Feb. 1981 & 1991

35 years ago = Feb 1981, I covered 154 miles during the month and only missed one day.  I raced six times during my junior season of indoor track at Billerica Memorial High School.  That may sound like a lot of racing but it was only 8.75 miles.  I started the month with a 9:41.6 two mile in a dual meet against Central on the Methuen oval.  I wrote “just missed the record” but I’m not sure what record that was school or track?  Two days later I ran a couple of relay legs at the State Relay Championships at Harvard.  I ran a PR of 2:05 in the 2 mile relay (our team ran 8:39) and another PR of 56 flat in the mile relay.  Next up was the League Meet at Methuen high.  I won and set a Merrimack Valley League meet record running 9:38.0 which snuck under the old record of 9:39.6 set by Austin prep’s John Callahan.  A week later I set a BMHS indoor 2 mile record of 9:31.0 at the Northern Area Meet in Beverly.  Despite the record I was disappointed with a third place finish behind Mike Flynn (?) and Steve Perkins (Danvers) who both ran 9:27.  A week later I lowered my school record to 9:30.7 taking second to Flynn at the State Championships back at Harvard.

25 years ago = Feb 1991, I raced five times in February of 1991, all road races while covering 330 miles and not missing a day.  I started the month off with a tie at the Lynn Stew Chase.  The day did not start well as I carpooled with GLRR teammate Artie Demers and he got a flat tire on the highway.  We almost missed the start.  Lou Ristano and I broke away from the field and took turns leading into the wind.  At 8 miles we decided to cross together, I believe I was awarded the win in 48:31 in a field of 322.  A week later I set (the still standing) course record at the Tewksbury Fudgcicle series.  I broke Buddy Bostick’s record of 15:31 with a 14:57 on a perfect 40 degree day.  The following week I was back in Tewksbury getting a win in 17:10 (taking it easy because I was racing the next day) on a cold 10 degree day.  The next day I got a hard fought win at the Paddy Kelly 5m which (in addition to the Lynn race) was part of the first Hockomock Swamp Rat series.  I took the win in 24:29 with (???) Ritchie and Mike Woodman close behind in 24:44 and 25:01.  The final race of the month was a (then) Greater Lowell Road Runners staple, the Two-some relay.  I teamed up with Petey to take first running the 3.6 mile leg in 18:11 (Petey ran 19:05).  We held off Art Demers and Mike Woodman who finished second in 38:21.