40 years ago: November 1980 – I wrapped up my first full season of cross-country at Billerica memorial high with the final three races of my junior campaign. During this month I ran a scant 133 mile with 9 days off. On 11/01/80 I took 4th place at the Coaches meet at Franklin park running 16:04 over the 3+ miles. Future U-Lowell teammates Joe Regan (Central) and Tom Chamberas (Chelmsford) took 6th and 7th place respectively.
1.
Tom
Hinds Haverhill 15:45
2.
Brian
Smith Plymouth 15:53
3.
Bob
Sheehan Cambridge 16:01
4.
Dave Dunham Billerica 16:04
5.
Chris
Gorman Weymouth 16:11
6.
Joe
Regan Central 16:13
7.
Tom Chamberas Chelmsford 16:15
The
following weekend (11/08) on a rainy and cold day I finished in 5th
place at the State Class meet at Franklin park running a 16:11. I
qualified for the state championships (Chambo who beat me by one second, was
the only runner that I lost to in dual meets over my two varsity seasons).
1.
Mike
Flynn Woburn 15:46
2.
Shawn
Coghlan Brockton 15:55
3.
Brian
Smith Plymouth 16:06
4.
Tom Chamberas Chelmsford 16:09
5.
Dave Dunham Billerica 16:10
The
final XC race of the year was the State meet which was also held at
Franklin park (11/15). I improved my time bringing it down to 15:48 to
finish in 11th place.
1.
Mike
Flynn Woburn 15:18
2.
Jim
MacPhee Arlington 15:30
3.
Shawn
Coghlan Brockton 15:34
11. Dave Dunham Billerica 15:48
The
next weekend I headed to Lowell for what was at the time the longest race I’d
ever done (9.3 miles). I went out like an idiot running a 5k and paid for
it by 6 miles when I really cramped up. I held on for a 10th
place finish (50:53) in a field of 600 finishers. The race was put on by
the recently formed Greater Lowell Road Runners.
I was the top junior (under 18) finisher but was missed in the initial
awards. The RD gave me a GLRR singlet (white with green letters) and a 1
year membership. That was the start of my off/on relationship with GLRR
that lasted until 1992 and resumed in 2005 when I was inducted into the GLRR
Hall-of-Fame.
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