Next up was the race I’d been aiming for, the Masters USA XC championship. I hadn’t done XC nationals since 2017 and was looking forward to racing again at Franklin Park. I had a minor issue with a migraine on Saturday into Sunday morning, but it wasn’t a “full-blown” one and I was able to manage it. Dan Verrington picked me up at 8:30am for the drive in and it was just like old times. Dan and I are probably the longest continuous members of the Central Mass Striders with my CMS days going back to 1992 and Dan to 1993. On this day we’d be representing the 40+ team (masters) instead of the 50+ squad (seniors) as there weren’t enough 40-49 guys to make up a full squad. It made sense as best case either of us would be 7th man on the very strong 50+ team but was still a bit of a bummer as that team was in the hunt for the Gold medal. We met up with the crew and Tim Van Orden joined Dan and me for a course preview. This is a great spectator course as we’d loop through the field at ¾ mile, 1.75 miles, and the final ½ mile. I felt okay on the warm-up but a little flat. It was exciting seeing old friends and competitors and we even got to see a good bit of the 60+ race during the warm-up. I switched into Inov-8 trail shoes and did another mile to stay loose. My goal for the race was to finish in the top ½ of the field (98 entrants) and top 10 in my age group. Of course, I’d have no idea during the race what place I was in but with color-coded age group numbers on everyone’s back I’d be looking to pass anyone with a “55-59” target on their back. As we took off through the field at the start, I was a bit surprised to see Dan a couple of strides ahead. He had noted how much trouble he was having with slow starts. Dang, it felt plenty fast to me and he was right there. I got into a good rhythm and by ½ mile in started passing people. Only one guy would pass me over the remainder of the race. I hit the mile in a step over six minutes and continued to move up. Bear cage hill was tough, and I pushed on the downhill after it and could see a group of four guys in my age group a little ahead. I caught that group by 2 miles and worked to drop them in the “wilderness” section of the course. I never really gained on them and at 2.5 Alejandro Heuck went flying by. I tried to go with him but just didn’t have the speed. I held my place but lost some ground to those in front of me as the last quarter mile seemed to take forever. I ended up missing my goals with 55th place overall and 13th in my age group but was still pleased with the effort. Only two guys in front of me were my age or older. Dan had a solid run crossing the line 24 seconds after me. The CMS 50+ squad (Greg Putnam, Tim Van Orden, Scott Grandfield, Todd Callaghan, Joe Shairs, Steve Brightman) took the National Champion title! Paul Baz (8th in the 65-69) joined Dan and me for another tour of the course for a warm-down which was a pleasant close-out to the day.
MALE
AGE GROUP: 55 - 59
1
17:31 Nat
Larson
59 Amherst
Ma GSH
2
18:03 Kenneth
Barbee
57
Philadelphia Pa Gtr Phillie
3
18:21 Mike
Nier
56 Rochester
Ny GVH
4
18:22 Alan
Evans
58 Beaver
Dams Ny GVH
5
18:25 Scott Grandfield
56 Rehoboth
Ri CMS
6
18:32 John
Mcmahon
55
Williamsville Ny Checkers AC
7
18:37 Jason
Cakouros
56 Milton Ma
HFC
8
19:02 Mark
Hixson
56 Simsbury
Ct GSH
9
19:03 Dale
Flanders
56 Allegany
Ny GVH
10
19:17 Alejandro
Heuck
56 Amherst,
Ma GSH
11
19:21 Scott
Siriano
55 Dillon
Co
Mass Velocity
12
19:22 John
Hogan
56
Washington, Nj Garden St
13
19:25 Dave
Dunham
57 Bradford
Ma CMS
14
19:25 Harold
Porcher
57 Bloomfield
Nj Garden St
15
19:35 Bobby
Bligh
57 Wakefield
Ma HFC
16
19:49 Daniel Verrington 59
Bradford Ma
CMS
17
20:08 Scott
Armstrong
58 Pottstown
Pa Gtr Phillie
18
20:39 Francis
Burdett
56 Worcester
Ma GSH
19
20:55 Wayne Crandall
58 West
Henrietta Ny GVH
20
20:57 Carl
Johnston
56 Pittsford
Ny GVH
21
22:39 Harris
Hardy
58 Somerville
Ma Athletics East
22
23:45 Bill
Newsham
56 Brookline
Nh GBTC
23
23:50 William
Timmins
59 Scituate
Ma
24
24:18 Christopher Pasko
56 Wellesley
Ma Wellesley Wings
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