Club News

Around the Cape 25K and Run the Goose 7K
Monday, September 3, 2012
by Linda Desjardins and Dave Sullivan

GLOUCESTER - These races, following just 8 days after the relatively fast and flat Marsha Lemkin 5K race, lived up to their pre-race billing. The race site for Around the Cape 25K practically bragged about its toughness:

“Challenging USATF- certified 25K (15.56 miles) course along scenic coastal Gloucester and Rockport. Ocean views and old New England villages with waterfront sections throughout the course. (Oh and did we mention 16 major hills?)” And “One of America's oldest, toughest and most scenic races.“ “The only race that finishes with a 'wicked-crooked' hill,” and “the only USATF Certified 25K in all of New England (#MA01023RN).”

There wasn't much pre-race hype for “Run the Goose.” But, the short sentence “Run the Goose is the sister race to the Around Cape Ann 25K Road Race” says it all. They are blood sisters for sure. These were NSS Grand Prix races; and Striders, once again, toed the line. Some of us questioned our sanity. (I know after Neil Bernstein generously warmed up with me and made it a point to proudly show me the aforementioned “wicked crooked” hill, and he cautioned me about the hill coming out of Rockport center, I questioned mine.)

Many opted for the Run the Goose 7K; but these runners did not escape hill challenges, they asserted. The consensus: everyone ran a very tough and hilly course, regardless of the distance. Yes, it was scenic and featured picture-postcard panoramas while running alongside the quintessential Cape Ann shorelines. The clouds provided welcome shade for all of the Goose run and the major part of the 25K run. And conquering all those hills gave each competitor a well-earned sense of satisfaction.

Striders who placed in their age groups in the Run the Goose race were Sean Kay (the younger), taking third place among male runners 0-13 and his sister, Alexandra Kay finishing second among the youngest women. Lee Benton took third among women aged 50-59. At the other end of the male categories, Tom McMahon earned a bronze medal in the male 60-69 age group, and for the 70+ male runners, Giuseppe Giannone once again took a first place award.

The Around Cape Ann 25K race saw two Striders winning awards. Lacey Alves was the second woman overall, only seventeen seconds out of first! And her mom, Linda Fitzpatrick, won the female 60-69 division in a very competitive category.

All Striders who rose to the occasion on this Labor Day and competed in these races deserve a round of applause. Nice going, folks.

Now that we've logged three races within 12 days, we can look forward to the NSS-Sponsored Nahant 30K and 12K races on 9/16. We will be volunteering this time to once again demonstrate that Striders know how to RUN a race in more ways than one.

Full results here.

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