Looking back - November 2014

 10 years ago – November 2014:  I started the month with the Jack London trail 10k –I’ve run many times in Mine Falls and know every trail in the park.  I’d won at the Jack London race in the first year it was held back in 2006.   My aim was to run around 38 minutes.  The field was a bit soft and I took the lead from the start.  Many did NOT see that they needed to continue under the highway and inadvertently cut off 2 miles of the race!  People ended up running a bunch of different distances and some even finished coming from BEHIND the finish line!  The RD did his best to sort out the results.

1 Dave Dunham               M50      BRADFORD, MA   37:29

2 William Jackson            M33      SALEM, MA         38:14

3 Aharon Wright              M29      MEDFORD, MA    38:20

 

Next up was the USATF NE XC championships –My goal was to run faster than I’d raced at the Mayor’s cup two weeks before (29:03) and my stretch goal was to run around 28:30-40.  I had my focus on Dan Verrington who was 8-10 seconds ahead at 2 miles (5:46/11:17).  I felt like I was struggling, although I caught a few guys I never really closed on Dan.  I crossed the line in 29:06 for 30^th place and 6^th in the 50+.  I was very happy to find that CMS took the win in the 50+ team with 34 points. 

 

50+ pl   O’all      Time     Name                Age       Team

1          14         27:44.9  Chris Chisholm    52         CT

2          16         27:53.4  Spyros Barres      51         CT

3          18         28:01.0  Chris Lawrence    50         BAA

4          21         28:12.9  Mark Reeder       55         GLRR

5          27         28:56.1  Daniel Verrington 52         CMS

6          30         29:05.8  Dave Dunham     50         CMS

9          48         29:54.1  Martin Tighe        56         CMS

18         64         30:56.1  John Gillis           50         CMS

2          75         32:18.8  Paul Bazanchuk   60         CMS (2^nd place in the 60+)

30         91         34:41.9  David Lapierre     50         CMS

 

Donovan Memorial 5k - Nacho took it out hard and was gone right from the start; I couldn't even see him after the first mile.  

Place     Name                        Time                Pace            Division            DivPL     Age          Sex            City, State    Team                   

1          Nacho Hernando      15:35.8            5:02            MOPEN            1            21            M            Concord, NH     NHTI

2          Dave Dunham          17:11.6            5:33            MOPEN            2            50            M            Ward Hill, MA   CMS

3          Jamie Wilkes            17:37.3            5:41            MOPEN            3            15            M            Concord, NH                 

 

Winners Circle cross-country race – I’ve raced a lot on Thanksgiving and the one race I’ve done the most is the WCRC XC race.  The venue changed a few years ago but the event itself is unchanged.  This year the start was postponed by ½ hour due to the overnight snow storm.  There was anywhere from 3 to 5 inches of snow on the ground at Pipestave hill.  The course is almost all in open fields so there were very few spots where there wasn’t deep heavy wet snow with a crust to punch through.  My guess was that I could run right around 7 minute pace.  This was not going to be easy.  Add to the snow a pack of dogs (5) that attacked teammate Greg Putnam and BIT me!   Mom Dunham took the 70+ division and I was top in the 50+ (although they took me out of the age groups for finishing in the top three).  No spills but now I have to watch out for rabies symptoms!

Pl   Time           Name                Sx         Age       Cat        Cat Pl    City, St

1    20:22.4         Gregory Putnam   M          45         TOP3     1/3        Stoneham MA

2    20:46.1         Chris Ritchie        M          31         TOP3     2/3        Hampton NH

3    21:08.7         Dave Dunham     M          50         TOP3     3/3        Ward Hill MA

4    21:38.7         Sam Coppola      M          16         M1317   1/11      Groveland MA

 

Chelmsford Alumni Cross-Country race – I’ve enjoyed taking part in this alumni XC race that is open to all runners.  Keith O’Brien (Chelmsford Class of 1982) and I have been friends since our high school days.  He puts on a fun event with post-race snacks and plenty of unusual prizes.  This year 6 inches of snow that covered the course.  I felt a bit dead legged from racing the day before but thought I could take Keith on the final paved uphill.  Just before that spot I said “Do you want to tie or should we sprint”?  He agreed to tie, which is typical of the nice guy that he is.  We crossed together getting a very slow time of over 23 minutes for the 3.2 mile loop.  I ended up winning a steak; I can honestly say that was a first.

Weather: Cold and cloudy  Distance: 3.2 Miles           Terrain: Snow 6 inches Deep

1             23:26    Dave Dunham    Billerica 1982

2          23:26     Keith O’Brien       Chelmsford 1982