USATF NE 10
mile course preview
This will be the 24th time that the Grand Prix
(1985-2018) has had a 10 mile as part of the series. This will be the second
time the race has been held outside of Massachusetts (Auburn, NH). It has previously been held in Newburyport (8
times), Amherst (8 times), Worcester (4 times), and Harvard (2 times).
CMS has won the team
championship 11 times; BAA 8 times, GBTC has won twice and WMDP once.
Information on the race can be found on the Millennium
Running website:
I previewed the course on a hot Sunday morning. It had a surprising amount of shade, although
it was a bit hilly. The 10 mile loop had
472’ of climb and descent which is very similar to the USATF 15k champs which had
420’ of climb/descent.
The race starts in the wide parking Lake Massebesic
parking lot. The only left hand turn in
the race takes place immediately after the start as the lot has a 90 degree
turn in it (maybe 50 meters into the race).
Another 50 meters and you turn right to exit the parking lot, and then
stay right as you enter the traffic circle.
The course stays to the right and heads Northeast on Route 121
(Manchester road). For the first 8/10ths
of a mile the road has a very large breakdown lane. There are no real hills in the first
mile. Note that all runners must stay to
the right of the yellow lines on the road (no
crossing the centerline). There are only
one or two spots where you might be tempted to “run the tangent”, DON’T.
From the mile to 1.4 the course is along the shores of
the Lake. No doubt it is a scenic
course, but I’m much more focused on who is up ahead. As you move away from the Lake you hit the
first hill, a nasty little bump that climbs 61’ (from 250’ to 311’) in 2/10ths
of a mile (average grade =
5.7%). The course drops down 25’
as you roll to the 2 mile mark.
Right after the 2 mile mark you hit a short hill of 33’
in 1/10th of a mile (6.3%). From that point on
you drop 70’ over 9/10ths of a mile. The
3 mile mark is in Auburn center where you turn right onto Chester Rd (which is
also route 121). Most of the next mile
is dead flat. From 3.4 to 3.75 you are
again along the scenic shores of Lake Massebesic. As you leave the Lakeshore the longest climb
of the day starts. Over 1.7 miles you
climb from 250’ to 425’. The steepest
part of the climb is in the first .3 (3.8 to 4.1 miles climbs 100’ = 6.3% grade) as you
traverse the shoulders of Mine Hill which is the highest point in Auburn (and
has the ruins of a fire tower on top).
The climb continues but it a lot gentler from 4 miles through 4.8. There is a minor downhill as you head into 5
miles and turn right onto Wilson’s Crossing Rd. Almost immediately you
There is a 40’ climb from 5.4 miles to 5.8 followed by a
60’ gentle descent to the 6 mile mark after the turn onto Spofford road. This is the quietest road on the course and
the downhill continues to 6.6 miles with another 105’ of downhill. From 6.6 to 7.2 you climb 130’ (4% grade although not the toughest grade on the course the
length and sustained climbing may make this the toughest of the course)
and then drop 20’ .
From 7.2 miles to 7.5 the drop continues (60’) , you drop another 45’ from 7.5 to
the 8 mile mark which is near the turn onto Route 28.
The course is flat from 8 to 8.5 miles before you hit the
final hill of the day. 8.5 to 8.9 miles
climbs 105’, this hill will hurt even though it is “only” a 5% grade. You top out at 357’ just before the 9 mile
mark. The final mile should be fast if
you have anything left. The first ½ mile
drops 100’ and after that it is flat to the finish. With a quarter mile to go you will pass the
finish line (on your right) as you continue to the parking lot entrance, two
right turns later brings you to the finish line.
No comments:
Post a Comment