Mill Cities - my history

This weekend I hope to make it through my 15^th Mill Cities Relay.  It is always a fun event, put on by local clubs for local clubs.  This will be my second year on the GLRR 60+ squad.

#	Date	Leg	Dist	Time	Pace	#of teams	Team	Notes
1	12/6/1987	4	9.6	0:48:05	5:01	30	GLRR	Very cold day, took it out in 14:40 for first 3m
2	12/4/1988	2	6.6	0:33:30	5:05	73	GLRR?	I think I was on the GLRR “B” team - 2:28:03 for 2nd behind GLRR A in 2:25:27
3	12/2/1990	4	9.6	0:48:23	5:02	77	WCRC	Mike Beeman’s Total Sports All-Star team, Mike B, Bob B, Petey, me, Artie - 3rd pl 2:32:14
4	12/6/1992	5	4.6	0:22:09	4:49	50	WCRC	Mike Beeman's Total Sports All-Star Team, Teammates included Scott Spence, Steve Peterson, Artie Demers, and the great Mike Beeman
5	12/4/1994	3	2.3	0:11:29	5:00	120	Dave’s	Dave Camire’s All-Star team (everyone named "Dave" = LaBrode, Camire, Tyler, Lapierre)
6	12/8/2002	4	9.3	0:54:10	5:49	122	Rogue Runners
7	12/5/2004	4	9.4	0:54:35	5:48	119	WCRC 40+	First time on a Masters team
8	12/3/2006	4	9.4	0:55:19	5:53	142	WCRC Mixed 40+
9	12/8/2013	2	4.75	0:28:58	6:06	199	GCS	48th place, 3:01:12, 12th Male Masters team
10	12/7/2014	4	9.5	0:55:40	5:52	210	GCS 50+	First time on a Senior team, 2nd to WRT 2:36 to 2:41
11	12/6/2015	5	4.75	0:27:31	5:48	229	GCS 50+	Winning Senior team! 19th overall 2:44:53
12	12/3/2017	4	9.6	0:57:29	5:59	217	WCRC Mixed 50+	We took 64th place overall in the relay and 6th in the mixed 50+ scoring, out of 16 teams.
13	12/4/2022	1	5.62	0:33:53	6:02	175	WCRC	Maybe my best run of the year!
14	12/8/2024	4	9.8	1:05:42	6:42	218	GLRR 60+	1st 60+ team by 10 minutes

 
 

November

 Still not sure exactly what is going on.  Since the injury back in August my average pace per mile is 45 seconds slower.  I rebounded slightly in October but right back to averaging 9:03’s in November.  With a few races and a couple of workouts I was hoping the average would drop.  Unfortunately, for every mile I raced I spent a bunch of miles in the upper 9’s, 10’s and even a few runs in the 10:30 pace range.  On a positive note for the month I got back to work (work work, not running work) and also saw the International Space Station (ISS) 8 times including twice on one day.  Great fun getting out and biking even as the temperatures get chilly.

Week Ending 11/30/25

 A mixed bag of a week. Knee and ankles were not good this week.  Decided to NOT race at the Chelmsford Alumni race but supported the event and had a good time seeing old friends and putting in a 16+ mile day. Had a solid 88 miles as I closed the book on November with 369 miles (averaging better than 12 miles per day).

Week – 88

Month – 369

Year – 3,839

Life – 166,615

Chelmsford (and friends) Alumni XC race

 I closed out the month with a return to Chelmsford High School for the “Chelmsford and friends Alumni XC race”. This was the 29^th running of the race put on by Keith O’Brien (Chelmsford Class of 1982). I started attending the race in 2005 and today would be the 13^th time I’d run it (along with 3 times I worked the race due to injuries).  So, not a bad attendance record!  This year I had no intention of racing but figured I could still enjoy the fun by showing up and putting in a workout level effort.

 

On race morning I did my normal 6 miles at the Methuen Rail Trail and then headed into work. I ditched out of work at 9:45 and was warming up on the course just after 10 a.m. Keith O joined me for a little bit of the course preview, and I kept running as I wanted to put in 6 miles before the race. After warming up I grabbed my number and switched into a dry shirt but did not switch into race felts choosing to be smart and stick with my Puma trainers. Kara stopped by and gave me my t-shirt from the All-Terrain-Runner series and then it was off to the line.  O’B gave a quick thanks to everyone and Richie Blake (doubling up as a racer and timer) gave us the “set” and “go”.  Off we went. 

I found myself in fifth place as we headed out around the big field. At ¼ mile we headed into the strong headwind, and I moved up to fourth place. I ran with the younger Haas (14 year-old Ella) to about ¾ mile before pulling ahead.  I was a little surprised to see 7:12 on my watch as I hit the mile.  I had thought sub-8 minute miles and maybe as fast as 7:30’s if I felt good.  Jason Bui and Kara were now well out of sight, and I was on my own.  I hit 2 miles in 14:24, for another 7:12 mile and I felt pretty good despite the heavy shoes and tough wind. I got some nice encouragement from Kara’s dad (Richard Molloy) who was out there competing at age 84, as I passed him on the reverse loop.  I hit three miles in 21:39 (7:15) and then kicked it in for 22:49 over the long (3.16 miles) 5k. Again, I was happily surprised to pick up 3^rd place and run a fairly easy feeling 7:13 pace.  

Had I raced all-out I’d likely have gotten third place anyway, so all in all it was a smart choice.  I picked up a bag of granola for finishing third which was a nice bonus.  Always great to go back and see the same folks year after year.  Thanks again to Keith for his hard work and dedication.

 

Place  Time                                 School                    Pace

1        20:34  Jason Bui      M45    Ayer                       6:31

2        21:57  Kara Haas     F55     Westford Academy  6:57

3        22:49  Dave Dunham  M61    Billerica Memorial              7:13

4        25:02  Ella Haas       F14     Chelmsford High                7:55

5        25:29  Jim Rhoades  M57    Lowell High             8:04

6        25:34  Glen Turgiss  M62    Chelmsford High                8:05

7        25:55  Keith O'Brien M61    Chelmsford High                8:12

8        26:29  Lee Panas     M63    Chelmsford High                8:23

9        26:43  Carolyn McHugh      F35     Chelmsford High                8:27

10      27:20  Amy Molloy   F45     Chelmsford High                8:39

11      27:32  Matt Shapiro M53    Chelmsford High                8:43

12      27:35  Glenn Stewart         M75    Division Avenue H.  8:44

13      27:52  Richie Blake  M56    Tyngsborough H.S.  8:49

14      28:15  Mark Gallagher        M61    Chelmsford High                8:56

15      29:29  Scott Graham          M67    Chelmsford High                9:20

16      29:41  Trish Gabor-Therrien F47   Magnificat H.S.                  9:24

17      31:00  Rick Fijalkowski       M58    Lowell High             9:49

18      44:24  Richard Molloy         M84    Lowell High             14:03

My prize