Sunday, March 6, 2022

Looking back - March 2002

20 years ago (March 2002) – I raced three times, with the goal being a win at the 50km National championships.

I started the month with a “tempo run” workout at the Wakefield Police chase half-marathon. My goal was to run around 1:15 which was my hoped for pace at the 50km (that’d get me under 3 hours for the 31 mile distance). I was right on target finishing in 9th place in a field of over 1,700 running a 1:15:10. Dan Verrington somehow went off course for about 300 meters but was still able to run a 1:13:02. The following week I raced at New Bedford (USATF New England ½ marathon championships) and ran with teammate Fergus Cullen for most of the distance. I took 54th running a 1:11:51. The final race of the month was the USATF 50km national championship in Pittsburgh. It was a cold and windy day (21 degrees and 25-35 mph winds) on a very exposed course along the river. The only good thing about the double-out-back course was that you could see exactly where you stood in the field. The plan was to run with Dan and Kevin Beck and hopefully make a move after 30km to get a win and get under 3 hours. I was off pace right from the start and Dan was 16 seconds up by the end of the first 5km loop. He continued to build a lead as Beck and I ran together through 25km (1:33:59). At that point Dan was already 2:36 ahead of me. I slowed over the second 25k (as did most everyone) and but held on to a 2nd place finish in 3:13:19. Dan took home gold in 3:09:15. Beck dropped out at 35km but Mark Behan took 4th place in 3:19:10 to give CMS the team title.

March 23, 2002 - Pittsburgh, PA

MEN
 1  Dan Verrington, 39, Bradford, MA          3:09:15    6:05
 2  Dave Dunham, 37, Bradford, MA             3:13:19    6:13
 3  Mark Godale, 31, Streetsboro, OH          3:18:09    6:22
 4  Mark Behan, 39, Newton, NH                3:19:09    6:24
 5  Kam Shun Lee, 32, Cleveland, OH           3:19:50    6:26
 6  Danny Fink, 38, Swoope, VA                3:22:01    6:30
 7  David Ackerman, 33, Milford, OH           3:23:40    6:33
 8  Stephen Marsalese, 36, New York, NY       3:30:16    6:46
 9  Tim Clement, 41, Solon, OH                3:30:46    6:47
10  Kenneth Plowman, 28, Albany, NY           3:31:52    6:49
11  Bob Dion, 46, Readsboro, VT               3:36:13    6:57
12  Mike Ryan, 35, Strongsville, OH           3:38:03    7:01
13  Daniel Salazar, 36, Tacoma, WA            3:44:23    7:13
14  Terry Martin, 56, Barrie, Ontario         3:46:29    7:17
15  Lou D'Angelo, 40, Allison Park, PA        3:47:28    7:19
16  Bob Jordan, 49, Pittsburgh, PA            3:50:08    7:24
17  Ben Maynard, 25, Hoosick, NY              3:50:48    7:25
18  Marc Friesen, 27, N Newton, KS            3:53:47    7:31
19  Roy Pirrung, 53, Shebooygan, WI           3:54:26    7:32
20  Dan Stolick, 29, Pittsburgh, PA           3:59:23    7:42
21  Frank Probst, 58, Burke, VA               4:12:02    8:06
22  Ed Ayres, 60, Manassas, VA                4:17:07    8:16
23  William Ladieu, 52, Harrisburg, PA        4:22:26    8:26
24  Gary Hilliard, 47, Youngstown, OH         4:23:36    8:29
25  Tom Perry, 56, Pittsford, NY              4:25:54    8:33
26  Jim Bowles, 52, Latham, NY                4:26:11    8:34
27  Scott Ferrari, 44, West View, PA          4:28:06    8:37
28  Anthony Dicello, 48, Cheswick, PA         4:31:08    8:43
29  Joseph Salwan, 48, Munroe Falls, OH       4:35:48    8:52
30  Sam Bertenthal, 43, Mt Lebanon, PA        4:40:47    9:02
31  Tim Yanacheck, 54, Oregon, WI             4:43:17    9:07
32  Jay Barry, 48, Pittsburgh, PA             4:47:59    9:16
33  John Edleman, 49, Pittsburgh, PA          5:09:34    9:57
34  Joe Cleary, 61, Georgetown, Ontario       5:16:49   10:11
35  Kevan Matthews, 42, Pittsburgh, PA        6:03:39   11:42

WOMEN
 1  Anne Riddle, 35, Asheville, NC            3:44:38    7:13
 2  Ann Heaslett, 38, Madison, WI             3:45:29    7:15
 3  Laura Nelson, 36, Waynesboro, VA          3:59:52    7:43
 4  Connie Gardner, 38, Medina, OH            4:00:45    7:44
 5  Janice Kreuz, 54, Cincinnatti, OH         4:16:33    8:15
 6  Debra Moore, 49, Louisville, KY           4:53:08    9:26
 7  Joyce Hodges-Hite, 64, Millen, GA         5:53:21   11:22
 8  Diana Marongiu-Lutz, 36                   6:11:42   11:57


Results courtesy of The Runner's High

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