Carson Memorial 2 mile

I haven’t done the Carson Memorial 2 mile race (Chelmsford, MA) in six years, but this year the fourth of July fell 

mid-week so it did not conflict with any of the Mountain Series races.  I was hoping to break 10:40 and my stretch 

goal (if everything went great) was to break 10:30.  Mike Quintal joined me and Dan for the shortest drive to a race

 we’ve had this year.  We arrived in Chelmsford to find it raining and about 70 degrees.  We checked in and each 

got one of the cool “Sullivan Racing Team” tank tops from Tom Hildreth (the official starter of the race).  I was 

wearing the race team top from 1999 and the gal at registration noted “that is the oldest t-shirt I’ve ever seen”…as 

if I didn’t feel old enough already! 

We headed out for an extended warm-up running out & back on the point to point 2 mile course.  It warmed up as 

we warmed up and by the end of our four mile run the sun was beginning to peek out and it had warmed to 

mid-70’s.  The humidity was stifling.   I changed into race flats and headed out for another mile with some strides.  

I felt pretty lousy and nervous which is about the way I expected to feel heading into a “sprint” race.

Over 2,000 lined up to take on the parade route that was now lined with onlookers.  I took a spot on the line 

knowing that it’d be a mad dash at the start.  The first quarter mile was frantic with little kids and some adults 

sprinting out then pretty much stopping when reality hit.  I only had to push one guy who stopped in front of me 

but otherwise I had a clear path on the road.  At the half mile mark (2:32.3) we turned left onto the main road and 

that would be the final turn of the races.  The next half mile climbs a bit and I was definitely feeling the pace.  I hit 

the mile in 5:12.2 (2:39.9) and although I was picking off a couple of fast starters I was also getting passed by a 

couple of guys.  Doug Martyn (WRT) went by just after the mile and Mike Cooney (WRT) went by just before the 

1.5 mark; they are both top runners in the 50+ age group.  Damn, they both looked smooth!  I hit 1.5 miles in 7:47.5

(2:35.3) and thought at that point that I had a shot a breaking 10:30.  I concentrated on working the final little 

downhill and could hear people calling for the top woman who was hot on my heels.  The last 400 is all slightly 

uphill and I was really hurting at that point.  With just over 200 to go the top woman went flying by.  I had been 

kicking since the start so I really didn’t have any faster turnover in response.  Within a few seconds I felt a hand on 

my back pushing me; it was CMS teammate Jim Pawlicki heading into his kick for the line and encouraging me to 

go with him.  I found a little bit extra but couldn’t stay with Jim as I crossed the line in 10:31.

After grabbing some water Mike (10:04), Dan (10:47) and I ran back on the course for a warm-down.  We got 

back just as the parade was starting.  It felt good to have this race done, now back to “slow” mountain racing!

Splits:

2:32.3

2:39.9 (5:12.2)

2:35.3 (7:47.5)

2:43.4 (10:30.9) = 5:18.7

JOHN CARSON 

2 MILE ROAD
 RACE

July 4, 2012           2 Miles               Chelmsford, Mass.

Place Div/Tot  Div   Time    Pace  Name                   Ag S Race# City/state              

    1   1/168  M1929    9:10  4:35 Ruben Sanca        25 M     7 Dracut MA               

    2   2/168  M1929    9:12  4:36 Jeffrey Veiga         21 M   485 Lowell MA               

    3   1/124  M3039    9:23  4:42 Justin Lutz            32 M  1963 Framingham MA           

    4   3/168  M1929    9:31  4:46 Ethan Brown         27 M    37 Lowell MA               

    5   4/168  M1929    9:40  4:50 Joshua Andrews    23 M  1492 Chelmsford MA           

   17   3/124  M3039   10:04  5:02 Mike Quintal        34 M   587 N. Andover MA           

   31   6/124  M3039   10:30  5:15 James Pawlicki     37 M   435 Lynn MA                 

   33   2/239  M4049   10:31  5:16 Dave Dunham      48 M     4 Haverhill MA            

   40   4/101  M5059   10:47  5:24 Dan Verrington     50 M   229 Bradford MA             

  109  12/239  M4049 12:17  6:09 David Lapierre       48 M    55 Chelmsford MA           

MALE AGE GROUP:  40 to 49

Place O'All Time    Name                     Age Sex Race# City/state              

    1    10    9:54 

Jim St Pierre
             41 M    9913 Dracut MA               

    2    33   10:31 Dave Dunham          48 M       4 Haverhill MA            

    3    37   10:38 Eric Beauchesne       42 M      31 Chelmsford MA           

    4    60   11:29 Curt Fischer             43 M    1220 Merrimack NH            

    5    69   11:37 Keith O'Brien            48 M    1615 Chelmsford MA           

MALE AGE GROUP:  50 to 59

Place O'All Time    Name                     Age Sex Race# City/state              

    1    23   10:17 Doug Martyn               52 M    1694 N. Andover MA           

    2    26   10:23 Mike Cooney               50 M    1007 Chelmsford MA           

    3    39   10:42 Paul Hammond            52 M    1692 Lexington MA            

    4    40   10:47 Dan Verrington            50 M     229 Bradford MA             

    5    76   11:44 Andrew Gordon            50 M    1132 Chelmsford MA           

 

2140 finishers

239 finishers in the M40-49 age group