New England XC championships - my history

 

Although I've done over 200 cross country races (202) I've only run the USATF NE championships 11 times.  My best finish was 1987 when I placed 3rd.  This weekend will be my second foray as a 60+ runner.  That field is MUCH deeper than it was last year...and I'm a lot slower.  Still, looking forward to racing!

Date	Location	St	Dist.	Time	PL	Fin	Info	Type	40+	50+	60+
11/15/87	Marlborough	MA	6.21	29:57	3	300	NEAC Championships	XC
11/13/88	Smithfield	RI	6.21	32:19	12	200	NEAC Championships	XC
11/12/89	Smithfield	RI	6.21	32:15	17	154	NEAC Championships	XC
11/15/92	Smithfield	RI	6.21	30:55	4	95	NEAC Championships	XC
11/12/95	Boston	MA	6.21	32:08	36	159	USATF NE  XC	XC
11/18/12	Westfield	MA	4.96	27:54	13	84	USATF NE  XC	XC	13
11/09/14	Boston	MA	4.96	29:06	30	119	USATF NE  XC	XC		6
11/05/17	Boston	MA	4.96	29:47	45	106	USATF NE  XC	XC		15
11/06/22	Boston	MA	4.96	31:29	33	93	USATF NE  XC	XC		13
11/05/23	Boston	MA	4.96	32:31	65	108	USATF NE  XC	XC		24
11/17/24	Attleboro	MA	5.02	33:48	50	88	USATF NE  XC	XC			2

Looks like I'm leading but there are at least 10 in front of me.  1988 New England XC champs

Looking back - November 1980

45 years ago: November 1980 – I wrapped up my first full season of cross-country at Billerica memorial high with the final three races of my junior campaign.  During this month I ran a scant 133 mile with 9 days off.  On 11/01/80 I took 4^th place at the Coaches meet at Franklin park running 16:04 over the 3+ miles. Future U-Lowell teammates Joe Regan (Central) and Tom Chamberas (Chelmsford) took 6^th and 7^th place respectively.

1.      Tom Hinds Haverhill 15:45

2.      Brian Smith Plymouth 15:53

3.      Bob Sheehan Cambridge 16:01

4.      Dave Dunham Billerica 16:04

5.      Chris Gorman Weymouth 16:11

6.      Joe Regan Central 16:13

7.      Tom Chamberas Chelmsford 16:15

The following weekend (11/08) on a rainy and cold day I finished in 5^th place at the State Class meet at Franklin park running a 16:11. I qualified for the state championships (Chambo who beat me by one second, was the only runner that I lost to in dual meets over my two varsity seasons).

1.     Mike Flynn Woburn 15:46

2.     Shawn Coghlan Brockton 15:55

3.     Brian Smith Plymouth 16:06

4.     Tom Chamberas Chelmsford 16:09

5.     Dave Dunham Billerica 16:10

 

The final XC race of the year was the State meet which was also held at Franklin park (11/15).  I improved my time bringing it down to 15:48 to finish in 11^th place. 

1.     Mike Flynn Woburn 15:18

2.     Jim MacPhee Arlington 15:30

3.     Shawn Coghlan Brockton 15:34

11. Dave Dunham Billerica 15:48

 

The next weekend I headed to Lowell for what was at the time the longest race I’d ever done (9.3 miles).  I went out like an idiot running a 5k and paid for it by 6 miles when I really cramped up.  I held on for a 10^th place finish (50:53) in a field of 600 finishers.  The race was put on by the recently formed Greater Lowell Road Runners.  I was the top junior (under 18) finisher but was missed in the initial awards.  The RD gave me a GLRR singlet (white with green letters) and a 1 year membership.  That was the start of my off/on relationship with GLRR that lasted until 1992 and resumed in 2005 when I was inducted into the GLRR Hall-of-Fame.