Looking back - March 2003

 
20 years ago: The goal race for this month was the snowshoe national championships so my focus was definitely on snowshoe racing.  I kicked off the month with a 3^rd place finish on the very long (9.3 miles) Moody Springs snowshoe race.  I was in 3^rd place for the entire race and ran alone from start to finish. 
 
The following weekend I went to the USATF ½ marathon championships but chose to run in the accompanying 5k. I ended up 8^th in a lackluster 17:26.
 
The following weekend was open so I staged my own race.  An out/back 4 mile on the Merrimack River trail with staggered starts so we’d all be competitive.  I was only able to convince three others to show.  It was a spirited competition with Richard Bolt “scratch”, me at 1 minute, Paul Young at 2 minutes and Petey (Steve Peterson) kicking things off with a 3 minute handicap.  Petey was passed by Richard a little after they turned for home.  I tracked down Paul but came up 8 seconds short at the line and Petey a further 40 seconds ahead.
 
                                    Actual   Clock Time
1 Richard Bolt               29:31    32:31
2 Dave Dunham            32:59    34:59
3 Paul Young                34:07    35:07
4 Steve Peterson           34:19    34:19
 
The following weekend I headed to Pittsfield NH for the “Sap Run” which was billed as a 5k.  It turned out to be about 2.8 miles.  Richard Bolt won in 14:11 with Al Bernier 2^nd in 14:22 and me taking the final podium spot five seconds later.
 
The final race of the month was the USSSA National championships in Solitude UT.  Conditions were ideal with sunny skies and temps around 30.  The two loop course really suited me with a long steady climb.  I was in about 10^th at the top of the first climb and moved up to 6^th by the end of the first loop.  I got into the top 3 by the top of the climb but could not hold off the kick of Charlie Wertheim (Colorado) who flew by on the final descent.  The 8,000’ elevation may have had an impact on the sea-level folks at this one!
 
1 47:57 Josiah Middaugh           Colorado
2 48:01 Bernie Boettcher           Colorado
3 49:13 Charlie Wertheim          Colorado
4 49:23 Dave Dunham              Massachusetts
5 49:24 Peter Fain                     California
 
8 51:43 Richard Bolt                  New Hampshire
10 52:24 Paul Low                     Massachusetts
14 53:29 Dan Verrington           Massachusetts – 1^st 40-49
20 56:22 Al Bernier                   New Hampshire