Looking back - 2021

 5 Years ago:

I started to feel good enough to consider racing after getting injured in February.  I decided to give the Cinco De Miles 5k a shot.  I’d done this Millennium managed race back in 2019 and recalled that the course was reasonably flat…for Bedford NH. I met up with teammate Jim Pawlicki and we headed out for a warm-up/course preview.  Not many out on the course as the 1,500 runners would be spread out with start times from 9am to 11:30am (due to COVID restrictions). Two runners would start every 10 seconds. I seeded myself at 18:40 which is exactly 6:00 pace.  Jim and I got in a nice warm-up then I put on my race gear and did another mile to stay loose.

I was seeded 18^th, so my start was only 1:20 after the first starter. I went out controlled and was surprised that the guy who started with me was gone in the first 50 meters of the race (he definitely did not seed himself correctly as he ran over 36 minutes!). I hit the mile in 5:53 and was feeling pretty good. I slowly reeled in one of the guys in front of me and my second mile was a 6:04 so I was still thinking I could sneak under 6’s with a good finish.  I forgot how the “little” 30’ rise from 2.4 to 2.6 really hurt. I kind of ran out of steam and just managed to get in under 6’s with an 18:36.0. I ended up finishing 15^th and took first in the 55 (and first over 50)

The following weekend I headed to Manchester for the Anthem Life 10 mile. Based on my 5k and my tempo run ½ marathon I was thinking I could run around 1:03. Due to the nature of rail trails the course would be a steady climb of 10-30 feet per mile for 5 miles then we’d turn and retrace our steps with a nice steady downhill.  I hoped to run under 6:30 pace for the first half and hopefully come back quite a bit faster.  The seeding for this race was a bit unusual as they only asked if you could run under 70 minutes (and then 10 minute spacing) so everyone in the sub-70 group was randomly given a start time.  I ended up with cone #2.  I headed out onto Commercial street and tracked down the early leader by ¼ mile into the race.  g it today and never really saw my watch splits.  I checked the watch at the 1 mile mark and was 6:49. Ugh!  At the 2 mile mark I had a split of 5:13.  So at that point I knew the mile was wrong and was now wondering if maybe 2 miles was correct and I was running just over 6 minute pace.  A 6:04 next mile had me convinced I was in fact running low 6’s and that was very encouraging.  Right around that point I was passed by a guy who started 30 seconds or so behind me and he was MOVING. I managed to hit the turn in 30:40 which was a huge surprise.  It’d be all downhill from there!  I had miles of 6:02, 6:01, and 6:03.  After 8 miles I was starting to feel the distance. I held it together for the most part and only slowed about 10 seconds a mile over the last 2 and managed a second half of 30:18 to stop the clock in 60:58 which was good enough for second place overall.

 Finally, the long anticipated Capital Area Race Series (CARS) kicked off!  The series was shelved in 2020 (although I did run a couple of the races as boot-leg DIY events).  The schedule was a bit shuffled this year and the first race was the Canterbury Shaker Village 5k XC.  I was still feeling the impact of my second COVID shot on Thursday. The course was much drier than years past and had just a couple of minor tweaks from how it had been run in the past. This would be another race with runners heading off in time-trial format. This time a runner would go every 5 seconds. I was the seventh runner to start and could see the six guys in front of me as we traversed the edges of the cow pasture in the first ½ mile.  After that I couldn’t see anyone and was on my own for a while.  I shuffled into the finish pretty beat and disappointed at how slow my time was.  I kept my eye on the clock and teammate Scott Clark came storming in 16 seconds after I finished.  I’d started 20 seconds ahead of him so he got me by four seconds to take the 50+ title. I did get the consolation prize as the top age-graded masters finisher.

1 Drew Tuttle                    17:44

2 Ed Stowell            18:07

3 Ben Neff              18:13

4 Colton ham                    18:45

5 Jotham Burnett     18:49 40+

6 Michael Eddy        19:32

7 Warren Bartlett     19:36

8 Scott Clark           19:53 50+

9 Dave Dunham      19:57 50+

10 Ernie Brake         20:23 50+

11 Jim Angell                    20:24 50+

16 Christin Doneski 21:36 first female & 50+

18 Doug Deangelis 21:44 50+

28 Jim Pawlicki        22:44 40+

 

The following weekend I got back to real live racing in Massachusetts!  The “Covid comeback 5k” billed itself as the first race in Massachusetts in 2021. It was going to get close to 90 degrees on Sunday and like most everyone else I was not prepared for hot weather running this early in the season.

They had us line up pretty much wherever we wanted in rows of three with about 30 runners per starting wave.  I was in the second row and headed out pretty quickly but by 200 meters into the race found myself alone in 13^th place as the lead group strung out and it was a long way back to the next person. My goal based on the course was to run about 5:50 for the first two miles which were flat or downhill.  Then a 6:20 mile on the very tough 3^rd one would get me home at 6:00 pace.  I hit the mile in 5:49 and began catching people.  I hit 2 miles in 11:32 which was a pleasant surprise as I moved into the top 10.  Then we hit the tough ¼ mile on Canterbury road which climbed 100’.  The 8% grade was definitely a punch in the gut.  I caught another guy on the climb and got into 8^th place with ½ mile to go.  I didn’t have much of a kick and lost back a spot in the final ¼ mile.

No complaints from me as I broke 6:00 pace (5:54’s) and finished in the top 10. 

1 Steve Dowsett      M33    16:15 

2 Carl Hartford        M36    16:44

3 Colin McGinn        M19    17:12

4 Nick Moore           M22    17:47

5 Jarret Harrigan     M28    17:49

6 Peter Siess           M28    17:53

7 Jonathan Fascetti M18    18:10

8 Connor Gorman    M34    18:15

9 Dave Dunham      M57    18:19

10 Patrick McGucken          M17    18:47

 

Age Graded

1 Dave Dunham      M57    84.4% 15:12

2 Steve Dowsett      M33    79.6% 16:08

3 Carl Harford                   M36    78.5% 16:22

4 Linda Jennings     F68    75.9% 19:23

 

I closed out the month with the VFW 5k in Manchester NH.  I had high hopes for this race as I’d run pretty fast on the same course back in November (18:02).  I had my sights set on maybe sneaking under 18 minutes which I hadn’t done since February.  The field was very small with only 41 finishers.  I was seeded first (I’d submitted 18:15 as my time based on recent races) and would get a five second start ahead of Mark LaPrade.  I went out what felt to be a quick pace and ¼ mile in Mark went flying by.  I hit the mile in 5:53 which was 8 seconds slower than I’d hoped, but I was struggling.  I kept about the same distance between Mark through the turn and was still thinking I might be able to get by him at 2 miles (5:49/11:42).  I knew sub-18 was out (and winning the race as well) but knew Jim Angell would be gunning for me.  I had a disappointing last mile (5:55) with no kick and no energy.  I did hold onto 2^nd place.  1 Mark LaPrade 18:07 2 Dave Dunham 18:19 3 Jim Angell 18:28 4 Robin Friedman 19:52 5 Jim Pawlicki 20:39

 

Looking back - 2016

 10 years ago: I mixed it up a bit this month (May 2016) with two road races and two mountain races.  I started the month 05/01/16 at the Cool Kids 5k in Billerica.  The race was about a mile away from my parent’s house so I was very familiar with the roads.  It wouldn’t really help as I was all alone in second place right from the gun running a 17:51, nearly 2 minutes behind Pat Fullerton (15:55).  Only 55 turned up for the race but another hundred did the walk (including my folks). Two weeks later I headed to Sleepy Hollow (Huntington VT) for the great little mountain race over the XC ski terrain. I climbed well but didn’t feel great on the descents. I ended up 15 seconds behind Jeff Walker (Dirigo) for the top 50+ spot in 23^rd place overall. The 50+ field was very strong with the top five all within 45 seconds.  Two weeks later I closed out the month with two short races. On Saturday (05/28/16) it was a hot 84 degrees for the Wachusett mountain race.  I chose to just do the 2.85 mile climb. I ended up 13^th overall and a scant four seconds behind Erik Vandendries who won the 50+ (21:53).  Again, the 50+ was hard fought with the top 7 all within 33 seconds. The next day I headed to Manchester NH for the Fisher Cats 3k.  It turned out to be a very short 3k (1.75 miles). This was a unique race as it started in the outfield of the Delta Dental Stadium and finished at home plate. Over 200 took part and two young kids took it out hard. I moved into first place at ¾ mile and put 30 seconds on second place (Dave Audet) by the finish, winning in 9:54. My prize was a luxury suite for a game, and I got to go out during the game for the awards ceremony where I got a signed baseball.

Looking back - 2011

 15 years ago: May of 2011 was a very productive month with four races and my highest mileage in over 3 years, I even managed a few track workouts.  On May 1 I headed inside Route 128 for the USATF NE 10km championships (James Joyce Ramble).  Although CMS fielded a large team, we only managed to gather four masters (40+) and as such did not have a scoring team.  I tried to key off teammate Dan Verrington (who buried me) and other CMS runners including Jim Pawlicki who passed me at 5 miles and put 10 seconds on me in that final mile.  My goal was 34:30 and I managed to come in 2 seconds under that and placed 15^th in the 40-49 age group. I ran the entire race with my right shoe untied.

CMS 40+

37      6/342  M4049    33:39  5:25   33:41 Greg Putnam      1 M  1852 Wakefield MA  CMS

51      12/342 M4049   34:15  5:31   34:18 Dan Verrington   48 M  1848 Bradford MA  CMS

56      15/342 M4049   34:28  5:33   34:28 Dave Dunham     47 M  1850 Bradford MA    CMS

64      18/342 M4049   34:54  5:37   34:54 George Adams    40 M 11000                     CMS

 

Next up was the USATF NE 6km (3.72 miles, an unusual distance). I‘d picked up a nasty cough and just was not “feeling it” on the quickly warming morning. Dan Verrington got out unusually fast, but I could see some of the other guys I was keying off of and felt I was going at about the right pace. I hit the mile in 5:18 which was a few seconds slower than hoped for.  At the top of the climb (about 1.6 miles) I caught Dan and Mark Reeder went by at the same time.  I hit 2 miles in 10:45 (5:27). We hit three in 16:16 (5:31?). Mark gradually pulled ahead and I tried to stay with Mike Quintal. I crossed the line in 20:17 and was totally spent.  I got back out onto the course to watch mom come in strong setting a PR.

CMS 40+

15 4/106 M4049      19:39 5:17 Tim Van Orden 43 M 672 Bennington VT          CMS

25 7/106 M4049      19:57 5:21 Greg Putnam    41 M 629 Wakefield MA          CMS

33 9/106 M4049      20:17 5:27 Dave Dunham  47 M 616 Bradford MA          CMS

38 11/106 M4049    20:28 5:30 Dan Verrington 48 M 632 Bradford MA          CMS

42 12/106 M4049    20:33 5:31 Rod Viens                  43 M 228 Grantham NH          CMS

43 13/106 M4049    20:37 5:32 Joe Shairs                  42 M 630 Peabody MA          CMS

55 19/106 M4049    20:54 5:37 Scott Clark       45 M 316 Gilmanton NH          CMS

88 30/106 M4049    22:09 5:57 David Quintal   47 M 662 Salem NH           CMS

96 33/106 M4049    22:28 6:02 John Pajer                 48 M 430 Leicester MA          CMS 

 

On to Northfield Mountain! This year I directed my final spring race at Northfield after a decade of snowshoe and trail races. I headed out on Friday and put out the mile/course markers and was joined by Tim Mahoney and Paul Bazanchuk. On race day I felt sluggish but not too bad as I got out in around 20^th place when we reached the gate.  I ended up running a fair amount with Tim Mahoney, Tom Brown, and Ross Krause. I moved into 12^th place as we started the downhill. I lost some ground on the long down and I had to settle for 14^th place and 3^rd in the 40+.

 

1 36:27 Eric MacKnight      22m    KS College

2 36:42 Mark Miller           30m    BAA

3 36:53 Jim Johnson                    33m    CMS

40+

8 37:57 Tim Van Orden      43m    CMS

9 38:45 Todd Callaghan     41m    GCS

14 39:24 Dave Dunham     47m    CMS

16 40:21 George Adams    41m    CMS

17 40:33 Joe Shairs           43m    CMS

The final weekend of the month I headed up to Plymouth NH for the Pemi Youth 5km race. Only 75 showed up for this race that had cash for the top 3 and plenty of food and drink after the race. We took off and 100m into the race I was in fourth place and alone as the top three flew and I established my position as the first person who wouldn't win any cash. I would have liked to run in the 16:40's but with the higher mileage I’m probably not as rested as I need to be. Still no complaints breaking 17 minutes.

 

1   1/4       M2024 15:09   4:53 David Chorney         23 M   64 Bristol NH

2   2/4       M2024   15:25   4:58 Joshua Kearns       23 M   54 Ridgefield CT

3   3/4       M2024   16:23   5:17 Andrew Chalmers  21 M   46 Ashland NH

4   1/6       M4549   16:53   5:26 Dave Dunham       47 M   60 Bradford MA

5   1/4       M5559   18:03   5:49 Charlie Gunn         56 M   69 Henniker NH

Looking back 2006

 20 years ago: I mixed it up on the trails and mountain during May 2006. I was competing in a trail series along with the start of the mountain series, so there was plenty of fun stuff.  I started the month (05/07/06) with a return to 7-Sisters. A very tough trail race that I had last attempted in 1991. My goal was to not get hurt, which is not an easy goal to meet on this super-technical 12 miles traversing the Holyoke range (and then coming back). I managed to make it through pretty much undamaged taking 17^th place in 2:07:01. 

1 Paul Low              M32    1:42:06

2 Leigh Schmitt       M33    1:48:15

3 Dmitry Drozdov    M34    1:50:19

4 Ben Nephew                   M30    1:52:03

5 Matthew Estes      M32    1:52:08

7 Paul Young           M40    1:58:06

16 Dan Verrington   M43    2:06:57

17 Dave Dunham     M42    2:07:00

25 Kelli Lusk (1^st F)  F36     2:15:41

 

The next week (05/13/06) I headed to the uphill road race in Lake George NY.  This 5.67 mile road course climbed Prospect mountain. I lost 30 seconds to the leader on the first flat mile and stayed 30 seconds back the entire way to take 2^nd place in 39:09. 

1 Matt Mallet           M30    38:38

2 Dave Dunham      M42    39:09

3 Pat Hamel            M32    39:38

 

A week later Dan Verrington and I headed to Saratoga NY for the Mudslinger 5 mile trail race.  I was in 2^nd from 1.5 miles on with Dan about 5 seconds ahead.  I missed a turn in the last mile and lost over a minute and barely outsprinted some guy for 2^nd place in 30:47. The final weekend (05/27 & 05/28/06) had me doubling up with Wachusett mountain on Saturday.  I took fourth place in 28:01 but really should have been 8^th place as four of the top guys somehow managed to go off the very well marked course. The next day I finished in 10^th place (2^nd master) at the Trav’s trail run in 16:50 over the 3 miles of cross-country racing.