Great Island 5k

Great Island 5k (New Castle, NH) 10/07/18 – I was looking forward to going back to New Castle for this race.  I hadn’t been since 2010 but had run it four times in the first six years it was held.  Guy Stearns (RD) had invited me back for the 25^th running of the race and it was an open weekend, plus free entries are few and far between!  Back in 1995 I won and set the then course record of 14:59.  I’d run under 15 three times but that was DECADES ago.  My goal this time was to break 18 minutes.

I’d been sick all week and took it pretty easy only running 4 miles each afternoon (and six in the morning).  I had Friday off to make the long weekend even longer and took advantage by heading out to the Windham rail trail for a long run.  It was the first day I was feeling decent and after reaching the turn (6 miles) in 7:10 pace I dropped down to (hoped for) marathon pace for the return 6 miles.  It felt good to be zipping along.  The only drawback was that I probably wasn’t giving myself enough recovery time to do a 5k on Sunday.  Since my main goal is the Baystate marathon I tried to not think about it.

I was still sniffing and coughing when I headed out for a warm-up on race morning.  It was 70+ degrees and humid and I was soaked by the mile.  Dang, I forgot how hilly this course was.  There really is nothing that you’d say “wow that was a tough hill” but you seemed to be going up or down throughout the race.  It was very scenic, if you are into that crap.

I felt pretty good warming up (never a good sign).  After a quick change into racing gear I headed out for another mile plus.  I was ready to go but was not feeling ready to go.  Guy gave a few notes before sending out the field of about 600.  Although 600 is a solid turnout for a race nowadays this was a bit of a disappointment for Great Island which has had as many as 1,200.  I went out pretty hard and found myself in about 15^th after we looped around the park at the start.  Wow, it felt fast.  About ½ mile in Erik Johnson rumbled on by.  He’d be the only person to pass me.  Matt Sawyer was a few seconds ahead of me and I tried my best to get latched onto him.  I reached the mile in 5:38, which was right in the ballpark for a sub-18 (the first mile is the easiest in this race).  I closed a bit on Matt along the ocean then the two 30’ climbs between 1.5 and the 2 mile mark closed the gap even more.  I reached 2 miles in 11:36 (5:58) and was pretty sure that sub-18 was not going to happen.  I passed Matt but I was wheezing and feeling just beat.  The last mile was just survival mode.  I was able to keep it under 6 (5:59) and crossed the finish line in a disappointing 18:13.

After hitting the incredibly well stocked post-race food tent I headed out for a somewhat longer warm-down (4.6 miles) which had me visiting some nice private roads.  I didn’t stick around for awards although I did pick up a win in the “age graded masters” that was a bit of a surprise as there was a very strong 60+ field.  I finished the day with a very BONKY 3 mile run on the Ghost Train trail on my way home.  I put that one in to keep my streak of 80 mile weeks going.  I’ll probably lose that streak this coming week as I drop down my miles in anticipation of the marathon.

Top 20

1          15:14.3 Derrick Hamel     Newmarket, NH   35         M          M3039

2          15:40.9 Neal Darmody     Bow, NH             28         M          M2029

3          16:05.4 Aidan Cox           Northwood, NH   13         M          M0029

4          16:34.2 Andrew Huebner Portsmouth, NH   30         M          M3039

5          16:35.6 Christopher Dunn Kennebunk, ME   24         M          M2029

6          16:55.2 Vojta Ripa          Rochester, NH     29         M          M2029

7          17:08.7 Justin Orr           Dover, NH          36         M          M3039

8          17:18.5 Erik Johnson       Seward, AK         42         M          M4049

9          17:21.6 Colby Nixon        Richland, WA      28         M          M2029

10         17:37.8 Shannon Murdock Exeter, NH         21         F           F2029

11         17:54.9 Corey Dowe        Barrington, NH    25         F           F2029

12         18:13.0 Dave Dunham     Haverhill, MA      54         M          M5059

13         18:15.8 Matthew Sawyer  Eliot, ME            45         M          M4049

14         18:21.4 Richard Feeney   Stratham, NH      39         M          M3039

15         19:07.1 Kevin St.Laurent  Newmarket, NH   31         M          M3039

16         19:14.6 Jill Garrity           Manchester, NH   27         F           F2029

17         19:29.2 Lewis Chamberlain Eliot, ME          48         M          M4049

18         19:36.0 Mike Barry          Northwood, NH   62         M          M6069

19         20:00.3 Thomas Mason   Hampton, NH      58         M          M5059

20         20:09.3 Daniel Beauley    Dover, NH          52         M          M5059

Top 10 50-59

Place     O'all      Time     Name                City       State     Age

1          12         18:13    Dave Dunham     Haverhill, MA      54

2          19         20:00    Thomas Mason   Hampton, NH      58

3          20         20:09    Daniel Beauley    Dover, NH          52

4          32         21:10    David Stanton     New Castle, NH   56

5          36         21:39    Doug Rowland    Fitzwilliam, NH    59

6          40         22:09    Michael O'Brien   Rollinsford, NH    51

7          44         22:26    Lukas Kolm        New Castle, NH   55

8          49         22:41    John Neff           Eliot, ME            56

9          52         22:50    Scott Saltman     Newfields, NH     53

10         56         23:09    Alan Fernald       Portsmouth, NH   58

My past results at New Castle

Date                  Time     PL         Fin       

10/08/94           15:16    2          600       4:45, 9:41 1^st Mike O’Brien 15:06

10/08/95           14:59    1          670       Dan (15:08) leading to 1.9, I took lead in last ½ mile

10/13/96           14:54    2          696       40s perfect, out w Lachance (14:52) got outkicked in last ½ mile

10/11/98           14:59    3          800       50-60 with rain.  1 Joe Lemay 14:53 2 Eric Morse 14:55

10/10/10           17:01    10         1189     1 Bob Wiles 15:06, Dan Verrington top 40 in 16:46.