Mill Cities Relay

 I hadn't done the Mill Cities Relay (MCR) since 2017 when I signed up this year.  I'd first done the race back in 1987 and of the 12 times I'd done it I'd run the long leg 7 times.  I really wanted to finish the bingo card with the one leg I'd NEVER done...the first leg.  The Winners Circle accommodated my request and it was "game on".  Dave Lapierre was doing leg 1 as well for GLRR and Dan Verrington was doing leg 2 for the WCRC 60+ team.  A carpool made sense.  I picked up Dan at 6am and Dave at 630am and we got to Nashua at 7am.  By, 710am we were out on the Heritage rail trail for a 2.5 mile warm-up.  Conditions were very good with temps around freezing but a light wind out of the north and a cloudless ski made for perfect racing conditions.

My goal for the 5.62 mile leg was to get through 5 miles in under 31 minutes.  I thought if I had a great day I might go as fast as 30:30.  I did not feel good warming up and as Dan took off in my car Dave and I went out for another mile and some strides.  That did not bump up my confidence as I felt flat.  It was great to see so many familiar faces, this is such a competitive event but also a great chance to see friends.  I saw Todd Callaghan (CMS) who was running for Wicked and Dave Harper (CMS) running for NMC.  Todd was doing a later leg but Dave would be matching up in leg one.  He had buried me at our last meeting (Rachel's Run XC), I was hoping to keep him in sight.  Right before the start I bumped into Bob Sullivan AND BJ Bottomley!  I got a big hug from both as we lined up for the traditional dropping of a brick to signify the start. 

I struggled a bit at the start, trying to find a comfortably hard pace.  We turned onto route 111 about 600 meters into the race and I counted 25 ahead of me.  I hadn't realized how many fast runners would be in the first leg.  When I've done the longer leg (number 3) I've always caught many people since I'd start further back.  There were 175 teams out there so I was in the top 1/7th but that wasn't quite where I'd thought I'd be.  My watched beeped at the mile and I was a bit surprised to see 2:55.  Much faster than expected, and that helped me relax a bit.  We had an uphill crossing the river and another after that and as the guys around me pulled away I tried not to worry as I was running as fast as I should. I reached the mile in 5:59 and began focusing on those in front of me.  I caught back up to Dave right at the 2 mile and he noted "I think this is my 50+ PR for 2 miles".  The 6:07 second mile would be my slowest.  I really focused on the next person in front of me and started picking people off.  Some I recognized (Justin Daglish, Mike Lubeck) and others I didn't.  I hit three in 18:13 and figured I'd be able to manage a 30:30 if I didn't fall apart.  I also kept in the back of my mind that it was another .62 after the 5m mark that I'd hand off.

I got into a good groove over the rolling terrain.  There were no big hills but gentle rollers that made it seem like we rarely were running on flat ground but also never on anything too tough (except the last hill at 4.75).  Two sub-6's and I was through 5m in 30:08, well up on my goal!  Now I just needed to finish!  Mike Lubeck blew by just before the 5m and then put a good 20 seconds on me in the last half-mile.  Another guy I had caught also outstepped me just before the line.  I didn't have any kick left as I felt like I was kicking the whole way!  I handed off and my race was done.

Danny V gave me some notes on where the car was then I waited for D-la to come in.  He had a fantastic race run 6;50 pace!  We had a heck of a time locating my car.  I guess we were both a bit bonky as we missed it a couple of times.  Finally we motored to the end of leg 2 arriving just before Dan who then joined us for an easy (well not too easy but very slow) 2 mile warm-down.

Date City St Dist Time Leg Team Notes
12/06/87 Lowell MA 9.60 48:05 4 GLRR very cold, long leg of MCR splits of 450/450/500
12/04/88 Tyngs MA 6.60 33:30 2 GLRR Team 2:28:03.  1st GLRR 2:25:27
12/02/90 Lowell MA 9.60 48:23 4 MBTS Team 3rd 23214 GLRR 22945 WC 22955. Mike B/Bob B/Petey/Me/Artie
12/06/92 Tyngs MA 4.60 22:09 5 MBTS 20s windy, felt good.  Scott Spence, Petey, Mike Beeman, Artie,
12/04/94 Lowell MA 2.30 11:29 3 Dave's Ran on Dave's team. 516/458/125
12/08/02 Lowell MA 9.30 54:10 4 Rogue Runners Rogue runners 
12/05/04 Lowell MA 9.40 54:35 4 WCRC 40+ Felt good, only one guy caught me (SRR) ran pretty even
12/03/06 Lowell MA 9.40 55:19 4 WCRC Mixed 40+
12/08/13 Nashua NH 4.75 28:58 2 Gate City A bit harder this time out but felt good.  617/602/558/642?/345?
12/07/14 Lowell MA 9.50 55:40 4 Gate city 50+ team Team took 2nd to WRT in the 50+ 2:41 to 2:36
12/06/15 Methuen MA 4.75 27:31 5 Gate city 50+ team 5:47 pace, was aiming for 6's.  Held off Whirlaway 50+ team
12/03/17 Lowell MA 9.60 57:29 4 WCRC mixed 40+ Relay, very even 6's the entire way.  Hoped to pick it up after 5 but struggled 8 to finish.  15km split 55:54