Friday, June 17, 2016

Only One Hill -Chapter 6: 2000s


40th Mt Washington Road Race
June 17, 2000
Saturday, 10:00 AM
891 Finishers
 
Favorites for the 40th anniversary of the race looked to be Kenyan runners.  Daniel Kihara, the three-time champion, was scheduled to return as was his sometimes-training partner Joseph Kibor.  Simon Karori was expected to take a run at the masters (40+) record.  He had never raced Mt Washington before, but his credentials included winning the Falmouth Road Race three times.  Mark Donahue, who among his many accomplishments was the 1986 New England Cross Country champion, was tearing up the local racing scene including an overall win at the USATF New England 10K championships the week before Mt Washington.  He was
expected to give Karori a chase in the master’s category.  Local favorites included Eric Morse, Craig Fram, and Dave Dunham, who had been tuning up for the race by running up mountains on most weekends during the spring.  At Mt Kearsarge they went 1, 2, and 3 with Fram destroying the master’s record.  At Wachusett Mountain Morse and Dunham went 1, 2, and followed that with a 1, 2 finish at Pack Monadnock.  Women’s favorites included Alice Muriithi, a Kenyan living in Pennsylvania, former champion Jacqueline Gareau, and top local runner Julie Peterson.

Kihara flew in from Kenya earlier in the week and may have been tired from the 17-hour flight.  He ran with Kibor for most of the race and made a decisive move in the last mile to take a 40-second victory in 59:24.  Kibor missed an additional $500 time bonus by four seconds, just missing the one-hour mark.  CMS runners dominated the top ten, placing third through sixth and eighth and tenth.  Fergus Cullen in seventh place was the only non-Kenyan and non-CMS runner in the top ten.  Karori defeated Robert Ratcliffe by three minutes to take the master’s victory however; he came up six minutes shy of the course record.  This was only the second time in a decade that less than ten men finished under 1:10.  The average finishing time for men hit a high of 1:56:31, nearly seven minutes slower than the past high.  The gap between men’s and women’s average finishing time narrowed to just over four minutes, the closest to date.

Alice Muriithi took the lead early on and was never challenged for the ladies’ crown.  Jacqueline Gareau took second and was on pace for the master’s mark, and the $4,000 bonus, through the half but faded in the second half.  Both women finished in the top 25 overall.  Former champion Barbara Remmers told New England Runner “It was a lot different for me this year, but I love that race.  I’ll run it every year the rest of my life.”  Gareau also chimed in, “I love this race.  I’ve run this course four times and I still can’t tell where the finish is.  Can you believe that?”

CMS led the charge in the team category with a one hour and 13 minute victory over the WCRC in 5:35:47.  The WCRC took the win in the 40+ team finishing 2:49 ahead of CSU and 5 minutes ahead of GMAA.  CSU turned the tables, taking first in the 50+ category. CMS won the women’s team title by 12 minutes over CSU in 4:34:13.  CMS also won the 40+ category, their time of 4:44:46 would have been fast enough to rank second among open women’s teams and beat the CSU masters team by nearly 20 minutes.

New England Runner presented the story of the CMS fifth man with a colorful account of his “Annual peristalsis that CMS Steve Peterson experiences at the summit of Mt Washington was evidence of the uniqueness of the race.  Peterson pleaded ‘I don’t know what it is, I only throw up at this race’.”

Streaker (continuous finishes at Mt Washington) Ron Johnston told New England Runner, “This race is what keeps me going.  I can’t miss a year because I’ve run 20 straight.”  Johnston is in rare company as only twenty runners have completed 20 or more in a row.  Leo Tomasetti along with teammates Anthony Zablocki and Lou Lapirviere carried the race number of fellow Rhode Island Road Runner Jerry Musco who had died six days earlier.  Former club president Fred Zuleger told New England runner, “Jerry was such an optimist he’d signed up for Mt Washington even though he was battling cancer.”

The race packet called the event the “40th Run to the Clouds.”  Healthsource, Bridgton Academy, and Citizens Bank sponsored the race.  Number pickup had to be completed prior to 9:00 AM on race day.  New features this year were Shaklee performance drinks at the half, along with Polar water at the aid stations.  A “Rides” area was available in the tent at the base where runners and drivers could meet to arrange rides down from the summit after the race as no formal transportation is provided.  New England Runner sponsored a $4,000 bonus for the first runner to break the 40+ age group record.   USATF membership cards and a Direct Payment license were required for money prizewinners.  The prize purse was $4,850 plus time bonuses.  Medals were presented to the top two in five year age groups, the top ten overall, the first five open teams, the top three WAVA master’s, the top three master teams, the top 50+ team, and the top two Clydesdales and top Filly.  The traditional Crossan cup was awarded to the top NH finisher.
 

Top 25 Finishers

Place  Name                Club   Time          Age   City & State
1 Daniel Kihara                                    0:59:24           32        KEN
2 Joseph Kibor                                  1:00:04            27        Concord, MA (KEN)
3 Dave Dunham                       CMS    1:02:48            36        Bradford, MA            FW
4 Eric Morse                          CMS    1:04:54            35        Berlin, VT
5 Dan Verrington                   CMS    1:07:50            37        Bradford, MA
6 Mike Casner            CMS    1:09:30            38        Keene, NH
7 Fergus Cullen                      GLRR   1:09:58            28        W Hartford, CT
8 Richard Bolt                        CMS    1:10:45 29        Manchester, NH
9 Simon Karori                                   1:11:25             40        Concord, MA (KEN)
10 Stephen Peterson             CMS    1:13:35 34        Chelmsford, MA
11 Robert Ratcliffe                            1:14:49 42        Lincoln, MA
12 Michael Kinter                   Reeb    1:15:22 35        Morro Bay, CA
13 Mark Behan                        WCRC  1:15:27 37        Newton, NH
14 Mark Donahue                   CMS    1:15:39 41        Newport, RI
15 Francis Burdett                GLRR   1:15:40 35        Worcester, MA
16 Michael Danahy                              1:16:00 21        Lewiston, ME
Place  Name                Club   Time          Age   City & State
17 Ernest Brake                     GSRT  1:16:14             38        Warner, NH
18 Stephen Marsalese           NYH    1:17:03 34        New York, NY
19 Tony Bates             GLRR   1:17:07 41        Salisbury, VT
20 Alice Muriithi                   1:17:26      26     Westchester NY (KEN)
21 Edward Sheldon                GCS     1:17:49 35        Hooksett, NH
22 Sumner Brown                   CSU     1:18:33 56        Belmont, MA
23 Jacqueline Gareau              1:18:43      47     Boulder, CO         FW
24 Tek Kilgore                                   1:19:50 46        Park City, UT
25 Thompson Parker              CIGN   1:20:00            30        Bow, NH
26 Keith Woodward              GMAA 1:20:10 49        E Corinth, VT
27 Rod Viens                                      1:20:22            32        Sunapee, NH
128 John Cederholm              BAA     1:32:14 57        Marion, MA                 FW
 
Top 25 Women
Place  Name                        Club   Time          Age   City & State
1 Alice Muriithi                                              1:17:26 26        Westchester, NY (KEN)
2 Jacqueline Gareau                                       1:18:43 47        Boulder, CO                FW
3 Julie Peterson                                 SAUC  1:23:00            40        Beverly, MA
4 Suzy West                                      CSU     1:24:20            37        Putney, VT
5 Colleen Allen                                   GSRT  1:24:49            33        Newport Center, VT
6 Kerry Arsenault                              HITK   1:27:00            35        Clinton, CT
7 Catherine Lifschultz                      BAA     1:27:17 37        Sudbury, MA
8 Nikki Kimball                                               1:28:11             29        Elizabethtown, NY
9 Donna Smyers                                 CVT     1:29:27            42        Montpelier, VT
10 Karen McGahie                              CMS    1:29:28            38        Boylston, MA
11 Rebecca Stockdale-Woolley         CMS    1:29:37            49        Chaplin, CT
12 Julie Denney                                  CPTC   1:32:53            32        New York, NY
13 Sue Long                                                    1:33:03            40        Gorham, NH
14 Lynn Achee                        BKVR   1:33:30            44        Manchester Center, VT
15 Amy Ireland                                  GSRT  1:34:21 34        Concord, NH
16 Barbara Remmers                                     1:35:02            36        New York, NY             FW
17 Jacqueline Shakar             CMS    1:35:08            40        Worcester, MA
18 Ann Remmers                                             1:36:01 38        Ann Arbor, MI
19 Maureen Sullivan                           GLRR   1:36:32            43        Concord, MA
20 Lorrie Marnell                                          1:38:23            39        Locke, NY
21 Eileen Greeley                               CAA     1:38:48            35        Portsmouth, NH
22 Shawna Walega                             WCRC  1:39:02            39        Manchester NH
23 Jennifer Blastow                                      1:39:11             28        Otisfield, ME
24 Jodi-Lyn Couture                         NMC    1:39:27            40        Fitchburg, MA
25 Paulette Bolton                                         1:39:38            40        Danielson, CT

5-Year Age groups
Place  Name                Time          Age   City and State      Category
232     Kiersten Lippmann    1:39:46            19        Wayland MA               Under 20
310      Andrea Leonard         1:44:45            22        N Andover MA           20-24
20        Alice Muriithi             1:17:26 26        Westchester, NY      25-29
47        Colleen Allen               1:24:49            33        Newport Ctr., VT       30-34
45        Suzy West                 1:24:20            37        Putney, VT                  35-39
40        Julie Peterson            1:23:00            40        Beverly, MA                40-44
23        Jacqueline Gareau      1:18:43 47        Boulder, CO                45-49
341      Dorothy Helling         1:46:41 50        Montpelier, VT           50-54
381      Faye Gagnon               1:49:24            55        Minot, ME                   55-59
748     Diana Avery                2:12:59            62        Loudon, NH                 60-64
716      Maggie Solomon         2:09:17            66        Glen, NH                     65-69
839     Hildy Fosse                2:25:47           71        Holderness, NH         70-74
889     Louise Rossetti          2:54:12            78        Saugus, MA                75+
                                                                                               
77        Joshua Dixson            1:35:17 19        Rockport, ME             Under 20
16        Michael Danahy          1:16:00 21        Lewiston, ME              20-24
2          Joseph Kibor              1:00:04            27        Concord, MA              25-29
1          Daniel Kihara              0:59:24           32        KEN                             30-34
3          Dave Dunham              1:02:48            36        Bradford, MA            35-39
9          Simon Karori              1:11:25             40        Concord, MA              40-44
24        Tek Kilgore                 1:19:50 46        Park City, UT              45-49
53        Tom Maynard             1:25:18 53        Durango, CO               50-54
22        Sumner Brown            1:18:33 56        Belmont, MA               55-59
97        John Pelton                1:29:43            61        W Rupert, VT             60-64
289     Gerald Barney 1:43:21 67        Swanton, VT               65-69
572     Robert Hall                1:59:37            71        Sudbury, MA              70-74
784      Carlton Mendell           2:15:31             78        Portland, ME               75+

Alice Muriithi

Top 5 Teams
Men                          Men 40+                     Men 50+
1 CMS             5:35:47           1 WCRC           7:11:34 1 CSU              8:27:28
2 WCRC          6:49:10            2 CSU             7:14:23            2 RIRR 8:51:13
3 GLRR            6:59:42           3 GMAA          7:17:19 3 WCRC          9:07:45
4 GCS              7:00:26           4 CMeS           7:42:53           4 CMeS           9:20:05
5 CSU             7:14:23            5 NMC             7:45:17            5 GCS              9:41:49

Women                      Women 40+

1 CMS             4:34:13            1 CMS             4:44:46
2 CSU             4:46:01            2 CSU             5:04:32
3 GSRT           4:47:02           3 CVTRC         5:10:18
4 WCRC          5:08:29           4 GCS              5:26:50
5 CVTRC         5:10:18 5 WCRC          5:29:03

Top ten finisher Stephen Peterson

41st Mt Washington Road Race
June 16, 2001
Saturday 10:00 AM
897 Finishers

The favorites heading into this edition of the race included course record holder Daniel Kihara and Janko Bensa, a 2:14 marathoner who finished third at the Litchfield Hills 7.1 mile race the previous week.  Others considered possible contenders were New Englanders Craig Fram, Eric Morse, Dave Dunham, and Mike Casner.  They took the top four spots at the Pack Monadnock 10 mile race earlier in the month.  Morse and Dunham had a final tune-up the week before when they tied in a course record 56:26 at the Whiteface Mountain 8 mile.

Favorites among the women included Anna Pichrtova and Joan Samuelson.  Others in contention were Rene Frazee, a US Mountain team member and perennial top finisher Julie Peterson from Beverly MA.  Pichrtova had finished in the top ten at the World Mountain running Trophy and was a top marathoner in her home country of the Czech Republic.

Bob Fitzgerald of New England Runner recounts seeing Dunham the day before the race.  “You might as well write the check out now, Fram Loves the heat.  The record is gonna go.”  Dunham was referring to the new bonus of $4,100 that New England Runner was offering for a master’s record.

Temperatures on race day set the tone as it was in the 80s at the base and the summit reached 56 degrees.  Winds on the top were 50 mph and at times the visibility was down to thirty feet.  Mike Casner was seen soaking in the Peabody River just before the start.  He noted in the Union Leader, “I’ve had a great race one year and come back the following edition thinking I had it all figured out and of course I ran horribly.” 

 Kihara told the Union Leader, “I am terribly tired” after his seventeen-hour flight from Kenya.  He also told New England Runner that it was “too hot”.  This did not stop Bensa and Colombian Mountain expert German Fernandez from blasting out a first mile in 6:02.  Fernandez was the first off the back, paying for the early pace with a 34th place finish.  Bensa and Kihara strode past two miles side by side in 13:52.  In the next mile Kihara forged a 25-second lead as Bensa passed in 22:25.  Soon after Bensa flagged down a passing press van and climbed in, his race over.  The New England trio of Fram, Dunham and Morse reached the half together, spanning the road 1:19 after Kihara passed alone in first in 29:25.  Kihara continued to pull away as he passed six miles in 46:42.  The record was out of reach but breaking an hour was still possible.  He missed the additional $1,000 for a sub 60-minute finish with his fourth win in 1:00:06.  Dunham and Fram charged up the final hill four minutes later with Dunham taking second place and Fram taking third in a new masters (40+) record of 1:04:20.  Fram collapsed after finishing and told New England Runner, “In all the races I’ve run that’s the first time my legs wouldn’t support me through the finish chute.”  Fram won $4,100 for the masters record, $300 for finishing third overall, $250 for winning the age graded (WAVA) competition, and $100 for being the top New Hampshire finisher.  The weather conditions proved to be a deterrent in running fast as only five men finished in under 1:10, the fewest since 1976.

 Anna Pichrtova passed the three-mile mark in 25:58 with Joan Samuelson just over one minute back.  Pichrtova expanded her lead and took a three-minute victory over Samuelson.  She also finished an incredible thirteenth place overall.  In New England Runner Pichrtova said, “Never again.”  Samuelson’s time was just 44 seconds shy of her own master’s record.  She told the Hartford Courant, “It was survival.  It was steeper than I recalled.”   Samuelson was awarded $500 for her second place finish and an additional $250 for topping the age graded (WAVA) competition.  The Hartford Courant also caught up with Fram and Dunham at the finish line and related the following “Craig you’re the man! Dunham yelled. Woooo!  I haven’t run this enough to know what the splits are said Fram.  By about six or seven miles I knew I had a shot.  I knew he had it Dunham said.  It hurt though Fram noted.  I’ve never heard anyone groan so much said Dunham.”  The women’s field made up over 25% of the field, coming in at 25.31%.  The average women’s finishing time was an all time high of 2:02:17.

CMS won the team title for the tenth straight year with a one-hour and sixteen-minute victory over the Whirlaway Racing Team in 5:39:58.  The WCRC earned the 40+ title with a 15 minute win over the NMC in 7:11:29.  The 50+ was also won by the WCRC with an 8:53:16 to defeat CSU by 11 minutes.  The women’s title went to CMS finishing a little over four minutes ahead of CSU in 4:32:53.  CMS also beat CSU in the 40+ category 4:42:47 to 4:54:14.  The GCS took the win in the women’s 50+ team by 15 minutes over the MVS 6:15:45 to 6:30:27.

Mark Behan, of Newton, NH, a sub 1:10 Mt Washington runner and a writer for the Eagle-Tribune talked about his post race run.  “I joined Dunham and Verrington for the run down the mountain which was much more enjoyable than the ascent.  The view of the presidential range was spectacular and the sheer beauty of the mountain is not appreciated while staring down at ones knees on the run up.”  Dan Verrington, a top local runner, told the Eagle-Tribune, “I’ve always walked a little.  If you do it at strategic points, it sometimes feels better.”  His plan worked well as he finished fifth and doubled up with a second place finish the following day at the Whirlaway 10K race.  Final word on the race came from Simon Karori, one of the top 40+ racers, as he told Vin Sylvia of the Union Leader, “It was very tough – the record, this course, the weather.”
 
Top 25 Finishers
Place  Name                Club   Time          Age   City and State
1 Daniel Kihara                                    1:00:06            33        KEN
2 Dave Dunham                       CMS    1:04:20            37        Bradford, MA            FW
3 Craig Fram                          Whirl  1:04:29            42        Plaistow, NH               FW
4 Eric Morse                          CMS    1:05:00            36        Berlin, VT
5 Dan Verrington                   CMS    1:08:42            38        Bradford, MA
6 Larry Sayers                       CMS    1:10:43 41        Bellows Falls, VT
7 Mike Casner            CMS    1:11:13             39        Keene, NH
8 Nick Conway            Willow 1:11:15             26        Alpaus, NY
Place  Name                Club   Time          Age   City and State
9 Fergus Cullen                      CMS    1:11:21             29        Laconia, NH
10 Michael Woodman                         1:12:07 35        Timonium, MD
11 Jeff Day                                         1:12:22 30        Berea, OH
12 Steve Peterson                 CMS    1:12:33 35        Chelmsford, MA
13 Anna Pichrtova                 1:13:48       27     Waynesboro,VA (CZE)
14 David Herr                                    1:14:23 36        Canaan, VT
15 Thomas Murdock III        AE      1:15:11             37        Somerville, MA
16 Rick Copley            WMM  1:15:25 28        Conway, NH
17 Joel St Louis                                 1:15:54 39        Fleurimont, CAN
18 Ernest Brake                     GSRT  1:15:57 39        N Sutton, NH
19 Matthew Curran                            1:16:20 44        Gloucester, MA
20 Andrew Baird                                1:16:20 28        Fairlee, VT
21 Mark Berman                     CAA     1:16:33 43        Eliot, ME
22 Joan Samuelson         Nike  1:16:47       44     Freeport, ME
23 Charlie Casey                    Willow 1:17:30 38        Alpaus, NY
24 Sproule Love                                 1:17:48 29        Brooklyn, NY
25 Francis Burdett   GLRR   1:17:59 36        Worcester, MA
26 Stephen Marsalese          NYH    1:18:09 35        New York, NY
27 Peter Lopriore                              1:18:40 35        Somerset, MA
28 Keith Woodward              GMAC  1:18:52 50        E Corinth, VT             FW
37 Bob Hodge                                    1:20:21 45        Clinton, MA          FW
106 John Cederholm              BAA     1:30:12 58        Marion, MA             FW
 
Top 25 Women
Place  Name                        Club   Time  Age   City and State
1 Anna Pichrtova                                             1:13:48 27        CZE
2 Joan Samuelson                              Nike    1:16:47 44        Freeport, ME
3 Cathy Pearce                                               1:20:02            38        Socorro, NM
4 Nikki Kimball                                   WMAC 1:20:11             30        Elizabethtown, NY
5 Suzy West                                      CSU     1:24:20            38        Putney, VT
6 Rene Frazee                                                1:25:01 34        Salida, CO      
7 Marjorie Shearer                                       1:25:16 30        Northampton, MA
8 Colleen Allen                                   GSRT  1:25:22            34        Newport Center, VT
9 J'Ne Day-Lucore                                        1:29:18 40        Denver, CO                 FW
10 Kerry Arsenault                            Hitek 1:29:59            36        Clinton, CT
11 Jacqueline Shakar                         CMS    1:30:08            41        Worcester, MA
12 Rebecca Stockdale-Woolley        CMS    1:30:27            50        Chaplin, CT
13 Joselle Germano                                       1:30:41 27        Dover, NH
14 Donna Smyers                               CVRC   1:31:53 43        Montpelier, VT
15 Barbara McManus                         CMS    1:32:18 33        Worcester, MA
16 Ellen McCurtin                               Millrs  1:32:40            34        Danbury, CT
17 Leslie Krichko                                CSU     1:32:56            42        Ridgefield, CT
18 Kara Molloy                                    GLRR   1:33:16 30        Westford, MA
Place  Name                        Club   Time  Age   City and State
19 Jennifer Rappaport                      BAA     1:33:18 37        Melrose, MA
20 Lesley Keene                                 NMC    1:33:22            43        Fall River, MA
21 Kristin White                                            1:33:58            29        Fayetteville, NY
22 Jessica Blake                                GBTC   1:34:35            23        N Attleboro, MA
23 Catherine Lifschultz                    BAA     1:34:59            38        Sudbury, MA
24 Deborah Schieffer                      Horst  1:36:13 26        Vernon, CT
25 Christine Pratt-Gorrill                 CCAC   1:36:44            38        Centerville, MA
31 Barbara Remmers                                     1:41:33 37        New York, NY             FW
 
5-Year Age Groups
Place  Name                        Time          Age   City and State        Category
380     Elizabeth Boucher                 1:50:02            14        Groton, CT                  Under 20
149      Jessica Blake                         1:34:35            23        N Attleboro, MA       20-24
13        Anna Pichrtova                       1:13:48 27        Waynesboro (CZE)    25-29
35        Nikki Kimball                          1:20:11             30        Elizabethtown, NY     30-34       
33        Cathy Pearce                          1:20:02            38        Socorro, NM              35-39
22        Joan Samuelson                     1:16:47 44        Freeport, ME             40-44
250     Pam Hall                                  1:42:18 47        Litchfield, NH            45-49
107      Rebecca Stockdale-Woolley 1:30:27           50        Chaplin, CT                  50-54 AGR
512      Jane Levesque                        1:57:18 59        Nashua, NH                55-59
691      Diana Avery                            2:10:12 63        Loudon, NH                 60-64
749     Maggie Solomon                     2:16:45            67        Glen, NH                     65-69
839     Hildy Fosse                            2:33:34           72        Holderness, NH         70+
 
65        Brian Oliver                            1:25:57            16        Belmont, NH               Under 20
75        Angus McCusker                    1:26:58            20        Buckland, MA              20-24
8          Nick Conway                           1:11:15             26        Alpaus, NY                  25-29
1          Daniel Kihara                          1:00:06            33        KEN                             30-34
2          Dave Dunham                          1:04:20            37        Bradford, MA            35-39       
3          Craig Fram                              1:04:29            42        Plaistow, NH               40-44 AGR
31        Bob Johnson                           1:19:14             45        Leominster, MA         45-49
28        Keith Woodward                    1:18:52 50        E Corinth, VT             50-54
90        Jonathan Stableford            1:28:29            56        Andover, MA              55-59
145      John Pelton                            1:34:19 62        W Rupert, VT             60-64
503     George Bisson                        1:56:50            65        Hooksett, NH            65-69
464     Geoffrey Etherington           1:55:02            72        Jupiter, FL                 70-74
829     Peter Pantelis                         2:31:07            75        Waterford, CT          75-79
894     Phil Campbell                          3:07:41            83        Lynnfield, MA             70-84
897     Howard Kellogg                      3:11:57 85        Gwynedd, PA               85+

Top 5 Teams   
Men                          Men 40+                            Men 50+
1 CMS             5:39:58           1 WCRC           7:11:29            1 WCRC           8:53:16
2 WHIRL        6:55:04           2 NMC             7:26:17                        2 CSU             9:04:50
3 WCRC          6:58:55           3 CSU             7:53:08                       3 NMC             9:21:55
4 BAA             7:16:50            4 CMeS           8:17:12            4 WMM           9:41:22
5 HTC             7:18:42            5 GSRT           8:26:37                       5 CR                9:44:22
 
Women                      Women 40+                         Women 50+
1 CMS             4:32:53           1 CMS             4:42:47                       1 GCS              6:15:45
2 CSU             4:37:17            2 CSU             4:54:44                       2 MVS             6:30:27
3 BAA             4:51:13 3 WCRC          5:27:43
4 NMC             4:55:42           4 GCS              5:30:16
5 GSRT           5:08:18            5 WMM           5:32:16

Fram setting a new 40+ age group record

42nd Mt Washington Road Race
June 15, 2002
Saturday, 10:00AM
878 Finishers

The favorites heading into the 42nd running appeared to be Daniel Kihara, a four-time winner and Anna Pichrtova, who had won in 2001.  Pichrtova came in looking strong having placed second at the Wheeling 20K two weeks earlier.  The others who looked to challenge included Kenyan Alice Muriithi, who won in 2000, and Anita Ortiz, a top US mountain runner from Colorado.  The men’s field featured Kenyan Zablon Mokaya, who was victorious the week before in the James Joyce 10k running a 29:29, and Simon Wangai who ran 45:12 for 10 miles the month before.  Craig Fram looked to have competition in the master’s race with US mountain team member Richard Shelley making his debut at Mt Washington.  Other hopefuls for the title included Simon Gutierrez with a 1:01 personal best and the New England favorites.  New Englanders Fram, Eric Morse, Paul Low, Mike Casner, and Dave Dunham showed promise by taking the top five spots at the Pack Monadnock 10 mile race on June 2.

 Newspaper headlines told the major story for the 2002 race.  “Summit Canceled” announced the Union Leader. “The Mountain pulls rank for us mortals.” and “Unsafe conditions on unforgiving peak.” were also headlines in New Hampshire sports pages.  For the first time in race history it was deemed unsafe to have runners complete the entire 7.6 mile distance.  Winds over 50 miles per hour with freezing rain and a wind chill in the teens forced the Auto Road to ban vehicles from the road.  With no transportation for runners to get down safely from the summit, the decision was made to end the race at just short of the halfway mark.   Runners were required to walk or run down to the base from the halfway point.   Howie Wemyss, the general manager of the Auto Road told the Union Leader, “Our first concern was for cars on the auto road.  In a couple of hours the road may be freezing.  I kind of like the idea of runners challenging themselves under the conditions, but it was too unsafe for everybody else.” 
 
During the event a larger than “normal” group of a dozen runners passed through the mile in just over six minutes.  During the second mile Fram, Morse and Gutierrez gapped the chase group, as the leading Kenyans Mokaya, and Kihara fell back.  In the third mile Gutierrez established a lead that would not be narrowed.  He crossed the hastily created new finish line in 28:02, ten seconds ahead of Morse.  Morse took exception to a reporter asking him “What happened?” telling the reporter, “I got *#!@*ing second place, what do you mean what happened?”  Morse followed up the Mt Washington race with a victory and course record at Mt Ascutney the following week.

Pichrtova, a 2:33 marathoner, showed her speed as she dominated the women’s race.  She assumed the lead at the start and was never challenged, crossing the line in 32:32.  Anita Ortiz, a top mountain runner who had recently won at the Pikes Peak ascent and the Wolverine mountain race in Alaska, finished over one minute back in 34:10.

CMS won the team title in 2:26:23, or an average of 29:17 per person, finishing 28 minutes ahead of the WCRC.  The WCRC took the top spot in the 40+ competition in 3:01:57 over nine minutes up on CSU.  CSU reversed the result with an eight minute victory over WCRC in the 50+ category.  The women’s team victory went to CMS in 1:53:24, six minutes ahead of CSU.  CSU took the 40+ win by four minutes over WMM in 2:12:20.  The WCRC won the 50+ in 2:33:46, just over a minute ahead of the WMM.

Top 25 Finishers
Place Name                Club   Time          Age   City and State
1 Simon Gutierrez                  ADD    28:02              36        Albuquerque, NM
2 Eric Morse                          CMS    28:12               37        Berlin, VT
3 Craig Fram                          Whirl  28:28              43        Plaistow, NH               FW
4 Paul Low                               CMS    28:46              28        Amherst, MA
5 Dave Dunham                       CMS    28:58              38        Bradford, MA            FW
6 Daniel Kihara                                   29:06              34        KEN                            FW
7 Nephat Kinyanjui                             29:38              24        KEN
8 Richard Shelley                               29:48              40        Albuquerque, NM
9 Richard Bolt                        CMS    29:52              31        Manchester, NH
10 Sean Livingston                             30:07              33        Barrington, RI
11 Kevin Tilton                        WMM  30:19               20        Center Conway, NH
12 David Hackworth                          30:26              33        Oakmont, PA
13 Scott Elliott                                 30:31               38        Boulder, CO
14 Daniel Verrington              CMS    30:35              39        Bradford, MA
15 Scott Creel                       Hgel    30:49              39        Bozeman, MT
16 Nick Conway                       GUTS  30:50              26        Alpaus, NY
17 Simon Wangai                                30:54              23        KEN
18 Benjamin Nephew                          31:05               26        Canton, MA
19 William Fanselow                           31:28               35        Golden, CO
20 Matt VonThun                               31:42               36        Colorado Springs, CO
21 Sean Hanley                                   31:49               41        Attleboro, MA
22 David Herr                                    31:51               37        Canaan, VT
23 Bruce Bridgham                            31:54               41        Jonesboro, ME
24 Mark Behan                       WCRC  32:07              39        Newton, NH
25 Casey Carroll                                32:13               30        Dover, NH
36 Keith Woodward                          32:51               51        E. Corinth, VT            FW
170 John Cederholm              BAA     40:35              59        Marion, MA                 FW
 
Top 25 Women
Place   Name                            Club    Time           Age    City and State
1 Anna Pichrtova                                             32:32              28        CZE
2 Anita Ortiz                                                 34:10               38        Eagle, CO
3 Julie Ann White                                          35:05              40        Vista, CA
4 Alice Muriithi                                              35:31               28        KEN                             FW
5 Julie Bryan                                                  35:34              33        Jackson, WY
Place Name                Club   Time          Age   City and State
6 Nikki Kimball                                   CMS    36:02              31        Elizabethtown, NY
7 Cathy Pearce                                   Whirl  36:49              39        Chelmsford, MA
8 Inge Aiken                                                   36:58              40        E Greenbush, NY
9 Suzy West                                      CSU     37:46              39        Putney, VT
10 Barbara McManus                         CMS    37:57              34        Worcester, MA
11 Ellen McCurtin                                           38:51               35        Danbury, CT
12 Kiersten Lippmann                         39:02              22        Anchorage, AK
13 Bonnie Wheeler                                         39:12               29        Littleton, NH
14 Jacqueline Shakar             CMS    39:25              42        Worcester, MA
15 Amy Bourgault                               GSRT  39:31               36        Concord, NH
16 Deborah Livingston                                   39:52              27        Vernon, CT
17 Elizabeth Doubleday                                 40:32              28        Quincy, MA
18 Sue Long                                        WMM  40:40              42        Gorham, NH
19 Cathy Lifschultz                                        40:47              39        Sudbury, MA
20 Patricia Dalconzo                          NMC    40:47              39        Lancaster, MA
21 Sherry Sikora                                           40:51               21        Succasunna, NJ
22 Lori Lambert                                GCS     41:00               37        Nashua, NH
23 Rebecca Stockdale-Woolley       CMS    41:01               51        Chaplin, CT
24 Antonia Rosavargas                                  41:02               27        Santos Domingo           
25 Tara Cardi                                                 41:39               33        E Greenwich, RI

5-Year age groups
Place  Name                               Time  Age   City and State        Category
262     Jennifer Goransson                           43:00  19        Eliot, ME                     Under 20
127      Kiersten Lippmann                             39:02  22        Anchorage, AK           20-24
30        Anna Pichrtova                                   32:32  28        CZE                             25-29
62        Julie Bryan                                         35:34  33        Jackson, WY              30-34
50        Anita Ortiz                                         34:10   38        Eagle, CO                    35-39
55        Julie Ann White                                 35:05  40        Vista, CA                    40-44
323     Anne Marie Davee                              44:41   46        Pownal, ME                  45-49
190      Rebecca Stockdale-Woolley             41:01   51        Chaplin, CT                  50-54
458     Marjorie Kos                                      48:26  57        City Island, NY           55-59
594     Louisa Dunlap                                      52:06  61        Belfast, ME                60-64
505     Barbara Robinson                               49:31   68        Franconia, NH 65-69
873     Louise Rossetti                                  1:15:29  80      Saugus, MA                80+
 
131       Nick Soule                                          39:07  16        Manchester, NH            Under 20
7          Nephat Kinyanjui                                29:38  24        KEN                             20-24       
4          Paul Low                                              28:46  28        Amherst, MA             25-29
6          Daniel Kihara                                      29:06  34        KEN                            30-34
1          Simon Gutierrez                                28:02  36        Albuquerque, NM       35-39
3          Craig Fram                                          28:28  43        Plaistow, NH               40-44
43        Matthew Curran                                 33:25  45        Gloucester, MA          45-49
Place  Name                               Time  Age   City and State        Category
36        Keith Woodward                                32:51   51        E Corinth, VT             50-54
76        Sumner Brown                                    36:38  58        Belmont, MA               55-59
160      John Pelton                                        40:22  63        W Rupert, VT             60-64
295     Wally Kurz                                          43:55  65        Salem, MA                  65-69
533     Don Ross                                             50:32  72        Marblehead, MA        70-74
754     Leon Beverly                                       56:54  75        Stamford, VT            75-79
859     Carlton Mendell                                 1:05:34  80     Portland, ME              80+
 
Top 5 Teams
Men                          Men 40+                     Men 50+
1 CMS             2:26:23           1 WCRC           3:01:57            1 CSU              3:13:17
2 WCRC          2:54:58           2 CSU             3:10:21 2 WCRC          3:21:21
3 GCS              2:59:50           3 GSRT           3:13:21 3 WMM           3:59:35          
4 GUTS           3:00:17            4 NMC             3:14:04            4 GCS              4:04:31           
5 WMM           3:04:15            5 CMeS           3:29:02           5 RIRR 4:11:07
           
Women                      Women 40+                 Women 50+ 
1 CMS             1:53:24            1 CSU              2:12:29            1 WCRC           2:33:46           
2 CSU             2:03:48           2 WMM           2:16:16 2 WMM           2:34:56          
3 GSRT           2:06:11 3 WCRC          2:22:05          
4 NMC             2:08:26           4 NMC             2:26:10           
5 WMM           2:09:26           5 GCS              2:31:42

Morse, Fram, and Gutierrez (left to right)


43rd Mt Washington Road Race

June 22, 2003
Saturday, 10:00 AM
863 Finishers

Favorites this year included Simon Gutierrez and Craig Fram, who had finished first and third in the rain-shortened 2002 race.  Others expected to be in the mix were New Englander’s Dave Dunham and Richard Bolt and Kenyan Andrew Masai.  Anna Pichrtova appeared to be a distinct favorite on the women’s side.  Others expected to be in the mix included Nikki Kimball, a US Mountain team and US 100K team member, and Kelli Lusk, a national class mountain bike racer.  Suzy West and Julie Anne White were predicted to be among the top master’s. 

 Gutierrez went out strong, stringing the field out behind him in the early going.  Craig Fram and Andrew Masai were the only ones to stay with Gutierrez.  The trio passed the mile in 6:03 and three miles in 22:10.  Masai surged just before the half and gapped the 2002 winner (Gutierrez) and the top master (Fram).  Fram told New England Runner that he didn’t lose hope as “too many times I’ve seen a guy go out great and just stop.”  Masai began to fade after five miles and was passed by Gutierrez just before six miles and Fram soon after.  Gutierrez proceeded to win in 1:02:54, just over thirty seconds ahead of Fram.  Fram took over a minute off of his master’s record and was awarded $2,000 for his efforts along with $500 for finishing second overall, and $250 for topping the age graded (WAVA) competition.  Masai would alternate jogging and walking and finished in tenth place.  Masai told press liaison John Stifler “At four miles I thought I would win.  At five I was completely dead.”  The average finishing time for men dipped back under 1:50 as they averaged 1:49:06.

 Anna Pichrtova stormed across the line in sixteenth place overall, just ahead of junior record holder Sean Livingston and longtime top ten finisher Mike Casner.  Pichrtova won by nearly five minutes over Elizabethtown New York’s Nikki Kimball.

 CMS won the team competition with the slowest winning time in a decade with a 30-minute victory over the MM& M in 5:51:44.  CMS was feeling the effects of longtime top finisher Eric Morse missing the race because of injury.  Team Gloucester took a narrow victory in the 40+ team category edging Coastal Athletic Association by three minutes with a 6:48:07.  The Cambridge Sports Union was victorious in the 50+ team category in 7:39:51.  The CMS women won the team title finishing ten minutes ahead of CSU.  CSU rebounded with a victory in the women’s 40+ category with a 26 minute victory over NMC in 4:30:23.  The WCRC won the women’s 50+ team category with a 5:22:18.

 Top 25
Place  Name                Club   Time          Age   City and State
1 Simon Gutierrez                              1:02:54            37        Alamosa, CO
2 Craig Fram                          WRT    1:03:27            44        Plaistow, NH               FW
3 Dave Dunham                       CMS    1:06:19 39        Bradford, MA            FW
Place  Name                Club   Time          Age   City and State
4 Richard Bolt                        CMS    1:06:58            32        Manchester, NH
5 Michael Danahy                               1:07:52            24        Princeton, NJ
6 Jeff Day                                          1:08:16 32        Berea, OH
7 Bruce Bridgham                              1:08:29            42        Jonesboro, ME
8 Daniel Verrington               CMS    1:09:14 40        Bradford, MA
9 Scott Elliott                                   1:09:35            39        Boulder, CO
10 Andrew Masai                                1:10:31             43        Albuquerque, NM
11 Robert Ratcliffe                            1:10:37 45        Cambridge, MA
12 David Herr                        MMM  1:10:56 38        Canaan, VT
13 Michael Woodman                         1:11:09             37        Timonium, MD
14 Ernest Brake                     GSRT  1:11:52             41        N Sutton, NH
15 Joel St Louis                                 1:12:45 41        Fleurimont, CAN
16 Anna Pichrtova                  1:12:50      30     Waynesboro, VA
17 Sean Livingston                 BAA     1:13:06 34        Barrington, RI
18 Mike Casner                       GSRT  1:13:32 41        Keene, NH
19 Mark Pitts                         MMM  1:13:40 40        North Woodstock, NH
20 Stephen Peterson CMS    1:14:07 37        Chelmsford, MA
21 John Barbour                    TG       1:14:29 49        Gloucester, MA
22 Fergus Cullen                    CMS    1:15:06 31        Wolfeboro, NH
23 Keith Woodward                          1:15:08 52        E Corinth, VT             FW
24 Evan Pilachowski               MMM  1:15:16             22        Bennington, VT
25 Bob Johnson                     NMC    1:15:18             47        Leominster, MA
26 Francis Burdett                GLRR   1:15:34 38        Worcester, MA

Top 25 Women
Place  Name                Club   Time          Age   City and State
1 Anna Pichrtova                                 1:12:50 30        Waynesboro, VA
2 Nikki Kimball                       CMS    1:17:34 32        Elizabethtown, NY
3 Kelli Lusk                             PWBR  1:19:40 33        Manitou Springs, CO
4 Suzy West                          CSU     1:20:18 40        Putney, VT
5 Julie Anne White                            1:21:35 41        San Jacinto, CA
6 Barbara McManus               CMS    1:24:01 35        Worcester, MA
7 Julie Bryan                                      1:25:33            35        Jackson, WY
8 Inge Aiken                                       1:26:10 41        East Greenbush, NY
9 Jennifer Sacheck                           1:26:38            30        Cambridge, MA
10 Evelyn Dong                       CSU     1:26:51 18        Wayland, MA
11 Bonnie Wheeler                             1:26:55            30        Littleton, NH
12 Ellen McCurtin                   MAA    1:27:46            36        Danbury, CT
13 Donna Smyers                   CVT     1:28:32            45        Montpelier, VT
14 Pamela Alexander              NMC    1:28:53            44        Harvard, MA
15 Jacqueline Shakar CMS    1:29:20            43        Worcester, MA
16 Catherine Lifschultz         BAA     1:29:57            40        Sudbury, MA
17 Raelyn Crowell                   GCS     1:30:21 32        Hudson, NH
Place  Name                Club   Time          Age   City and State
18 Vanessa McGowan                         1:30:44            26        Portland, ME
19 Kara Haas (Molloy)            GLRR   1:31:51             31        Burlington, MA
20 Kiersten Lippmann                        1:33:10 23        Anchorage, AK
21 Sue Wemyss                      WMM  1:33:16 43        Gorham, NH
22 Leslie Krichko                   CSU     1:33:58            44        Ridgefield, CT
23 Kelly Robison                                 1:34:04            34        Webster, MA
24 Sarah Peters                                1:34:29            26        Ottawa, CAN
25 Fran O'Donoghue              HTC     1:35:22            40        Wallingford, CT

5-Year Age Groups
Place  Name                Time          Age   City & State        Category
91        Evelyn Dong                1:26:51 18        Wayland, MA              Under 20 AGR
161       Kiersten Lippmann     1:33:10 23        Anchorage, AK           20-24 
137      Vanessa McGowan      1:30:44            26        Portland, ME              25-29
16        Anna Pichrtova           1:12:50 30        Waynesboro, VA        30-34
68        Barbara McManus      1:24:01 35        Worcester, MA         35-39
48        Suzy West                 1:20:18 40        Putney, VT                  40-44
106      Donna Smyers 1:28:32            45        Montpelier, VT           45-49
310      Vicki Miller                 1:42:50            50        Durham, NH                50-54
409     Marcia Masland          1:49:20            58        Lebanon, NH               55-59
591      Sally Swenson 2:00:25           60        N Conway, NH 60-64
610      Barbara Robinson       2:01:43            69        Franconia, NH 65-69
805     Hildy Fosse                2:22:27           74        Holderness, NH         70-74
855     Louise Rossetti          2:48:52           81        Saugus, MA                80+ AGR
 
79        Jacob Edwards          1:25:37            16        N. Stonington, CT      Under                       
5          Michael Danahy          1:07:52            24        Princeton, NJ             20-24
30        Jason Burke               1:16:26 25        Allston, MA                25-29
4          Richard Bolt               1:06:58            32        Manchester, NH        30-34
1          Simon Gutierrez        1:02:54            37        Alamosa, CO               35-39
2          Craig Fram                  1:03:27            44        Plaistow, NH               40-44 AGR
11         Robert Ratcliffe        1:10:37 45        Cambridge, MA          45-49
23        Keith Woodward        1:15:08 52        E Corinth, VT             50-54
70        Sumner Brown            1:24:07            59        Belmont, MA               55-59
142      John Cederholm         1:31:07 60        Marion, MA                 60-64
353     Wally Kurz                  1:46:03            66        Salem, MA                  65-69
514      Don Ross                     1:56:01 73        Marblehead, MA        70-74
812      Peter Pantelis             2:24:30           77        Waterford, CT          75-79
831      Carlton Mendell         2:31:31 81        Portland, ME              80-84
861      Philip Campbell           3:03:18            85        Scarborough, ME       85+

Top 5 Teams
Men                          Men 40+                     Men 50+
1 CMS             5:51:44            1 TG                 6:48:07           1 CSU              7:39:51 CR
2 MM&M         6:22:16            2 CAA             6:51:43            2 WCRC          7:47:38
3 GSRT           6:36:25           3 GSRT           6:55:05           3 RIRR 8:24:25
4 WMM           6:46:36           4 CSU             7:11:22 4 WMM           8:32:41
5 TG                6:48:07           5 WCRC          7:13:34            5 NMC             8:33:21
 
Women                      Women 40+                 Women 50+
1 CMS             4:10:55            1 CSU              4:30:23 CR   1 WCRC           5:22:18 CR
2 CSU             4:21:07            2 NMC             4:56:11 2 WMM           5:49:21
3 WMM           4:52:56           3 CVTR            4:57:10            3 AR                6:54:28
4 NMC             4:56:11 4 WMM           5:02:43
5 CVTR            4:57:10            5 WCRC          5:18:14

Anna Pichrtova and Stephen Peterson at an early waterstop

44th Mt Washington Road Race
June 19, 2004
Saturday, 10:00 AM
931 Finishers

The 44th edition of the 7.6 mile run to the summit of Mt Washington looked to be fast as the race was named the US National Championship.  It would also serve as a selection race for the US team to participate in the World Mountain Running Trophy (World championship) later that year.  Top runners included last year’s champion Simon Gutierrez, Paul Low the 2002 and 2003 US Mountain runner of the year; and sub-2:22 marathoner Eric Blake.  Blake tuned up for Mt Washington with a victory at the Whiteface Mountain race earlier in June.  A major favorite was Jonathan Wyatt from Wellington, New Zealand.  Wyatt was not only an excellent road runner with personal bests of 2:13 for the marathon and 28:00 for 10k, but also a mountain expert.  Wyatt had won the World Mountain trophy multiple times along with victories and course records in numerous mountain races around the world.  Anna Pichrtova the three-time female winner appeared to be an overwhelming favorite.  Top US runners included Erica Larson, Laura Haefeli, and Kelli Lusk.  Masters favorites were Cathy Pearce and former US mountain team member Kari Distefano.

Wyatt set the tone before the race even started: as he did a practice run up the mountain earlier in the week and ran easily in 1:06.  Race day featured high humidity and scattered downpours at the base and strong winds and fog on the summit.  Gutierrez led the way for the first flat section.  Wyatt assumed the lead at the base of the hill and by the mile was nearly 30 seconds up on the chase pack.  Wyatt’s time at the mile was an unbelievably fast 5:47.  Wyatt passed through three miles in 20:05, and halfway in 26:48.  He continued on to smash the course record by over one and a half minutes and earned a $5,000 prize for doing so and $1,000 for finishing first.  Paul Low won the national championship breaking away from Gutierrez and Blake in the second half.  A large group followed with fifth through tenth place all within a minute.  The average age for male finishers topped 45 with 45.34.  Over the previous ten years the average age for men went up five years, whereas women stayed steady.  The women’s average in 1995 was 40.08 and in 2004 it was 41.97.

Pichrtova led from the firing of the start cannon, running much of the race with CMS stalwart Steve Peterson.  She ran her fastest time in a record four consecutive victories, beating Erica Larson by nearly two minutes.  Larson, who was a four-time winner of the Pike’s Peak marathon, won the national championship with a 1:14:17, leading Laura Haefeli, and top master Cathy Pearce to sub 1:20 efforts.  A record 24 women broke 1:30 and a record tying four broke 1:20.  The women’s field made up a record 25.56% of finishers.

CMS led the way in the team category with another sub-5:30 effort, defeating MM&M by 35 minutes.  Coastal AA finished third overall with a team that also won the 40+ category in a record 6:15:37 besting the MM&M (who also ran under the previous record) by just under 14 minutes.  Guy Stearns, who had run a 28:31 10k and 47:06 10 mile in his prime, led the Coastal team posting a new age group record time in the 45-49 category.  MM&M won the 50+ category over CSU by about 3 minutes in 7:25:00.  The CMS ladies took the team title in an excellent 4:07:23, beating the BAA by 15 minutes.  CSU won the 40+ team competition and the WCRC was the only team to finish in the 50+ group.

Streaker (consecutive Mt Washington finishes) Dean Rasmussen ran his twenty-second straight Mt Washington race, sandwiching it between a trip to Italy and Alaska.

Top 25 Finishers
Place Name                Team  Time          Age   City and State
1 Jonathan Wyatt                              0:56:41            31        Wellington, NZL     Course record
2 Paul Low                              CMS    1:03:12 30        Amherst, MA
3 Simon Gutierrez                 Teva    1:04:17 38        Taos, NM                    FW
4 Eric Blake                            CMS    1:04:30            25        Plattsburgh, NY
5 Mark Werner                                  1:06:02            32        Rochester, NY
6 Andy Ames                                      1:06:10 41        Boulder, CO
7 Joshua Ferenc                                1:06:21 22        Westmoreland, NH
8 Eric Morse                          CMS    1:06:46            39        Berlin, VT
9 Bill Raitter                                      1:06:56            34        Bend, OR
10 Kevin Tilton                       CMS    1:07:10 22        Conway, NH
11 Philippe Rolly                      WSCR 1:07:49            31        Tuckahoe, NY
12 Richard Bolt                      CMS    1:08:15 33        Manchester, NH
13 Michael Wardian                           1:08:46            30        Arlington, VA
14 Bob Sweeney                                1:09:03            37        Rye Brook, NY
15 Ben Nephew                       CMS    1:09:09            28        Foxboro, MA
16 Keiron Tumbleton                          1:09:24            38        Hopkinton, MA
17 Joel St-Louis                                1:10:15             42        Cookshire, CAN
18 Sean Livingston                 BAA     1:10:22 35        Barrington, RI
19 Guy Stearns                       Cstal   1:10:29 45        New Castle, NH
20 Bruce Bridgham                MMM  1:10:39 43        Jonesboro, ME
21 Matt Ebiner                                   1:10:44 43        Covina, CA
22 Daniel Verrington             CMS    1:10:56 41        Bradford, MA
23 David Herr                        MMM  1:11:05             39        Canaan, VT
24 Bernie Boettcher                         1:11:30             41        Silt, CO
25 Bob Winn                                       1:12:03 45        Ogunquit, ME
46 Keith Woodward              MMM  1:17:17             53        E. Corinth, VT            FW
142 John Cederholm              BAA     1:31:07 60        Marion, MA                 FW
 
Top 25 Women
Place Name                Team  Time          Age   City and State
1 Anna Pichrtova                                 1:12:19             31        CZE
2 Erica Larson                                    1:14:17             32        Los Alamos, NM
3 Laura Haefeli                                  1:17:42 36        Del Norte, CO
4 Cathy Pearce                                   1:18:54 41        Chelmsford, MA
5 Kelli Lusk                             CMS    1:21:41             34        Amherst, MA
Place Name                Team  Time          Age   City and State
6 Nikki Kimball                       CMS    1:22:07            33        Elizabethtown, NY
7 Kari Distefano                                1:23:05            45        Telluride, CO
8 Lisa Goldsmith                    LSpor  1:23:13 39        Nederland, CO
9 Cathy O’Brien                                 1:23:29            36        Durham, NH                FW
10 Barbara McManus             CMS    1:23:35            36        Worcester, MA
11 Julie Peterson                    BAA     1:24:39            44        Beverly, MA
12 Beth Darnall                                 1:24:54            33        Catonsville, MD
13 Suzy West                         CSU     1:26:01 41        Putney, VT
14 Jacqueline Shakar CMS    1:26:40            44        Worcester, MA
15 Inge Aiken                                    1:26:52            42        East Greenbush, NY
16 Bonnie Ritchotte               MMM  1:26:58            31        Littleton, NH
17 Sarah Raitter                               1:27:37            31        Bend, OR
18 Jennifer Sacheck                         1:27:59            31        Arlington, MA
19 Cathi Campbell                  BAA     1:28:37            36        Allston, MA
20 Donna Smyers                   CVT     1:29:02            46        Montpelier, VT
21 Ellen McCurtin                   Mlrse  1:29:18 37        Danbury, CT
22 Catherine Lifschultz        BAA     1:29:20            41        Sudbury, MA
23 Sue Wemyss                     WMM  1:29:39            44        Gorham, NH
24 Jennifer Lassen                TG       1:30:14 25        Gloucester, MA
25 Kara Haas                          GLRR   1:31:01             33        Burlington, MA
68 Barbara Remmers                         1:46:34            40        Blacksburg, VA                       FW

Jonathan Wyatt on his way to a new record

5-Year Age Groups
Place Name                              Time  Age   City and State        Category
785     Jennifer Paradis                    2:13:10 12        Rochester, NH           Under 20
368     Michelle Boudreau                 1:43:49            23        Lincoln, RI                  20-24
156      Jennifer Lassen                     1:30:14 25        Gloucester, MA          25-29
27        Anna Pichrtova                       1:12:19             31        CZE                             30-34
49        Laura Haefeli                         1:17:42 36        Del Norte, CO            35-39
54        Cathy Pearce                          1:18:54 41        Chelmsford, MA         40-44
81        Kari Distefano                        1:23:05            45        Telluride, CO              45-49
170      Rebecca Stockdale-Woolley 1:31:18             53        Chaplin, CT                  50-54
601      Marjorie Kos                          1:58:07            59        City Island, NY           55-59
647     Louisa Dunlap                          2:01:54            63        Belfast, ME                60-64
497     Carrie Parsi                           1:52:14 65        Gloucester, MA          65-69
632     Barbara Robinson                   2:00:42           70        Franconia, NH 70-74 AGR
875     Hildy Fosse                           2:24:43           75        Holderness, NH         75-79
929     Louise Rossetti                      3:00:52           82        Saugus, MA                80+
34        Zach Emerson            1:13:57 19        Hillsboro, NH             Under 20
7          Joshua Ferenc                        1:06:21 22        Westmoreland, NH    20-24
4          Eric Blake                               1:04:30            25        Plattsburgh, NY         25-29
1          Jonathan Wyatt                     0:56:41            31        Wellington, NZL        30-34 AGRCR
3          Simon Gutierrez                    1:04:17 38        Taos, NM                    35-39
6          Andy Ames                             1:06:10 41        Boulder, CO                40-44
19        Guy Stearns                           1:10:29 45        New Castle, NH          45-49
45        John Barbour                         1:16:46 50        Gloucester, MA          50-54
143      Jonathan Stableford            1:29:10 59        Andover, MA              55-59
98        Sumner Brown                        1:24:34            60        Belmont, MA               60-64
413      Bob Coughlin                           1:46:47            65        Cape Elizabeth, ME    65-69
634     Richard Fedion                       2:00:53           70        N Conway, NH 70-74
709     Robert Hall                            2:06:06           75        Sudbury, MA              75-79
923     Carlton Mendell                     2:47:58           82        Portland, ME              80+

 
Top 5 Teams Men          Men 40+                     Men 50+            
1 CMS             5:29:53           1 CAA              6:15:37 CR    1 MM&M         7:25:00 CR
2 MM&M         6:05:27           2 MM&M         6:29:02           2 CSU             7:27:54
3 CAA             6:15:37            3 TG                6:52:30           3 WCRC          7:50:02
4 TG                6:52:30           4 CSU             7:13:10 4 NMC             8:30:03
5 WMM           6:58:54           5 NMC             7:19:49            5 RIRR 8:36:32
 
Women                      Women 40+                 Women 50+
1 CMS             4:07:23           1 CSU              4:38:40           1 WCRC           5:43:37
2 BAA             4:22:36           2 WMM           4:52:25           2 WMM           6:22:30
3 CSU             4:37:25           3 CVTRC         5:02:02           3 FLRC 7:12:05
4 MM&M         4:44:12            4 MM&M         5:02:11 4 GCS              7:18:46
5 WMM           4:46:27           5 NMC             5:30:08

45th Mt Washington Road Race
June 18, 2005
Saturday, 10:00 AM
811 Finishers
 
Leading up to the 45th edition of the classic New England mountain race a great field was being assembled.  On the women’s side Anna Pichrtova of the Czech Republic was the favorite based on her four prior wins.  Melissa Moon of Wellington, New Zealand looked to unseat the reigning champion.  Moon had twice won the Mountain running World Trophy (in 2001 and 2003), and was rumored to be in excellent form.  She had an impressive seven national cross-country titles to go with her many accomplishments.  Moon and Pichrtova dueled two weeks before at the USATF trail running championships in Vail Colorado.  They exchanged leads throughout with Pichrtova taking the win by twenty seconds. 

On the men’s side there would be no repeat champion as Jonathon Wyatt chose not to return.  The men’s field looked to be strong, with many top runners returning.  Those expected to challenge for the win included Simon Gutierrez who had won in 2002 and 2003, Paul Low the 2004 runner-up, and Eric Blake who finished fourth in 2004.

Local favorites included Kelli Lusk who had finished third in 2003 and fifth in 2004.  Top ten finisher Kevin Tilton of Conway NH was running well on the USATF New England mountain circuit, including a win at the Mt Kearsarge race.  Tristan Colangelo was also a potential frontrunner, based on his personal bests of 4:09 for the mile and 14:06 for 5K.

The 40+ age group competition looked to be one of the better races within the race as Matt Carpenter and Eric Morse were returning.  Morse has the most top five finishes without a victory, and Carpenter has run a 59:16 in his last Mt Washington appearance when he won in 1999.  Both runners would be aiming for Craig Fram’s course record of 1:03:27, and the $2,000 bonus for bettering it.  The duo were also considered to be in the hunt for the overall victory, as Carpenter had won the USATF trail running championships two weeks prior and Morse had placed a close second to Low at the Mt Ascutney run on June 13.  Local runners Suzy West and Cathy Pearce figured to be the top women in the 40+ category.  Former champions Peg Donovan (1987) and Jacqueline Gareau (1989, 1994, and 1996) would be racing in the 50+ age group.

 Conditions on race day pointed toward fast times, and the top runners were quick to take advantage.  Moon and Pichrtova ran side by side in the mist and light rain on the lower slopes of the mountain.  Moon called it “cat and mouse the whole way”.  As they battled back and forth, Gutierrez led the men’s pack.  He drew Carpenter, Blake, and Low away from the rest of the field.  After passing the half way mark, Low slid off the back.  Blake and Gutierrez continued side by side.  As they pressed the pace, Carpenter was dropped.  Gutierrez pulled away from Blake in the last half mile to record a personal best 1:00:54.  Blake crossed the line thirteen seconds later and noted “Simon is very savvy; he knows what he is doing”.  Gutierrez proved him right as he now owns two of the three closest victories ever recorded.  In 2002 he won over Low by ten seconds in the weather shortened version, this trails only the 1989 two second margin of victory between Dave Dunham and Bob Hodge.

 The women’s race proved to be just as exciting as the men’s.  Pichrtova and Moon ran together until the last 200 meters.  Moon pulled ahead just before the final steep pitch and took the victory by fifteen seconds.  This was the second closest finish, behind only the thirteen second gap when Jacqueline Gareau won in 1989.  Moon missed the course record by two seconds.  Pichrtova stated “I think she could have broken the record if the course wasn’t muddy”.  She was alluding to a short steep section of the road just after five miles.  It was muddy and rutted as a race vehicle tore up some of the surface when it became stuck earlier in the morning.

Matt Carpenter was overtaken by Low in the closing stages of the race.  He finished fourth overall lowering Fram’s 40+ record by 1:25, thus earning a $2,000 bonus. 

In the team competition the CMS streak of victories continued.  CMS broke the team record of 5:20:44, which they had set in 1999, running 5:17:59.  The average time for the five scoring members was and impressive 1:03:35.  The CMS men’s 40+ team also broke the team record, taking sixteen minutes off of the Coastal AC’s 2004 time of 6:15:27.  The 5:59:04 by CMS was the first time a 40+ team broke six hours.  In the 45 years the race has been held the six hour mark has only been broken 30 times.  CMS leads the way with fourteen of those times, followed by GLRR with six, BAA with five, and GBTC with two.  The remaining sub-six times were run once by Marathon Tours, US Biathlon team, and North Country AC.   The CMS 40+ time was fast enough that it would have placed second in the open standings, behind only CMS.  The Moose Milers and Marathoners and Coastal placed a close second and third in the 40+.  MM&M also took a close victory in the 50+, defeating CMS by twenty-three seconds.  Their times were the fourth and fifth best for a 50+ team.  In an unusual quirk of the team scoring CMS would have won had the top 50+ woman Rebecca Stockdale-Woolley scored for the men’s team.

 The MM&M women took home the open team win with the sixth fastest time.  They also took the 40+ category in a course record time of 4:26:43.  They knocked nearly four minutes off of the course record set by CSU in 2003.  CSU finished in second, running the third fastest team time.  The Gate City Striders were victorious in the 50+ class, with an eighteen minute cushion over the Athletic Alliance and the Winners Circle Running Club.  The top three teams all finished with top ten (all time) times.

 The speedy conditions were apparent as state records were set for Alaska, Arizona, Indiana, Kansas, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, North Carolina, New York, Ohio, Rhode Island, and Washington.  Records were also set for the Czech Republic and New Zealand.  Sixteen single age record were also set.  Fred Ross continued his longest recorded streak, finishing in his twenty-eighth consecutive race.  Anna Pichrtova moved into a tie for seventh on the all time money maker list with Jacqueline Gareau.  Each has earned $4,350.  Craig Fram tops the list having earned just under ten thousand dollars in six Mt Washington races.

 Top 25 Finishers
Place Name                Team  Time          Age   City and State
1 Simon Gutierrez                  TEVA  1:00:54            39        Alamosa, CO
2 Eric Blake                            CMS    1:01:07 26        Plattsburgh, NY
3 Paul Low                               CMS    1:02:01 31        Amherst, MA
4 Matt Carpenter                              1:02:12 40        Manitou Springs, CO              FW
5 Kevin Tilton                         CMS    1:03:42            23        Conway, NH
6 Eric Morse                          CMS    1:05:26            40        Berlin, VT
7 Peter Maksimow                 CMS    1:05:43            26        Springfield, MA
8 Chad Newton                                   1:06:38            35        Pisgah Forest, NC
9 Sean Livingston                   BAA     1:07:13 36        Barrington, RI
10 Richard Bolt                      CMS    1:07:30            34        Nashua, NH
11 Josh Ferenc                       BAA     1:08:07            23        Westmoreland, NH
12 Dan Verrington                  CMS    1:09:23            42        Bradford, MA
13 Tim Livingston                   WMM  1:09:29            31        Conway, NH
14 Gregory Colburn                MMM  1:09:40            27        Arlington, MA
15 Melissa Moon                   1:10:11      35     Wellington, NZL
16 David Herr                        MMM  1:10:14             40        Canaan, VT
17Anna Pichrtova                   1:10:26      32     Boulder, CO (CZE)          FW
18 Dave Dunham                     CMS    1:10:37 41        Bradford, MA                        FW
19 Ben Nephew                       CMS    1:11:03             29        Foxboro, MA             
20 David Hannon                    NEW   1:11:56             34        Newton, MA              
21 Joseph McVeigh                NYAC  1:12:39 41        Convent Station, NJ             
22 Matt Mallet                      SRT     1:12:52 30        Saratoga Spring, NY            
23 Michael Woodman CMS    1:13:17             39        Timonium, MD            
24 Stephen Peterson CMS    1:13:33 39        Chelmsford, MA                    
25 Kevin Walsh                                  1:13:37 41        Dayton, OH                
26 John Friedman                  BAA     1:14:22 24        Cambridge, MA                     
27 Brad Lebo                         CAA     1:14:43 48        Portsmouth, NH
61 Keith Woodward               MMM  1:20:54            54        E. Corinth, VT            FW           
179 John Cederholm              BAA     1:33:50            62        Marion, MA                 FW
 
                                                                        
Top 25 Women
Place Name                Team  Time          Age   City and State
1 Melissa Moon                                   1:10:11             35        Wellington, NZL
2 Anna Pichrtova                                1:10:26 32        Boulder, CO (CZE)     FW
3 Liza Grudzinski                               1:19:32 25        Harriman, NY
4 Julia Stamps                                   1:19:43 26        New York, NY
5 Cathy Pearce                       WRT    1:20:15 42        Chelmsford, MA
6 Suzy West                          CSU     1:21:24 42        Putney, VT
7 Raelyn Crowell                     MMM  1:23:12 34        Amherst, NH
8 Chari Walsh                         1:23:23            41        Dayton, OH
9 Kathy Maddock                   MMM  1:25:51 40        Wilton, NH
10 Jacqueline Gareau                         1:27:08            52        St-Bruno, PQ             FW
11 Bonnie Ritchotte                MMM  1:27:37            32        Littleton, NH
12 Kimberly Saddic                            1:27:49            35        West Chester, PA
13 Donna Smyers                   CTVT   1:27:53            47        Adamant, VT
14 Ann Rasmussen                  MMM  1:29:55            41        Plymouth, NH
15 Sue Wemyss                      WMM  1:30:18 45        Gorham, NH
16 Maggie Ramos                    MMM  1:30:57            43        Peterborough, NH
17 Jacqueline Shakar CMS    1:31:23 45        Sutton, MA
18 Adrienne Cyrulik               MVS    1:31:46 31        Andover, MA
19 Katie Schroth                               1:31:58 26        Chelmsford, MA
20 Katja Fox                          WMM  1:32:06            39        Wolfeboro, NH
21 Laura Harding                    RR        1:32:59            38        Durham, NH
22 Rebecca Stockdale-Woolley       1:33:13 54        Chaplin, CT
23 Annie Ericson                                1:34:13 25        Northampton, MA
24 Layce Alves                       TG       1:34:27            25        Gloucester, MA
25 Donna Smyth                     CSU     1:34:33            45        Vernon, VT
42 Peg Donovan                                  1:42:59            50        Auburn, NH                FW
 
5-Year Age Groups
Place Name                       Time          Age   City and State        Category
  175    Marie-Michelle Tessier         2:11:42           18        Sherbrooke, PQ            Under 20
  86      Kate Nydam                            1:52:31 23        Plainville, CT               20-24
  3        Liza Grudzinski                      1:19:32 25        Harriman, NY             25-29
  2        Anna Pichrtova                       1:10:26 32        Boulder, CO                30-34 
  1        Melissa Moon                         1:10:11             35        Wellington, NZ          35-39        GR
  5        Cathy Pearce              1:20:15 42        Chelmsford, MA        40-44
  13      Donna Smyers                        1:27:53            47        Adamant, VT             45-49
  17      Jacqueline Gareau                  1:27:08            52        St-Bruno, PQ             50-54       
  84      Jeannie Weber                      1:52:15 56        Lewiston, ME             55-59
  65      Marjorie Kos                          1:49:50            60        City Island, NY          60-64
  73      Carrie Parsi                            1:50:36            66        Gloucester, MA          65-69
  138    Barbara Robinson                   2:01:34            71        Franconia, NH            70-74
  210    Hildy Fosse               2:39:06           76        Holderness, NH          75-79
  
72        David Hunt                1:22:03            19        Fryeburg, ME            Under 20
5          Kevin Tilton                            1:03:42            23        Conway, NH                20-24
2          Eric Blake                               1:01:07 26        Plattsburgh, NY         25-29
3          Paul Low                                  1:02:01 31        Amherst, MA             30-34
1          Simon Gutierrez                    1:00:54            39        Alamosa, CO              35-39
4          Matt Carpenter                     1:02:12 40        Manitou Springs, CO 40-44 AGR
27        Brad Lebo                               1:14:43 48        Portsmouth, NH        45-49
43        Buzz Burrell              1:17:20 53        Boulder, CO               50-54
105      Jerry Learned                        1:27:11             56        Hopkinton, MA           55-59
Place Name                       Time          Age   City and State        Category
84        Jerry Rosa                1:24:54            61        Hampton, NH             60-64
267     John Pelton               1:40:23            66        West Rupert, VT        65-69
528     John Howe                 1:56:35            70        Waterford, ME          70-74
674     Robert Hall               2:09:22           76        Sudbury, MA              75-79
805     Carlton Mendell                     2:49:19            83        Windham, ME             80-84
784     George Etzweiler                   2:33:20           85        State College, PA       85-89
 
Top 5 Teams
Men’s                        Men 40+                     Men 50+
1 CMS             5:17:59 CR      1 CMS             5:59:04 CR   1 MM&M         7:33:07
2 MM&M         6:07:54           2 MM&M         6:33:03           2 CMS             7:33:30
3 BAA 6:34:00           3 CAA 6:37:31            3 WCRC          8:07:10
4 CAA 6:37:31            4 NMC             7:09:01            4 RIRR            8:37:21
5 WMM           6:46:47           5 WCRC          7:19:17 5 CSU             8:51:48
 
Women                      Women 40+                 Women 50+
1 MM&M         4:16:40            1 MM&M         4:26:43           1 GCS              6:04:01
2 CSU             4:31:24            2 CSU             4:31:24            2 AA                6:22:02
3 WMM           4:42:06           3 WMM           4:58:58           3 WCRC          6:23:01
4 CMS             4:44:31            4 NMC             5:23:13
5 TG                5:07:48           5 GCS              5:25:05

Mt Washington Medal


 

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