Saturday - July 30, 2011
Carver 5 Mile Road Race
USATF New England Road Racing Grand Prix - Race #6 of 7.
Carver, MA
Results
5 miles (re-certified this year)
Terrain: Road (paved)
Ascent: NA
Time: 25:36
7th place overall of 456
Splits
Mile 1) 4:50
Mile 2) 5:08 (9:58)
Mile 3) 5:14 (15:12)
Mile 4) 5:19 (20:32)
Mile 5) 5:04 (25:36)
Finish: 25:36
Links
Race website: here
Results: here
Photo / Video Credits
Race Report:
I headed down to Carver, MA last weekend for the 5 Mile New England Road Championships. I drove down w/ the Whirlaway boys (Patrick Ard, Kevin Alliette, and Jose Ortiz). They all graciously slept on the way down as I drove the hour and ten minute ride down south of Boston. When I got down there I was pleased to see a very large and strong contingent of CMS boys getting ready for action. After a little bit of issues with registration, we all headed out for a few miles of warmup over the beginning and end of the course. The morning was very warm (over 80 already) and humid. It was looking like a slower day for sure, but the course has proved to be fast in the past. One thing I did hear is that they had to 're-certify' the course this year and it was proven to be a little short in the past. That weighed a little bit on my mind and I was hoping that I could just run in the 25s as a worst case scenario. After the warmup, I wasn't feeling too great (comparatively speaking) and was very nervous for some reason...more so than usual. But after a few last minute strides, I toed the line right next to some of my mates and Dan The Man Vassallo and we were off.
The race went out quite fast but I let an initial group of Justin Freeman (RUN), Josh Ferenc (BAA), Dan Vassallo (aNE), Justin Fyffe (BAA), Eric Narcisi (WRC), Brandon Newbould (WRC), Tim Pipp (CMS) and Joseph Koech (RUN) go out ahead of me and I ran next to Pat Rich (CMS), Will Dobbie (BAA), and a few others as we ticked through the first flat to slightly downhill mile in 4:50. I had move just ahead of Tim by then and Patrick was behind me.
Right around the mile or just after, Will Dobbie came up along side me and matched my stride for a bit before moving ahead a little. But he never fully broke away. I stayed right with Will for a bit and before I knew it, we had caught up to Josh Ferenc, who had gone out in the lead through the first mile. He looked to be rigging up a bit and we eventually went by him around 1.5 in. He seemed to be breathing hard and as we passed he did not have a response. Will and I went through the 2nd mile split in 9:58 (5:08 second mile) and it was beginning to get HOT out there. There was very little shade and it was humid out that morning and over 80 at the start.
Somewhere after 2 miles, Terry Shea (BAA) went scorching past Will and I and Will reacted and went with Terry. I let them go just a bit and watched as they put a little distance on me, but then stayed there. I found myself catching back up inadvertently and then moving slightly ahead during certain sections where either the road curved in a direction or there was a turn or slight change in elevation. Terry, Will, and myself went back and forth continuously for another 1.5 - 2 miles, never really breaking away from each other by more than a couple yards.
Just before 4 miles I started to break away from Terry and Will finally and didn't hear them directly behind me anymore after one last push I made. Right about 4 miles I looked up to see that both Brandon and Eric from Whirlaway had been running side by side and had actually caught and passed Dan Vassallo. They were now about up to Justin Fyffe and all 4 of them were not too far in front of me. I seemed to be gaining on Dan and the others and for a moment, I looked ahead to see Kevin Johnson and Justin Freeman way up, but the rest of the field within striking distance. I never thought I would ever have a moment in a Grand Prix where I thought I had a shot at top 3, but I really did have a minute or two where I thought I was going to catch up to Dan, Justin, and the two Whirlaway runners.
Sometime after 4 miles, Dan put in one last surge (as did I) and he ended up passing Brandon and Eric back and Justin also came back at the end. I was just focused on outlasting Terry and Will who were still pretty close behind. Just before the line, there is a little uphill stretch and during that time I was pretty sure I'd be caught back by Terry and Will but I was able to hold them off. I was also unable to run down Eric and Brandon but they were coming back at the end pretty fast.
In the end I ended up finishing 7th OA (my 3rd Grand Prix top 10 this year) in 25:36. Only 3 seconds behind Brandon and 5 seconds behind Eric. Kevin Johnson ended up running a smart race and hammered the last couple miles to squeak out the win over Justin Freeman, who is having a great year. The day was pretty slow for most everyone. I was really hoping to run low 25, but I will certainly take 25:36 on a hot, humid day and certainly will take 7th OA in a Grand Prix event.
Just before 4 miles I started to break away from Terry and Will finally and didn't hear them directly behind me anymore after one last push I made. Right about 4 miles I looked up to see that both Brandon and Eric from Whirlaway had been running side by side and had actually caught and passed Dan Vassallo. They were now about up to Justin Fyffe and all 4 of them were not too far in front of me. I seemed to be gaining on Dan and the others and for a moment, I looked ahead to see Kevin Johnson and Justin Freeman way up, but the rest of the field within striking distance. I never thought I would ever have a moment in a Grand Prix where I thought I had a shot at top 3, but I really did have a minute or two where I thought I was going to catch up to Dan, Justin, and the two Whirlaway runners.
Sometime after 4 miles, Dan put in one last surge (as did I) and he ended up passing Brandon and Eric back and Justin also came back at the end. I was just focused on outlasting Terry and Will who were still pretty close behind. Just before the line, there is a little uphill stretch and during that time I was pretty sure I'd be caught back by Terry and Will but I was able to hold them off. I was also unable to run down Eric and Brandon but they were coming back at the end pretty fast.
In the end I ended up finishing 7th OA (my 3rd Grand Prix top 10 this year) in 25:36. Only 3 seconds behind Brandon and 5 seconds behind Eric. Kevin Johnson ended up running a smart race and hammered the last couple miles to squeak out the win over Justin Freeman, who is having a great year. The day was pretty slow for most everyone. I was really hoping to run low 25, but I will certainly take 25:36 on a hot, humid day and certainly will take 7th OA in a Grand Prix event.
Top 20 Plus CMS in Blue
Place | Time | Pace | Name | City/State | Team |
| 1 | 24:42:00 | 4:56 | Kevin Johnson | Ludlow,MA | Greater Springfield Harriers |
| 2 | 25:03:00 | 5:01 | Justin Freeman | New Hampton,NH | Retailers Union (RUN) |
| 3 | 25:15:00 | 5:03 | Dan Vassallo | Reading,MA | Addidas New England RC |
| 4 | 25:19:00 | 5:04 | Justin Fyffe | East Dummerston,VT | Boston Athletic Association |
| 5 | 25:31:00 | 5:06 | Eric Narcisi | Charlestown,MA | Whirlaway Racing Team |
| 6 | 25:33:00 | 5:07 | Brandon Newbould | Nottingham,NH | Whirlaway Racing Team |
| 7 | 25:36:00 | 5:07 | Jim Johnson | Salem,, NH | Central Mass Striders |
| 8 | 25:43:00 | 5:09 | Will Dobbie | Somerville,MA | Boston Athletic Association |
| 9 | 25:44:00 | 5:09 | Terrance Shea | Cambridge,MA | Boston Athletic Association |
| 10 | 25:46:00 | 5:09 | Nick Crowell | Portsmouth,NH | Central Mass Striders |
| 11 | 25:57:00 | 5:11 | Chad Carr | Cambridge,MA | Cambridge Running Club |
| 12 | 26:01:00 | 5:12 | Brennan Bonne | Dorchester,MA | Greater Boston Track Club |
| 13 | 26:03:00 | 5:13 | Joseph Koech | Chelmsford,MA | Retailers Union (RUN) |
| 14 | 26:05:00 | 5:13 | Patrick Rich | South Hamilton,MA | Central Mass Striders |
| 15 | 26:08:00 | 5:14 | Peter Mallett | Manchester,NH | Central Mass Striders |
| 16 | 26:12:00 | 5:14 | Josh Ferenc | Westmoreland,NH | Boston Athletic Association |
| 17 | 26:13:00 | 5:15 | Andy McCarron | Keene,NH | Central Mass Striders |
| 18 | 26:15:00 | 5:15 | Jim St Pierre | Dracut,MA | Retailers Union (RUN) |
| 19 | 26:17:00 | 5:15 | Jose Ortiz | Methuen,MA | Whirlaway Racing Team |
| 20 | 26:24:00 | 5:17 | Tim Pipp | Keene,NH | Central Mass Striders |
| 26 | 26:49:00 | 5:22 | Greg Hammett | Chesterfield,NH | Central Mass Striders |
| 27 | 26:50:00 | 5:22 | Greg Ward | W. Boylston,MA | Central Mass Striders |
| 32 | 27:07:00 | 5:25 | Greg Putnam | Wakefield,MA | Central Mass Striders |
| 34 | 27:14:00 | 5:27 | Joe Shairs | Peabody,MA | Central Mass Striders |
| 38 | 27:31:00 | 5:30 | Dan Verrington | Bradford,MA | Central Mass Striders |
| 41 | 27:42:00 | 5:32 | Matt Clark | Amherst,MA | Central Mass Striders |
| 43 | 27:46:00 | 5:33 | Chris Mahoney | Haverhill,MA | Central Mass Striders |
| 44 | 27:46:00 | 5:33 | Kevin Gorman | Norwood,MA | Central Mass Striders |
| 52 | 27:53:00 | 5:35 | Jim Pawlicki | Beverly,MA | Central Mass Striders |
| 57 | 28:20:00 | 5:40 | Dave Dunham | Bradford,MA | Central Mass Striders |
| 60 | 28:32:00 | 5:42 | David Quintal | Salem,MA | Central Mass Striders |
| 67 | 29:01:00 | 5:48 | Sam Wood | Laconia,NH | Central Mass Striders |
| 68 | 29:01:00 | 5:48 | John Pajer | Leicester,MA | Central Mass Striders |
456 Total Finishers.
After I crossed the line, I started to watch as my CMS teammates filled in nicely as Nick Crowell was basically right behind me in a great effort. Pat Rich and Pete Mallett came in together, just over 26 minutes and Andy McCarron was right behind them. That was 5 in the top 17. I knew we had won at that point and was pumped to have once again won a Grand Prix team title (4 out of 6 so far!).
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