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Nov 5: 2006 NYC Marathon Sunday 10am
Nov 4: Stone Cat 50 Mile - Grueling! Amazing
Jul 20: Whirlaway 10K, Methuen, June 25, 2006
Jul 19: Eight Striders Risk Heat Stroke at Stowe
Jul 19: NSS Senior Women are First at Women's Triad
Jul 8: Marcia Lemkin Race on Sept. 17
Jun 26: A Tale of Two Races
Jun 7: Louise Rossetti Birthday Run on June 29
May 16: Backshore 5M Road Race
May 16: John L. O'Brien III Memorial Road Race
Apr 24: NSS Post-Marathon Get-together at Kowloon!!!
Apr 22: Striders Night at EMS, This Coming Thursday, April 27, 7pm - 10pm
Apr 18: Kevin's Marathon Comments
Apr 03: Striders Racing on Saturday, April 1, 2006
Mar 31: Final Standings in the 2005 USATF/NE Grand Prix
Mar 27: The Eastern States 20 Miler
Mar 26: Boston Marathon Teams
Mar 14: New NYC Qualifying Times
Mar 5: North Shore 30 K -- the Alternative to Stu's 30 K on Sunday March 5
Feb 19: Salem Park and Rec Presents 2/28 and 3/26
Jan 21: Upcoming Awards Banquet 2006
Jan 1: Hangover Classic 10K and 5K
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2006 NYC Marathon Sunday 10am
by Kevin D. Counihan
- Nov. 3, 2006 -
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New York City Marathon (Sun.Nov.5)
New York will be my 14th marathon of 2006, and 49th since October 2002. 3rd straight NYC, 5th straight Boston coming in 2007. I just did 4th Cape Cod in a row, Oct 29th, Sunday. 35 mile an hour constant wind and gusts that literally pushed and pulled you at 55 miles an an hour. At the beginning mile of beach, we were greeted with a 35 mile an hour sand storm blowing at the side of your head like tiny needles. This stretch of road had 2 feet of sand 40 feet across for about a mile long on it 6 hours before race start. The bridge after it had power lines on it and was closed. Half way down RT 28 just before Falmouth a tree forced me to go off road, as I was driving to race Saturday afternoon. The Race Director told us at The "Iron Runner" presentation he almost canceled it. At 6am he and Police Chief, drove the whole course. During the night Verizon and Falmouth DPW had cleared the wires and sand.
2nd fastest marathon of 2006 4:59:24. 2nd sub 5hr in 2006. 3rd straight "Iron Runner". They had the most
finishers ever for the Cape Cod Marathon. On Oct 1st the Apple 10 miler had monsoon rains and I did my
best 10 miler in 2 years. The wilder the weather the better I get. I wore a t-shirt and trash bag for whole race.
Go trashman, go. This was just a blast. At mile 24 a 50 mile an hour tailwind shot me to
mile 25 faster than I can run. I'll be back next year for my 5th straight. In 2 days I'll be running NYC Marathon,
#49 overall and 14 of 2006. 3rd marathon in last 4 weeks, 5th in 8 weeks.
The Number is 27143 I'll be in the green start, AnnaJean is # F3056. The day of race they will have
live athlete tracking as Boston does on the
web.
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Stone Cat 50 Mile - Grueling! Amazing!
by Neil "the snail" Bernstein
- Nov 4, 2006 -
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Markus and Neil "the snail," moments after completing the Stone Cat 50M
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| Photo courtesy of Neil Bernstein |
Grueling! Grueling! Grueling!
The skinny: The Stone Cat 50 Mile and Marathon Trail Races (Sun.Nov.5) has lots of slalom-like steep hills (up and down). Lots of leaves hiding roots, stones, etc. I fell down 12 times. Lots of lessons learned. On the good side, if you want a rugged marathon or 50-miler, I recommend it as a very well-run, challenging and personable event. My time was
10:13:14. Sorry, but no negative splits :-(
Course: The 12.5 mile loop course is a mixture of double track and single track trails in Willowdale Forest, Ipswich, with lots of rocks and roots. The double track trails look like rugged dirt roads, accessible to most vehicles. They are indeed "rolling", with lots of low rocks and roots, most of it covered in autumn leaves. About half my tumbles were on these double track trails.
Rolling (?!?!?): According to the application, "The terrain is rolling" -
hah, hah, hah! To call the 20 or so single track portions (who could keep count?) "rolling" is like calling a marathon sort of like a longer 10K. Imagine, if you will, the steep climb on the Lynn Woods relay course. Add lots and lots of leaves, that hide the somewhat lower roots and rocks, and then make it wiggle all over the place, sort of a slalom with arthritis. A dozen or so segments were approximately as steep and long as the Lynn Woods climb. And then there were simply very long treks along these single tracks - up, down, twisting, turning and zig-zagging. Everyone near me walked up and wobbled down
almost all of the dozen or so steep segments. The first steep (and quite long) climb started at a sharp left turn, approximately 1 mile from the start/finish station.
Water hazards: Just at the beginning and end of each loop was a
common stretch about a mile long, with a sort of mini dam, about 10-15 feet long, with a muddy dirt wall approximately 10-12 inches wide. There were a couple of places where we had to jump on stepping stones over a minor flow or a muddy
slosh and one place where we had to shuffle over about 8-10 thin tree trunks alongside one wet, muddy area. There were about 25 places where we had to run up along the hillside or near a minor drop to avoid muddy sections. Of course there were a few logs and stone fences to hop over.
I hope that, by now, you get the picture about the nature of the beast.
Great course support: The event and 12.5 mile loop were very well organized. There were well-stocked and well-manned aid stations at the start/end, ~4.3 and ~8 miles. They had five or six types of drinks, two types of soup, sandwiches, fruit, baked potatoes, cookies, cakes, crackers, and more. I did not carry any drink or
Gu on me, and I drank and munched at every stop. I did consume one of my own
packets of Gu at the end of each loop. There was a port-a-john at the start/finish, and lots of trees over the rest of the course. The marshals and support team provided, along with the refreshments, consistent encouragement. Most times, they would call out my name and number and, frequently encourage,
the "snail".
Well-marked course: The course was copiously marked by orange streamers and very obvious arrows at turning points. Towards the end (with dusk rapidly approaching), I ran along the trails for about 30 minutes, entirely on my own, and I never veered from the trail or felt
overly concerned about getting lost. In spite of the excellent markings, a substantial number of runners seemed to be asleep at the wheel and made wrong turns. I managed to talk with a few,
post wrong-turn. All had to admit that it was their own fault. They simply were not paying attention, and they certainly did not expect the organizers to
baby-sit them out on the trail.
My pace: My extremely naive expectation was to run a leisurely 10 min/mile pace. Well, I was disabused of that
delusion real quick, at the first steep climb (see "Rolling"). I quickly downgraded my expectation, and I ran the first loop at ~10:53 min/mile pace (~2:16). By the end of that loop, it was obvious that my
naiveté still needed more correction, and that it was clear that I could not possibly sustain even that pace. Over the next three loops, I slowed down to ~11:31 (2:24),
~11:21 (2:22) and then ~15:17 (3:11) pace, averaging ~12:15, overall.
Grueling! Grueling! Grueling! Amazing!
Ouch: About 3 miles in, at the bottom of a steep downhill, there was a large tree stump with short broken branches on the right side of a wiggle, with a large
boulder on the left side. While trying to avoid bumping into someone, I whacked my shoulder into a branch stub - ouch. It's still black and blue and aches.
Day tripper: "Day tripper, one-way ticket, yeah. It took so-ooo long, til I found out, and I found out ..." (Beatles): The combination of tree canopy, partially overcast day, starting slightly before dawn, finishing moments before dusk, heavy leaf cover,
aging eyes and about a zillion rocks and roots meant that I could frequently not really see the running surface. I must have tripped 40-50 times. 12 of them (believe me, I kept count) sent me sprawling. The most damaging was the first one, when I sprained my right pinky. None of the other spills seemed to cause any significant damage, at least not that I felt during the race (except for my damaged pride, of course). I was wearing mittens and a long sleeve shirt, which prevented major scrapes, throughout. I must admit, though, three days later, that my body still kinda' aches all over.
Ankles and toes - OK: Some of you may know that I have had lots of problems with my left ankle. I have found that I frequently had sore ankles after the Lynn Woods races, so I was worried that I would twist or otherwise ruin my ankles. Actually, no problemas. My left
ankle (weaker side) experienced a slight twist on the third loop, but that did not seem to do any damage. Likewise, no matter how many times my shoes bashed into rocks and roots, I could discern no significant
bad consequences for my ankles or toes. Whew!
Don't sit down: I almost chucked it in, twice. As you can tell by my splits, above, I got really, really,
really tired on my third (last) loop. Just about a mile into that loop (~38.5 miles), I turned left up that first steep climb of the loop, and my left thigh started locking up, in spite of the fact that I was walking slowly, using my arms to help push my legs. Then, I remembered that I had sat down at the turn around area, and had felt a slight twitch when I stood up. I gave it another half mile, and it repaired itself.
Whew (again)! My conclusion - sitting down was a bad idea.
I think I can, but can I?: The second time it got really
nasty was about 3.5 miles from the finish. "Dead man walking," would probably describe how I felt. I found myself mostly
walking and shuffling on the downhills, very awkwardly, for what seemed like forever (and I used to think that marathons went on forever). I thought I was toast. Could I even walk that far? I decided to try a roadside pit stop (I'll spare you the details), and I came back supercharged. I probably averaged 11 min/mile for the last 3 miles or so. Go figure.
Overall, my guess-timate would be that, for a trail race like this, I need to add approximately 20-25% to an equivalent road pace.
I did it, though - amazing.
Grueling! Grueling! Amazing! Amazing!
Test-drive before you buy: If anyone is interested in a similar experience, I HIGHLY recommend starting out by running a rugged trail race that is a shorter distance than your current road race ability. Or, at least, not longer. I certainly would have done better to run the marathon this year and try the 50 miler next year. Oh well, no crying over spilled milk.
And, at least it's par for the course for me not to follow sane advice.
Drinks/food - BYO or theirs?: Although I saw quite a few runners with camel-backs, food stuffed in their pockets and, amazingly, carrying bottles in their hands the whole way, I
used and recommend using their supplies, which were always adequate. Anyway, I could not drink or consume any faster than the rate that they supplied it. My half dozen pit stops (mostly to pee) attest to adequate hydration.
As I mentioned, I did consume my own Gu at the end of each loop.
Pit stops: From my personal experience at this race (see "My pace"), don't postpone pit stops. In the future, if I even begin to think that I could use a pit stop, I will take one as soon as is feasible. I think that I could have cut 5-10 minutes off my time by not waiting.
Camaraderie: The camaraderie was amazing. It was sort of like a Sunday group run, that went on and on and on. I ran a good portion of my first loop with
Markus, from Germany (in the picture,
the guy on the left). We chatted and laughed. The next time I saw him was late in the
race, at which time the most we could manage were light chuckles. He jogged past me when I was
taking that pit stop, at which time he encouraged me to succeed in my venture. After the pit stop, I blew past him when he was
walking. Markus finished about 3 minutes behind me.
In the picture, you can see how dark it was, just moments after we had both finished. I ran near/with
Ryan, from West Roxbury, and Gail, from Burlington, ON, so many times during the second, third and fourth loops that
they began to fell like "neighbors". We had time to chat and visit, especially when walking up the steep climbs and at the aid stations. Although also they
struggled on their fourth loop, they held it together a lot better than I did,
finishing in 9:56 and 10:00, respectively. They and many other runners cheered on the "snail" when we alternately passed each other.
Morning after: The evening, morning and days after felt a lot like a post-marathon - stiff, but I feel confident that I will be able to run in a week or so. On Monday, I swam a slow and leisurely half mile, vs my usual quick half mile or mile. Today is Tuesday, and I can almost walk normal.
The post run amnesia is starting to take hold and I am already looking forward
to the next race, of any type.
Grueling! Amazing! Amazing!
Shoes: I was happy with my rather old Mizuno
Phantoms. They were recently replaced by the Mizuno Idaten. I got my new
Idatens 4 days before the race and decided not to test them out on my first ever 50M trail run. (I know, what a surprise that I actually followed
reasonable advice.) I credit the "wave" in the heel for ankle-saving stability.
Designated driver: Plan to get a ride home. Even if you can, you won't want to drive home after this race.
I did (get a ride home), and the rest of the drivers on the road should be
thankful.
Way cool, Max: Every runner received a long sleeved, RaceReady,
CoolMax shirt. Very nice. This is only the second or third time that a race handed out a shirt that I can actually use.
Also, at the finish, I was offered the choice of a bag or a blanket - I chose
the blanket. Way cool, Max!
Other trail-crazies
Also WF Newhall ran (with a friend who dropped out), with only one goal, to
finish, finishing in ~13:08:44. I left before he came in (very late), but Amye and the kids were waiting for him.
Marathon runners:
- Sal Genovese 4:41:38 (I saw Sal finish, just after I finished my second loop)
(some other friends of his and Liza ran marathon and 50M)
- Wesley Lassen (works at NE Running Company store) 3:56:52
- A bunch of other people.
Overall: Amazing! Amazing! Amazing!
When's the next 50M?
(Athlete's amnesia has obviously already set
in.)
See you in Andover this weekend (no, not the trails, at least not this weekend),
- the snail
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Whirlaway 10K, Methuen, June 25, 2006
by Mike Pelletier
- July 20, 2006 -
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The Whirlaway 10K was a lot cooler this year: 68 degrees instead of 90 like last year. Unfortunately, the humidity was 100% this year instead of last year's 90%. But this year, the race officials remembered to buy enough paper cups for every runner to get water at each water stop. Things are definitely looking up.
Kristen Kozlosky was the sole Strider woman to run. We thought we had enough Strider men to field a Men's team, but our open runner forgot to register with USATF/NE. Or maybe I forgot to tell him that he had to register in order to be on a scoring team in a USATF/NE Grand Prix race.
Individual Results:
| Kristen Kozlosky |
53:05 |
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| Neil Bernstein |
43:09 |
46/80 |
| Frank Lanzillo |
45:59 |
40/55 |
| Mike Pelletier |
48:53 |
25/48 |
| Joe Giannone |
50:07 |
28/48 |
| Kevin Counihan |
55:33 |
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Eight Striders Risk Heat Stroke at
Stowe, Vermont 8 Miler
by Mike Pelletier
- Jul 19, 2006 -
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George, Carol, Anne, Mike, Joe & Kevin
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| Photo courtesy of Carol Geis/Nancy Giannone
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Sunday, July 16 was miserable in Stowe, Vermont for this USATF/NE Grand Prix Race: the temperature was 82, the humidity was 78%, and not a cloud appeared in the sky to dim the sun which beat down upon eight cooked Striders. The Strider Veteran Men's Team of
George Geis, Joe Giannone, and myself finished 5th in the Veteran category and also dropped down to the Senior Category where we finished 11th. We only had to run the 8 miles once, but it did feel more like 16 miles when I finally finished. Two things kept me running: one was the thought that I didn't want to disappoint my teammates by dying and leaving the team a man short and the other was the anticipation of quaffing down large quantities of free ice cream and free Magic Hat ale at the finish. The brand of ice cream this year switched from Ben and Jerry's to Hood. After four dishes of ice cream washed down by four cups of ale, I decided that Hood was an okay replacement after all.
We were unable to find a 5th Strider male to join Kevin Counihan and the three Veterans and were unable to field an Open or a Masters team.
Carol Geis and Anne Pelletier joined Kristen Kozlosky in forming a Women's Open team which finished 12th. However, Carol and Anne joined
Nancy Giannone on Saturday night and finished tied for first in preparing the pre-race meal. On Sunday afternoon, the threesome also finished first in post-race consignment shopping.
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NSS Senior Women are First at Women's Triad
by Michael Pelletier
- Jul 19, 2006 -
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The NSS Senior women's team of Linda Fitzpatrick, Bonnie Hallinan,
Anne Pelletier, Annajean McMahon, and Patti Lowell finished first at the
Berna's Great Legs 5K in Lowell on July 12. Their 1st place showing in Lowell combined with 2nd at the Run for the Roses 5K in Salisbury on May 17 and 1st at the Louise Rossetti 5K in Beverly on June 21 gave them 1st place overall in the triad of races and earned prize money for the team for the second year in a row. Also sharing in the prize money will be
Carol Geis who ran for the Senior Women's team at both the Run for the Roses 5K and the Louise Rossetti 5K.
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Marcia Lemkin Race
by Melissa Behl
Jul 8, 2006 -
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On Sunday, September 17, 2006 my family and I are hosting the 4th annual
Marcia Lemkin Lung Cancer Foundation 5k Run and Walk. We started this event shortly after my mother, a life long non-smoker, died of the disease at age 59. This event will benefit research and services at Brigham and Women's Hospital.
The race is in Lowell and the course is relatively fast and flat. The race promises to be a worthwhile and fun event! There will be cash awards for the first overall male and female along with awards three deep.
More information can be found at the link above, or feel free to email
me.
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Thanks in advance for your support
Melissa Behl
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A Tale of Two Races
by Tom McMahon
- Jun 26, 2006 -
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Sunday, Memorial Day Weekend, began warm and a bit humid. This is not my favorite combination for a race, but it turned out to be one of my favorite races anyway. Mainly this was because the race combined one of my favorite places - Martha's Vineyard - and running. By virtue of the fact that my mother grew up on Martha's Vineyard (her grandparents settled there from the Portuguese Azores Islands in the late 1800s), I had the privilege and pleasure of spending summers there growing up. For quite some time I have wanted to run a race on Martha's Vineyard. There's probably about 8 or so there during the year including a half marathon and 20 miler. There are several 5Ks during the summer, but none have fallen when I'd been there. One of the most popular, I hear, is the Chilmark Road Race which boasts a hilly, challenging course.
Well, here I was on MV and I signed up for the 13th Annual
OAK BLUFFS MEMORIAL DAY 5K ROAD RACE to benefit the Hospice of Martha's Vineyard.
What made this so truly cool, despite the warm weather, was that the race was literally in my summer stomping grounds. It started in Ocean Park and then made a wonderful scenic loop around the peninsula of East Chop - gorgeous ocean views, a lighthouse, majestic summer homes, a couple of pretty good hills, and a flat finish along the harbor at the venerable Wesley Hotel. It was just such a pleasure running this course with a friendly, fairly small contingent that I really didn't mind my somewhat slow time. My girlfriend - a very infrequent runner - even decided to do the race because it seemed like fun, was for a good cause, and she was told she could walk or run. That worked out pretty well, too, although I was getting a little worried when she hadn't shown up about when I thought she would! I ran back along the course looking for her and there she was about a ¼ mile from the finish. She said, "Don't talk to me." This didn't sound good at first, but she managed to explain that she had a rhythm going with her breathing, so we just coasted in together. After the finishing she proudly announced that she had run the entire course! Could be the just the beginning .
The second of my two recent races was a completely different venue and was the scene of my 5K PR by almost a minute! Have you heard of the
HOLLIS, NH FAST 5K? There was a write up about it on Coolrunning and it caught my eye. It was a described as a gentling sloping, point to point, downhill race through the rural village of Hollis that is perfect for setting a PR. Here I've been stuck on beating the modest goal of 23:00 for about 1 ½ years now - I came close last summer at the Wakefield lake (23:00 exactly) - so I decided, I'm going for it! The race was on a Thursday night in the middle of a rainy week, but somehow it wasn't raining there and it was relatively cool. I started to have a really good feeling about the race as I was warming up.
About a week before I had been telling Mike Pelletier and Lacey Alves about my intention to run the race and each came up with a comment that had not occurred to me at all. Mike wondered how you got to the start or back to your car if it was a point to point race. (Buses, Mike, and pretty well organized, too.) Lacey said she had heard of the race but was afraid she'd have her fastest race and then never come close to the time again! (I didn't care, and I figured I could run the race again!)
Well, I was really motivated and calculated that I could possibly run at a 6:50 - 7:00 pace so I started out with that in mind. There were clocks at each of the first 2 miles and then markers for the last ¾, ½, and ¼ so that you'd know how far you had to go. That was pretty helpful. Now, obviously, gravity was helping - I could feel that, but it was still very satisfying and a lot of fun (despite pushing myself fairly hard) to cross the finish line and almost beat 22 minutes. My official time was 22:03, which works out to a 7:06 pace. Hey, I might just do it next year, too! Anyone want to join me??
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Louise Rossetti Birthday Run
by Mike Pelletier
- June 7, 2006 -
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Hi,
On Thursday, June 29, Somerville Road Runners will be
hosting a birthday run for Louise Rossetti, a very
special member of our club and yours!
Attached please find a flyer indicating the details of
the race. I have distributed this flyer within SRR,
and if you would also distribute to your club members
then that would be great. The more the merrier, and
it would be a perfect opportunity for Louise's
friends from her many different running clubs to come
together in one place to celebrate her birthday.
Please email me back or contact me at 617-347-2079
with any questions.
Thanks!
Mike Greco
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Backshore 5M Road Race
by Michael Pelletier
- May 16, 2006 -
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On Thursday evening while running with Annajean, Kate Gage, and Melissa Behl at Flynnie's in Marblehead, Dave Jefska tried talking us into running the
Backshore 5 Mile on Friday night May 12. Faced with a forecast of lots of rain the following night, the three women were too smart to say yes. Reluctantly, I finally agreed to confirm with Dave at 4pm on Friday that it would be too wet to race at 6:30pm.
However, at 4pm on Friday it hadn't rained in hours and by 5pm I was getting into Dave's new car and heading for Gloucester. The weather in Gloucester was perfect: 45 degrees and foggy with a strong NE wind. It felt like the setting for the novel Captains Courageous, weather only a Gloucester fisherman could enjoy. The only saving grace was that it didn't start raining until after the post-race awards celebration in the American Legion hall downtown. The race course along the backshore of East Gloucester is out-and-back with a hilly one-mile loop for a turn-around. The last mile and a half is along the shore which Friday evening meant it was into the teeth of a North East wind sweeping unhindered from the ocean.
Glenn Diamond led the Strider men by finishing 1st in the M50-59 category. Layce Alves led the Strider women by finishing 3rd F20-29 and 1st Woman from Cape Ann. Louise Rossetti was 1st F70-99. Bonnie Hallinan was 3rd F50-59 and I was 3rd M60-69, loosing out to a couple of 60-year-old youngsters. (Lucky for me, George Geis doesn't like to run in the rain and fog because it's too hard to see when his glasses are
wet.)
Former Strider AJ Migonis finished 2nd overall, a mere 3 seconds behind the winner, Tristan Colangelo. Massage Therapist Extraordinaire John Gillis, another former Strider, made one of his rare appearances on the road and was rewarded with 2nd place in the Master's
category. (Before the race, some Gloucester by-standers were commenting that John, dressed in his new designer racing shirt, looked ready to do some serious ass-kicking. Were they ever right!)
Dave Jefska ran his second 5-Mile race in six days and lowered his time for 5 miles by 2:16
| Place Overall |
Name |
Place |
Age group |
Time |
Pace |
| 2 |
AJ Migonis |
2 |
M2029 |
25:25 |
5:05 |
| 4 |
John Gillis |
2 |
M4049 |
28:32 |
5:43 |
| 7 |
Glenn Diamond |
1 |
M5059 |
29:26 |
5:54 |
| 22 |
Layce Alves |
3 |
F2029 |
31:36 |
6:20 |
| 30 |
William Macdonald |
10 |
M4049 |
32:38 |
6:32 |
| 65 |
Darlene Prinz |
5 |
F3039 |
36:08 |
7:14 |
| 78 |
Dave Jefska |
26 |
M4049 |
37:11 |
7:27 |
| 94 |
Michael Pelletier |
3 |
M6069 |
38:30 |
7:42 |
| 113 |
Maureen Appleyard |
9 |
F3039 |
39:47 |
7:58 |
| 175 |
Bonnie Hallinan |
3 |
F5059 |
45:30 |
9:06 |
| 204 |
Cindy Diamond |
21 |
F4049 |
49:54 |
9:59 |
| 225 |
Louise Rossetti |
1 |
F7079 |
1:25:00 |
17:00 |
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John L. O'Brien III Memorial Road Race
by Michael Pelletier
- May 16, 2006 -
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John L. O'Brien III Memorial Road Race
Woburn, MA, May 7, 2006
Three weeks after the Boston Marathon I traveled to Woburn for the 2nd race in the 2006 North Shore Strider Grand Prix. The weather was perfect: 52 degrees and dry, just like Boston.
For me, this was a test of how well I had recovered from Boston. Unfortunately, I received an initial grade of D, based on my time. However, when the age group awards were announced, I realized that my grade had been raised to a C because the fast veterans didn't show up.
Lots of male Striders failed to show up in Woburn for this race. Neil wondered if the reason was that they didn't know where Woburn was located. That hardly seemed like a good excuse. After all, even George Geis, at his advanced age, found his way to Woburn. It was the first time George had ever been in downtown Woburn and he made it a memorable
occasion by sealing 1st place in the M60-69 age group with a margin of 3 1/2 minutes over the second guy.
After the race, George proclaimed the race course in Woburn to be much tougher than that of the Ring Around the Neck 5M race. As proof, George ran 33 seconds slower in Woburn than he had in Marblehead the week before and Frank Lanzillo was slower by 27 seconds.
Neil Bernstein also found Woburn to be tougher and ran nearly 13 minutes slower than in Marblehead. There is no truth to the rumor that Neil faltered in the heat of competition with Steve Weitzler. There is no quit in either one of these guys. I was there at the finish and I saw Steve unleash his famous finishing kick; I saw Neil respond
with a kick of his own and run neck-and-neck with Steve to the finish line where Steve was just able to out lean Neil and win by a nose.
Let's hope these two road warriors didn't destroy themselves by their dual in the hills, as Salazar and Beardsley did years ago in Boston.
Sue Quimby won't be able to compete in the Run for the Roses women's race in Salisbury on the 17th, so she ran in Woburn instead. Sue assured me that she would kick Steve's ass, and she kept her promise, beating Steve by 3 minutes while gliding across the finish line carrying her new baby. (No, she didn't carry the baby for 5 miles. It was less
than 1 mile.)
Dave Jefska showed the effects of running a second race in two days as it took him nearly 3 miles to drop me.
Jordan Ross took 3rd in the M20-29 Category to join George and me on the medal stand.
Far in front, Gary Freedman and Pete Malinowski ran together easily as Gary finished as 5th Master and Pete finished as 4th Senior.
Meanwhile at about the same time, but on the other end of the state, Kevin Counihan and Bob Holland, operating on the theory that real men don't stop at a mere 5 miles of hills, ran the very hilly (think Mount Tom) Race of Champions Marathon in Springfield. Kevin finished in 5:13:22 and Bob finished in 5:25:37.
| Place Overall |
Name |
Place |
Age group |
Time |
Pace |
| 17 |
Gary Freedman |
5 |
M4049 |
33:53 |
6:47 |
| 18 |
Peter Malinowski |
4 |
M5059 |
33:54 |
6:47 |
| 37 |
Frank Lanzillo |
10 |
M3039 |
36:06 |
7:14 |
| 40 |
George Geis |
1 |
M6099 |
36:29 |
7:18 |
| 46 |
Jordan Ross |
3 |
M2029 |
36:57 |
7:24 |
| 82 |
Dave Jefska |
28 |
M4049 |
39:27 |
7:54 |
| 87 |
Michael Pelletier |
2 |
M6099 |
39:58 |
8:00 |
| 123 |
Susan Quimby |
13 |
F3039 |
43:03 |
8:37 |
| 144 |
Steve Weitzler |
45 |
M4049 |
45:57 |
9:12 |
| 145 |
Neil Bernstein |
21 |
M5059 |
45:57 |
9:12 |
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NSS Post-Marathon Get-together at Kowloon!!!
by Marci S. Omlor
- Apr 24, 2006 -
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North Shore Striders will be having a post-Boston Marathon get-together at Kowloon! All are invited. Bring your stories of running, volunteering, and cheering at the world's most famous and respected marathon.
Friday, April 28 at 6:00PM.
Kowloon, rt. 1 South in Saugus
We will be gathering at the bar for drinks and munchies. Hope to see everyone there!!!
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Striders Night at EMS, This Coming Thursday, April 27, 7pm - 10pm
by Michael E. Pelletier
- Apr 22, 2006 -
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Dave Jefska, manager of the EMS (Eastern Mountain Sports) store at the Northshore Shopping Center is hosting a special night for all members of the North Shore Striders.
On Thursday, April 27 from 7pm to 10pm all Striders get 20% off all merchandise including clearance items. There will also be a special raffle for Striders for a pair of Merrill trail running gaiters and 2 copies of ultra runner Dean Karnaze's book Ultra Marathon Man: Confessions of an All Night Runner.
For your viewing pleasure, EMS will play DVDs of the Reach the Beach Relay race and personal DVDs of fellow striders Dave Jefska and Annajean McMahon running the Boston marathon in 2005. EMS will also have a sample of the different energy gels and other energy products to taste.
EMS now sells trail running shoes like the Brooks Cascadia and Adrenaline shoes and accessories by La Sportiva, Vasque, North Face, Asics, Merrill and Solomon, along with clothing from EMS, Prana, North Face and Mountain Hardwear. All of these items are 20% off to North Shore Striders on Thursday, April 27 between 7pm and 10pm.
Please, do stop by EMS on thursday evening to visit with Dave and save big.
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Kevin's Marathon Comments
by Kevin D. Counihan
- Apr 18, 2006 -
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3rd place overall Mobility Impaired Division
2nd male finisher
2nd place Masters Division
I came in first Masters last 2 years
Anthony Grossi, 45, Chattanooga, TN won the Mobility Impaired and Masters Div
His time was 5:15:50 so if I don't get knocked down. I got 21 to go so maybe next year.
The 2 younger faster guys in my div Colo, and Calif, that ran 3:30:00 last year did not
run this year. Should of, Would of, Could of, but Did not.
47 medals, 39 marathons complete.
#40 with Bob Holland in Holyoke, Ma. May 7, 2006, Race of Champions Marathon #3,
and 5th of 2006. I'm trying to run my 50th marathon in Jacksonville in December 2006.
All 6 members of Men's Masters team along with Sue Besse and AJ had Boston Qualifiers.
The 8 Are:
Men's Masters Team
1 Bernstein, Neil (20400)
2 Counihan, Kevin D. (18108) (Qualifier under 6:00:00 hours)
3 Diamond, Glenn M. (19591)
4 Freedman, Gary J. (6660)
5 Giannone, Giuseppe (16842)
6 Pelletier, Michael E. (15388)
Women's Masters Team
1 Besse, Susan M. (10467)
2 McMahon, Annajean F. (17064)
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Striders Racing on Saturday, April 1, 2006
by Mike Pelletier
- Apr 1, 2006 -
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At the Boston Tune-Up 15k in Upton, Annajean McMahon moved from 2nd place last year in her age group to 1st this year in a time of 1:15:08, as she improved by 34 seconds. Dave Jefska improved by 1:22 to finish in a time of 1:14:33 and
Kevin Counihan improved to 1:28:36.
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Final Standings in the 2005 USATF/NE Grand Prix
by Mike Pelletier
- Mar 31, 2006 -
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Final Standings in the 2005 USATF/NE Grand Prix have been published in the USATF/NE magazine, Exchange Zone.
In the team standings, the NSS Men Open team was 21st of 28, the NSS Men 40+ team was 17th of 24, the NSS Men 50+ team was 19th of 22, and the NSS Men 60+ team was 9th of 14. In all these categories, the success was primarily based on just two races: the 10K furnace in Methuen with inadequate water and the Ollie 5M.
Also in the team standings, the NSS Women Open team was 15th of 18, the NSS Women 40+ team was 11th of 16, the NSS Women 50+ team was 5th of 9. (There is no Women 60+ team category.)
Thanks to all the Strider women and Strider men who traveled to RI, South Boston and Methuen (and risked heat stroke) and contributed to the success of our teams.
In the individual categories, Joe Giannone was 23rd among Men 60-69, Annajean McMahon was 8th among Women 50-59. In the category Women 60-69, Carol Geis was 6th, Nancy Wilson was 10th, and Louise Rossetti was 16th.
Kevin Counihan was the sole NSS to achieve Ironrunner status in 2005 by finishing all the races (from 5K to the marathon) in the USATF/NE Grand Prix.
Congratulations to all.
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The Eastern States 20 Miler
by Mike Pelletier
- Mar 27, 2006 -
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On Sunday, March 26, 2006 at 11:00am, 9 Striders reported to Kittery, Maine to run the Eastern States 20-Miler down the New Hampshire seacoast to Salisbury, Massachusetts. For 8 of the runners, it was the final long race before the Boston Marathon; for Dave Jefska it was the final preparation for the Paris Marathon.
| Over-all Place |
Name |
Age Group Place |
Age Group |
Time |
| 187 . |
Frank Lanzillo |
32/90 |
M30-39 |
2:36:14 |
| 275 |
Joe Giannone |
6/12 |
M60-69 |
2:51:57 |
| 303 |
Annajean McM. |
9/22 |
F50-59 |
2:55:32 |
| 340 |
Mike Pelletier |
8/12 |
M60-69 |
2:58:58 |
| 343 |
Kate Gage |
29/60 |
F20-29 |
2:59:15 |
| 351 |
Dave Jefska |
77/104 |
M40-49 |
3:00:41 |
| 502 |
Marci Omlor |
62/72 |
F30-39 |
3:33:56 |
| 528 |
Kevin Counihan |
100/104 |
M40-49 |
3:48:37 |
| 529 |
Bonnie Hallinan |
20/22 |
F50-59 |
3:48:39 |
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Boston Marathon Teams
by Mike Pelletier
- Mar 26, 2006 -
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Club Name: North Shore Striders
Manager: Michael E. Pelletier
Men's Open Team
1 Kay, Sean A. (20303)
2 Keenholtz, Steven L. M.D. (11734)
3 Lanzillo, Frank (22668)
4 Meyer, David J. (19021)
Women's Open Team
1 Gage, Katherine E. (20286)
2 Hallinan, Bonnie P. (20072)
3 Omlor, Marci S. (20284)
Men's Masters Team
1 Bernstein, Neil (20400)
2 Counihan, Kevin D. (18108)
3 Diamond, Glenn M. (19591)
4 Freedman, Gary J. (6660)
5 Giannone, Giuseppe (16842)
6 Pelletier, Michael E. (15388)
Women's Masters Team
1 Besse, Susan M. (10467)
2 McMahon, Annajean F. (17064)
3 Michaud, Patricia A. (22037)
4 Morin, Pam (11767)
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New NYC Qualifying Times
by Kevin D. Counihan
- Mar 14, 2006 -
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They have added 3-5 minutes to NYC Marathon times for 2006.
You must have met the appropriate qualifying time between January 1, 2005, and May 1, 2006. Include the race name and date with your application.
More info at:
www.ingnycmarathon.org/entrantinfo/applyfor2006_new.php
Miami Marathon
4693 Counihan, Kevin M44 Beverly, MA, USA
| Gun/Chip |
Overall |
Sex |
Div. |
10K |
Half |
30K |
Final |
Pace |
| 5:22:37/5:17:21 |
1945/2490 |
1296/1537 |
255/297 |
1:09:26 |
2:31:42 |
3:38:11 |
5:17:21 |
12:06 |
In Miami I usually try for a fast 1st half before heat and humidity slows me in 2nd half. This year a strong head wind slowed me in the first half..
Hyannis Marathon.
279 52/52 M4049 5:17:30 12:07 5:19:38 Kevin Counihan 44 M 116 Beverly MA.
7 degree wind-chill at Hyannis Marathon, very windy. My Hyannis time would have been 15 minutes faster if I didn't decide to walk a 28 yr old lady half a mile backwards for medical attention. At mile 23 the road ended, she went right back to mile 19, instead of left to mile 24. She stopped me at mile 21 and was very confused, hyperventilating, and mad. She may have repeated that loop 2-3 times. She looked fast. I came to same intersection after mile 23, right or left? No visible markings. I remembered last year so I went left and there was mile 24. I did not see any other Striders, but I was in the back of 2500 runners. 90 percent of whom were running Half marathon and 10k races. They capped and sold out marathon at 300. They only had 275 medals and 290 finishers. They will allegedly mail the other 15. If I don't help that kid for 15 minutes I get a medal.
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North Shore 30 K -- the Alternative to Stu’s 30 K on Sunday March 5
by Tom McMahon
- Mar 5, 2006 -
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While Joe Giannone, Mike Pelletier, Annajean McMahon, and Dave Jefska were running well on the hills of Clinton, 6 Striders made the short trek to Beverly for a well organized race,
the
North Shore 30K Road and Relay Race. (I only recognized 6 Striders, including myself, so if I missed anyone let us know.)
The only complaint I had was that there seemed to be very little food for the runners after the race. At least there was very little when I got there, and I admit I didn’t get to the finish very fast. Otherwise, there were plenty of volunteers, a well marked course, and plenty of ocean vistas that we North Shore regulars often get to appreciate. The course starts at the Cummings Center in Beverly, cuts across Ryle Side, then incorporates the run from the Anchor with the West Beach loop and return. I enjoyed running that route because it’s been awhile since I’ve made it to a Sunday morning 8:00 a.m. run.
Just prior to the start of the race, Dan Peterson was remembered and honored. Race #1 was reserved in his memory.
Here are the Striders who finished the race: John Ayer - overall winner (2nd year in a row, I believe) - 1:50:08 (5:55 pace); Glen Diamond - 2nd male 50-59 - 22nd overall-2:23:56 (7:44 pace); Sean Kay - 49th overall - 10/18 M 30-39 - 2:33:47 (8:16 pace); Frank Lanzillo - 6th of 18 male 30-39 - 33rd overall - 2:28:30 (7:59 pace); Thomas McMahon - 3:10: 51 (10:16 pace); Bonnie Hallinan 3:31:16 (11:22 pace.)
Quite frankly, I was not well prepared for this race. It was my first 30 K, and I knew that I had not done enough training/long runs to run near my potential but I was surprised at how difficult it was after running the Cape Ann 25 K the last 2 years. I went out at a pace I thought was reasonable through the turn around (about 9:05 pace), although I did figure I would probably run the second half slower. However, I knew I was in trouble after the halfway point. I decided that the best I could do was back off, slow down, and finish the race without injuring myself. My right calf was talking to me, and no way did I want to deal with another calf muscle strain and get set back a few months just when spring is around the corner. The last 4 miles, especially, were very slow going and painful! Anyway, chalk it up to experience and hopefully, some long term benefits for the rest of the year. I’d recommend the race to anyone who wants a good, local, early spring test!
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Salem Park and Rec Presents 2/28 and 3/26
by Doug Bollen
- Feb 19, 2006 -
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Salem Park and Recreation Department presents the following programs:
Nancy Clark will be speaking at Old Town Hall on Tuesday evening, February 28 at 7:30pm.
Nancy has written many books on nutrition and works with many pro athletes and marathoners.
She also writes a monthly column for New England Running magazine.
Nancy Clark Sports Nutrition: How to fuel for fun, runs, high energy and good health
February 28 at 7:30pm at Old Town Hall
This informal workshop will address the nutrition concerns common to runners, including those
who know what they "should" eat, but just don’t manage to eat it. We’ll talk about how to--
-Lose weight while maintaining energy to run
-Tame the cookie monster
-Carbo-load for the Boston Marathon
-Balance carbs, protein and fat--even when eating on the run
Plus more. Bring your questions!
4th Annual 5K Cross Country Run
Mark your calendars for the 4th Annual 5K Cross Country Run on Sunday, March 26th at 9:00am. The race is at the Olde Salem Greens golf course on Willson St in Salem next to Salem high school.
Last year, we had almost 100 runners and this year promises to be much bigger! The proceeds
go to the S.H.S. Cross Country Team and Salem Park & Recreation programs.
The entry fee is $12.00 per entry, $15.00 day of race accepted until 8:30am at race site.
Sign up before date at the Park & Recreation Dept. Mack Park 31 Grove St. Salem.
Awards and prizes to be given to Top Finishers in each category.
Long sleeve t-shirts given out to the first 100 entrants!
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Upcoming Awards Banquet 2006
by Michael Pelletier
- Jan 9, 2006 -
|
Saturday night, January 21, Annual Awards Banquet at Calitri's. Don't miss this one! Even if you join us at no other time all year, please respond to Vicky Yee within a few days and tell her you will be there. Cocktails are at 6:00, dinner at 7:00.
In addition to lots of awards for lots of Striders (The Grand Prix Awards for teams and individuals can be deduced from our web site, but some of the awards are a surprise) and good food and drink, this is one event where everyone can and will happily talk running for hours. (If you are bringing a non-running significant other with you, let the Wildwoman know and she will organize a conversational group for these unfortunate souls.)
It's also a good time to pay your Strider membership dues for 2006. We're holding the line on prices and charging $20/individual and $30/family, same as in 2005. Feel free to download an application for 2006 and send one check for both the Banquet and your membership fee to Vicky Yee.
Please note: The Striders Newsletter went out on Jan. 9 with the wrong price for the banquet.. The price for the banquet is $15 for Striders which includes significant others and adult children if there is a family membership. (Only non-members must pay $20.)
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Hangover Classic 10K and 5K
by Mike Pelletier
- Jan 1, 2006 -
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Here are the Strider results for the Hangover Classic 10K and 5K in Salisbury, MA on New Year’s Day.
5K
| Gary Freedman |
2nd |
40-49 |
19:29 |
| Sue Besse |
3rd |
Woman |
21:13 |
| Bill Kobus |
10/46 |
50-59 |
22:28 |
| Kate Gage |
1st |
20-29 |
22:34 |
| Melissa Berl |
1st |
30-39 |
22:37 |
| Linda Fitzpatrick |
3rd |
50-59 |
25:45 |
| Vicky Yee |
9/31 |
40-49 |
25:56 |
| Ruth Kobus |
10/31 |
40-49 |
26:25 |
| Louise Rossetti |
1st |
70-99 |
49:34 |
10K
| Frank Lanzillo |
18/42 |
30-39 |
42:53 |
| Dave Jefska |
??? |
40-49 |
43+ |
| Dennis Ryan |
31/42 |
30-39 |
49:39 |
| Kate Rubchinuk |
8/9 |
20-29 |
51:55 |
| Bob Holland |
45/62 |
50-59 |
52:31 |
| Tom Lima |
47/62 |
50-59 |
53:03 |
| Marci Omlor |
28/30 |
30-39 |
57:55 |
| Mike Pelletier |
Skratch: |
Snow |
& Cold |
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