I started off the month with the Hollis Fast Five (5km) on 09-06-21. I hadn’t been planning on doing this race, but Jim Pawlicki was entered, and I was hoping to get in some running with Jim. I thought about just doing a warm-up/warm-down and watching the race but ultimately decided to give it a go. I’m glad I did! I met Jim at the Freeman rail trail in Lowell, and we carpooled to Hollis. It was nice getting a chance to chat, seems like we are always rushed at the CARS races so this was a nice change. I’d already picked up our numbers so we settled in at the start while the buses came in transporting people from the finish. The point to point race is a bit unusual, the net drop of about 250’ makes it one of the fastest 5k’s out there. I’d run the race three times in the last 11 years and ran between 29 and 69 seconds faster than my fastest time that particular year (2010 = 16:35 & 17:04, 2013 = 15:39 & 16:48, 2015 = 16:30 & 17:00). So, I figured 5:40 pace would be about right. I’d run a few times around 18:15 and my outlier for this year was a 3.05 in 17:28 which might have gotten me under 18.
After chatting with the Raffio’s Jim and I did a warm-up
on the first 1.5 of the course (out/back) and it was interesting to be reminded
of how the first mile really didn’t drop all that much. It was kind of
warm and VERY humid but this was a 5k so it shouldn’t be a factor. I did
another mile in my racing flats and headed to the start. There was some
good natured razzing from the top guys right before the start (about me
starting three rows back). I thought I’d seeded myself correctly as 2019
a 17:30 finish would be 30th place. Off we went in a
blur. The course really only has a couple of turns, one at about a minute
in and one with 50 meters to go. I counted how many in front of me at the
first turn and had myself in about 20th, so that seemed right.
I felt pretty comfortable and slowly started reeling people in. I hit the
mile in 5:29 which was a pleasant surprise. I continued to pass one or
two people and was closing in on the top 10 by two miles (10:57 – 5:28).
The final mile has some flat parts that actually felt like an uphill! I
got two more guys in the final mile (5:41) and was in 8th
place. I could not hold it (despite yells from Brian Ruhm “he’s closing
on you”) and one of the guys I passed in the last mile went by me in after the
last turn. I cannot complain with a 9th place finish and a
17:16.6, not a bad sign for attempting to break 18 on a flat course. Jim
and I did a warm-down back up the course offering encouragement to finishers
and thanking the people who were out cheering us on.
1
Cameron Cook 26M Dover
NH 15:33.9
2
Vojta Ripa
32M Amesbury MA
15:46.9
3
Jessie Cardin
25F Stafford Springs 15:55.0
4
Michael Studer 10M Westford
MA 16:03.6
5
Jacob Wormald 26M Nashua
NH 16:05.6
6
Mark Rabasco 27M
Pittsfield MA 16:26.5
7
Jason Viera
42M E Greenwich RI 17:04.8
8
Ian French
39M Londonderry NH 17:16.1
9
Dave Dunham 57M Haverhill
MA 17:16.6
10 Eli
Lemire
15M Weare
NH 17:21.1
50 James
Pawlicki 46M Lynn
MA
20:36.7
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