Cinco Race

Cinco De Miles: I decided that since my goal races are shorter and (hopefully) faster races that I’d skip Pack Monadnock this weekend.  After doing the race 18 times over the last 27 years I figured I really wouldn’t be missing anything.  The Cinco De Miles race in Bedford NH seem like a good chance to see if I’ve got my legs back post-marathon.  With the next CARS race and the USATF NE 5k championships looming any fast running would be a good idea.

My back (si joint) and ankle was kicking my ass all week but seemed to be okay once I got going.  I got to Bedford plenty early as the race attracts about 2,000 runners.  It was well organized, which is to be expected at a Mortimer (Millennium) run event, and I quickly got my number and got myself organized before warming up.  I got a few minutes to chat with Dave Audet and Mark Laprade.  Mark ran a sub-3 hour marathon last week, but he always has wheels and Dave was happy to be in the 50-54 rather than the 55-59 age group. 

I previewed the course for a warm-up.  Any race with streets having “hill” in the name should be approached with caution.  This one had a few.  No big hills but a good bump before 2 miles and again at 2.5.  I was hoping to run under 18 minutes and figured I’d aim for around 5:40 for the opening mile (dropped 60 feet) then hope for the best.  Based on prior years results that’d be a top 10 finish so I lined up on the start line.  Zoom!  A lot of people sprinted out down the hill.  By the bottom I wasn’t in the top 20.  When my watch beeped at ½ mile I’d moved up to the top 15 and by the mile (5:38) I was in the top 10.  I tried to focus on Mark who was about 5 seconds ahead of me.  I moved up to fifth place by 1.5 and Mark was tantalizingly close.  I felt I worked the hill pretty well, but the watch said differently (6:05). Ugh!  I tried to work the downhill but just couldn’t get going.  I really felt it on the last little hill with ½ mile to go and Mark easily put 10 more seconds on me in the finishing stretch.  I missed my goal by 7 seconds but put in a good effort.  Hey, you’ve gotta start somewhere.  Hopefully this will translate to some better racing in the Canterbury race and the USATF 5k.

1 17:11.6 Corey Girard M37 PEMBROKE NH

2 17:24.4 Michael Diodati M36 GOFFSTOWN NH MultiSport

3 17:44.4 Laura Hagley F34 HANOVER NH

4 17:50.4 Mark Laprade M46 BEDFORD NH Millennium Running 

5 18:06.2 Dave Dunham M55 BRADFORD MA Granite State Racing Team 

6 18:11.5 Christopher Neumann M26 ANDOVER MA 

7 18:42.9 Brendan Bucksbaum M26 MENDON VT 

8 18:51.1 Ray Levesque M42 MANCHESTER NH Millennium Running 

9 18:51.3 Willis Hayes M22 ALTON NH Team Holiday 

10 18:51.8 Mary Klene F35 MANCHESTER NH Millennium Running