 5:08 Jonathan Fortescue 41 M 334 Wellesley MA
7 7 M4049 16:04 5:10 Joe Shairs 41 M 363 Peabody MA
8 1 M5059 16:05* 5:11 Craig Fram 50 M 338 Plaistow NH
9 8 M4049 16:10 5:13 Scott Anderson 44 M 336 New Bedford MA
10 9 M4049 16:12* 5:13 Mike Cooney 47 M 335 Chelmsford MA
10 45 16:13* Henry Scollard 45 M 325 Cambridge MA
52 11/123 M4049 16:24 5:17 Wayne Levy 43 M 145 Waban MA
53 12/123 M4049 16:24 5:17 Terry McNatt 44 M 110 Needham MA
54 13/123 M4049 16:26* 5:18 Mike Platt 47 M 340 Needham MA
55 14/123 M4049 16:26 5:18 Tim Van Orden 41 M 405 Bennington VT
59 15/123 M4049 16:29 5:19 Joe Lemay 43 M 165 Danbury CT
60 16/123 M4049 16:30* 5:19 Dave Dunham 45 M 369 Bradford MA