Hodges Hoedown Half Marathon Race Report

Last weekend I drove out to central MA to run my first race of the year. Yeah, I know we're eighth months into 2016 but better late than never, right? As usual, I was totally unprepared for the distance given my training of twice weekly runs totaling 8 - 10 miles. I did have one 10 mile training run under my belt but that was only because I got lost one day in the woods and my planned 7 mile run was unintentionally extended. 

First race bib for 2016. It won't be my last.

View of Hodges Dam near the race start/finish line.

I somehow managed to convince my friend Mary to join me for this race. Mary recently ran a sub-four hour road marathon so I knew I would never be able keep up with her if she was here to race. She decided to stick with me. Thanks Mary! We haven't run together since she broke her ankle on a training run with me and some friends on ice covered trails in the Middlesex Fells several years ago. Ice is one thing we didn't need to concern ourselves with on this day. It was in the mid-eighties and very humid. Just the type of weather that destroys me. Oh,well.

Mary and I at the start. The smile will soon be wiped from my face.

Bringing up the rear at the start of the race. We would later pass several runners only to loose places after missing a turn.

The first four miles of the race were fairly flat with some short, steep climbs but very technical with plenty of rocks and roots to contend with. Miles 5 - 7 were the most difficult and hilly, at one point climbing about 200 feet in less than a mile. The downhills were also challenging with many loose rocks. I chose to move slowly on the descents not wanting to risk a bad fall. The final four miles were mostly flat, smooth trail but I bonked badly with two miles to go and my pace slowed significant. We also missed a clearly marked turn between miles 7 - 8 which added about eight minutes to our time.

The course was not as flat as it appears. There were numerous short, steep climbs.

 Mary led the way throughout the race and set a good pace for me. I would have run slower if I was on my own. I knew the pace was WAY slow for her and told her she could leave me at any time but she stuck with me....until I bonked.  

Peace sign, or me counting the number of times I stubbed a toe in the last mile?

Mary crossing the finish line. She put 11 minutes on me in the final two miles! I'm sure she could have run 30 minutes faster if she ran her own race.

I really had a blast running with Mary despite the weather conditions and my poor fitness.  I already have my sights set on the next race.

Happy Trails!

Groton Town Forest Trail Race Report

What a difference a day can make. Saturday,I destroyed my feet running on a hard-packed, crushed stone rail trail. After returning home from that run I performed some Graston on my planter fascia with a large metal spoon and iced my feet for HOURS. I woke up Sunday morning feeling 75% better. Good enough to motivate me to drive one hour north-west to the rural town of Groton to run in the 18th Annual Groton Town Forest Trail Race.

Second race in three weeks.

The temperature was hovering around 40 degrees as I made my to the starting line but the strong wind and lack of sunshine made it feel much colder. I was foolishly wearing only shorts and a short-sleeved tee so my teeth were clattering uncontrollably as I awaited the 12:30 start. When the command to Go was given I let all the other runners pass before I crossed the starting line. I wanted to start out very conservatively in the early miles and didn't want to get in anyone's way. Yea, I'm dead last again!

I ran the first mile behind three women, two of whom were chatting it up quite a bit. The old me would have gotten annoyed with their constant banter but the trail was tight single-track with little room for passing so I just hung back and chilled. Just over a mile, we hit the first hill, one of many STEEP climbs in the first three miles of the race, and I made a move to pass them. I never did see, or hear from them again. Three down, 86 to go (I'm guessing on the size of the field since the results have not been posted at this time).

I ran the next 2.5 miles of constant up and down, twisting, turning single-track alone in quiet solitude. The tail was so twisty that I could see runners through the trees but it was impossible to determine how far ahead they were. I assumed I would run the remaining miles this way and finish as the last male runner. After turning a corner and beginning a long uphill climb, I saw a male runner about 100 yards ahead. I now had a target in sight!

I slowly closed the gap and noticed the guy was running barefoot! I didn't think that was best footwear choice considering the fallen autumn leaves were concealing the rocks and tree roots on the trail. As I passed the barefoot wonder he complained to me that he could not see what he was stepping on and it was killing his feet. You think? I was no long the last place male but I was the last place male wearing shoes!

Miles 4-6 were relatively easy with some flat trail along the Dead and Nashua Rivers. I cruised along feeling very comfortable with my easy pace. The next three miles were the most difficult with 4-6 VERY steep climbs and descents. I'm sure the steepest had to be at a 45-50 degree angle. As least it felt like it to me. I passed a number of people in those final miles but never really turned up the pace. I guess they must have gone out too fast and were fading near the end. It's always fun to be picking off runners as you near the finish line. 

Left, right, up, down and all around.

Not a lot of elevation change but plenty of short and steep ascents and descents.

I'm sure I finished in the back of the pack but that doesn't matter to me. I was back in the woods, running my first Grand Tree Series Trail Race in nearly fours years. The Grand Tree is where I fell in love with trail running, and where I met some great people and became friends. It felt good to come home after a long absence. It won't be another four years before I run my next.

2013 Grand Tree Trail Race Series Schedule Now Set

For all of you who like to plan your race season around the Grand Tree Series, the 2013 race schedule is now posted on the WMAC website. Long-time early season race, the one I love to hate, Northern Nipmuck in CT has been dropped from the series. All the other races from 2012 are on the 2013 schedule so there is much to be thankful for. With a lot of luck, a WHOLE lot,  I may be able to run one of these before the year is done. We'll see..

Grand Tree Race Reports

Follow the link for full race report.

December 2011 - Busa Bushwack (10M)
November 2011 - Stone Cat (26.2)
November 2010 - Stone Cat (26.2)
April 2010 - Merrimack River Trail Race (10M)
April 2010 - Northern Nipmuck (16M)
November 2009 - Stone Cat (50M)
October 2009 - Groton Town Forest (9.5M)
August 2009 - Oxford Dam (11M)
July 2009 - Skyline Trail Race (7.6M)
June 2009 - Northfield Mountain (10K)
May 2009 - Soapstone Mountain (14.5M)
May 2009 - Wapack Trail E2E (22M)
April 2009 - Northern Nipmuck (16M)
November 2008 - Stone Cat (26.2)
November 2008 - Busa Bushwack (9.3M)
October 2008 - Diamond Hill (22.5K)
September 2008 - Wapack and Back (18M)
August 2008 - Oxford Dam (10.5M)
April 2007 - Merrimack River Trail Race (10M)
April 2007 - Northern Nipmuck (16M)
October 2006 - Diamond Hill (22.5K)
September 2006 - Busa Bushwack (9.3M)

Grand Plans For Grand Tree, Gone

Last August, while running the TARC 12 Hour Race, I confided in my friend Steve (author of 12 Ultras in 12 Months and A Clydesdale's Tale) that I was going to take a year off from ultra running.  The injuries I had been plagued with for the past 18 months needed to be dealt with.  I felt that running ultras were preventing me from getting healthy and I just wasn't having any fun running hurt all the time.  Steve, being a kind and compassionate friend say, "Quit whining you wuss!" and immediately picked up his pace and left me in the dust. I take some credit for motivating him to a second place finish in the race. It was here, in the lonely woods of Medfield, when my plan to run the 2012 Grand Tree Trail Race Series was hatched.


I have fond memories of the Grand Tree Series from years past and was hoping my return to the series would rekindle my passion for running which had been lacking for many months. I ran my first Grand Tree Race in October 2006 at Diamond Hill which was also my first trail race ever.  It was love at first run. I was hooked on trail running!  While competing in GT races I've run on amazing trails, met many friendly runners and made a few good friends.  Yes, this is the place I wanted to be in 2012.


My goal for the series was to accumulate 1000 points or more and finish in the top three in the Stonehead rankings.  That may seem like an unrealistic goal for an old, slow guy like me but I had a plan.  Since I'm slow, I wouldn't score many points in each individual race, perhaps 60-65 at best.  The only way I could reach my goal of 1000 points would be to run most of the races in the series.  Perseverance over speed!  I planned to run 18 of the 21 possible races, combining weekend camping with the races held in far western MA and RI. I was really happy with this plan and looking forward to running in new locations and trying out some of my new camping gear.


Well, with the first race of the series just three days away my plan just blew up! I haven't run in over three months and it's likely I won't be running in the next month or two. Although I'm finally seeing some improvement with my SI issue it looks like I'll miss at least the first five or six races in the series. I have zero chance of reaching my goal if I miss any of the spring races.  I'm not sure if I'll run any summer races (since I hate the heat) but will likely run a few of the fall GT races.  The up side to running fewer races is that I'll save a lot of money on gas, camping permits and race registrations.  I'm trying to look for the silver lining here people!


Back to the drawing board.

Busa Bushwhack Race (not really) Report

I drove to Framingham MA with every intention of racing this 10 mile classic honoring Richard Busa but "stuff" happened and the race turned into a training run/photo shoot instead.  Not racing was a good decision.  Even though I ran easy and stopped often to take photos, the many ups and downs on the course caused my IT band to tighten up.  I ran the last mile with severe pain and a noticeable limp.

 

Me with the legend, Mr. Busa 

Me and Trooper Dave checking out the course map.  He kicked ass. I got mine handed to me. (photo credit: Wendy C-A)

I'm taking you down happy man. (photo credit: Wendy C-A)

It's a good thing KZ wasn't running. At 6'5", I don't think he would have made it under.

Busa said the course was dry. He fibbed.  Notice the wimps who went around to the left.  They all must have been wearing clean, new shoes.

80 year old John Parker passing by.  Justin (in the green jacket) is a follower of my blog.  Obviously, he is a discerning reader of all things trail.

Some flat running early in the race.  A thick layer of oak leaves concealed many rocks and roots.

I brought my personal photographer and cheerleader to the race. Actually, they were there for another guy but I jumped in front of him and stole his glory.

The climb up Pineline trail.

Pipeline pain.

My new trail pal Martha poses her Peace Out gaiters. I don't know how she stayed so clean.

I spent some time running with Hans.  He's very happy running trails.  

Off goes Hans.

I liked this old dude's shirt so much I clubbed him with and oak branch and removed it from his limp body. 

Notice how all the other runners step to the side when I approach.  The one in the gray tee is holding her nose.  Do I smell that bad?  (photo credit: Wendy C-A)

No more racing for me this year.  Time to rehab.

Stone Cat Marathon Race Report - Season Salvaged (Sort Of)

My 2011 race season started off much like it did in 2010 with a 50K race in April.  And just like last April, I ran this year's spring 50K with a good deal of IT band related knee pain.   I thought a winter of stretching and strengthening had put the issue to rest but I was wrong.  Under trained and hurting, I finished the 50K "Dead F'ing Last" with my running bud Steve L, the original Deal Last Ultrarunner. So went the rest of the 2011 ultra racing season. Poor performances, a few DNSs (Did Not Start), an couple DNFs (Did Not Finish) and bouts of off and on again knee pain. It has been a pretty disappointing year to say the least.

It wasn't all bad though.  In April, I embarked on my journey to run the entire Bay Circuit Trail beginning on Plum Island in Newbury and ending on the shores of Duxbury/Kingston.  The full distance is 200 miles and includes a mix of roads and trails.  I made it half way before my ITB problem forced me to abandon the quest, as least for now.  In July I ran the Wakely Dam Ultra, covering 33 unassisted miles in one of the most remote locations in the Adirondacks.  The stream crossings were a blessing on that 90+ degree day.  And the fresh blueberries!  My friend KZ saved my ass in the final miles. I just wanted to walk. He made me RUN! 

Now on to the Stone Cat.

This GAC race is a fall classic and one of my favorites.  I don't think I'm the only one that feels this way.  The 50 mile race and Marathon both reached their limits in about 36 hours!   Snooze, you lose.  Fortunately(?), all my dorky (in a good way) ultra-running friends were posting all over Facebook that registration was open and I manged to get into the 50.  Yes, I said 50.  My original plan was to run the 50 but decided to drop down to the marathon after experiencing a good deal of knee pain on my final 20 mile "Candy Corn" training run two weeks before Stone Cat. 

Dork Convention (photo credit: lil Roy)

Race morning was cold, about 30 degrees. My kind of weather.  Before the start I decided to go out with the Lynn Woods Crew instead of hanging back and doing my usual slow crawl until I warmed up.  The LWC folks are faster than me but I felt like I needed to prove something to myself after having such a crappy year of running.  I figured I would just hang on to them for as long as I could.  If I crashed and burned, so be it.  I didn't.

Dark and cold. Let's get the party started.

Sarge took it out faster than I was expecting but I said to myself, "Stick to the plan."    The first 45 minutes of the race was run in total darkness and even with a headlamp it was a little difficult to see well in the woods.  Once we hit the single-track it was difficult to stay with the group.  Mike D and I got stuck behind a group of timid downhill runners while the rest of the LWC pulled away.   I was getting a little annoyed with my inability to find a good passing opportunity so I just rode it out until we dumped onto a stretch of carriage road. After getting on the road Mike and I were soon back into the fold.

Deb T (aka Sarge) sets a fast early pace.

Much of the pre-race talk was on the topic of THE water crossing.  This year's race didn't disappoint as it was long and deep.....and COLD!   After plowing right down the middle of the trail turned stream, my feet were numb and it felt like I was running on stumps.  It took a while to get the feeling back but it wasn't as bad as the second time around.  For some strange reason It felt even colder when I passed though there on my second loop.  I wonder how bad it was for the 50 milers who had to negotiate the water four times?

River running? (photo credit: Chip Tilden)

Cold swamp water adds to the fun. (video credit: Rob Mac)  

Hitting Al Cat's aid station around 5 miles into the race, I stopped just long enough to top off my water bottle.  I didn't want to stay too long out of concern my IT band would tighten up in the cold.  The Lynn Woods Crew lingered, enjoying the trail side buffet. Who could blame them. Stone Cat has awesome food and amazing volunteers!  I had to keep moving so we parted ways here. 

Bill M in the pre-dawn darkness.

The first loop went by quickly and without incident except for a fall I took when I slowed down to talk with Karen G who was running the 50.  My toe caught a root and I went down, seemingly in slow motion, kicking Karen in the butt on my way down.  How ungentlemanly. As I regained my composure and pulled away, another runner started up a conversation with Karen.  Then I heard a loud thud.  He too, had fallen.  I'm not sure if Karen was sending us marathon wimps some bad mojo or not but I picked up the pace to get of range as quickly as possible. 

Entering the last section of single-track in the loop I could hear a siren and lots of cheering up ahead.  When I got to the junked Chevy I was greeted by the Stone Cat and his side-kick/bartender/bar patron/cheerleader.  Seeing them really raised my spirits (although I declined the real thing) and I let out a loud trail animal howl.  Before long I was crossing the soccer field, completing my first loop in 2:11, not including the 11-12 minutes it took to run the mini-loop around the school.  After dropping my headlamp and towelling off a bit I headed out for the final 12.5 miles.

Don't mess with the cat.

Don't drink and drive. (photo credit: Rob Mac)

Up until now my IT band was behaving and I had very little discomfort, but I knew things could change in a heartbeat.  I was still feeling strong, running all the uphills as I did during the first loop. Yes, I was breaking a golden rule of ultra running but I was only running 26.2 miles so run I must. Then it hit me on a downhill with about 10 miles to go.  A stabbing pain in my right knee so intense it brought me to an abrupt halt.   I walked a few yards and the pain eased so I began running again. 

The rest of the race when pretty much this way for the final 10 miles.  Intense pain followed by a short walking break, follow by more running and more pain.  Even though my pace was slowing I was still passing many runners.  I'm sure many of them were 50 milers but I know some were not.  Focusing on catching anyone ahead of me kept my mind off the pain.  Well, not really.

During the second loop I hadn't checked my watch so when I finally looked at it with a little over a mile to go I realized I had a chance to break 4:40.  Talk about shocked!  With my lack of training I thought I would be lucky to break five hours.  I tried to pick up the pace but my legs were shot.  I was able to increase my speed a little, but not enough to stay close to the woman ahead of me who was now pulling away.  When I reached the soccer field I put it in another gear but it was too late.  I crossed the finish line in 4:40:27.  My second loop was 2:17 so I didn't slow down as much as I thought. Even with all the walking breaks.


I was super happy with my time and very pleased to later discover I was the first male finisher over 50 years old.  Where were all the fast guys?  This finish definitely helped wipe away some of the bad memories I've had since early spring when the wheels starting coming off.  It may sound crazy but even though I completed three 50K and two marathons in 2011 I'm disappointed with the year I've had.   I was expecting bigger things.


Maybe next year.....

Stone Cat Marathon Race Report - My Race From The Rear, Or How Running A Personal Worst Can Be So Rewarding.

For those that know me, this hasn't been a great year for me running-wise.  I've been dealing with a very stubborn IT band that has kept me from training much during the past six months.  When I registered for Stone Cat a few months ago I thought I would be over this injury come November.  Well, race day arrived and my ITB was still misbehaving but this was one race I refused to record as a DNS [Did Not Start]. 


Having done little to no training in the months preceding the race (12 miles per week average with one long run of 15 mile) I decided to start the race at a very conservative pace, as in walking.  This would serve two purposes.  First, it would allow me to loosen up my IT band and hopefully prevent, or at least delay, it tightening up and causing knee pain.  Second, it would allow me to spend some time catching up with Trail Pixie.  She also has been injured and was going to walk the entire 26.2 miles.  Or so she said. Funny how pre-race plans often change in the heat of battle.  (She walked all but seven miles and still finished in six hours!)

After taking a ten minute detour due to a road closure, I arrived at the school gym to pick up my race number.  It was still early and I had plenty of time to talk with several good folks from the Lynn Woods Crew and The Ultra Gang.  I spent most of my time with Karen G who was running her first 50.  I think she had some pre-race jitters but hid it well. Turns out she had nothing to worry about and completed the 50 mile race feeling fine and enjoying the company of owls. Seeing so many familiar faces is another reason why Stone Cat is one of my favorite races. 

Some of the Lynn Woods Crew (photo credit: Team T.)

A few of The Ultra Gang before the start. (photo credit: Streph T.)

As we walked into the cold darkness for the start of the race I drifted to the back of the pack.  I was getting cold standing around and wanted to get moving.  I never heard the "Go" command but when the crowd in front of me starting to move I knew the race was on.  Emily was not nearby but I caught up to her when runners starting stacking up trying to go from the open field into the first single track section.

Minutes before the start.

A light stream of runners. (photo credit: Keith Magnus)

Emily and I walked together for the first 20-25 minutes as runners drifted away into the woods, the small specks of light from their headlamps bobbing in the darkness. Emily is a very fast walker and I had to work to keep up. I didn't feel like we were losing that much time to the runners who had to deal with wet, slippery rocks , roots and leaves with very little light.  Once I felt like I was adequately warmed up I said goodbye to Emily and began to run slowly.

Because I started dead last, or close to it, there were about 300 people ahead of me.  It was fun catching up to runners, chatting with them for a while, and then moving on to chase down the next group. Because much of this race in on single track trails there were many times when I could not pass as quickly as I wanted and had to run the pace dictated by the lead runner.  I think this helped me in the long run since it kept me at an easy pace for the first half of the race.

Chasing after the early morning train.

As I made my way through the first loop I got a chance to run with many friends.  Although my stay with them was brief in most cases, it helped the first loop pass quickly. I also had a great time grazing at the two aid stations on the course.  When I arrived at Al Cat' Lounge it was still very early in the morning so I decided to have breakfast.  I looked for the pancakes but couldn't find them. I settled for bacon.  It was so good I grabbed four more strips and continued on my way.  It was the first time I ate bacon during a race but it won't be my last.

Feeding frenzy in the early morning fog.

There was a section of trail between two swampy ponds that was mostly under water.  Many runners tried to keep to the side of the trail to stay dry but I knew from my previous runs here that it was a waste of time.  It slows you down quite a bit and you end up getting wet feet in the end.  I just blasted through the river of water as quickly as I could so I would not prolong the suffering.  In all honesty, I actually liked running in the water even though it was very cold.

What are you afraid of? It's only water people!

Yeah baby, that's what I'm talkin' about! Steve T. walking on water, well, almost. (photo credit: Team T.)

This made me think of green smoothies but I'm sure they taste better than they look.

I finished the first loop feeling very Strong and after some chicken noodle soup I headed back out for the final 12.5 miles. By now, the field of runners had spread out and I ran alone for long stretches at a time.  Along one of my favorites sections of single track Ben Nephew came hammering by me and was out of sight in a flash.  He went on the set the 50 mile course record in a very fast 6:24:47.  A short time later, someone behind me asked if I was Dan.  It was Josh Katzmam (second place overall) who I know by name but we had never met.  He told me he checks out my blog occasionally and I told him I was aiming to run his race in VT next summer.  His stride was gazelle-like and soon, he too, was gone from view. 

Lapped by Ben Nephew soon after taking this photo.

Rich, Streph, Bill (first 50 finish!) and KZ.

I was expecting my IT band to bother me at some point but I guess my walking warm up did the trick . I didn't have any issues and it felt fine the entire race.  What I didn't expect was a return of my plantar fasciitis which had been in check for the past few months.  But at mile 15, I started to feel pain in both feet.  My left foot wasn't too bad but the right foot got worse with each passing mile.  By mile 20 my right foot was very painful and it was effecting my stride.  I tried running different ways, landing on my heels, mid-foot and toes but nothing helped.  I just had to suck it up to the finish.  By the time I made it back to the school with the finish line in sight, I was hobbling like an old man.  Well, I'm sort of old so it was kind of fitting that I finish the race looking like one. 

At 5:03:08 it was by far, my slowest marathon ever but I was not disappointed.  In fact, this was one of the most satisfying finishes I've ever had.   First, I never expected to race again this year because of my injury. It was awesome to run with the gang again.  Once I did made it to the starting line, I thought I would struggle with the distance due to lack of training.  That never happened either.  Although I slowed over the last 2 or 3 miles I felt very good during the race. Finishing Stone Cat definitely rescued me from a very bad year.  For that, I am most grateful.

Thank you, Stone Kitty.

2010 Merrimack River Trail Race Report

This Saturday my race schedule took me north to Andover MA for the 19th Annual Merrimack River 10 Mile Trail Race [results]. The MRTR is race #2 in the WMAC Grand Tree Trail Race Series and coincidently an out-and –back course like last week’s Northern Nipmuck Trail race. I’m not a huge fan of out-and –back courses. For one thing, I dislike covering the same ground twice in a race. It’s also hard to maintain any type of rhythm or consistent pace when you are constantly stepping off trail to let everyone ahead of you pass. On the other hand, it is cool to be able to see the race as it happens and encourage friends as they run by.

Out and Back along the muddy Merrimack.

I got to the race early enough to head out for a three mile warm-up. It was a bit on the cold side with a strong wind along the river but I knew once I got to racing I would be fine in shorts and a short sleeved shirt. I introduced myself to Krissy K who was standing at the side of the trail getting ready to photograph the race. About a mile into the warm-up I was caught by Jim P and his teammate Tom. I had conversed with Jim through email a few times but never met him in person. I ran the remainder of the warm-up with Jim and we had a pleasant conversation. He’s a cool guy, also fast, he finished 5th.

Turning my camera on race photographer Krissy K.

Early, easy warm-up miles.

More easy trail during warm-up.

With about five minutes before the start of the race I made my way to the starting line. I was thinking about my horrible race last week so I decided to go to the back of the pack. I mean WAY back. That turned out to be a mistake and it cost me about a minute in my overall finishing time. When the gun went off I was only able to run about 20 yards before I had to stop. The 221 runners were all trying to squeeze into the trailhead at the same time and those to the rear, like me, had a long wait. I walked a little, stopped again and repeated the process a few more times. By the time I finally got moving I had 1:50 on my Garmin but had only covered 0.10 miles! Talk about going out easy.

A congested start. Pick your poison (photo by Scott Mason).

And the best mud award goes to......(photo by Scott Mason).

The first (and last) three miles are basically flat single-track trail along the bank of the Merrimack River. Passing was difficult here but I was able to slowly work my way up though the field of runners. I had to stop a few times in the first two miles because several runners were very tentative about running through the water and mud on the trail. I guess they didn’t want to get their fancy shoes all dirty ;-). I was feeling very comfortable with my pace but wanted to hold back a little knowing the middle four miles are very hilly and the climbs would take some of the wind out of my sails. Once I hit the hills the fun would begin.

Off to a slow start (photo by Krissy K).

Hill climbing is the weakest part of my running but I managed the hills pretty well at Merrimack. I only stopped to walk some part of two of the longest and steepest hills. Oh, and the power line hill too. How could I forget about that one?! It was very steep but mercifully fairly short. Once over the power line hill it was more flat running to the 5 mile turnaround point. I hit the halfway mark in 46:15, thanked the volunteers at the aid table and headed back the way I came.

Not much elevation in this race.

With five miles already run, the climbs on the return trip seemed longer and steeper than they really were. It was here where I had to take a couple of walking breaks but I was still moving at a brisk pace. I managed to catch a few more runners over the hilly sections of the course. I hit the flats with three miles to go and I steadily picked up the pace and set my sights on the few runners ahead of me. I figured I had a good chance at catching them and that’s just what I did.

Picking up the pace in the final three miles (photo by Scott Mason).

Closing in on the finish. One last water crossing (photo by Krissy K).

The final 3 miles were the fastest of the entire race for me and I made the return trip in 43:51 for a total time of 1:30:06. Not speedy by any stretch of the imagination but I was very pleased that I felt strong throughout the entire 10 miles and didn’t falter too much on the hills. Even taking into consideration the minute I lost at the start of the race I still ran negative splits by over a minute (45:15 vs 43:51). The plantar fascia in my right foot was a little sore after the race. I think it’s because I got up on my toes when climbing some of the hills. I usually try to spare my PF by running flat-footed uphill but it was impossible to do so on some of the steeper climbs on the course.

Post-race I headed over to Dylan’s with Emily, the Tuesday Night Turtle gang and the legendary Richard Busa. We had a great lunch, a beer or two (but who’s counting) and a ton of laughs. The TNT is great bunch of folks and the 80 year old Busa is an inspiration to all runners, but more important to me, a genuine good guy. Keep at it Rich!

The 2010 Merrimack River race had to be the most photographed trail race ever in New England! Check out all the fine pics by the following photogs:

Jamie Doucette
Jim Johnson
Krissy Kozkosky
Scott Mason
Steve Wolfe
Rose W.

And my favorite photo of the race goes to Scott Mason:

Eventual winner Kevin Tilton walking on water.