Looking back

10 years ago – February 2009: I had a decent month running 305 miles with zero days off and SIX races!  I started the month running the Lynn Stew Chase which is one of my favorites (it is the third oldest 15km race in the country).  I had a really good 8 mile race but completely ran out of gas the last 1.3 miles.  I was pretty happy to run right around 6 minute mile pace for 22nd place in 56:34.  The following weekend I tried a snowshoe double (Sidehiller & Hallockville).  I basically ran alone at Sidehiller (2 minutes behind Kevin Tilton and Jim Johnson and 3 minutes ahead of fourth place).  No complaints about my third place finish over 4.1 miles in 33:53.  The next day I headed out to Hawley and had a tight race with teammates Tim Mahoney and Ben Nephew.  Ben took a wrong turn and went a little long, then we all went a little long but recovered.  Ben took 1st in 43:05 and I was 7 seconds back with Tim close behind.  A week later I was back on the roads in my home town (Bradford) for the Valentines 5m.  Nate Jenkins won in a solid time of 25:22, my long-time training partner Dan Verrington was top master in 27:32.  I rolled in well over a minute behind Dan placing 9th overall and 2nd in the 40+ with a 28:49.  The next weekend I headed back out to Western MA for the USATF NE 10 mile road championships.  I was hoping to break 60 minutes and met my goal (just barely) running a 59:56 taking 16th in the masters and 77th place overall.  I closed out the month with a rare victory.  I took it out hard at the Hawley Kiln 4.6 mile snowshoe race and managed to get to the single-track with a lead.  The snow was very tough on the single-track with a lot of post-holing.  I pulled away during that section and managed to hold on for a 1:24 win in 38:32.

5 Years Ago – February 2014: This month was all about getting ready for the US snowshoe championships which would be held at Prospect Mountain (near Bennington VT).  This was a big deal as teammate Tim Van Orden was putting on the race and many New Englanders were preparing for it.

Beaver Brook – JJ & Nacho squared off while I battle with Ryan Welts and Phil Erwin on a very fast 2.4 mile course (JJ went under 6’s).  I destroyed my (non-Dion brand) snowshoes.

1 Jim Johnson                 14:22    5:59      M36      Madison, NH       CMS

2 Nacho Hernando           14:45    6:08      M20      Concord, NH      

3 Ryan Welts                  15:53    6:37      M33      Nortboro, NH      aR

4 Dave Dunham              15:57    6:38      M49      Bradford, MA      CMS

5 Phil Erwin                    15:59    6:39      M46      Wading River, NY aR

6 Chris Dunn                   16:51    7:01      M45      Straffor, NH        aR

Horse Hill – Had a very deep field, Nacho picked up his first snowshoe win I had a good battle with Ryan Welts to crack the top 10.

1 33:03 8:03 Nacho Hernando 20 M Concord NH

2 33:15 8:06 Brandon Newbould WRT 32 M Nottingham NH

3 33:35 8:11 Jim Johnson CMS 36 M Madison NH

4 34:37 8:26 Scott McGrath WRT 27 M Andover MA

5 35:16 8:36 Kevin Tilton CMS 32 M North Conway NH

6 35:18 8:36 Ben Nephew CMS 38 M Mansfield MA

7 35:23 8:37 Chad Carr CRC 38 M Cambridge MA

8 35:58 8:46 Joseph Degutis CRC 36 M Brookline MA

9 36:04 8:47 Dave Dunham CMS 49 M Bradford MA

10 36:10 8:49 Ryan Welts ACIDOTIC 33 M Northwood NH

25 46:11 11:15 Melissa Donais CMS 30 F North Andover MA

28 46:44 11:23 David Lapierre CMS 49 M Chelmsford MA

Prospect mountain: This was a great chance to preview the Nationals course.  Master running ace (on roads, track, trails) proved he was also a force on snowshoes taking KT in a sprint finish.

1 1:02:37  Mike Galoob    40 M              

2 1:02:38  Kevin Tilton     32 M     CMS  

3 1:05:42  Todd Callaghan 44 M    GCS 

4 1:05:54  Dave Dunham  49 M     CMS     

5 1:07:04  Ross Krause     35 M     CMS     

6 1:07:49  Tim Mahoney  34 M      CMS     

7 1:11:17  Brian Northan  39 M                 

8 1:11:22  Tyler Murray    23 M                

9 1:11:54  Ashley Krause  37 F                 

10 1:11:55 Danny Ferreira 32 M               

11 1:12:47 Ben Corwin    21 M                

12 1:13:40 James Pawlicki 40 M     CMS     

13 1:14:45 G VanDuyne   36 M                

14 1:14:49 Paul Bazanchuk 60 M   CMS    

Exeter Snowshoe hulabaloo – This race was marred by a near trampling of a fallen runner at the start and poor treatment of the top female runner by some male runners who should know better (really is your ego so huge that you can’t take a woman beating you?).  I was in the hunt for most of the race but couldn’t kick at the end.

1 33:32 Ryan Kelly           32 M     Concord, NH       NH Multisport

2 33:39 Ryan Welts         33 M     Northwood, NH   aR

3 33:46 Dave Dunham     49 M     Bradford, MA      CMS

4 34:11 Chad Carr           38 M     Cambridge, MA    CRC

5 35:45 Kristina Folcik       36 F      Northwood, NH   La Sportiva

6 35:47 Quinn Parker       20 M     Hampton, NH      Sweetie Pies

7 35:48 Ned Kennedy      55 M     Bolton, CT          Shenipsit Striders

8 35:54 Phil Erwin           46 M     Wading River, NY            aR

9 36:01 Marek Telus        38 M     Hopkinton, NH    aR

10 36:05 Chris Dunn        45 M     Strafford, NH      aR

Closed out the month with a preview of the Nationals course with Ken Tripp and Richard Bolt