Mhy course record at the Fudgcicle 5k

I have a couple of old course records that survived this month. Both of these are pretty solid times that have stood up for a long time.  The Fudge-cicle 5k is a classic and one of my favorites.  The Fudge 5k course is a little long and the weather can be a factor, so maybe that has helped my course record to last 29 years!



Back on 02-09-1991 it was a nice 40 degree day I set the still standing course record at the Fudge-cicle 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. 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. Teammate Art Demers ran a 16:06 that day to place third a solid time that on most days would have won.



This series is a classic, and 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’. “



I looked back through all of the results that were posted on Coolrunning (before the site was removed) 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. Looking back through the years that were available 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. 



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

2018     ??

2019     ??

2020    16:19   Patrick Caron