Cranmore mountain race

I headed up to North Conway on Saturday for the Cranmore Mountain race the following day.  I met up with my friend who is in town for Wilderness First Responder training.  We hiked Kearsarge North which has a great view from the renovated fire lookout.  On race morning we did an easy 3 mile warm-up that just didn’t feel easy.  When my ankle hurts running is more of struggle and this was a hurting while walking kind of day.  I wasn’t too worried as it usually isn’t bad when I’m in “race mode”.  I changed into racing flats and headed out for a bit more while Robert headed up the mountain to take pictures during the race.

The course had a few minor changes from last year but was pretty much the same.  That meant twice up and down the mountain on a mix of single-track, grass slope, and cat track for a total of 6.3 miles with 2,400’ of climb and descent.  Over 200 lined up and off we went.  This year we had nearly a quarter mile before hitting the first single-track glade section.  I wasn’t in the top 30 at that point but damned if some knucklehead didn’t start throwing elbows and use up a lot of energy pushing by people.  Once we got back out on the ski slope I went by him and as my watch beeped for ½ mile I counted 24 runners ahead of me (including the top 3 women).  I wasn’t worried as people tend to go out pretty hard here and there is (for me) at least an hour of running to get through.  The 2/10ths of a mile up South Slope at a 20% degree slope brought people back to me.  I was locked onto Jim Boule (aR), last year at Cranmore he was never more than a step behind me.  We passed a few more guys on the Koessler Climb.  That ¼ mile stretch averaged 37%.  Ouch!  I got teammate Matt Veiga on that part which got me into 9^th place.  I was still focused on Jim who was now 10 seconds or so ahead (which isn’t much when you are power-walking up the slope).

The downhill did not feel good.  My ankle was screaming and I ran tentatively.  I kept thinking I’d be okay and that I’d make up time on the second climb and really “air it out” on the second descent.  Matt V went by as did two other guys.  I lost a lot of ground on the 12 minutes of descending and ended my first loop in 29:35.  It was slower than last year but my hope was for an even race.  I slowly worked my way back and passed Brain Macilvian and Mike Veilleux (the 2 guys who flew by me on the down) on the Koessler climb.  This time I did NOT catch back up to Matt.  By this time Jim was out of sight, he was tearing up the climb (and the descent).  I started the second downhill in 10^th place and just knew the two guys would be going by, it was just a matter of when.  I lost a little bit of time with a massive face-plant.  I did the full Superman move and was lucky I didn’t get hurt.  It was a very open section, I think I just got my feet tangled.  I was up pretty fast and Mike was kind enough to not step on me while I was down.  He went flying by with words of encouragement.  I was in survival mode now, just wanted to get down and done.  Although with about ½ mile to go I could see Brandon Naro (GCS) up ahead and thought I could close on him.  I did until we hit the final flat part at the bottom when he took off and I struggled to the finish.

I ended up in 12^th place and 3^rd in the 50+, our team won the Open, 40+, and 50+ and I scored on all of the teams.  I just hope I can walk on Monday!

Cranmore Mountain – 215 finishers

1        53:19  Patrick Caron           M21    Needham, MA          Needham TC

2        54:10  Tristan Williams        M32    Ctr Sandwich, NH     

3        56:11  Tim Van Orden         M50    Bennington, VT         Central Mass Striders

4        57:01  Dan Chebot             M30    Belmont, MA 

5        57:38  Todd Callaghan         M48    Beverly, MA             Central Mass Striders

6        58:01  Shaun Dever            M31    Brighton, MA            Greater Boston Track Club

7        58:41  Jim Boule                M51    Campton, NH           acidotic RACING

8        59:35  Matthew Veiga                   M31    Lynn, MA                 Central Mass Striders

9        59:56  Brian Macilvian         M33    Weston, MA  

10      60:18  Mike Veilleux            M40    Weare, NH               Greater Manchester Running Clu

11      60:47  Brandyn Naro           M31    Manchester, NH        Gate City Striders

12      61:10  Dave Dunham          M54    Bradford, MA            Central Mass Striders

Top 10 50+ (41 finishers)

1        56:11  Tim Van Orden         M50    Bennington, VT         Central Mass Striders

2        58:41  Jim Boule                M51    Campton, NH           acidotic RACING

3        61:10  Dave Dunham          M54    Bradford, MA            Central Mass Striders

4        65:04  Erik Vandendries       M53    Chestnut Hill, MA      Central Mass Striders

5        65:38  Christopher Smith      M52    Woburn, MA            Somerville Road Runners

6        69:04  Bruce Christensen     M50    Bolton, CT    

7        71:43  Richard Fargo           M59    Chatham, NH 

8        71:48  Ed Sheldon              M53    Hooksett, NH           Central Mass Striders

9        73:27  Timothy Charboneau M51    Center Conway, NH  

10      76:30  John Kowalski          M50    Essex Junction, VT