Table
of Contents
Introduction
Chapter 1 1936-1938 The Early Years 1
1936
1937
1938
Chapter 2 1961-1969 The Return 8
1961
1962
1966
1967
1968
1969
Chapter 3 1970-1979 The Running Boom 21
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
Chapter 4 1980-1989 Teschek Takes Charge 41
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
Chapter 5 1990-1999 The hour is broken 72
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
Chapter 6 2000-2005 Into The New Millennium 111
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
Chapter 7 Authors Training log 138
Chapter 8 Exceptional People and
Teams 150
Chapter 9 Facts 158
Acknowledgements and
Resources 170
Introduction:
I stood on the starting line
of the Mt Washington road race already drenched in sweat. It was 1994 and it would reach nearly ninety
degrees that day. It was already in the
eighties and word from the summit was that it would be in the sixties when we
reached the top and there would be no cooling breeze today. I thought to myself “why am I doing this” and
“why are the other 900 people behind me doing this”. A bunch of years have passed but my answer
remains unchanged, and it is probably the answer many of the other 900 would
give. I really enjoy the unique
challenge of racing to the top. There
are many races out there, and even many Mountain races, but Mt Washington is
where it all started for me. My heart
belongs to the Mountain. I ended up winning the race in 1994 through a
mix of patient early running, others not running smart, and a fair amount of
luck. I also started thinking about
compiling the complete results of the race.
What started as that thought grew, and this book is the result.
I spent an unknown number of
hours combing through old magazines and newspapers to get any results I could,
and then pounded away at the keyboard to enter the more than 22,000 individual
results. I interviewed numerous
well-known and not so well known Mt Washington runners. If nothing else, I had a great time learning
more about the race I love.
Mt Washington Highway map
Mount Washington is the
highest peak in the Northeast United States, rising 6,288’. The mountain can be reach via Route 16 in New
Hampshire. As of this writing Into the Mountains notes that
“About one third of the people who climb Mt Washington do so on foot, out of a
total of approximately 250,000 summit visitors per summer”.
The Summit circa
1900
Into the Mountains also notes “the first white person to climb Mt Washington is generally believed to be an Englishman named Darby Field” in 1642. The Crawford Path, which Ethan Allen Crawford and his father cut in 1819, was the first trail up Mt Washington. Tourism on Mt Washington took a huge step forward when in 1851 the Atlantic & St Lawrence Railroad connected Gorham with Portland, ME. The following year a stone summit house was built and in 1853 the “Tip-Top House” was erected. Since 1932 there has been a permanent weather station on the summit. The summit has had many different buildings on top over the years.
Tip Top House circa 1895
The Mt Washington Auto Road
(which at the time was called the “Carriage Road) was built over the course of
seven years and when completed was the world’s first mountain toll road. On July 1, 1853 New Hampshire Governor David
Macomber issued a charter for the Mount Washington Road Company. Surveying the road took over a year. Construction started in 1855, with the first
four miles completed by 1857. At that
time work was halted as money to build the road had been exhausted. The Mt Washington Summit Road Company was
incorporated in 1859 and construction continued. When the Carriage Road opened in 1861 it was
the only way, other than hiking, to get to the summit. Vacationers were taken to the top in a horse
drawn mountain wagon. Into the Mountains notes that
“records for accomplishments on Mt Washington were intentionally set as early
as 1850, when guests of the Glen House vied for who could post the fastest time
walking up the carriage road.” It
continues noting “About 1900, Edgar Welch of Hiram Maine, after having
‘loosened up’ in the Tip-Top House tavern, ran down the carriage road in about
forty-five minutes.” Welch continued
running down the mountain every year, at least until 1907, when he set a
personal record of 45 minutes at the age of 51 years.
| Harlan P. Amen |
Some early history of the auto road includes the tale of Harlan P. Amen (1853-1913) who is credited with running up the recently completed road in 1875 in less than two hours (1:57). Amen would later become the Principal at Philips Exeter Academy and the Republican delegate to the national convention. It is also noted that on August 16, 1904 at 10:00 AM, Dr. George S. Foster of Manchester, NH ran from the old tollhouse to the Tip-Top House in 1:42 at the age of 18. Foster prepared for the race by running the hilly roads around Pinkham Notch while spending a month leading a boys group. The group, called Next-to-nature, maintained a camp at the base of the auto road. At the time of his summit run Foster’s time was faster than any vehicle had ascended. Winds that day reached gust of up to 80 miles per hour. Foster is also credited with a record breaking 42 minute descent at some point, while he was a medical student at Tufts University. There are indications that in 1929 a race was held that attracted three starters and one finisher.
Other events on the mountain include the first auto ascent by Freelan and Flora Stanley in 1899 in a steam-powered Locomobile. On July 11-12, 1904, the first “Climb to the Clouds” was held. Auto manufacturers believed that the road was a place to demonstrate the ability of the early version of the automobile. The race was held off and on throughout the years. The centennial race was held July 9-12, 2004. On March 20, 1932 a ski race was held from the summit to the Glen house, the race was won in just over 12 minutes by Edward J. Blood. A bicycle race has been held numerous times over the years and includes a category for tandem bikes.
Mt Washington has some of the
most severe weather in the world. The
highest wind velocity recorded anywhere in the world was recorded on the summit
on April 12, 1934 when the wind gusted from the Southeast at 231 miles per hour. Typical weather for June (when the footrace
is now held) features a normal daily high of 50.3 degrees, and a normal low of
38.5 degrees. The record temperatures
for June are 72 degrees in 2003 and 8 degrees in 1945. Normal precipitation in June is 8.3 inches
and normal wind for June is 27 MPH from the West. The peak gust recorded in June is 136 MPH.
Guide to abbreviations used in the book.
With the many different teams
represented throughout this book and limited space to print the full name of
each I have resorted to abbreviations. I
found that many of the abbreviations used in the results changed from year to
year. I tried to be consistent; however
I have occasionally used multiple abbreviations for the same team. I have listed them alphabetically below and
listed the first year that particular abbreviation was use.
First Used Abbrieviation Meaning
1936 AGR Age
Group Record
1936 CR Course
Record
1936 FW Future/Former
Winner
1936 BAA Boston
Athletic Association
1936 Cntrl CT AA Central
Connecticut Athletic Association
1936 Del-Val AA Delaware
Valley Athletic Association
1936 Electric Boat Electric
Boat Track Club
1936 NETC New
England Track Club
1936 NMC North
Medford Club
1936 NY Pioneer New
York Pioneer Club
1936 NYPC New
York Pioneer Club
1936 Reipas AC Reipas
Athletic Club
1936 Spartan AC Spartan
Athletic Cub
1936 St. Anthony's St.
Anthony's Boys Club
1961 Lynn AC Lynn
Athletic Club
1962 NYAC New
York Athletic Club
1966 Central Conn. AA Central
Connecticut Athletic Association
1966 Gorham AC Gorham
Athletic Club
1966 Metro AC Metropolitan
Athletic Club
1966 Millrose AA Millrose
Athletic Association
1966 Mt Park AA Mt
Park Athletic Association
1966 Mt Royal of Canada Mt
Royal Athletic Club
1966 NYC Unknown
1966 UNH University
of New Hampshire
1966 Viking Ski Club Viking
Ski Club
1967 Cambridge Y Cambridge
Young Mens Club of America
1967 Hartford TC Hartford
Track Club
1967 Mt Royal Mt
Royal Athletic Club
1967 Ottawa Ski Ottawa
Ski Club
1967 Waterville AC Waterville
Athletic Club
1968 Rochester TC Rochester
Track Club
1968 SAC Shore
Athletic Club
1968 Salem AC Salem
Athletic Club
1968 SJTC South
Jersey Track Club
1968 WAC Waterville
Athletic Club
1970 CSU Cambridge
Sports Union
First used Abbrieviation Meaning
1970 Penn AC Pennsylvania
Athletic Club
1971 CCAA Central
Connecticut Athletic Association
1971 McGill Univ McGill
University
1971 MRFA Mt
Royal Frans Amis - Quebec
1971 No. Country AC North
Country Athletic Club
1971 Strafford Spartans Strafford
Spartans
1971 Turtletown Turtletown
Athletic Club
1972 Augusta REC Augusta
Recreation Association
1972 NCAC North
Country Athletic Club
1972 Turtletown AC Turtletown
Athletic Club
1972 UMASS University
of Massachusetts
1973 ARTC Augusta
Recreation Track Club
1973 MSTC Mystic
Side Track Club
1973 OSC Ottawa
Ski Club
1973 SSTC Strafford
Spartans Track Club
1973 TTAC Turtletown
Athletic Club
1973 VTRR Vermont
Road Runners
1973 WP Unknown
1974 BCTC Unknown
1974 Bethel Bananas Bethel
Bananas
1974 Buffalo TC Buffalo
Track Club
1974 Mohegan Mohegan
Striders
1974 SLAC Sugarloaf
Mountain Athletic Club
1974 Triple Cities TC Triple
Cities Track Club
1974 U of Laval University
of Laval
1974 Washington SC Washington
Sports Club
1975 BRU Unknown
1975 CAPS Caps
1975 GBTC Greater
Boston Track Club
1975 LRR Larigmac
Road Runners
1975 LRTC Lakes
Region Track Club
1975 LT Unknown
1975 MAA Millrose
Athletic Association
1975 SMAC Sugarloaf
Mountain Athletic Club
1975 SS Shenipsit
Striders
1976 Cenleona RC Cenleona
Running Club
1976 Larigmac RR Larigmac
Ridge Runners
1976 Laurentian U TC Laurentian
University Track Club
1976 OTC Oregon
Track Club
1976 Plausted Harriers Plausted
Harriers
1977 ECSC Unknown
1977 Keene State Keene
State College
1977 Lucky TC Lucky
Track Club
First used Abbrieviation Meaning
1977 Seacoast Seacoast
Striders
1978 Onteora Onteora
Road Running Club
1978 SSTC Seacoast
Striders Track Club
1978 State College Unknown
1978 Vermont RR Vermont
Road Runners
1978 YMCA Young
Men’s Club of America
1979 Craftsbury Craftsbury
Ski Academy
1979 N Carolina TC North
Carolina Track Club
1979 Strafford AA Strafford
Athletic Association
1979 US Ski Team United
States Ski Team
1979 Wolfpack Wolfpack
1980 CRC Cambridge
Running Club
1980 CTAC Unknown
1980 DOC Dartmouth
Outing Club
1980 GRC Unknown
1980 JWAC Johnson
and Wales Athletic Club
1980 ORC Onteora
Running Club
1980 UH Unknown
1985 Mara Tours Marathon
Tours
1985 Willimantic Willimantic
Athletic Club
1985 WMM White
Mountain Milers
1986 GSRT Granite
State Racing Team
1986 MVS Merrimack
Valley Striders
1987 Club Neast Club
Northeast
1987 GLRR Greater
Lowell Road Runners
1987 GMAA Green
Mountain Athletic Association
1987 GNB Greater
New Bedford
1987 US Bi United
States Biathlon Team
1987 WCRC Winners
Circle Running Club
1988 CNE Club
Northeast
1989 CMeS Central
Maine Striders
1990 BRR Berkshire
Road Rats
1990 GCS Gate
City Striders
1991 BC/BS Blue
Cross / Blue Shield
1991 Berks Berkshire
Road Rats
1991 Bridgton Bridgton
Academy
1991 Liberty AC Liberty
Athletic Club
1991 Maine TC Maine
Track Club
1991 METC Maine
Track Club
1991 RICH Rich
Classic Athletic Club
1991 White Mtn White
Mountain Milers
1992 AA Athletic
Alliance
1992 BRC Boston
Running Club
First used Abbrieviation Meaning
1992 CMS Central
Massachusetts Striders
1992 HTC Hartford
Track Club
1992 LAC Liberty
Athletic Club
1992 RIRR Rhode
Island Road Runners
1993 Educators Educators
1993 MCS Unknown
1993 Mercer Mercer
County Bucks
1994 AF Athletes
Foot
1994 OSAC Ocean
State Athletic Club
1996 GNBTC Greater
New Bedford Track Club
1997 BLO Unknown
1997 HS Healthsource
1997 HSK Unknown
1997 IATC Irish
American Track Club
1997 NB New
Balance
1997 NIKE Nike
1997 PFIZR Pfizer
1997 WillAC Willimantic
Athletic Club
1998 HMRR Hudson
Mohawk Road Runners
1998 MR Millrose
Athletic Association
1999 AD Addidas
1999 BBRR Back
Bay Road Runners
1999 HITK Hitek
2000 BKVR Battenkill
Valley Runners
2000 CAA Colonial
Athletic Association
2000 CPTC Central
Park Track Club
2000 CVT Central
Vermont
2000 CVTRC Central
Vermont Running Club
2000 NYH New
York Harriers
2000 REEB Reebok
2000 SAUC Saucony
2001 AE Athletics
East
2001 CCAC Cape
Cod Athletic Club
2001 Hitek Hitek
2001 Horst Horst
2001 Millrs Millrose
Athletic Association
2001 Whirl Whirlaway
Racing Team
2001 Willow Willow
Street Athletic Club
2001 WMAC Western
Massachusetts Athletic Club
2002 GUTS Unknown
2002 Hgel Hammergel
2003 AR Unknown
2003 MM&M Moose
Milers & Marathoners
First used Abbrieviation Meaning
2003 MMM Moose
Milers & Marathoners
2003 PWBR Powerbar
2003 TG Team
Gloucester
2003 WRT Whirlaway
Racing Team
2004 Cstal Coastal
Athletic Associaton
2004 FLRC Finger
Lakes Running Club
2004 Teva Teva
2004 WSCR Westchester
Track Club
2005 CTVT Central
Vermont Running Club
2005 NEW New
England Trail
2005 RR Rochester
Runners
2005 SRT Saratoga
Runners at the 4-mile turn circa 1972
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