USATF NE 12k championships

I headed up to Bedford feeling good about my training but nervous about my “easy” week.  I had planned to drop my mileage down and take it pretty easy this week but felt like I’d recovered okay from the Sleepy Hollow Mountain race and didn’t drop nearly as much as expected.  In retrospect I probably should have skipped the track workout on Wednesday which is just a bit too close to the race for me to fully recover.  I felt sluggish on Thursday and Friday but surprisingly didn’t feel bad on race morning.

A big group of CMS teammates headed out for our normal 3 mile warm-up, which was a good time to check out the course from 6 miles to the finish.  It is always a good idea to know the course and I’ve run this one so many times I’ve got a pretty clear idea of where I am at any point in the race.  I switched into racing flats and headed out for a few strides and made my way to the line.  I staked out a spot on the far right of the line and was happy that they got things going with little fanfare.

I tried to run controlled the first mile, know that a lot of people would get excited and head out too fast.  I wanted to “ease” into the race and hopefully have a strong run after we’d passed three miles. In the early miles I ran with a very chatty Brian Ruhm (GCS), he was talking about how fast the pace was but I saved my breath for BREATHING J  By three miles I was feeling pretty good and tried to up the pace on the tougher fourth mile.  I slowly began reeling in some of the top 50+ runners (Paul Hammond – WRT, and teammate Martin Tighe).  At four miles I started thinking that maybe I had a shot at Wayne Levy (BAA).  Wayne is leading the Grand Prix in the 45-49 and I kept thinking “maybe he is tired from Boston”.  I ended up catching Wayne right at the 6 mile mark but he would not be dropped.  We had a lot of back and forth through the 7 mile mark where he gapped me and I just couldn’t reel him back in.

I’m very happy with a top 10 masters finish (rare) and only Wayne beat me in the 45-49.   The only frustrating part is missing my PR by 1 second!   Maybe in three weeks when we run the 10k New England championships I’ll really take it easy leading up to the race?

Splits:

5:24

10:54 (5:30)

16:41 (5:47)

22:20 (5:39)

27:55 (5:35)

33:29 (5:34)

39:15 (5:46)

41:46 (2:30)

38th Annual Bedford Rotary Memorial Road Races

2012 USATF-NE 12K Championship

May 19, 2012    12 Kilometers (USATF Certified #NH10012RF)     Bedford, NH

Place Div/Tot  Div   Time     Pace  Name                   Ag S Race# Team   City/state              C/f

===== ======== ===== =======  ===== ====================== == = =====

    1   1/19   M1824   36:51   4:57 Kevin Johnson          23 M   182 WMDP   Hanover NH                 

    2   1/64   M3039   37:40   5:04 Nate Jenkins           31 M   131 CMS    Andover MA                 

    3   2/19   M1824   37:59   5:06 Eric MacKnight         23 M   369        Clifton Park NY            

CMS finishers

   11   8/64   M3039   39:31   5:18 Kevin Tilton           30 M   395 CMS    North Conway NH            

   15   9/64   M3039   39:37   5:19 Mike Quintal           34 M   393 CMS    North Andover MA           

   21  11/64   M3039   39:58   5:22 Alan Bernier           37 M   385 CMS    Providence RI              

   22  12/64   M3039   39:59   5:22 Greg Hammett           34 M   388 CMS    Chesterfield NH            

   23   3/23   M2529   40:25   5:26 Dan Vassallo           27 M   396 CMS    Peabody MA                 

   29  14/64   M3039   40:58   5:30 Scott Leslie           30 M   389 CMS    Rutland MA                  

   31  15/64   M3039   41:06   5:31 Chris Mahoney          34 M   390 CMS    Havehill MA                

   34   5/80   M4049   41:13   5:32 Greg Putnam            42 M   392 CMS    Stoneham MA                

   36   6/80   M4049   41:21   5:33 Joe Shairs             44 M   394 CMS    Peabody MA                 

   39   8/80   M4049   41:46*  5:37 Dave Dunham            48 M   386 CMS    Bradford MA                

   43  10/80   M4049   42:01   5:38 George Adams           42 M   384 CMS    Gilsum NH                  

   49  17/64   M3039   42:16   5:41 Kevin Gorman           35 M   387 CMS    Norwood MA                 

   50   3/83   M5059   42:20*  5:41 Martin Tighe           54 M   492 CMS    Providence RI              

   55  14/80   M4049   42:50   5:45 Dan Verrington         49 M   397 CMS    Bradford MA                

   57   8/23   M2529   42:57   5:46 Sam Wood               25 M   398 CMS    Laconia NH                 

   65  21/64   M3039   43:12   5:48 Jim Pawlicki           37 M   391 CMS    Lynn MA                    

  113  29/80   M4049   47:43   6:24 David Quintal          48 M   478 CMS    Salem NH                   

  145  39/80   M4049   49:39   6:40 David Lapierre         48 M    14 CMS    Chelmsford MA               

 

Masters

    9   1/80   M4049   39:24*  5:18 Joseph Koech           43 M   416 RUN    Chelmsford MA              

   27   2/80   M4049   40:52*  5:29 Joseph Navas           41 M   428 WHIRL  North Eastham MA           

   30   3/80   M4049   41:04   5:31 Joshua Brown           44 M   284 GMAA   Burlington VT              

   33   4/80   M4049   41:10   5:32 Todd Callaghan         42 M   196 GCS    Beverly MA                 

   34   5/80   M4049   41:13   5:32 Greg Putnam            42 M   392 CMS    Stoneham MA                

   36   6/80   M4049   41:21   5:33 Joe Shairs                44 M   394 CMS    Peabody MA                 

   38   7/80   M4049   41:42*  5:36 Wayne Levy             46 M   354 BAA    Waban MA                   

   39   8/80   M4049   41:46*  5:37 Dave Dunham          48 M   386 CMS    Bradford MA                

   41   9/80   M4049   41:53   5:37 Dmitry Drozdov         40 M   494 SRR    Lincoln MA                 

   43  10/80   M4049   42:01   5:38 George Adams          42 M   384 CMS    Gilsum NH                  

Sleepy Hollow Mountain race

Earlier this year I was having a lot of trouble deciding if I wanted to do ANY mountain running in 2012.  After hurting my calf at Mt Washington last year (and re-injuring it multiple times) I wasn’t sure if I wanted to chance getting injured again.  Somewhere along the line I changed my mind and did a 540 (a 360 then a 180) and decided that not only did I want to mountain race this year, but I want to attempt to do the entire USATF New England Mountain Series along with the National Championships (Mt Washington).  This weekend was the kick-off to the season here in New England.

I headed up on Saturday and Eric (Morse) and I grabbed Murdoch (his dog) and headed over to Huntington Vermont for another look at the course. 

Guess who is on the dog run!

The course was very well marked and we had no trouble navigating it.  We took it nice and easy and I just tried to picture how the race might play out.  The first climb looked fast (too fast for me) and the first descent looked to be the only one that was “tricky” with some of the steepest and roughest downhill.  The second climb was the longest and steadiest and the downhill looked to be smokin’ fast.  The final climb was tough!  My goal would be to move up and hopefully run that final up/down fast enough to pass some people.

We headed back on race morning and it was already hopping!  Great crowd!  Always fun to see all the familiar faces from the series.  I was mildly surprised to see teammates Jim Johnson and Kevin Tilton (I thought both would not be at the race).  Then I saw Michael Quintal, Tim Mahoney, Ross Krause, and Martin Tighe.  Wow, the CMS Mountain running team was out in full-force.

We headed out onto the last 1.5 miles of the course and everyone got a chance to see that last 1.5 during our 3 mile warm-up.  I switched into my Inov-8 shoes and headed out for another mile and some strides.  I felt pretty good, but a bit nervous.  The good field and worries about my calf had me on edge.  Of course that all disappeared as we took off up the hill.  I moved into the top 15 and felt like I was moving pretty quickly.  It takes me a few minutes to find a rhythm and as the field strung out in front of me I found my pace and settled in.  I only passed one guy on the climb (the very early leader) and hit the top of the 300 foot climb in 14^th place.

Chasing down the 6 guys in front of me at 2 miles

There was a group just a few seconds ahead of me that included Eli Enman and teammates Michael Quintal and Tim Mahoney.  I wanted to keep them in sight on the tricky descent and worked my way down the 500 foot drop (as they slowly pulled away).  The group of 6 guys was 10 seconds ahead when I passed the 2 mile mark.  I felt really good when we started to climb again and kept looking ahead.  I reeled in the group early in the climb but Mike had pulled ahead and for the first time I saw teammate Tim Van Orden up ahead.  I knew both of them had much better leg speed than me, so I’d need to really work the climb.

By the top of the 500 foot climb I’d caught Mike and TiVO and gapped them a little.  The short little single-track section had TiVO catching back up and then he really opened it up when we got on the wide trail.  I knew this would be a spot where I could air it out as the grade wasn’t too steep and the footing was quite good.  I worked as hard as I could and surprised TiVO (and myself) by staying with him on the 300 foot drop.  We came through four miles in the meadow where the finish was stride-for-stride.

My goal now was to get in front of Tim before the single-track climb and hopefully pull away during the next 300 feet of climbing.  I went by him just before the single-track and tried to work the uphill.  I gapped him but was surprised when I heard Mike catching up.  He had a strong final climb and I moved out of his way as we crested the final big climb.  We had a little single-track left and then we were back on the wide trail for the final mile to the finish.  On a little uphill I threw caution to the wind and put all I had into gapping him.  Then it was some very fast downhill running with 300 feet of drop until just before the finish.  I hoped to break away, but could still hear MQ back there (the wet ground splashing was a great give-away to how close he was).  I chugged up the final hill and then “went to the arms” to hold him off as we charged into the finish in 7^th and 8^th with TiVO a little bit back.

I was very happy with the race, I’m not very good at up/down courses and I felt I gave a good effort over this course.  It doesn’t help my lack of confidence for Wachusett (there will be some VERY lousy footing on that course), but I’ll keep my #1 goal in mind: Don’t get hurt!

Mile      Split      Climb/Drop

1          7:16      +340

2          6:05      -500

3          9:06      +500

4          6:17      -330

5          8:13      -100 & +300

6          5:32      -300 & +100

Results

1	39:19	Joshua Ferenc	Saxons River	VT	M	30
2	40:24	Kevin Tilton	NORTH CONWAY	NH	M	30
3	41:08	Jim Johnson	Madison	NH	M	35
4	41:33	Ross Krause	Easthampton	MA	M	32
5	41:44	Todd Callaghan	Beverly	MA	M	42
6	42:10	Patrick Johnson	Anchroage	AK	M	23
7	42:33	Dave Dunham	Bradford	MA	M	48
8	42:38	Mike Quintal	North Andover	MA	M	34
9	42:46	Tim Van Orden	Bennington	VT	M	43
10	42:52	Eli Enman	Huntington	VT	M	35

10th Olde Salem Greens 5k XC race

I took it pretty easy this week after falling apart at the end of New Bedford last Sunday.  I was looking forward to racing at the Olde Salem Greens XC race.  Last time I was here (2007) there was snow, this year would be just about ideal conditions!

Dan and I headed over to the race a bit early and were happily surprised to see Michael Quintal drive up.  We paid the (very reasonable) $18 entry fee and picked up our long-sleeve t-shirts and then headed out for a warm-up.  We ran the course which was pretty hilly in 27 minutes.  I headed to the car and changed into my Inov-8 racing flats then headed out for another mile with some strides.



I did strides on the first tee



Close to 300 lined up for the sprint through the parking lot and onto the 9 hole golf course.  I went out but not super-hard and only Mike was in front of me as we hit the first downhill.   Then the tempo really picked up.  Mike and I found ourselves running with local runner Nick Sousa (wearing minimal shoes).  Mike kept throwing surges in that would drop me and Nick and then we'd catch back up.  We rolled through the (short?) mile in 5:28.  I felt very good on the downhill sections and would catch up or move ahead on those but Mike and Nick were stronger on the ups.  There were no "big" hills but we seemed to always be going either up or down.  We hit 2 miles in 11:22 (5:54) and then started back into the 2nd shorter loop.

Start of the second loop

Knowing what was ahead I really tried to push on the downhills.  They stuck right on me, I knew I'd be in trouble with the last 1/4 mile being uphill.  I stuck close until we started to climb and they started to kick.  I was already flat-out so there wasn't any "move" I could make.  Nick ended up winning and Micheal took second in his first race since New Years day.

I was pleased to have a solid run and although weezing from the effort I felt like I hung tough.  Dan, Mike and I headed out to the Salem Rail Trail and did a 4 mile warm-down.  I was totally spent by the end! 

    1 269 Nick Sousa            17:34  5:40   1/16   M1829 28 M Salem        MA
    2 260 Mike Quintal          17:37  5:41   1/27   M3039 34 M N.Andover    MA
    3 258 Dave Dunham        17:40  5:42   1/46   M4049 47 M Bradford     MA
    4 259 Dan Verrington      18:23  5:56   2/46   M4049 49 M Bradford     MA
    5  77 Jason Barnes          18:25  5:57   3/46   M4049 49 M Salem        MA
    6 201 Erich O'Neil          18:46  6:04   2/16   M1829 20 M Beverly      MA
    7 213 Dave Long            18:50  6:05   2/27   M3039 38 M Beverly      MA
    8  89 Chris Soucy           19:16  6:13   3/16   M1829 29 M Beverly      MA
    9  66 William Hathaway  19:17  6:14   4/46   M4049 48 M Peabody      MA
   10  32 Justin Jones          19:28  6:17   4/16   M1829 24 M Danvers      MA
Full results

Post-race posing

Week Ending 03-25-12

I took it easy this week to recover from New Bedford.  With the hot weather early in the week and my trashed legs I felt lousy most of the week.  The weekend was a different story...I had an excellent day on Saturday and felt great racing on Sunday.  Next week I start back doing track workouts.

Mike Quintal and Dan Verrington prior to the XC race in Salem

Totals
Week = 82
Month = 317
Year = 1,063
Life = 115,136

M - Lunch 4 in 30:04
       PM Dan's woods 6 in 42:02

T - Lunch 4 in 28:48
      PM Dan's woods 6 in 40:3

W - Lunch 4 in 27:23
       PM Dan's woods 6 (with Dan and Chris Mahoney) 39:21

Th - Lunch 4 in 26:33
       PM Dan's woods 6 in 39:33

F - 4am Industrial Park 5 in 36:10
      Lunch 4 in 26:23
      PM Winni 6 in 41:34

Sat - 645am 3 with Dave La into 5 more with Petey total 69:42
         Later nice relaxing 4 miles then into 3 miles 1m easy, 1m with strides, 1m easy

Sun - 815am 5k+ warm-up on Salem XC course (very hilly) 27:27
         Another mile with Strides
         3rd place in XC race in 17:40
         4 warm-down with Dan and Mike Quintal on the Salme rail trail in 32:07

December races

I was surprised to read in Mike Quintal’s blog that his recent finish at the Mill City Relays was his first race EVER in December.  Of course that got me thinking about my stats.  I already track how many races per month but hadn’t figured out grand totals by month.  So I knew that the most races I’d ever done in December was 7 (in 2007) and I also knew by total number of races which months I’d done the most races in (11 in May of 1982).  What I didn’t know was how many races I’d done for ALL Decembers, so that is what I compiled.  I’ve run 1,162 races and hope that I’ll be over this most recent calf/Achilles injury to race again before THIS December is over.

Full stats by month below but here are some of the take-aways…

May is my most raced month with 138 races.

December is the least raced month with 76 races

I have my most wins in January with 47

I have my most PR’s (personal records) in both May and September

Road races lead the list in almost all months, the exceptions 45 Indoor track races in January, 51 Mountain races in June, and

44 XC races in November.

The most miles raced would be 834.69 in October (which makes sense with a lot of Marathons).

The fewest miles raced was December with 375.48

The lowest average miles per race was January with 3.51 miles (a lot of those were ¼ miles run in relays indoors)

 

Month	#	Dist.	Avg	PL	PR	CR
January	118 races	413.99 miles	3.51 miles	47 wins	33 PR	11 CR	45 Indoor, 37 road, 34 snowshoe, 1 XC, 1 Trail
February	107 races	526.51 miles	4.92 miles	37 wins	28 PR	11 CR	42 road, 35 snowshoe, 29 Indoor, 1 XC
March	76 races	635.37 miles	8.36 miles	27 wins	15 PR	10 CR	45 Road, 19 snowshoe, 5 Trail, 2 Indoor, 2 Outdoor, 1 XC
April	100 races	549.44 miles	5.49 miles	25 wins	34 PR	9 CR	49 Road, 38 Outdoor, 11 Trail, 1 Indoor, 1 Mountain
May	138 races	603.52 miles	4.37 miles	32 wins	36 PR	16 CR	51 Road, 42 Outdoor, 31 Mountain, 8 XC, 6 Trail
June	111 races	698.92 miles	6.30 miles	31 wins	28 PR	14 CR	51 Mountain, 41 Road, 9 Outdoor, 6 Trail, 3 XC, 1 Bi
July	97 races	536.56 miles	5.53 miles	37 wins	17 PR	15 CR	64 Road, 14 Mountain, 8 Trail, 8 Outdoor, 3 XC
August	85 races	497.56 miles	5.85 miles	20 wins	20 PR	9 CR	41 Road, 19 Mountain, 15 Trail, 8 Outdoor, 2 Tri
September	86 races	616.99 miles	7.17 miles	28 wins	36 PR	14 CR	45 Road, 28 XC, 7 Mountain, 6 Trail
October	93 races	834.69 miles	8.98 miles	33 wins	25 PR	18 CR	47 Road, 34 XC, 10 Trail, 2 Mountain
November	86 races	632.58 miles	7.36 miles	17 wins	15 PR	11 CR	44 XC, 32 Road, 10 Trail
December	65 races	375.48 miles	5.78 miles	24 wins	25 PR	11 CR	26 Road, 25 Indoor, 8 Snowshoe, 5 XC, 1 Trail
Month	Year	Races
Jan	1982	9
Feb	1982	10
March	1993	6
April	1981	9			Total	1162
May	1982	11
June	1993	9
July	2006	9
Aug	2011	7
Sept	2005	5
Oct	1980	6
Dec	2007	7
Nov	2009	5