After running the 5k last weekend in Hopkinton I decided it'd be nice to go to the 4 mile this weekend. It would be an opportunity to support my fellow CMS runners and see all of the people I haven't seen since getting my hip surgery back in October. I had no plan for what I'd try to run other than a good hard effort. Based on the 645 pace I'd managed at the 5k I figured I could run under that and maybe get as fast as 630 pace.
Sunday dawned with temps in the 20s and SNOW. Dan Verrington swung by and picked me up and we had to carefully navigate route 93 with a number of spin-outs and some knuckle heads driving in the middle lane but doing 25 mph with flashers going. We made it safely then got our numbers and met up with many familiar folks. So nice to see everyone getting out there to compete. We walked back from number pick-up with Jim Pawlicki and Joe Shairs. Then it was off for a nice easy 3 mile warm-up on the course with Dan and Paul Bazanchuck. Nice to catch up with Baz who was looking to rock it today. I thought we might even run together for some of it. A quick change into dry running gear and another half-mile got me to the line right before the start. Over 1,300 were ready to go!
I lined up about 10-15 rows from the start and it took 6 seconds to hit the line and just a couple of more to get clear running. People were flying by me and would continue to pass me throughout the race. I caught a rare person here and there but was constantly being caught. It was kind of weird because my splits were very consistent.
I felt pretty decent, just that I couldn't get going any faster which makes sense with where I'm at right now. I did hope to pick it up a bit the last mile but really lost ground on those around me as they all kicked and I just kept the same pace. I could see the clock ticking away and saw 26 minute click by as I approached. Psychologically it would have been a boost to run under 26 ("yes, I ran high 25's"). My official time was exactly 26:00.0, too funny!
Dan and I headed out for a little bit more to close out the day and bumped into teammate Iain Ridgway which was cool, again nice to catch up with people!
Splits:
316.8
312.8
316.3
315.5
310.6
316.3
315.1
313.7
142 M55-59 2 Charlie Bemis 59 Derry NH M Whirlaway Racing Team 1212 23:58.4
146 M55-59 3 Alex McHenry 56 South Burlington VT M Green Mountain AA 894 24:03.7
148 M55-59 4 Terry McNatt 57 Needham MA M Cambridge Sports Union 1095 24:06.2
159 M55-59 5 Ed Sheldon 57 Hooksett NH M Central Mass Striders 1186 24:20.6
171 M55-59 6 Daniel Verrington 59 Bradford MA M Central Mass Striders 805 24:35.2
180 M55-59 7 David Harper 55 Leominster MA M Central Mass Striders 647 24:49.0
218 M55-59 8 Jeff Walker 56 Falmouth ME M Dirigo RC 1409 25:35.5
220 M55-59 9 Paul Donovan 56 Hollis NH M Gate City Striders 699 25:37.4
222 M55-59 10 Fil Faria 57 Tewksbury MA M Greater Lowell Road Runners 782 25:40.7
224 M55-59 11 Paul Davies 55 West Roxbury MA M Boston Athletic Association 1138 25:42.4
229 M55-59 12 Peter Fratini 56 Westfield MA M Greater Springfield Harriers 1070 25:50.8
236 M55-59 13 Dave Dunham 57 Bradford MA M Central Mass Striders 1300 26:00.0
256 M55-59 14 Rory Fagan 59 Somerville MA M Somerville Road Runners 301 26:29.1
258 M55-59 15 Paul Gompers 58 Newton MA M 1118 26:30.7
267 M55-59 16 Richard Wein 55 Boston MA M Somerville Road Runners 1152 26:45.0
287 M55-59 17 Kaz Naganuma 59 Cambridge MA M Somerville Road Runners 461 27:15.0
291 M55-59 18 Fucheng Ren 57 Shrewsbury MA M BEN Running Club 1283 27:19.2
297 M55-59 19 Ben Goldthwaite 55 Andover MA M 882 27:29.2
300 M55-59 20 Steve Bioren 55 Londonderry NH M 287 27:32.0
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