Wachusett Mountain

Over 300 runners took on the Wachusett Mountain which was the third race in the USATF NE Mountain Series.  The race was a 2-in-one, you could chose to do the "up only" and finish on the summit or do the up and continue on for the round trip 10k.  I've done the race 21 times but this version is only in its fourth year.  Typically I'd only do the UP but this year the USA champs are up/down so I thought I'd give it a go.

I'd started the year racing every weekend for 15 weeks but since then had only raced twice over 4 weeks.  It felt weird not racing.  My buddy Robert from Hungary was in town and he joined me for the drive to Wachusett.  We stopped briefly at Redemption rock as I'm trying to visit all of the Trustees of Reservations sites.

We met up with Paul Baz and headed out for a 2.5 mile warm-up.  After that I changed into race flats and headed out for the 1/2 trot to the start line.  The field was impressive.  All of the typical Mountain characters were present.  The 50+ field looked very strong!  My focus was on teammates Ed Sheldon and Erik Vandendries, but I knew that Craig Fram (WRT), Jim Boule (at), Brian Ruhm (GCS), and Mark Reeder (GLRR) would be tough!

I got a good start and found my pace quickly.  I locked in behind Fram with Ed well up in the early going.  I was not in the top 20 when my watch beeped at 1/2 mile, but steadily gained on some fast starters as the slope increased.  I passed Fram a little after the mile and pushed on the downhill into the park as this would be my best chance to put some space on Erik V.  I had moved up to 15th place and then the really tough climbing starts (a little after 1.5 miles).  I started to close a bit on teammate Steve Brightman and was within 20 seconds of Ed.  I wasn't sure where Erik was but had a feeling he was closing on me on the steeper stuff (he is killer on the climb)  Conditions were ideal (50s and just a little breeze under sunny skies).  Steve walked a bit as we turned into the parking lot for the final push to the top and I passed him.  He went flying back by me and got me by 2 seconds at the line.  Ed had kept his 20 second gap.  I was surprised that I'd made it into the top 10.

We circled around the fire tower on top and started the descent.  I caught Steve within a half-mile and went by trying to really push on the steeper downs as I closed on Ed.  Someone yelled "6&7" at us.  I caught Ed at 4 miles and gapped him a little.  There was a tough little road climb at 4.5 and Ed went back past me.  I caught him again as we hit the dirt road and knew I'd need to get some distance on him as there was a tough little hill with about 1 mile to go.  What I didn't know was Ed took a massive spill (he was bloodied when he finished) soon after.  I kept focus on teammate Todd Callaghan not too far ahead and Dan Princic who was a little ahead of him.

 I ended up not closing on them but they kept me working right to the line.  My climb time was faster than last year and only 15 seconds slower than my best.  My down time was okay, I'd only done it one other time.  I can't complain about a 40 minute 10k that had 900' of climb/descent.  I definitely won't complain about a tenth and sixth place.

On to Cranmore!

Up & down

1	37:52.5	TIM	VAN ORDEN	M	49	BENNINGTON	VT	CMS
2	38:03.9	MATTHEW	VEIGA	M	30	LYNN	MA	CMS
3	38:23.5	TIM	HARDER	M	31	SOMERVILLE	MA
4	39:34.7	DANIEL	PRINCIC	M	37	READING	MA	WRT
5	39:47.4	TODD	CALLAGHAN	M	47	BEVERLY	MA	CMS
6	40:06.9	DAVE	DUNHAM	M	53	BRADFORD	MA	CMS
7	40:20.0	STEVE	BRIGHTMAN	M	48	PROVIDENCE	RI	CMS
8	40:53.3	MATTHEW	SALMINEN	M	28	CAMBRIDGE	MA
9	41:01.6	ED	SHELDON	M	52	HOOKSETT	NH	CMS
10	41:44.6	JAMES	PAWLICKI	M	42	LYNN	MA	CMS
11	41:48.1	MICHAEL	MCGRANE	M	47	ASHLAND	MA
12	42:21.6	ISAIAH	WESTPHALEN	M	20	ROSLINDALE	MA
13	42:28.0	RYAN	LYESIUK	M	37	GARDNER	MA
14	42:55.5	MICHAEL	NARCISI	M	33	ACTON	MA	Sisu
15	43:00.7	LAURA	BRUSTOLON	F	29	LITTLETON	MA	CMS
16	43:21.0	HUMZA	JAFFERJI	M	28	PELHAM	NH	GCS
17	43:24.5	BRIAN	RUHM	M	52	NASHUA	NH	GCS
18	43:40.3	SCOTT	ATKINS	M	46	STOWE	VT
19	44:06.9	CHRISTIN	DONESKI	F	46	HOPKINTON	NH	WRT
20	44:21.6	MATTHEW	ROSSETTI	M	36	WORCESTER	MA

Top 20 in the Up

1	19:56.9	DREW	BEST	35	AMHERST	MA	aR
2	20:42.1	TIM	VAN ORDEN	49	BENNINGTON	VT	CMS
3	20:52.7	MATTHEW	VEIGA	30	LYNN	MA	CMS
4	20:59.1	TODD	CALLAGHAN	47	BEVERLY	MA	CMS
5	21:04.1	TIM	HARDER	31	SOMERVILLE	MA
6	21:04.1	DAVID	ANDERSON	38	MADISON	CT
7	21:10.3	DANIEL	PRINCIC	37	READING	MA	WRT
8	21:17.4	ED	SHELDON	52	HOOKSETT	NH	CMS
9	21:36.6	STEVE	BRIGHTMAN	48	PROVIDENCE	RI	CMS
10	21:38.9	DAVE	DUNHAM	53	BRADFORD	MA	CMS
11	21:48.6	ERIK	VANDENDRIES	52	CHSTNT HILL	MA	CMS
12	21:57.2	CRAIG	FRAM	58	EXETER	NH	WRT
13	22:00.9	HUMZA	JAFFERJI	28	PELHAM	NH	GCS
14	22:10.3	JIM	BOULE	50	CAMPTON	NH	aR
15	22:11.6	BRAD	KLINEDINST	40	HUDSON	MA	WRT
16	22:12.3	CRAIG	NALE	33	FREEPORT	ME
17	22:16.6	MATTHEW	SALMINEN	28	CAMBRIDGE	MA
18	22:29.6	LUKE	NUGENT	30	GREENFIELD	MA
19	22:33.6	JAMES	PAWLICKI	42	LYNN	MA	CMS
20	22:38.3	ISAIAH	WESTPHALEN	20	ROSLINDALE	MA