Seventh Time's a Charm: An Ras Mor (3/6/16)

2005 An Ras Mor running with Jason and behind Johnny O
photo by Jim Rhoades

Race: An Ras Mor
Distance: 5K
Location: Cambridge, MA
Goal Time: 18:00
Actual Time: 18:12 (PR!)

An Ras Mor is a special race for me.  My adult running career can be followed, and in some ways measured, by this race.  2016 marked the seventh time I've run it (plus, I volunteered on the course in 2013 & 2015; this giving my time and not racing also follows the trajectory of my running career).

Once (2004) - A jump start
My first race since high school was the 2004 An Ras Mor.  Peter Ustinov was still alive; the Red Sox hadn't won the World Series and same sex marriage was still illegal in Massachusetts.

I was trying to get back into running and I had run the SRR's Khoury's Thursday Night run a couple of times.  So I figured I'd try a "real race." I ran around 7:30/miles.  It felt okay.

That was going to be my jumping off point for getting myself back into shape...It didn't take.

Twice (2005) - A second jump
Since it didn't take in 2004, I tried again in 2005.  This time I brought my cousin along.  We ran both An Ras Mor and a week later Ras Na hEireann.  Due to construction An Ras Mor was MORE.  It was 3.6 miles this year.  Neither Jason nor I was prepared for that extra half mile, I remember just slowing down as we rounded the UHaul place on Main Street.  But still managed 8:15/miles.

Either way, it would be a good jumping off point to get back into shape...It didn't take.

Finishing the 2005 An Ras Mor
photo by Jim Rhoades

Thrice (2009) - Calm before the Expedition
Trying to get back into shape fell onto the back burner again until 2009.  I registered for An Ras Mor again and EARLY.  This time I was determined to get back into shape.  I think I actually ran for several weeks leading up to it.  Finished with 8:00/miles and then had a great after party.

2009 An Ras Mor - notice I registered so early that I was number 19
(I wonder what happened to that Adidas sweatshirt - I really liked it)
photo by Ted Tyler

Maybe the '09 race would have jumped started me back into shape.  But it was immediately followed by Bikespedition-2009 which did get me back into shape.

Force (2011) - Almost back
By 2011, I was back into shape.  I was now starting to actually "race."  While maybe I wasn't "recreationally competitive" yet, I was competitive with myself.  The 2011 An Ras Mor was the first time I broke 7:00/miles in a road 5k.  And it was the first road 5k faster than 2004(!)  Considering I was probably 250 lbs and two weeks away from my second marathon, I was pretty happy.

Fifce (2012) - A Great Race for a Great Year
While I ran faster at the 2012 Super 5k than I did An Ras Mor, I still broke 20 minutes and had a completely different outlook on racing and running. A series of great races would follow including almost qualifying for Boston and running the Reykjavik Marathon and I was to be SRR's Most Improved Runner.

2012 An Ras Mor (the last time it was Out & Back on Mass Ave)
Photo by Laurie Gagnon

Sixce (2014) - Grand Prix and a Jacket

The 2014 race was the USATF Grand Prix 5k.  My only goal of An Ras Mor was to run all 7 GP races to get the jacket.  My real target in 2014 was the BAA 5K.  

I had convinced Eamonn to run it too.  The weather was awful.  It poured and the only people who showed up were USATF competitors and Eamonn and his fiance (now wife).  There were lots of fast people and I was not in the mood to race.

2014 An Ras Mor (It was a little damp this year)
photo by Tom Cole

Sevence (2016) - Back on Top Again

After having a good (but badly run) Super 5K, I set out with a new strategy for An Ras Mor. 

First, at Super 5K I had started out with the goal of 5:45 for the first mile which became 5:43 and then steadily declined. 

So, the strategy for this was 5:50 for the first mile. Predictably, it was a little faster - 5:48.9. But I was right up with Chris Smith and a girl from Western Mass Distance Project. So, in a world of malleable tactics, I decided to hang with the two of them. We made it past the Harvard Book Store and the sharp turn on Linden to head back onto Mt Auburn. 

I was feeling surprisingly good. And all I had to do was stay with Chris. I figured we'd hit mile 2 and he'd pull away but at the moment I was just hanging onto him and trying to keep the pace. At the turn onto Putnam I was conscious not to jump out ahead (or at least not too far ahead) of Chris. 

As we crossed mile 2 I saw I had actually put in a faster mile (!) 5:47. Now I knew if I could just hang onto a 6 minute mile, I would do pretty well. I moved passed Chris as we crossed River Street. By the left turn onto Brookline and the doldrums of the race, I started to just jump from one person to the other. 

Just keeping my mind on the next person and holding back from sprinting too early. I brought in another sub 6 mile and sprinted in for the finish and a New PR!!!

Now, as I'm a married man, An Ras Mor is back where it's supposed to be - on top!

2016 An Ras Mor
photo by Chris Kluznick (which meant he wasn't racing for my fantasy team, d'oh)

Also on top were several SRRs who had PRs:

Todd & Megan Prokop

Urvi

Tim Morin

TomBWarrior

Tim Blanchard

Nichole Bukowski

A Plan Unrivaled, A Plan Unraveled: Super 5k (2/7/16)

Leaders
Photo by Ted Tyler

Race: Super 5k
Location: Lowell, MA
Goal Time: 18:00
Actual Time: 18:19 (PR and 1st, Linebackers)

My plan was unraveling. I could see for miles down Rte 113.  E.J. was the next person ahead of me and he was well off into the distance.  Behind me I could hear Chris Smith coming hard and he was about to blow past me.

2016 was the third time I've run the Super 5k. It was my fastest for a long time, from 2012 until I finally beat that at the Freedom Run this past year.

Going into the race this year, I thought I had a real chance of blowing out my old 5k Personal Record. I've had a really good training cycle thus far and last autumn, my Cross Country races would probably have threatened a road race PR.

TomBWarrior and I had discussed plans beforehand.  I told him I was "going for it."  I was going to try to run 18:00 and to do that I was going to start out going for a 17:45.  My plan was to run 5:45 for the first two miles and then just try to hang on for the third.

At the siren, the mass took off.  There were several people I had to weave around. Once things had settled I was right behind Rory and E.J..  They were moving at a good clip right near where I wanted so I decided to stick with them.

Just before the first mile is the only "challenge" on the course.  This is a not so steep and not so long hill.  But it is still a hill.  I was challenged as to my plan here.  I decided to go with E.J. and Rory and then catch recover while catching them as we went down hill after the one mile mark.

It all went to plan until the catching back up with them part - which I didn't.

I did catch up with Chris Smith however and then sling-shotted around him. As we made the sharp right hander onto Rte. 113.  I spent the next half mile fighting with myself to get back up to the 5:45 pace. It kept slipping and I dropped off to 5:56 for the second mile.

Feeling like hell
photo by Ted Tyler

The third mile is where I felt it all go to hell.  E.J. was opening up his lead on me further and further. The pitter patter that early I thought was Chris Smith catching me was actually TomBWarrior. After Tom went by, Chris Smith did pass me.

The third mile steadily got slower.  When we made the last turn back onto Old Ferry, I was able to put up a good last quarter mile and cruised - if not sprinted - to the finish with a 18:19.

Still a PR and took first in the Linebacker Division!

Rory (1st Age Group), Brian (overall winner) and me (1st Linebacker)
photo by Urvi

SRR Shoutouts
Brian Keefe out dueled Chris Klucznik for the race win
Jen Rap was second woman
Aharon, Rory, Mike Watson and Tofu Pop won their age groups
Kieran, Culla, Erin Morin, C-A, Joe O., Tom Bok and Eva all got division medals.
PRs from Keefe, Kluz, Aharon, Mike, Kieran, Duggan, Darren, Tim Blanchard, Urvi & Megan Prokop

Little Ones Before the Big One: Shifters and Doyles (4/4/15-4/12/15)

Race #1 - Shifters 5k

Eva, Victor (129), Mike and Melissa (288)
photo by Tom Cole

Date: 4/4/15
Location: Waltham, MA
Goal Time: 22:30
Actual Time: 19:09

My goal had been to run to Waltham and then do MP during the race...

I couldn't get myself going early enough this morning, so I had to ride my bike instead. Then that took so long riding directly into 25mph winds all the way, that I didn't warm up.

So I decided to not worry about anything for the race. The start lead to a XC narrowing about 100 yds ahead. So, I took the start easy and hung with Toledo Steve for the first 1/2 mile.

Once the crowd dispersed, I started to run. At the one mile mark, I looked at my watch: 6:45. Pretty good considering the first 400 was probably on 8 min pace.

So, right in front of me was Deb Downs. I figured, I'd catch up with her and then run with her for a while. The first part happened, but the second part didn't. I felt good so I just blew by her.

As I approached the second mile, I was catching up with Jim Normile. I caught up with him and tried to catch my breath. Instead he put in a bit of an attack on me. I figured I didn't have that energy and would lose him.

But as I crossed the mile 2 mark, I just felt okay. So I put in some effort to catch him and instead of staying with him when I caught him, I just blew by him. So, I figured I only had a mile left, I would see what I could do.

At about 2.5 you take the left back onto Wavery Oaks. And this is the signature hill of the course, back to the parking lot. I figured I wasn't going to let Jim back into our little race. I took the first part of the hill at a good clip. Then for the top third, I dropped whatever hammer Seth could pick up later.

I made the right turn before the quarter mile snake through the parking lot. I looked over my shoulder and Jim was a good distance behind but once I caught my breath from the hill I took the downhill and then the last left into the finishing straight.

I hadn't looked at my watch since the mile one mark, so when I got in sight of the finishing clock, I wasn't surprised to see I would barely miss breaking 20 minutes. But then I realized it was 19 minutes that I would barely miss. Wow.

Really good surprise race.

shoutouts -

Aharon & Andy were 2nd & 3rd overall
Deb was 2nd woman
Bradley, Joe, Barbara and Melissa Glockenspiel all won their age group
Carrie-Anne and Todd were second in their age group
John Wichers took third in his




Race #2 - Doyle's 5 Miler

Finishing Doyle's!

Date: 4/12/15
Location: Jamaica Plain, MA
Goal Time: 31:30
Actual Time: 31:26

At 9:45, I went downstairs to grab my bike to get out to JP.

And it was not there.  This is weird to me since I had put it in the bike room.  Crap stolen! After about 10 minutes of searchng the basement for...(Maybe somebody moved it?)  And then 10 minutes of not having a clue what to do...I pulled out Ajax Telemon - which I haven't ridden since the 300K Brevet last year - reattached the wheels, pumped up the tires, greased the chain and hopped out onto the road.  I got into JP with very little time to spare.

At the gun, Mariah and I decided to stay back.  Once the crowd disbursed, I started moving my way up.  I had two targets in front.  First I wanted to catch Mike Quinn.  And then when I got to him, I moved on to catch Matt Ridout.  So by the end of the first mile I was up with Matt.  In front of me was Nichole.  I decided to leapfrog to catch up with her.

I never did.

From the turnaround at mile 2 until the end of the race, I kept closing on Nichole.  But I never got within 20 yards of her.

But I managed to run at the limits of my ability.  I never looked at my watch except for the mile 3 time, because when the volunteer said it, I thought it was fast.

It was fast and also short... It was more like mile 2.9.  I did apparently run a 6 minute mile, but they had be a bit under.

That's when I started to pick up the women's race.  I was sitting behind woman in purple and looking ahead where Nichole and Amanda Watters were.  I didn't actually know the placements of the three woman and I didn't know how much energy I really had.  So I didn't want to run hard to catch up with Nichole with the purple woman in tow and then get tired and drop off where the only thing I'd done is make Nichole's race harder.

But in about 1/4 mile we passed a volunteer who was calling out the woman's places - Nichole and Amanda were 3&4 and purple was 5th.  "Ok," I thought, "Nichole isn't the leader and she'll have to fight Amanda for 3rd anyways."  So now I charged ahead a bit right as we got to a little bump.  Purple woman didn't come with me so I charged the little hill hoping to open up a lead.

On the downhill, Nichole had gone ahead of Amanda.  So I decided to leapfrog to Amanda and then catch my breath and then leapfrog finally to Nichole.  I passed Amanda and went toward catching Nichole.

Right before we turned off the road on to the trails by the golf course, I heard my watch beep for mile 4.  And then passed the volutneers who were stationed where the course said it was mile four - probably 4.1 or so.  They called the times - 25:25.  I was thinking, great, 6 flat could give me a PR.

Nichole looked back - probably to see where Amanda was.  I looked back and saw purple woman reasonably close behind me.  I yelled: "you gotta run! She's closing!"

That was the closest I got to catching Nichole.  She started running harder.

I finished with a 31:26 and a Masters PR!!!

Shoutouts -
Picklesheimer - 4th Overall, 1st AG
Jake - 6th Overall, 2nd AG
Nichole 3rd Overall, 2nd AG
Gordon MacFarland defeated Matt again.

Winter of My Discontent: February Racing (2/1-2/22/15)

(With apologies to the Bard of Stratford) 

Barded Steeds: Super 5 (2/1/15)

Oh, Captains, my Captains (wait wrong poet...)

Race One: Super 5

Location: Cambridge, MA

Goal Time:  ??:??

Actual Time: 36:56

Now is the winter of my discontent;

Last year had shone beneath the bright gold sun.

Short pants did I deem dare to wear back then.

This great annum no such cold gold was spent.

Championship Sunday icy frigid

The winds did blow. Aligned as knights to fight

Against the sun, Lancastrian hibern

Girds its shining armor: black steel, rigid.

From past winters I thus did take the leads

Battling miles but five; each l’il faster

At end Catching on Carrie-Anne then Scott

Running as I was mounted barded steeds.

                Ere long, the run n’er fast nor slow was done

                Neither by me the race was lost nor won.

Lour’d Clouds: Martha’s Vineyard 20 Miler (2/14/15)

Martha's Vineyard - 2014
There was apparently more snow and problems this year so they had to cancel.

Race Two: Martha’s Vineyard 20 Miler

Location: Vineyard Haven, MA

Goal Time: 2:30:00

Actual Time: --:--

The White Winter blizzards coldly did blow

Then feet, now meters, are piled mountain-

Like high. Fuji-esque mound do climb about

As white frost falls first once then thrice as snow.

For then the fourth cold storm came forth aloud

Not hiding deep among ocean’s bosom.

Instead the race - twenty long clicks - cancelled.

Again we are lour’d  o’er by winter clouds.

Nat and I ran: Carriage Road and Comm Ave

Meeting the girls at Newton Fire House

Then over Newton hills – marathon pace(?)

Oh times are slipping down what the legs have.

                A long run back along the course to home

                And over the river of frozen foam.

               

Average RunMute (2/18/15)

11 Miles from Cambridge-Seaport-Cambridge

Inman Street, Cambridge

Back Bay from MIT

Esplanade

Boston Common

Snow Farm, Seaport

Skating Rink, Common

Comm Ave

Detour?

No Delight: Five Colleges 10 Miler (2/22/15)

Finishing under my goal time!

Race Three: Five Colleges 10 Miler

Location: Amherst, MA

Goal Time: 1:10:00

Actual Time: 1:09:19

The race in Western Mass of No Delight

Away fast from Amherst High School we dash

Into the rural fields and roads of snow

Third mile climb: fifty three meters in height.

Appearing distrustful of Tom at Mile One
photo by Tom Cole

Then, across miles of snow mush and dirt road,

The sixth – the first to race running hard down

Before it climbs again – seventh and ninth.

But, the eighth I get into sprinter mode.

Finally catching up to Michael Quinn

Passing many who left me back for dead

Slowing with miles of muddy roads ahead

The tenth I dashed with lightning speeds and grins.

            Survived I have the winter months but one;

            Man, soon I hope the sun of York will come.

photo by Tom Cole

One From the Vault:

That time Culla let Harrison drive, Martha's Vineyard February, 2014

"Now I'm driving the bus!"

Winter Wonderland: Indoor track 2015 - (1/3 - 1/25/15)

January - not with a bang...

Event #1 - BU Mini Meet (1/3/15)

Mike and I in the 3000m - photo by Tom Cole

Location: Boston University

Race #1: 3000m

Goal Time: 11:00
Actual Time: 10:53 PR

Mike and I got into the heat with largely high school runners.  So while the high school kids took off (like I would have 25 years ago) we stayed to the game plan.  My goal had been 44 second laps.  The first one was really 41, but I soon hit the grove and started clicking off 43 to 45 second laps.

At 2000m, Mike and I were off the back by about 50 meters.  But I noticed they were slowly coming back toward us.  With three laps to go, Mike made his move past me.  While I couldn't go with him, I was able to follow at a distance.  The last lap I did around 41 seconds, passing people all the way to the end.

200m - photo by Tom Cole

Race #2: 200m
Goal Time: 0:30
Actual Time: 0:32.21



Event #2 - Lazy Dog Classy 3 Miler

Brendan and I in the Lazy Dog - photo by KrissyK

Location: Lynn, MA
Race: 3 Miler
Goal Time: 18:30
Actual Time: 19:31

I have nothing to say...

Event #3 - Greater Boston Track Club Invitational

Finishing the mile - photo by Tom Cole

Location: Harvard University
Race: Mile
Goal Time: 5:30
Actual Time: 5:35.35 PR

The second year of the USATF-NE All-Terrain Series started with the mile at the the GBTC Invitational.  My seed time got me into the first heat of the Masters' mile. (The back of the Masters' Mile).  My goal was 5:30, but I figured I'd start at 5:20 pace and try to hold that.  I didn't.

With 2 1/2 laps left Matt came by me.  Once again, like the 3000, I couldn't stay with him.  The last lap I brought my last lap down to 42 seconds.  It was still my fastest track mile since high school.

...but a whimper

Pumpkin & Cranberry & Gingerbread: Holiday Race Season (11/27 – 12/14/14)

Race 1: Je glousse! (11/27/14)

Scot, me, Rory, Chris and Pickle 

Race: Somerville Road Runners’ Gobble Gobble Gobble

Location: Somerville, MA

Goal Time: 25:00

Actual Time: 25:04 (PR!!)

Holiday Season kicked off with the Somerville Road Runners’ Gobble Gobble Gobble 4 miler.  A pre-turkey run & beer tradition, it starts in Davis Square and makes a loop of the Tufts/Ball Square area before heading back into Davis.

The trick of the race is to survive mile 3.  After two reasonably fast miles, mile three has three noticeable hills.  The last two are right after each other; the last one has a dreaded turn in the middle so after you’re half way up, you turn and see nothing but another quarter mile of hill.  But, after that, it’s a straight shot downhill into Davis. In 2010 and in 2013, my Gobbles were killed by underestimating the effect of these two hills. 

In 2014, as Bev passed me, she asked me for reconnaissance.  I told her about the two hills and the turn.  This also prepared me.  I knew that I could take the hills and that even if I put in a ton of effort, it wouldn’t be the end of the road. 

I found a gear that wasn’t too hard but that I could keep up some speed.  I passed one or two up the hill. When I got to the top, I was winded.  However, unlike the past where I might believe my race was now over, I knew I could recover for a bit and then throw on the juice for the last ¾ of a mile.

I did just that and finished with a 4 mile PR and just off my goal of 25 minutes.   

Shoutouts:

Klucznik took 2^nd in his age group

Joe O’Leary won his

Race 2: To Morrow Never Dies (12/7/14)

To Morrow Never Dies: me, Jim Rhoades, Joe, Jim Pawlicki

Race: Mill Cities Relay

Location: Nashua, NH -> Lawrence, MA

Distance: my leg – 2.5 miles; relay – 27 miles

Goal Time: 15:00

Actual Time: my leg - 15:13; relay – 2:33:02 (1^st Masters Men)

The week after Thanksgiving is the clubs tradition Mill Cities Alliance showdown – Mill Cities Relay.  This was the first year, I would run it as a master.   I was put on the SRR A-Team for Masters – named “To Morrow Never Dies.”  I was also put on the 2.5 mile leg so I could do the least possible harm to the team.

I did a little warm up circling Greater Lowell High a couple of times.  Then I ran into Jim Pawlicki, who ran Leg 1 for the team.  He was all business, making sure I knew who the runner handing off to me was and what colors he was wearing etc.  

Jim asked: “Do you know who Jim Rhoades is?” 

I replied: “yeah; does he know who I am?”

“I told him you were the tall, huge guy.”

Jim Rhoades came bombing around the back of the school into the exchange area.  I took the slap bracelet / baton and started sprinting out of the school.  When I got to the first turn toward the main road I realized I was running a 5:14 mile pace… oops.

The 3 leg may be the easiest piece of racing one ever does.  It’s only 2.5 miles.  It’s completely flat.  I found a groove at 6:00/miles and just kept running.  I was a bit worried when I ran under the bridge that I might hit my head.  I came sprinting into the finish; handed to Picklesheimer; and then made my way 1.5 miles to the volunteer point that was only 0.5 mile away.

When I got to the pub, found out we had won the masters!

Hand off between me and Pickle

SRR Shoutouts:

Male Sub-Masters – 2^nd

Female Open – 1^st

Professor Emeritus (Female Senior) – 2^nd

Coed Open – 2^nd

Coed Masters – 2^nd

Mark Duggan found the short cut to the 3M Parking Lot.

Race 3: Oh little town of Bethlehem (12/13/14)

Masters' National Team - Rory, Pickle, Robert, me & Joe

Race: National Club Cross Country Championships

Location: Lehigh College, Bethlehem, PA

Distance: 10km

Goal Time: 41:15

Actual Time: 41:09 (XC PR!)

Team: 17^th out of 40 teams

What would be a good place to have a XC race during the Xmas season? 

Bethlehem of course!* 

We drove out Friday Night; and much to Alex’s chagrin Bradley and I got a good night’s sleep. This would be my third National Championship of the year after the Pentathlon in March and Road 10K in April.

After freaking Joe out a bit and then pulling a Shark Tank by being uncomfortably on time (I would blame Alex, but I was a willing participant in in search for beer.), we headed out for a warm up run on the winding undulating course around Lehigh’s athletic campus. 

At 11:30 – sharp.  The mass start of 600 runners went off on the two lap course.  I felt pretty good, despite running the first mile too fast.   The 4/8km mark is about half way up the only really challenging hill of the course.  (The course is challenging over all but other than that one hill – not in one specific spot.)  After the first trip, I determined my next time up I would make my move there.

So the second trip by the cornfields, I started to kick it right at the 8km mark and after the last bit of really steep.  Slowly but surely I picked people off one by one.  I reached the top where it levels off a bit before the roller coaster downhill back toward the stadium.  I took a big breath here.  Found my beat and tore down the hill.  As we passed the 9 km point, I prepared for the last sprint it to win it bit.

Later I was talking to Jim Pawlicki about it.  We had the same experience.  As I started my last pick up with about 600 meters left.  Both of us figured we’d catch the two or three people in front.  Neither of us did.  In both cases the guys in front were as prepared as us.  The only challenge I had was a guy from Greater Philly tried to pass me with about 60 meters left.  The two of us got into a flat out sprint…

Finished with a XC PR for the 10K.

 Beast Mode sprint to the finish - (c) Michael Scott

Kate and the Pharaoh Hounds

Alex

Bradley

_____ 

* - For the sake of this story I’m going to ignore that John actually says Jesus was NOT born in Bethlehem; and, I will ignore the utter foolishness of the idea that the emperor required everyone to go back to their birth town for a census.

Race 4: On Dasher! (12/14/14)

SRR Team, Yulefest Champs!

Race: Yulefest (Race One of the SRR Grand Prix)

Location: Cambridge, MA

Distance: 5K

Goal Time: 19:00

Actual Time: 20:04

For a brief shining moment I sprinted up to the lead.  Holding my fist high, I started yelling: “I’m in the lead! I’m in the lead!”

This was only because the 50 people in front of me in the race all zigged when they should have zagged.  About ½ mile in the police directed the car and the biker to go left.  Everyone followed.  After about 3 steps I was among the first people to actually turn around and go the right way.

After my brief foray at the front, it only went downhill for me from there.

Tommy (festively dressed) & Anthony

Shoutouts:

SRR won the team competition

We had:

5 men in the top 10 – Klucznik, Jake, Chris Antunes, John Longo and Andrew Clifford

4 women in the top 10 – Bev, Nichole, Jen Rappaport, Deb Downs

5 men in the top Masters – Joe and Rory went 1-2 the day after Nationals, Tom Bok, John Wichers and Nat were 4,5 & 9

4 Masters Women iincluding a Gold-Silver-Bronze sweep by Jen Rappaport, Florentien and Teresa with Justine Cohen in 8^th.

Well, that sucked: Winter Classic (12/9/12)

Giant trophy for largest team...

Race:  Winter Classic

Location: Cambridge, MA

Goal Time: 19:00

Actual Time 20:52

Well, I knew my race was over when I stopped to vomit the first time.  It was really done when I stopped the SECOND time...

Going for the Green: Doyle's Emerald Necklace 5 Miler (4/22/12)

Joe O'Leary (555) heading for a Grand Prix Championship (Photo by Ruth Sespaniak)

Race:               Doyle’s Emerald Necklace Road Race

Location:         Franklin Park

Distance:         5 Miles

Goal Time:      30:23

Actual Time:   31:19

Now as the wind was humming into our face, I decided to step up and block the wind for Bradley who had carried me through the first 2 miles.  Upon my step in front the wind immediately stopped.  I am a god!

Doyle’s was both the second leg of the NE Runner’s Pub Series and the culmination of the five part SRR Grand Prix.  As long as Matt “Ran-A-Marathon-6-Days-Before-In-90-Degree-Heat” Noyes didn’t beat me, I had pretty much locked up 15^th Place in the Grand Prix. (Of course, if Matt RAM6DBI9H did beat me, he would have really deserved 15^th Place).  With nothing to lose (except maybe dropping from 15^th to 16^th Place in the standings), I checked with Bradley (who was even MORE certain of finishing in 14^th Place than I was of my 15^th) that he was going to try to break 30 minutes and I figured I’d follow him for as long as I could.

The course winds its way over the Olmsteadian Circuit Road in Franklin Park that hugs the edges of the golf course.  It takes the right at Playstead and the passes the Giraffe entrance of zoo.  It was around hear that I did my magic with wind…

After the turn around by White Stadium, the course goes back to the golf course and takes a left.  It was at the 3 mile mark (which was slightly too early) and the timer placed us at 18:20.  By the time we passed the Club House again, I could no longer keep up with Bradley.

Mile four for me was a recovery mile.  I ran what was probably a tad under 7.  The four mile check was at 25:28.

At the time check I had fully recovered and was ready to bolt for the finish, but Erin Morin had warned me of the next half mile that was enough uphill to be a bit snotty.  So I held back and held back until I was at 28 minutes and near the 4.5 mile mark before I gunned it.  There was very little uphill left and then a little downhill to Doyle’s pub for the finish.

I almost caught back up with Mariah who had passed me during my recovery mile… but it was not to be.  I pulled in with a 6 minute PR – 31:19.

Also, I finished the last mile in under 6 minutes (5:51) – something I have never done later than mile 2 of a race.  Also I beat both Tim Morin* AND Megan Hyland* for the first time.  (*They were also part of the Ran-A-Marathon-6-Days-Before-In-90-Degree-Heat Club, so it’s not a 100% victory).

Shoutouts –

Korynn, SoRad, Matt Noyes, Bradley Harris and Seth Maleri all had 5 Mile Personal Records (Korynn and SoRad also beat FatJesse’s PR).

Megan and Chris Smith both took third in their age groups (and SoRad in no way almost lost Megan’s medal).

Joe O’Leary and Mariah Tinger pulled off the double – they both won their age group AND locked up first place for men and women in the SRR Grand Prix.

Tied up in Knots: New Bedford Half Marathon (3/18/12)

This is somewhere around Mile 6, the woman in the green hat is the one who kept trying to shove me out of the way from joining the group she was too slow for.

“The sailor, from the very nature of his craft, has a dependence upon rope and a consequent familiarity with knots that is demanded by no other workman. It follows that most important knots we owe both their origin and their names to the requirements of a ship at sea.”

Clifford Warren Ashley, The Ashley Book of Knots

Race: New Bedford Half Marathon

Location: New Bedford, MA

Goal Time: 1:27:19

Actual Time: 1:29:47

It is not surprising that if anyone was going to write the book of knots, it would be a native of the old fishing and whaling port of New Bedford. In 1944, Clifford Warren Ashley did just that. His work, The Ashley Book of Knots, is the Gray’s Anatomy of the knot world. Before Sunday’s half marathon - while waiting for the restroom in the National Park’s visitor center – I carefully studied the massive sailing ship model in the main room. (complete with tiny knots throughout its rigging.)

Shroud Knot:

Shroud Knot – Ashley’s Book of Knots (ABoK) # 1575 - Start

The Shroud knot can be used to bind a cluster of ropes together. While the Shroud knot appears to be the double all knot, it is not. Additionally it is “less apt to distort.”

Mayhem and Clusterfuck are two words that aptly describe the starting line. Jammed into a block were nearly 3000 people – 850 of whom were about were to run under 8 minutes. While a third of them would run under 8 minute miles there was only room for about 300 of us between the 8 minute mile sign and the start line. I stood OUTSIDE the starting corral with half a dozen other SRR runners as we awaited the start.

It was only once the race started that I was able to get into the corral and then into the actual race.

Water Knot

Water Knot – ABoK #296: Miles 1-7

Ashley calls the water knot a “compact and reliable” knot used to combine two or more ropes together.

After fighting through the crowds, I caught up with Megan, Mariah and Bradley about a mile in. I figured this was a good group to work with and who were running near my goal pace. I would attempt to bind myself to the other three and we could balance back and forth. I knew I would come in handy through the head winds when we reached the sea.

Until the hills at 2 and 3 I was a hanging well and bound with them through my water knot. But as I fought my way up the hill at Mile 3, they slowly started to get away from me. I kept both Bradley and Megan (and I assume Mariah, but she is shorter than the other two and can hide well) in sight for mile after mile (although they were getting smaller and smaller).

Mile 7 is not where I lost them from my sight, but where I gave up with ever catching them. It is also where the wind hit.

Bowline

Bowline – AboK #1013: Miles 7-11

The Bowline is considered the “King of Knots.” It is mentioned by John Smith in 1627: “so firmly made and fastened by the bridles into the cringles of the sails, they will break, or the sail split before it will slip.”

Three things hit me in rapid succession to kill any momentum I might have had. First, the famous New Bedford Half Marathon headwind. Victor wasn’t lying that will kill your momentum. The headwind was just a battle for me. As each time I had tried to join a group leading up to it, either a) I had not been able to keep up, or b) kept being shoved out of the group by a BAA woman. The bowline keeps the sail tied that it can stay steady in the toughest winds.

Second, Alex White passed me. This was less disconcerting and more surprising considering he should have been 7-9 minutes AHEAD of me. “Hey, Jesse.” “What the fuck are you doing here? Prompt as always?” “Well… you know, good thing for chip timing.”

The third hit was Tim Harden passing me. I felt like crap and like my best miles were behind me. Tim meanwhile definitely had his best miles ahead of him. As he passed me he said something like: “Wow, this late in the race and we can still see Alex White.” (not for long)

Anchor Bend

Anchor Bend – AboK# 1723: Finish

The Anchor bend is for tying the end of the rope to another piece – such as the anchor. I definitely was using this on the last two miles.

I had the image of Mile 12 being a long hill. And it was. The four miles around Rodney French Blvd had finished off any image of having a great race and now the hill pretty much destroyed any sense I would have a good race. Up the hill felt like I was dragging a two-ton anchor behind me. I was damn near just pulling off and walking in when I came across Sean nearly at the top. Perhaps the best positive advice I’ve ever gotten from someone mid-race. (Normally you hear crap like “You can make it!” or “Almost there!”) Sean however said: “Almost at the top; now is the time to work.” Rational, clear and positive. And I did. I fought my way to the “top of the hill” and then through the false flat at the top. Finally I poured down the last 400 that was straight downhill and a right into the finish line. As I approached the announcer said: “They come in all shapes and sizes to run the New Bedford Half; here comes Jesse Morrow from Somerville.” (I don’t know if he was being funny or a jerk – I didn’t care.)

1:29:47; not a Personal Record, but my SECOND fastest Half Marathon ever.

Taut-line Hitch – AboK #62: Bringing it all together

Somerville Road Runners teams took 4^th in the open male and open female and third in the master’s male and senior male categories.

Robert Cipriano won the Male 50 category

Kate Hails won her age group.

The PRs I know of included: Bradley Harris, Sara Radkiewicz, Seth Maleri, Mariah Tinger, Korynn Stoyanoff, Keiran Condon, Daphne Cardamone and Aharon Wright.

Also, Scott Abrams broke 1:30 for the first time at the Quincy Half.

Congrats to Brendan who won the Quincy 5K.