Looking back, way back

30 Years ago – 1982

I raced four times during the final month of my freshman cross-country season at U-Lowell.  On Oct 2 I finished in 2^nd place in a dual meet we had against MIT.  The unusual thing about the race was that it was a HOME meet, the only one I’d run at U-Lowell.  I know they can have home track meets now, but I don’t think U-Lowell (Umass Lowell) has had a home XC race since this one.  We won the meet 26-29 and I ran 23:34 for the 4.7 mile course in the Lowell/Dracut/Tyngsboro state forest.

A week later I took third place at the Codfish bowl at Franklin Park running 24:54 for the 5 mile course.  The team took 1^st place with 42 points.  Two weeks later (on the 23^rd) I finished in third at the Eastern Championships at the University of Vermont.  Our team again took first and I ran another 24:54.  On the final week of October I finished in 16^th place at the NCAA qualifiers, it was a PR for me but not fast enough to qualify for Nationals.

25 Years ago – 1987

I only raced twice this month both times supporting my team (Greater Lowell Road Runners).  The first race was the Plymouth to Provincetown relay.  There were over 250 teams running that year.  I ran the “long” leg a rolling 14.2 miles from the Bourne bridge.  There was only one split on the course (10 miles in 50:54) and I was 1:12:00 for the 14+ miles.  The following weekend I finished fourth in the NEAC (Now USATF NE) 8km road championships in Boston.  I called the course “hilly” but did manage to break 24 with a 23:50.  My splits were: 4:52/4:41/4:57/4:52/4:28(.96).

20 Years ago – 1992

I raced twice and “ran through” a marathon and half-marathon over the course of the month.  I started the month at the Applefest ½ marathon.  I was feeling sick prior to the race and almost dropped out.  I hit the predominantly downhill 10km split in 30:15 and thought “no way I’m dropping out now”.  I continued on to a course record 1:06:07 and went right through the chute and right into the nearest porta-john.  Two days later I was down in Newport RI running through the Newport ½ marathon which was part of the Hockomock Swamp Rat series.  I ended up finishing in 7^th place running 1:17:05.  Five days later I raced on the roads of Londonderry at the famous Mack’s Apple run.  I took home some cash patiently waiting until 4 miles then pushing the pace to a win in 24:48.  The next day I ran the Baystate Marathon as a workout taking 13^th place in 2:52:18.  I ran a personal record 509 miles over the month.