Looking back at 2017

Looking back – 2017

I’m looking FORWARD to 2018 with plans to mix in some new stuff and some old favorites.  I’ll be aiming for the CAR (Concord Area Race) series, USATF NE Mountain Series, and the USATF NE road race series (among other races).

Here are the highlights and lowlights of last year.

Injuries:

Broken rib in a fall on the Weir hill trail

Migraine June 2^nd and July 14^th

Dislocated jaw from yawning (!!!!)

Fun stuff:

16 mile run with Dan and 8 with Doug and Matt on the Topsfield rail trail

13 mile run in Newburyport with Dan, Jim, Greg, Al, and Nick

Run with the kids at the Granite State Running Camp

A bunch of runs with Robert the Hungarian while he was visiting the states

Some hippy in Government camp yelled “rip it!” as Eric Morse and I ran by.  I’m pretty sure he was encouraging us but I’m not fluent in hippy (or even hipster) so he may have been mocking us either way it was funny.

Hike up Mt Hood!

4 mile run on the East Concord Heritage trail, quite beautiful.

Trip with Eric to Canada where Canadian geese are known as “regular” geese

2x1 mile with 800 rest in 5:45 and 5:28 (my fastest mile this year) while in Canada

13 mile runs 3 days in a row in Florida in 1:36:45, 1:32:32, and 1:29:07 while visiting my parents

Post-race run to the summit of Mt Mansfield

A very rare run with Ken Tripp at Winnekenni

50+ Team took third place at USA XC nationals (and I scored for the team)

Best races:

Gold Medal and Gold medal team (open and 50+) at the USA mountain championships

Win and course record at the Bay of Fundy 32.5 mile race in both Canada and the USA

7^th overall and 1^st in the 50+ with a course record at the River 10 mile (66:47)

Win and CR at the Epsom 4m (23:19)

Win at the Chelmsford Alumni XC race

3^rd overall in a snowstorm at the Bradford 5m (30:44)

50+ Team record and top 50+ leg time at the Lynn Woods relay (14:44)

GBTC XC 9^th place

Bretton Woods 3^rd place and 3^rd place (2 races in 2 days)

Baystate marathon 4^th place 50+ and 50+ PR

Mill Cities Relay – 9.6 mile leg in 6:00 pace

Series:

I kicked off the year by running in the Fudgsicle series.  I ran three of the slightly long 5km races in 17:55/17:54/17:52 to pick up the “most consistent” prize.  I completed all 8 races in the USATF NE Mountain series and took the top spot in the 50+ age group.  I placed first in the 50+ in four races, second in 3 races, and third in one race.  I picked up an “Ironrunner” title for the third time by completing all of the USATF NE road races.  This was an unusual year as one race got cancelled due to snow which meant only six races for the coveted jacket.  I met my goal of finishing in the top 10 in each race with a best of 4^th in the marathon and a worst of 8^th in the 10km.  In a first for me I completed the USATF NE XC series.  You could only miss one race in order to qualify for awards so although I didn’t gather the most points I was the top finisher.  They may need to revisit the rules as only 3 guys met the standard in the 50+ (only four women in the open category ran enough races!).

Doubled up:

Back to back racing is a rarity for me nowadays but there were a few times this year when I couldn’t resist.  Mt Washington doesn’t beat you up but it does get your tired.  I raced up then caught a ride down (which I hate doing).  The following day was the USATF NE 5m road championships.  I ended up having a decent run taking 6^th in the 50+, go figure.    Wachusett really doesn’t count but I did both the “up” only portion then continued for the “down” as well.  I did the two races at Bretton Woods which was a lot of fun.  The Saturday race was a short 2+m uphill only race so you did not get all that beat up.  The following day was the big Fell Running race.  I ended up taking third overall in both races.

Lousy stuff:

38 minutes to drive the final mile to the start of the Mt Washington road race and that was over 2 hours before the start of the race!  Plan carefully next year!

Dan and I got yelled at by some curmudgeon for talking too loudly on the Stevens to Stevens trail.