Old Feb. course records

I have a couple of old course records that survived this month. Both of these are pretty solid times.  The Fudge 5k course is a little long and the weather can be a factor.  The Bradford course is a certified 5m

 

Name                Date                 Age       Time     Dist       Where                           Type

Fudgsicle Series  2/09/91            26.03    14:57    3.11      Tewksbury, MA              Road

Valentine’s         2/10/96            21.02    24:31    5.00      Bradford, MA                 Road

 

Oxford dictionary online: fudgsicle (also fudgesicle, fudgesickle, fudgsickle)

 

Back on 02-09-1991 it was a nice 40 degree day I set the still standing course record at the Fudgecicle 5k race in Tewksbury, MA. My 14:57 took down Buddy Bostick’s CR from the previous year (15:31). I don’t think anyone else has ever gone under Buddy’s time. This series is a classic, according to the Greater Lowell Road Runners “Founded in 1976 after Pat (Fudge) complained to Ben (Fudge) that the ride into Cambridge, MA to organize the Fresh Pond Races was too long, Ben started another series in the town he lived – Tewksbury. The 5K race runs every Saturday morning at 8:00 AM from Tewksbury High School during the months of January and February”. This race is a throw-back to the days when racing was all about the RACE. A $1 entry fee is “suggested” and the GLRR note: “This is a no frills run – no on-line entry, no water stops – just pure runnin’. “

 

Fast Fudge

I looked back through all of the results that are posted on Coolrunning and was not just surprised at how few have ever gone under 16 but also how rare it is to break 17 minutes.  Richard Bolt was the last runner to run sub-16 and he did that twice in 2006 running a 15:46 and a 15:44.  On the day I set the course record Mike Woodman ran an excellent 15:41 placing 2nd.  I’m pretty sure that Woody’s time is still the third fastest ever run trailing only my time and Buddy Bostick’s former CR of 15:31.  Teammate Art Demers ran a 16:06 that day to place third a solid time that on most days would have won.

 

Looking back through the years that Coolrunning I came up with the list below of the fastest time run each year.  Typically if you break 17 minutes you are running pretty fast.  The only question that jumps out from this is:  Is the 2014 Ryan Gough the same person who ran the fastest time in 2002????

1997     16:51    Sean Donnelly

1998     16:52    Mick Grant

1999     ??        

2000     ??         

2001     17:42    Don Fay

2002     17:19    Ryan Gough

2003     17:34    Joe Shairs

2004     18:32    Bob Kearns

2005     17:50    Bob Kearns

2006     15:44    Richard Bolt

2007     17:40    Dave Dechellis

2008     16:56    Dan Verrington

2009     16:24    Jim Johnson

2010     17:35    Mike Quintal

2011     16:57    Matthew Germaine

2012     16:55    Chris Healey

2013     16:50    Stephen Gendron

2014     15:50    Ryan Gough

2015     18:00    Will Swenson

2016     17:43    Will Swenson

2017     17:40    Will Swenson (through 02/11)

 

 

I set the still standing Bradford Valentine’s Day 5 mile CR (24:32) back in 1996.  It was a bit windy that day but the temperature in the 40’s made for a decent (decent for February) day for racing.  CMS teammates Dan Verrington and Gary Gardner (U-Mass Lowell head track coach) joined me at the front.  Dan dropped off near “Ski Bradford” and I managed to drop Gary soon after and went on to a 29 second victory.   Gary took second in 25:01 with Dan third in 25:18.

 

Sub 26 minute times at the Bradford Valentine’s race below.  Although I lead the list, Dan has an impressive 4 times in the top 10 and 3 fast wins (he has a few other wins but not under 26 minutes).  David Hinga also has 3 times in the top 14, all of which were winning times, and Craig Fram has the masters course record (25:50) and another sub 26 (25:54) which was done as a 10 mile workout (we ran the second loop in 26:30 including the time from the finish line back to the start).

 

Rank     Time     Name                Place     Cat       Year

1          24:32    Dave Dunham    1          M31      1996

2          25:01    Casey Moulton   1          M2029   2004

3          25:03    Gary Gardner    2          M24      1996

4          25:18    Dan Verrington 3          M33      1996

5          25:22    Nate Jenkins      1          M2029   2009

6          25:27    Dan Verrington 1          M3039   2000

7          25:28    David Hinga       1          M2029   2005

8          25:37    Frank Corrigan   2          M2029   2009

9          25:38    Dan Verrington 1          M3039   1999

10         25:44    Dan Verrington 1          M3039   1998

11         25:44    Dan Vassallo      1          M2029   2011

12         25:45    David Hinga       1          M3039   2006

13         25:50    Craig Fram        2          M4049   2000

14         25:50    David Hinga       1          M3039   2007

15         25:52    Ken Pliska         1          M3039   2002

16         25:54    Dave Dunham    1          M32      1997

17         25:54    Craig Fram        2          M38      1997

18         25:58    Eric Beauchesne             2          M2029   1999