Wachusett Mountain race

The Wachusett Mountain race is one of my favorite.  The only race I've done more times than Wachusett is Mt Washington.  This year (and really since last fall) I've been struggling with injuries.  I feel like I'm pretty much back, but I'm also a lot slower than I was last year.  Getting old really impacts your times!

I headed out a bit early to hit a couple of Trustees Reservations prior to the race.  Dexter Drumlin (1.5 miles) and Redemption Rock (.2 miles) were small runs that are kind of on the way to the race so it gave me a chance to ease into the day.

I got to the race with plenty of time to spare.  CMS has managed this race for the last 27 years (and beyond) and always does a great job.  Nothing like a race put on by runners!  I met up with D-la, Baz, Tivo, Ed, and Greg P (a shock!) for a nice 3 mile flat warm-up.  It was getting warm, although not as warm as a couple of years ago.  I felt lousy, but that is typical (and sometimes even a good sign). I got to chat with Sau-Mei and Thor on the way to the line.  Always great to catch up with "Mountain People".

Over 350 lined up for the start but not that many seemed interested in getting on the starting line, so I put myself up there.  Last year I'd finished 11th in 21:42.  Based on other races breaking 22 would be a major surprise.  In a reversal of the last few years I decided to do both the up AND the down race (you can stop at the summit and call it a day).  Since the footing is generally very good I guessed this would be a good time to see how my ankle does on downhill and decide if I can (or should) do Loon later this summer.

I got out okay in the top 15 or so but just did not feel good.  It seemed like a bunch of people went by.  I kept thinking "I'll feel better on the steeper climb" but I never did.  I had some good back and forth with both Ed Sheldon and Bryan Trinque (both fellow CMS runners).  In the end they both took me before the summit.  My time of 22:25 is about right I guess, but there were definitely a few guys ahead of me who rarely beat me.

A few of the top guys dropped out at the top (normal) and I passed a couple of guys on the descent.  Only one guy got me on the down and I had a good 1.5 miles with Steve Brightman before he nuked me.  I came in just a bit under 42 minutes.

Up and down:

1	38:14.1	LIAM GARVEY	ALLSTON  MA
2	38:32.5	NICHOLAS RINDENELLO	HARVARD
3	38:34.0	JACOB WORMALD	PELHAM  NH
4	39:13.5	TIM VAN ORDEN	BENNINGTON  VT
5	40:13.7	ANDREW GREENE	WORCESTER  MA
6	40:47.0	BRYAN TRINQUE	CLINTON  MA
7	40:54.3	STEPHEN KERR	HADLEY  MA
8	40:58.0	KASSANDRA MARIN	MERRIMACK  NH
9	41:00.7	STEVE BRIGHTMAN	PROVIDENCE  RI
10	41:30.0	XIANRONG WANG	WESTFORD  MA
11	41:32.9	RYAN LYESIUK	ORANGE  MA
12	41:54.8	DAVE DUNHAM	BRADFORD  MA
13	42:12.0	BRANDYN NARO	RAYMOND  NH
14	42:25.6	MIKE GRASELA	NEW BEDFORD  MA
15	42:45.5	MICHAEL NARCISI	ACTON  MA
16	42:52.8	DAVID CORBETT	STONEHAM  MA
17	42:55.5	MATT CURRAN	GLOUCESTER  MA
18	42:57.5	HEATH BREWER	TWIN MOUNTAIN  NH
19	43:02.0	BRIAN RUHM	HOLLIS  NH
20	43:28.7	JEFF WALKER	WESTERLY  RI

Uphill race:

Place	Time	First	Last	Gen	Age	City	USATF team
1	20:16.8	JACOB	WORMALD	M	23	PELHAM	GCS
2	20:48.5	LIAM	GARVEY	M	23	ALLSTON
3	20:50.2	GREGORY	PUTNAM	M	49	STONEHAM	CMS
4	21:12.2	NICHOLAS	RINDENELLO	M	32	HARVARD
5	21:12.6	TODD	CALLAGHAN	M	49	BEVERLEY	CMS
6	21:16.2	BRANDYN	NARO	M	32	RAYMOND	GCS
7	21:16.8	ANDREW	GREENE	M	34	WORCESTER
8	21:23.9	KIM	NEDUAU	F	39	LEVERETT	WMDP
9	21:25.8	TIM	Van Orden	M	51	BENNINGTON	CMS
10	21:37.2	STEPHEN	KERR	M	27	HADLEY	SMAC
11	21:42.7	ERIK	VANDENDRIES	M	54	Chestnut hill	Central Mass Striders
12	21:47.8	XIANRONG	WANG	M	37	WESTFORD	Ben
13	22:06.6	KASSANDRA	MARIN	F	29	MERRIMACK	Whirlaway
14	22:10.1	MICHAEL	NARCISI	M	35	ACTON	Sisu Project
15	22:19.1	STEVE	BRIGHTMAN	M	50	PROVIDENCE	CMS
16	22:21.1	ED	SHELDON	M	54	HOOKSETT	Central Mass Striders
17	22:24.6	BRYAN	TRINQUE	M	35	CLINTON	CMS
18	22:25.7	DAVE	DUNHAM	M	55	BRADFORD	CMS
19	22:29.1	RYAN	LYESIUK	M	39	ORANGE
20	23:03.9	HEATH	BREWER	M	34	Twin Mountain	Sisu Project