Luti 5 mile

I hadn't run the Luti race in 10 years but was excited to be back.  I hoped to run within a minute a mile of my best time on this course (24:43).  If I was over 30 minutes I'd be disappointed.  My plan was 29:30, but I was also hoping to keep it close to a few of the guys who are right around me in the CARS series.  This isn't the last race but I'll miss the one next week so this would be my final chance to get some points.

I met up with good friend Scott Clark (CMS teammate from the olden days) and we got in a nice 3 mile warm-up checking out the last 1.5 of the course.  My right shoulder and chest was tender but only really bad if I coughed.  Other than that I felt pretty good coming off of the Run/Paddle race on Thursday night.  After switching into race gear I headed out for another mile, grabbed a quick drink and jogged the quarter-mile to the start.  The field was strong since this was also part of the New Hampshire Grand Prix.  There would be plenty of guys to race (and gals).  I was focused on my fellow CARS runners and my 50+ competitors.  Scott would be in the mix along with Brian Ruhm (GCS), Alex McHenry (GMAA), Charlie Bemis (WRT), and Rob Edson (UVRC).

I plunked myself on the inside right at the starting line and got out cleanly.  The road slowly bent to the left, so I eased over to the centerline cutting the tangent (no one else did!).  I hit the mile in 5:52 which was right around what I'd hoped for.  Next up was the biggest climb of the race, a half-mile that gained 150'.  I tucked in behind WRT's Jaclyn Solimine (originally from Haverhill) and worked to keep contact on the hill.  On the downhill leading into 2 miles I started gaining on guys.  I could see Mark Laprade about 20 seconds ahead, he is close to me in the CARS so I focused on him.  Mark Mayall (a top 40+ guy) was with him.  I hit 2 miles in 11:56 (6:04) and really concentrated on taking the tangents and pushing the downhill.  I caught a couple of guys and hit 3 miles on the St Paul's school campus in  17:38(5:42 my fastest split of the day).  The next hill really hurt but I had reeled in Mayall which made me feel good and Laprade was maybe 15 seconds ahead.  Solimine went by again and I latched on to her.  The 75' of climb from 3 to 3.5 hurt!  I was so happy to see 4 miles and the nice little downhill after it.  I passed 4 in 23:39 6:01 split and was hopeful that I could keep things rolling to the line.  I was still going back and forth with Solimine but not gaining any ground on Laprade.  I made one last move on the grass and kicked it in for all I was worth on the last 100 meters of track.  It wasn't pretty but it was a 29:37, pretty close to what I'd hoped for.

I ended up taking 26th place overall and first in the 50+.  Scott had a fine race taking 2nd in 30:18, 21 seconds up on 3rd place Brian Ruhm.

I headed out for a fantastic five mile warm-down that closed out the day on a very happy note!

MALE AGE GROUP:  50 to 59
Place O'All Time     Name                     Age Sex Race# Hometown                   
===== ===== =======  ======================== === === ===== ======================= 
    1    26   29:37  Dave Dunham               54 M      17 Bradford MA             
    2    31   30:18  Scott Clark               52 M     198 Gilmanton NH            
    3    33   30:39  Brian Ruhm                53 M     473 Hollis NH               
    4    34   30:47  Alex McHenry              52 M     275 South Burlington VT     
    5    38   31:21  Charlie Bemis             55 M     450 Derry NH                

    6    44   32:02  Rob Edson                 54 M     439 Canaan NH               

    7    49   32:31  Charles Whalen            56 M     350 Bretton Woods NH        

    8    50   32:35  Paul Donovan              53 M     385 Hollis NH               

    9    53   32:46  Dan Dipiro                52 M     299 Manchester NH           
    10   64   33:39  John Singelais            59 M     373 Temple NH               

Overall results

Place Gun  Chip Pace Name      Age Sex Cat 

1 25:07 25:06 5:02 Neal Darmody 28 M MTOP3 Bow NH
2 25:25 25:24 5:05 Brian Harvey 31 M MTOP3 Cambridge MA
3 26:01 26:00 5:12 Justin Freeman 41 M MTOP3 Campton NH
4 26:20 26:20 5:16 Kevin Greene 26 M M2529 Waltham MA
5 26:30 26:29 5:18 Ken Figueroa 24 M M2024 Sabana Grande PR
6 26:40 26:39 5:20 John Prizzi 25 M M2529 Waltham MA
7 26:50 26:48 5:22 Emily Durgin 24 F FTOP3 Brighton MA
8 27:04 27:02 5:25 Warren Bartlett 20 M M2024 Loudon NH
9 27:18 27:16 5:28 Chris Dunn 23 M M2024 Kennebunk ME
10 27:18 27:17 5:28 John Corona 26 M M2529 Portsmouth NH
11 27:29 27:28 5:30 Jacob Wormald 23 M M2024 Pelham NH
12 27:32 27:31 5:31 Brandyn Naro 31 M M3034 Raymond NH
13 27:53 27:52 5:35 Andrew Tuttle 23 M M2024 Alton NH
14 28:07 28:06 5:38 Rcl Schilkowsky 26 F FTOP3 Providence RI
15 28:14 28:12 5:39 Mark Furler 35 M M3539 Hollis NH
16 28:30 28:29 5:42 Jotham Burnett 38 M M3539 Canaan NH
17 28:37 28:35 5:43 Kanoa King 29 M M2529 Portsmouth NH
18 28:40 28:39 5:44 Mike Veilleux 40 M M4044 Weare NH
19 28:44 28:43 5:45 Adam Goldstein 35 M M3539 Hudson NH
20 28:48 28:47 5:46 Sean McCauley 26 M M2529 Canterbury NH
21 28:55 28:53 5:47 Matt Sawyer 45 M M4549 Eliot ME
22 29:14 29:11 5:51 Andrew Levesque 20 M M2024 Augusta ME
23 29:19 29:16 5:52 Mark Laprade 45 M M4549 Bedford NH
24 29:28 29:25 5:53 Kirpal Demian 17 M M1619 Bow NH
25 29:29 29:26 5:54 Luke Brennan 14 M M0115 Derry NH
26 29:38 29:37 5:56 Dave Dunham 54 M M5054 Bradford MA
27 29:39 29:35 5:55 Colin Lessard 16 M M1619 Bow NH
28 29:41 29:38 5:56 Jaclyn Solimine 23 F FTOP3 Haverhill MA
29 29:42 29:40 5:56 Thomas Cantara 27 M M2529 Nashua NH
30 30:16 30:15 6:03 Mark Mayall 46 M M4549 Maynard MA
31 30:19 30:18 6:04 Scott Clark 52 M M5054 Gilmanton NH