Looking back - August 2008

 August 2008 (15 years ago):  This month seemed to be going well right up until it WASN’T.  I’d end up out with a stress fracture of my sacrum and be sidelined for 8 weeks.  I started the month with the USATF NE road 10k champs at the Bridge of Flowers (Shelburne, MA).  I had a decent day despite the tough climb on the course.  Teammate Tim Van Orden and I ran nearly the entire race together (he outkicked me).  I set a masters PR of 36:05 taking 59th place overall and 9th in the 40+.  Two weeks later (08/20/08) I teamed up with Joe Shairs (13:18), Dave Quintal (14:04), and Dan Verrington (13:47) for the Lynn Woods 10 mile relay.  My split was 14:03 as the team ran a team record of 55:12.  Fifteen years later that record still stands!  My final race of the month (08/31) was the “Climb to the top of Vermont” a 4.25 mile race up the toll road to the summit (nearly) of Mt Mansfield.  Getting into the car on race morning something “popped” and instantly my lower back was killing me.  I managed to warm-up, race (caught the leader at 2 miles then went back and forth until ½ mile to go when I pulled away for a 10 second win), and warm-down.  I iced for the 3 hour drive home and could barely stand after that.  That’d be my last running for 8 weeks.  Ugh