Thursday, May 12, 2022

Looking back - May 2007 & 2002

 20 years ago – I raced five times in May of 2002, mixing it up with road, mountain, and cross-country races. I started the month running my favorite (at the time) Mountain race, the 8.5 mile run up Mt Kearsarge. Teammate Eric Morse took the victory in 51:49 and I placed 2nd in 53:33. The following week I headed to Bedford NH and attempted to double in the 5k & 12k races. Neither race went quite as planned as I finished in 5th place at both running 40:32 for the 12k and 16:42 for the 5k. Race day featured rain and snow (on May 18!) and temperatures in the 30’s. I noted that it “took 3 miles after the race to warm up my hands”. Maybe I had a less than great day due to it being a 120 mile week and on race day I covered a little over 21 miles.  A week later I also doubled but this time I had a day in between races. I took 3rd place at a very competitive Wachusett Mountain as Eric Morse and Craig Fram dueled to a 24:20/24:25 finish and I was well back in 24:59. The next day I headed to Maudslay state park in Newburyport and took third place at Trav’s trail run with a 15:24, Hinga (14:45) and Galebach (15:10) were the class of the field. 

Bedford 12k                                       Wachusett Mountain

1 39:00 Joshua McDougle                      1 24:20 Eric Morse

2 39:21 Dan Verrington                         2 24:25 Craig Fram

3 39:38 Eric Beauchesne                       3 25:00 Dave Dunham

4 39:41 Rod Viens                                4 25:30 Sean Livingston

5 40:32 Dave Dunham                          5 25:46 Richard Bolt

7 42:14 Ernie Brake                              6 26:20 Mike Casner

8 42:38 Dave Audet

15 years ago – I had a busy month in May of 2007 with a mix of trails, roads, and mountains while training well with weeks of 80, 80, 82, and 80.  I kicked off the mount (05/03/07) with a lunch time race at Breakneck Hill in Southborough.  Teammate Steve Peterson was putting on this event, a 2km loop of the hilly trails run three times.  We did a loop while marking he course, then I did another loop to warm-up.  For the race I ran with Petey for 1.5 loops then pushed it hard.  Took the win in a field of 8 runners in 21:24 with Petey in 2nd place in 22:05 (6 minutes ahead of 3rd place).  Three days later I headed to Westford for the USATF NE 5km road championships.  Nate Jenkins and John Mortimer were the only ones to crack 15 (14:50 & 14:59) over the rolling course with a fast first 1.5 miles.  Not a big fan of the afternoon race (2pm) but had a good race working with Jim Pawlicki the entire time and coming very close to my masters (age 40+) personal best with a 16:34 which was only good enough for 12th in the masters.  The following weekend I doubled up racing both days.  First up (05/12/07) I drove 3 hours to Ripton for the Green Mountain Hill climb (1,200’ of climb over 10km).  Eric Morse showed up to run the warm-up/warm-down with me on this 60 degree and windy day.  I went out in a pack of four through 3 miles, which got down to three as the climbing really started at 4 miles. By 5 miles it was just me and Rob Lukaskiewicz.  I kept thinking I’d get him on the last really steep part but he absolutely buried me putting nearly 30 seconds on me in the last mile (38:37 to my 39:05).  The next day I ran the Mother’s Day 5k in Concord NH that was a mix of road and trail. I was well back (and alone) in third place in 17:04 with Scott Clark in 2nd in 16:43 and Nathan Brigham winning in 16:09. Next up (05/19/07) was a return to Bedford NH for the Rotary 12km which was the USATF NE championships.  Nate Jenkins set a new course record (different course from the one I had the CR on) in 36:20 and Verrington was top 40+ in 39:27.  I missed the top 10 in the 40+ by 11 seconds with a 41:55.  I closed out the month (05/26 & 05/28) with a long-weekend doubleheader.  Paul Low won at Wachusett mountain (25:44) as I ran a lackluster 28:19 for 7th place.  Two days later I took on the hilly, rolling, Durgin Memorial 5k in Henniker NH and picked up a surprise win leading the race from 200 meters onward in 17:16.

 



Wachusett - 2007

1 25:44 Paul Low CMS

2 26:35 Andy McCarron CMS

3 26:49 Brad Klinedinst NBB

4 27:28 Kevin Tilton CMS

5 27:34 Ben Nephew CMS

6 27:57 Jim Pawlicki CMS

7 28:19 Dave Dunham CMS

8 28:30 Tim Mahoney CMS

12 29:11 Jeremy Huckins CMS

18 29:44 Rob Smith CMS

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