Looking back - 15 years ago

 15 years ago – I raced six times over the course of the month (November 2006), running four cross-country races, a trail, and a road race. 

I kicked off the month with a trail race in Nashua NH (11/04/06).  I knew Mine Falls pretty well from many orienteering meets.  This course was a great mixture of some of the lesser used single-track trails and the major trails along the banks of the canal.  Steve Peterson joined me and in the early going he pushed the pace, which he thought was a bit slow.  I passed Petey around 2m and went by the leader a little after half-way and held on for a 24 second win in 36:20.  Anthony Baker took 2^nd in 36:44 and Petey was 3^rd in 37:11.  During the following week I got my final shot in my aching right foot and on Friday run up and down Mt Monadnock with Doug D.  The next day I headed out to Northfield MA which was hosting the Mass High School XC championships.  They had an “open” race before the kids race which was made up mostly of JV runners, coaches, and the odd “unattached” runner like me.  The JV kids took it out lightning fast and I wasn’t in the top ½ of the field of 150 in the first half-mile.  In the next 1.5 I moved by almost all and got myself into 3^rd place with the top two way out of sight.  Rich Marion won in 17:08 with Todd Ryan 2^nd in 17:58 and I took third in 18:31.  The next weekend (11/18/06) I ran the “Girls on the Run” 5k in Newfields NH.  I had checked with the race director prior to going to the race to ensure it was okay for guys to run.  It supported the Girls on the Run program and all were welcome.  I ran alone right from the start and topped the field of 168 with a 17:23, a little over a minute ahead of second place.  I closed out the month with a TRIPLE racing on Thanksgiving (11/23/06), then Friday at the Chelmsford Alumni race and Sunday at the Andover Country club XC race.  I finished in 15^th place (17:45) at the Maudsley XC race on Thanksgiving.  At Chelmsford I went out with the leaders (Cooney, Beauchesne, and Doody) but they were just too quick for me.  Cooney won in 18:12 and I finished fourth in 18:59.  The finale of this ill-conceived trifecta had me sneaking into the top 10 with a 9^th place finish over 3.5 miles in 19:27.  Ryan Cararra won in 17:57 and Terry McNatt was top master in 18:22.