5 years ago (Feb 2020):
My back, ankle, and quads all giving me woes during the month. I did get my mileage a bit steadier and did a couple of workouts and a race. I looked to the weekend schedule and considered the race in Amesbury right up until I saw that the entry fee was $45. Yikes! Instead I went with the Fudgcicle 5k in Tewksbury. This would be the 26th time I’d run this going back to 1991. The only race I’ve done more is Mt Washington.
Dave Lapierre was game for joining me, so we entered as a team. The annual finale of the series is a “two-some” where the times are added for each teammate and awards are given in a bunch of categories. It was quite cool at only 20 degrees, but there was no wind and it was sunny and the street were dry. Right away I felt some serious soreness in my left quad and shin. I went by the mile (6:16) and not much changed to the 2 mile mark (6:18-12:34). I saw Mark Behan take a very subtle glance back on the turn onto the main road. I was 5 or 6 seconds back but would not get any closer. I rounded the corner and saw the clock as I kicked it in with a 19:50 (6:23 pace). D-La came in 28 seconds after me and we took the team category finishing 9th and 10th overall and taking 4th and 5th in the 50+.
1 Peter Caron M2029 Lowell MA 17:21 5:35
2 Justin Daglish M4049 Carlisle MA 17:41 5:42
3 Michael Luebeck M3039 Maynard MA 18:35 5:59
4 Bob Tremblay M5059 Chelmsford MA 18:55 6:06
5 Burger King M3039 Boston MA 19:03 6:08
6 Fabio Piergentili M5059 Andover MA 19:08 6:10
7 Mark Behan M5059 Newton NH 19:43 6:21
8 Clara Camire F3039 Beverly MA 19:45 6:22
9 Dave Dunham M5059 Bradford MA 19:50 6:23
10 David Lapierre M5059 Chelmsford MA 20:18 6:32
150 Finishers
Mens Seniors Teams
1. D-La & LaDave 19:50 20:18 = 40:08
2. Unknown 20:59 28:55 = 49:54
MALE AGE GROUP: 50 – 59 (28 finishers)
1 4 Bob Tremblay 52 Chelmsford MA 18:55
2 6 Fabio Piergentili 57 ANDOVER MA 19:08
3 7 Mark Behan 56 NEWTON NH 19:43
4 9 Dave Dunham 55 Bradford MA 19:50
5 10 David Lapierre 55 Chelmsford MA 20:18
For the final weekend of the month I headed up to Vermont for the weekend to get in some running with Eric and (his dog) Murdock. On Saturday we hung out watching the Olympic trails marathon then headed to some local cross-country trails for a brisk (temperature not pace) run on the snow pack trails.
On Sunday we hit the trails of Hubbard park at sunrise. Found an interesting outhouse with a view!
My old course record that survived this month is the Fudgesicle 5k (a classic and one of my favorites). The Fudge 5k course is a little long and the weather can be a factor, so maybe that has helped my course record to last 34 years! Back on 02-09-1991 it was a nice 40 degree day I set the still standing course record at the Fudgesicle 5k race in Tewksbury, MA. My 14:57 took down Buddy Bostick’s CR from the previous year (15:31). I don’t think anyone else has ever gone under Buddy’s time. On the day I set the course record Mike Woodman ran an excellent 15:41 placing 2nd. I’m pretty sure that Woody’s time is still the fourth fastest ever run trailing only my time and Buddy Bostick and Ryan Gough. Teammate Art Demers ran a 16:06 that day to place third a solid time that on most days would have won.
This series is a classic, and according to the Greater Lowell Road Runners “Founded in 1976 after Pat (Fudge) complained to Ben (Fudge) that the ride into Cambridge, MA to organize the Fresh Pond Races was too long, Ben started another series in the town he lived – Tewksbury. The 5K race runs every Saturday morning at 8:00 AM from Tewksbury High School during the months of January and February”. This race is a throw-back to the days when racing was all about the RACE. A $1 entry fee is “suggested” and the GLRR website noted: “This is a no frills run – no on-line entry, no water stops – just pure runnin’. “
I looked back through the results that were posted on Coolrunning and was not just surprised at how few have ever gone under 16 but also how rare it is to break 17 minutes. Richard Bolt and Ryan Gough are the only runners in since 1996 to run sub-16. Looking back through the years that were available I came up with the list below of the fastest time run each year. Typically, if you break 17 minutes you are running pretty fast.
1997 16:51 Sean Donnelly
1998 16:52 Mick Grant
1999 ??
2000 ??
2001 17:42 Don Fay
2002 17:19 Ryan Gough
2003 17:34 Joe Shairs
2004 18:32 Bob Kearns
2005 17:50 Bob Kearns
2006 15:44 Richard Bolt
2007 17:40 Dave Dechellis
2008 16:56 Dan Verrington
2009 16:24 Jim Johnson
2010 17:35 Mike Quintal
2011 16:57 Matthew Germaine
2012 16:55 Chris Healey
2013 16:50 Stephen Gendron
2014 15:50 Ryan Gough
2015 18:00 Will Swenson
2016 17:43 Will Swenson
2017 17:40 Will Swenson
2018 ??
2019 ??
2020 16:19 Patrick Caron
2021 18:47 Michael Lubeck
2022 17:36 Michael Studer
2023 17:23 Michael Studer
2024 17:14 David Perloff
2025 17:40 David Perloff (thru week 5 – Feb 5)
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