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 4th 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 6th and 7th 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 5th 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 11th 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 10th 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.
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