Prospect Mountain preview

Previewed the course, yesterday and today.  National championships tomorrow.

Snowshoe medals

New England runners have a great history of scoring medals at the Snowshoe National championships.  Over the last 14 years 95 medals have been won by New Englanders. 

 

47 Gold             

19 Silver            

28 Bronze                     

 

The all-time leaders with nine medals are Richard Busa (9 gold!) and John Pelton (8 Gold and 1 Bronze).

 

Here are the leaders:                  

9          Richard Busa       9 Gold                           WMAC

9          John Pelton        8 Gold/1 Bronze             

4          Dan Verington    Gold/Silver/ 2 Bronze        CMS

3          Peter Keeney     3 Gold

3          Marcy Schwam    2 Gold/1 Silver

3          Dave Dunham     2 Gold/1 Silver                CMS

3          Kevin Tilton        Gold/Bronze/Silver           CMS

 

11 more have two medals.                      

 

Here is a breakdown of all New England medalists going back to the first Nationals in 2001.

 

Good luck to everyone racing this weekend!


Name               Gend                Medal               Category         State            Year

Angie Defilippi            F                      Bronze              Overall              VT            2001

Ben Nephew            M                      Bronze              Overall              MA            2001

John Pelton            M                      Bronze              40+                   VT            2001

Dave Dunham            M                      Gold                  Overall              MA            2001

Richard Bolt            M                      Bronze              Overall              NH            2002

Keith Woodward M                      Bronze              40+                   VT            2002

Patricia Driscoll             F                      Gold                  40+                   VT            2002

Dave Dunham             M                      Silver                Overall              MA            2002

William Morse            M                      Bronze              50+                   MA            2003

John Pelton            M                      Gold                  60+                   VT            2003

Dan Verrington M                      Gold                  40+                   MA            2003

John Pelton            M                      Gold                  60+                   VT            2004

Carol Kane            F                      Gold                  50+                   CT            2004

Dan Verrington M                      Silver                40+                   MA            2004

Dan Verrington            M                      Bronze              40-44                MA            2005

Jason Ayr            M                      Gold                  Junior                MA            2005

Rich Busa            M                      Gold                  70+                   MA            2005

Mark Churchill            M                      Gold                  25-29                VT            2005

Ed Alibozek Jr.             M                      Bronze              65-69                MA            2006

Zeke Zucker            M                      Bronze              60-64                VT            2006

Dan Verrington M                      Bronze              40-44                MA            2006

Rob Smith            M                      Bronze              35-39                MA            2006

Thomas Beckum M                      Bronze              30-34                ME            2006

Maria Gonchoroff F                    Bronze              20-24                MA            2006

Rich Busa            M                      Gold            75+            MA            2006

Gerald Barney             M                      Gold            70-74            VT            2006

John Pelton            M                      Gold            60-69            VT            2006

Carol Kane             F                      Gold            60-64            CT            2006

Bob Dion            M                      Gold            50-54            VT            2006

Chelynn Tetreault          F            Gold            30-34            MA            2006

Gregory Hammett            M            Gold            25-29            NH            2006

Sheila Osgood                F            Gold            20-24            MA            2006

Kevin Tilton                    M            Gold            20-24            NH            2006

Sandra Superchi                        F            Silver            50-54            MA            2006

John Daly                       M            Silver            35-39            VT            2006

Jessica Hageman          F            Silver            30-34            NY            2006

Cory Brown                    M            Silver            20-24            NY            2006

Denise Dion                   F            Bronze            45-49            VT            2007

Britt Brewer                   M            Bronze            40-44            MA            2007

Thomas Beckum            M            Bronze            30-34            ME            2007

Richard Busa                  M            Gold            75+            MA            2007

John Pelton                    M            Gold            65-69            VT            2007

Bob Dion                        M            Gold            50-54            VT            2007

Mark Churchill                M            Gold            30-34            VT            2007

Jack Casey                     M            Bronze            50-54            MA            2008

Laurel Shortell               F            Bronze 40-44    MA            2008

Richard Busa                  M            Gold            75+            MA            2008

John Pelton                    M            Gold            65-69            VT            2008

Robert Dion                   M            Bronze            55-59            VT            2009

Denise Dion                   F            Bronze            50-54            VT            2009

Richard Busa                  M            Gold            75+            MA            2009

John Pelton                    M            Gold            70-74            VT            2009

Dave Dunham                M            Gold            45-49            MA            2009

Wally Lempart                M            Bronze            65-69            MA            2010

Sharon Barbano             F            Bronze            55-59            MA            2010

David Principe                M            Bronze            40-44            RI            2010

Sarah Phillips                 F            Bronze            25-29            MA            2010

Amber Ferreira              F            Gold            Overall            NH            2010

Richard Busa                  M            Gold            80+            MA            2010

Gerald Barney                M            Gold            75-79            VT            2010

John Pelton                    M            Gold            70-74            VT            2010

Kathy Furlani                  F            Gold             60-64            CT            2010

Marcy Schwam              F            Gold            55-59            MA            2010

Sean Snow                    M            Gold            40-44            NH            2010

Chelynn Tetrault             F            Gold            35-39            MA            2010

Marie Strouse                F            Gold            25-29            ME            2010

Ted Mcknight                 M            Silver            65-69            VT            2010

Jack Casey                     M            Silver            55-59            MA            2010

Ann Rasmussen             F            Silver            45-49            NH            2010

Elizabeth Bianchi            F            Silver            40-44            NH            2010

Tim Van Orden              M            Silver            40-44            VT            2010

Jim Johnson                   M            Silver            30-34            NH            2010

 

 

 

 

Exeter Snowshoe race

Exeter snowshoe hullabaloo – My final snowshoe race leading up to the nationals was the penultimate Granite State series race this weekend.  I’ve never run in a “hullabaloo” so this looked very interesting to me.

 

I got to the race early, with the late start (11am) I got in a run earlier in the day to help loosen up, and headed out for my normal 3 mile warm-up.  It was already about 50 degrees and warming.  The snow was going to be very soft.  I changed into race gear and headed out for a mile on the course in snowshoes.  This was going to be interesting!  The course was a big figure 8 with a ton of up/down and turns.  Basically you never went more than 100m without a change in direction and/or a climb/descent.  It was also entirely single-track and the snow was soft and getting softer.

 

  hul•la•ba•loo – noun

: a very noisy and confused situation

: a situation in which many people are upset and angry about something

 

It truly was a hullabaloo at the start as 80+ anxious runners took off down the single-track.  I got out cleanly in 2^nd place as Ryan Kelly stormed off.  The fifth runner of the line got his shoe stepped on and went down blocking the trail and nearly getting trampled to death.  I heard a lot of yelling during the first half mile, I guess it was people calling out “on your left” as they attempted to pass and sort things out.  It is considered good sportsmanship to yield the trail to a faster runner.  I heard after the race that this did not happen and especially the top woman runner was impeded.  Sad to hear that.

 

Anyway, I was out clean and working hard to keep Kelly in sight.  I had Ryan Welts and Chad Carr right behind me keeping me honest.  The effort felt very hard, mostly the footing was very poor and you’d slip/slide or punch through a lot.  That can be exhausting.  I looked at my watch at 16 minutes in and thought “probably half-way done”.  Right around the same time we did a section of the course with a big looping turn and I could see Kelly out in front but only about 25 seconds ahead.  Within another minute or so Ryan Welts made his move and flew by me on a downhill.  I was happy to have him lead for a bit and I settled in trying to place my snowshoes wherever he got good footing.

 

At 22 minutes I snuck a peek at my watch again.  I was getting tired!  We turned the corner onto the pipeline trail and with the long straight-away we could see Kelly not that far ahead.  Chad Carr made his move and flew by me and Welts.  He looked like a man on a mission.  Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on where you were in the pack, that was about the point where the snow was the deepest and least tracked.  Kelly and Carr were doing a ton of work stomping through the deep and very heavy snow.  It wasn’t easy back in fourth place but it was slightly better than being in the lead.

 

We continued to close on Kelly and with ½ mile to go Welts and I both made a move to go by Carr who graciously allowed us by.  The last climb over “Camels Hump” was difficult and I egged on Ryan with a shout of “come on we’ve got him”.  We got to within a couple of seconds of the lead when we hit 400 to go and the first really packed out section of the course.  Kelly took off, Welts said something like “damn tri-athletes” and he took off as well.  I was already all-out and was left flat footed.  Kelly took the win in 33:32 with Welts 7 seconds back and me another 7 seconds back.  Chad Carr rolled in 25 seconds later and a fast finishing Kristina Folcik took 5^th place overall (despite the aforementioned tangle with some less than gentlemanly runners).

 

Another great event put on by the Acidotic Racing crew on a perfect late winter day.

 

 

1 33:32 Ryan Kelly           32 M     Concord, NH       NH Multisport

2 33:39 Ryan Welts         33 M     Northwood, NH   aR

3 33:46 Dave Dunham     49 M     Bradford, MA      CMS

4 34:11 Chad Carr           38 M     Cambridge, MA    CRC

5 35:45 Kristina Folcik       36 F      Northwood, NH   La Sportiva

6 35:47 Quinn Parker       20 M     Hampton, NH      Sweetie Pies

7 35:48 Ned Kennedy      55 M     Bolton, CT          Shenipsit Striders

8 35:54 Phil Erwin           46 M     Wading River, NY            aR

9 36:01 Marek Telus        38 M     Hopkinton, NH    aR

10 36:05 Chris Dunn        45 M     Strafford, NH      aR

Week ending 02-23-14

I dropped down to 90 miles for this week and started feeling pretty good by Friday.  Didn't have the energy I'd hoped for when racing Saturday but gave all I had.  Only 6 days until Nationals!

Week = 90
Month = 326
Year = 764
Life = 123,785

M - 8 miles up/down Mt Kearsarge - 80:55
        4 miles nice and relaxing in 36:43

T - Lunch 7 in heavy snow 55:05
     PM Industrial park 5 in awful footing 44:53

W - Lunch 7 in 52:34
       PM out/back 5 at work in serious snow burst 40:17

Th - Lunch 7 in 51:22
        PM Lily pond 8 in 60:21

F - Lunch 7 in 50:44
      PM Winnekenni snowshoe 5 with Tripp/Putnam in 46:21

Sat - 7am Industrial park 4 (icy) in 32:48
        10am 3 warm-up, then 1 mile on snowshoes, 3.7+ snowshoe race, 1 warm-down

Sun - 630am 10 miles with D-La and Petey in 1:27:29
         9am out/back Winni 4 in 32:39

     

 

Looking back (doesn't seem that long ago)

10 years ago – February 2004

I had trouble with my hamstring and Achilles all month long and got a cortisone shot in my ankle.  In all it was a disappointing month with only 241 run while missing 2 days.  I only raced twice during the month (early on), both snowshoe races.  I finished in fourth place at the Saratoga Winterfest 5k despite running a pretty quick 22:33 (7:16 pace).  The following week I directed and raced in the Northfield Mountain snowshoe race.  The field was VERY deep with many attempting to qualify for snowshoe nationals.  I followed the long train in very deep snow on the climb, keeping the leaders in sight.  All heck broke loose on the descent as we hit the wide open groomed trail.  I got smoked, finishing in 16^th place.

 

 

5 years ago – February 2009

I had a decent month running 305 miles with zero days off and SIX races!  I started the month running the Lynn Stew Chase which is one of my favorites (it is the third oldest 15km race in the country).  I had a really good 8 mile race but completely ran out of gas the last 1.3 miles.  I was pretty happy to run right around 6 minute mile pace for 22^nd place in 56:34.  The following weekend I tried a snowshoe double (Sidehiller & Hallockville).  I basically ran alone at Sidehiller (2 minutes behind Kevin Tilton and Jim Johnson and 3 minutes ahead of fourth place).  No complaints about my third place finish over 4.1 miles in 33:53.  The next day I headed out to Hawley and had a tight race with teammates Tim Mahoney and Ben Nephew.  Ben took a wrong turn and went a little long, then we all went a little long but recovered.  Ben took 1^st in 43:05 and I was 7 seconds back with Tim close behind.  A week later I was back on the roads in my home town (Bradford) for the Valentines 5m.  Nate Jenkins won in a solid time of 25:22, my long-time training partner Dan Verrington was top master in 27:32.  I rolled in well over a minute behind Dan placing 9^th overall and 2^nd in the 40+ with a 28:49.  The next weekend I headed back out to Western MA for the USATF NE 10 mile road championships.  I was hoping to break 60 minutes and met my goal (just barely) running a 59:56 taking 16^th in the masters and 77^th place overall.  I closed out the month with a rare victory.  I took it out hard at the Hawley Kiln 4.6 mile snowshoe race and managed to get to the single-track with a lead.  The snow was very tough on the single-track with a lot of post-holing.  I pulled away during that section and managed to hold on for a 1:24 win in 38:32.

 

Looking back (way back)

30 years ago - February 1984:

During the month I ran 166 miles with 6 days off due to plantar fascia problems.  Because of the foot woes I only raced once.  I took 3^rd place at the Eastern Track championships at Southern Connecticut running a 9:02:.2.  We ended up taking the team title with 97 points!

 

25 years ago – February 1989:

I was healthy this month and logged 389 miles with no days off.  For whatever reason (lost to the depths of time) I only raced once.  My 50:03 for 10 miles was a course record but I think it was first year race (in Tewksbury) and I don’t think they held it again.  The picture shows me struggling for the finish and passing an older guy and a kid.  They were running the 5 mile race which finished in the same spot.

 

15 years ago – February 1999

I only raced 3 times in due to problems with my ankle and Achilles after the 10 mile race.  I ended up missing three days.  The first race was the mid-winter classic in Cape Elizabeth Maine were I “felt awful” and took a tie for 1^st place in 52:17 (with CMS teammate Byrne Decker).  Two weeks later I attempted my first snowshoe race, a 7 mile in Hawley MA.  I ended up having to stop 3 times to fix my shoe (I didn’t tighten the straps enough) and in the end finished in 2^nd place (58:05) 10 seconds behind Leigh Schmitt.  The following week I headed out to Amherst for the USATF NE 10 mile.  I got a $150 speeding ticket on my way out there.  I didn’t go quite as fast in the race, finishing a disappointing 9^th place in 52:27.

 

Fast snowshoe racing

So, since I posted the toughest snowshoe races I guess it makes sense to post the “easiest”.  A better way to phrase that would be FASTEST, since I’m showing the top 10 races I’ve done in pace per mile.  I hate fast snowshoe races!

 The fastest pace I’ve ever gone was the National champs in Traverse City.  The course was solid ice with a coating of snow.  I ended up 30 seconds out of first and 17 seconds ahead of Richard Bolt who finished in third.  Hollis makes the top 10 three times!

 

Rank	Date	Location	St	Dist	Time	Pace	Pl	Fin
1	02/16/02	Traverse City	MI	6.21	37:04.0	5:58	2	38	USSSA Nationals
2	02/16/03	Sturbridge	MA	3.00	18:34.0	6:11	2	55	Hyland Orchard
3	01/27/01	Stillwater	NY	4.20	26:27.0	6:18	1	78	Frost Faire
4	12/26/10	Woodford	VT	3.50	22:14.0	6:21	3	77	I love Woodford
5	01/26/02	Hollis	NH	2.75	17:39.0	6:25	1	22	Beaver brook
6	03/11/12	Greens Grant	NH	6.20	40:37.0	6:33	2	28	NH Snowshoe champs
7	03/20/04	Andover	MA	3.30	21:43.0	6:35	1	4	Merrimack river trail
8	01/02/10	Hollis	NH	2.60	17:10.0	6:36	4	90	Beaver Brook
9	02/01/14	Hollis	NH	2.40	0:15:56.0	6:38	4	76	Beaver Brook
10	01/30/10	Sandwich	NH	5.10	34:04.0	6:41	10	91	Sidehiller