Back in the Day, 30 & 10 Years Ago

Thirty years ago this weekend, i ran my first St Mary's Feast 5.5 Mile race. It is held at 5 pm on a Saturday and needless to say, is normally a swelteringly hot day with very little shade along the way. This was race #11 of the year for me which also make it 11th ever, seeing this was my first year racing. I started out with my buddy Richard Collard  and after pulling away from him, ended up in a battle with Darryl Simoneau from Cumberland HS, getting out kicked into the finish. I finished in 30.30 for 5.5 or 5.7, or whatever the real distance was. My friend, Roland Davide, in my opinion, the best runner ever to come out of Rhode Island, easily won the race. Roland was on the comeback trail at the time with a lot of great running in front of him. 

Along the way, i logged many long runs with Roland, which helped push me to the extreme. We would run a Saturday morning 21 miler that was back loaded with some killer hills, pushing up the pace towards the end of the run. It was not unusual for us to run the last mile in 5-5.05 after running two shitty steep long hills leading to the finish at his house in Coventry. Of course, there were days when i would just grab his shoulder and say SLOW DOWN, we always ended up picking the pace up again anyway. I remember one long run leading up to the New York City Marathon in 1982. I told him of this 20 mile workout we could do on a rolling course out around the Scituate Reservoir. We headed out on the supposed 20 that ended up being 27 miles, the pace coming in was fast. I think Roland was pissed! We were wiped out, having no water for 27 miles will do that, but back then, who needed water anyway. Because of my indiscretion in getting the miles right, Roland told me i had to double up on my races the next day so i could join him at an afternoon race he was committed to running at the PM Pub. We both ran the Warwick 10k in the morning where i surprisingly ran 32 flat for a PR at that distance, Don't remember Roland's time, but i would guess it was 30 low change. Later that afternoon, we showed up at the PM Pub and went 1-2 for the 5 mile race after an early scare from Dick Tardiff, who rocketed out at the start, and we no doubt, enjoyed a few beers after the race. The photo in the local paper had us finishing side by side and many people said i almost beat Roland, Yeah, Right. He was a sub 30 10k guy, no way i was beating him at that point of my running career. I really enjoyed my time running with Roland Davide and he is part of the reason i got as fast as i did.

Shoot ahead 20 years to the same weekend as St Mary's and we have the Wachuset to Wachuset Road Race. Like St Mary's, it was a late afternoon 5 mile race and this year, it was hotter than hell. Race time temp was about 95 degrees. I made the trek up to this race with some of the Turtle boys, Dave Larsen, Mark Mitsmenn, Ernie Valliere and Chris McDonough in Dave's 1977 Eldorado. There is more room in this car than a school bus. One of the major draws here was that it finished at a brewery with live music and beer after the race, what is better than that! It also had 40% downhill and only 20% up in this point to point race, so the course profile seemed quite interesting. The race started in the parking lot at the ski area and came screaming downhill to Rte 140 and then headed along rolling hills until you hit the 4 mile mark where it went down for about 3/4 of a mile and then flat into the finish. My last mile of the race was a 4.40 mile, side by side with Dan Johnson from Providence, not bad for a 41 year old. We came in towards the finish and realized that you had to make a sharp 180 degree turn 100 meters from the finish. At the pace we were running, we thought, who the f--- thought up this finish? Dan, with the younger legs, got me in the sprint. The last mile was electric, it had to be one of the most exhilarating last miles i ever ran in a race. Side by side and neither would give, striding like gazelles, that is what racing is all about! 

Too bad this race only lasted for a few years, your entry fee got you a t-shirt, a pint glass and a growler of beer along with music and food. Why do these races always seem to disappear? 

 Wachusett to Wachusett 5-Miler

Westminster, MA, July 17, 1999

  1   1/98   M2029   24:20  4:52 ARTHUR GILKES          25 M   774 SOMERVILLE MA           CMS
 2   2/98   M2029   24:41  4:57 DANIEL JOHNSON         26 M   956 PROVIDENCE RI           BAA
3   1/176  M4049   24:43  4:57 SCOTT MASON            41 M   576 WARWICK RI              TNT
4   1/203  M3039   24:47  4:58 MAURITS VAN DER VEEN   32 M   775 SOMERVILLE MA           CMS
5   1/19   M0119   24:55  4:59 MIKE SMITH             19 M  3034 PRINCETON MA            CMS
 6   3/98   M2029   25:00  5:00 RICHARD BOLT           28 M   862 PEPPERELL MA            CMS
 7   2/19   M0119   25:21  5:05 NATE JENKINS           18 M  3037 TEMPLETON MA            UMASS LOWELL
8   4/98   M2029   25:39  5:08 KEVIN BECK             29 M   982 CONCORD NH              CMS
9   2/176  M4049   26:49  5:22 TIM BLOUIN             42 M   607 TEMPLETON MA            GLRR/NMC
10   2/203  M3039   27:09  5:26 JASON CAKOUROS         34 M   107 MILTON MA

 

Ascutney

For the last two years, i have been photographing the mountain races and i've had a great time doing it. Yesterday, i decided to be on the other side of the camera and try running one of these things. This would be the first time i have ever done a mountain race. The thought had crossed my mind many years ago when i was a much faster, but i just never pulled the trigger on it. It is also my first race this year without snowshoes under my feet. I knew coming into this that i was in no way ready to race, but what the hell, lets do it anyway.

The day started good with a nice easy 3 mile warmup with all the CMS and other mountain studs. Running wise, that is as good as the day got. Soon after, it was over to the start line to begin this adventure. A few words with Trail Pixie before the gun and we were off. I found that trying to figure out what kind of pace to run up the mountain is not easy, so i just went slow. At about the mile i broke into a power walk which is not much slower than running on the steep sections of road. I kept this up for the next mile or so when it was time to veer onto the trails to the top. This is where it got ugly. The rock strewn trails are steep technical climbs, not condusive to running at all. On top of that, there was much mud, running water and slick footing. For me, being in less than ideal condition, call it fat and out of shape if you will, it was torture. I pulled over a number of times to let faster people through, otherwise you could not pass. I finally made it to the top, it was great to come out of the woods and see the finish line right away. As i made it the final steps, there was Jim Johnson with his camera shooting away. I just had a blank stare towards the camera. Now i know what some of the mountain runners must think when they see me pointing a camera at them on the steep slopes i like to set up on. Oh yeah, Jim also won the race, congratulations JJ. After a long wait for the awards to be given out, we ran back down the mountain road. Probably not the best thing to do as my legs feel shot today, but the knees are good which is very positive.

Now i know what i have to do to get ready for Mt Mansfield in 7 weeks.

If i decide to try Ascutney again next year, i hope that they change the course back to all road.

Upper Walking Boss, Loooooon

A few days before the Loon Mountain race, race director, Paul Kirsch, mentioned that nobody ever shot photos from the Upper Walking Boss and he wouldn't mind seeing some from there.Well, it sounded like a good subtle hint to me and a great challenge too. I watched the start of the race down along the Pemigewasset River and then made haste for the gondolas for a ride to the top, well, almost the top. 

Once i got off the gondola ride, i had to get to the North Peak before the runners reached the same. I booked it up the Summit Trail, a 300ft rise in about 1/3 of a mile, a power walk mixed with some slow running, all while carrying two good size cameras. That little hike kicked the crap out of me, but i made it well before therunners. Now that i was there, it was time to start down Upper Walking Boss, a black diamond slope. My first reaction was, i'm not walking down there, but with a closer look, it did not look so bad. At least i wasn't running up it! Watch your step going down and it is easy. Once the runners started coming up, it was all worth it. I love to shoot where the runners are pushed to their limits and this is one of the best places i have ever been able the photograph. Anything you shoot at the local 5k could never come close to what you see here.

See all my photos here.

It was great to see Jim Johnson coming up the slope first, granted he wasn't moving too fast and seemed to 

be getting caught. He did get caught and then got it all 

back and then some on the descent. Good win, Jim.

 The grade where i started shooting was around 40-45%. You look at some of the pictures and have to be amazed at the angle these runners are to the slope. Absolutely brutal! A few of the runners did manage to run, slowly, all the way up the mountain. Talk about quad burn.

 

 As i worked my way down the course, taking photos all along the way, most everyone is in good spirits. You wouldn't think so if you saw what they were in the midst of running up. I got many smiles and mugging for the camera. I carried on some short conversations and joking around. I even had some runners ask why i was shooting pictures on the worst part of the course. Why shoot when you are running comfortably, that is too easy. Of course, i told them Paul made me do it :) 

These mountain runners are a great group of people.

Read these blogs for the real runners accounts of the race:

Dave Dunham

Jim Johnson

Paul Bazanchuck

Paul Kirsch

Jim Pawlicki

Cranmore Hillclimb 2009

Yeah, I know, A little late on getting this stuff out on the blog this week. 

I had a great time shooting the race this year. I picked up a ride to the top of the mountain with the waterstop crew and then gradually made my way down the mountain while shooting 2000+ images. A stellar field made it an even better to watch. Too bad there aren't more spectators up on the hill to urge the runners on, they don't know what they are missing.

See my photos here and here. 

I also put out a video slideshow here.

See a fun slideshow of the race by Ken Skier here. 

Gotta love the look on Paul Bazanchuks face in the photo, kinda says it all, don't it.

See you all at Loon Mountain this week. Paul Kirsch wants to see some shots from the Upper Walking Boss, so that is where i will be. 40% grade, WOW!

Later

Scott                                                                                    

20 Years ago this week.

So here i am, hanging out at the Mt Washington Road Race. It was the first time i had ever been to the top of the "rockpile". All the runners i talked to along the way were amazed that i had never run in this race.

It might be a big deal that i never had run up the mountain, but there are other races. Back when i was quick, i was kind of hooked on this race in Connecticut called the Norwich Rose Arts Race. It was 10.57 mile race, seems Ct. never was much into traditional race distances and it was run the day after Mt Washington. I ran it a few times, in 1989 i came in as the defending champ but was not the favourite for the race. Mike Cotton, a very good CT. runner was proclaimed the race favourite. I was pissed off at that. I destroyed the field the year before so give me the honor of at least being the best runner here. I already knew i was going to win this race, not to be cocky, but i was going after the race favourite. When you have to race against all the Irishmen who come to RI, it just toughens you up that much more.

So off goes the race and off go i. Toy around with this guy til we hit the hills and drop the hammer. As a runner, you have to know your strengths, mine were running uphill. We hit the Canterbury Turnpike and the race was over. Mike was a good runner but i was better that day. I was going for John Flora's course record, but the heat of the day was just too much. The race win was good anyway. Click on the newspaper article to read the race report.

I had always thought back then than Mt Washington would be a great race to run and i wish that i had done it. Would have been interesting to see how well i could have done then. Hopefully i find out next year just how it is to run up the mountain. I look forward to pushing myself to the summit, just not to the level i was once at. The competitive urge will always be there though, so here goes nothing, i will run as hard as i can up the hill next year, i hope!

Pictured in the shot is Glen Guillmette, Al Pettinichio, Eddie Tarczyk, Mark Mitsmenn, Kevin Maguire and Me. This was the first year of the Tuesday Night Turtles. Notice our race outfits, fluorescent green shorts, you could see us coming a mile away. Life was good. 

Mt Washington Road Race

Before Saturday, i had never had the opportunity to get to the top of Mt Washington, running or driving. This year i drove up (i have the bumper sticker to prove it!), next year i run it. I think i would rather run up after the drive to the top. Driving through a cloud to the top made me feel like i was inside a cotton ball, it was somewhat nerve wracking knowing there was an extreme drop-off right next to you, but you can't see it. I had Jimmy Buffett blasting on the CD player to sooth the nerves. Once i hit about 5000ft, everything cleared out and it was just beautiful! It was nice to get up there early so i had a chance to wander around and check things out, looking down on top of the clouds was an awesome site, not that it was the first time i have seen this,  just that it is the legendary Mt Washington. My first look at the finish was astonishing, the "wall" in the last 100 meters or so is quite intimidating. 30% grade hurts to walk up, let alone, run up after covering 7 1/2 miles already. I staked out a spot halfway up the wall for the first few runners and then made my way back down the road a little for more photos. See them here.

 

Just a few comments and observations:

>Watching Ricky Gates sprinting to the finish after cresting the wall to get under the hour mark and  make the money bonus was very impressive.

>Tara Cardi running to second place was awesome, especially coming from a state with a high point of 812ft. Just shows you can't rule out us flatlanders.

>Thanks for the Smuttynose IPA, MG.

>Hey Sheila, sorry i missed your photo, i'm pissed at myself for that lapse of concentration. Watching that moose in your yard the night before was cool!

>Another flatlander, Glen Guillmette ran great, next year he moves to the 50 age bracket, too bad Craig Fram is already there :(  Craig's blowing away of the old course record wasn't a surprise, but impressive none the less.

>Good run, DoubleJ

>Great to meet up with George Zack, it is good to

actually talk to Facebook friends in person. 

Especially when they live in Colorado and you have never met before. See you next year, i'll bring the homebrew. That is George in the Fleet Feet top in the photo. Read George's Blog here.

>Fun post race get together at the base of the mountain, i got to catch up with many runners i

do not get to see too often. I was also the provider of the bottle opener for the gang at the corner of the tent, all us oldtimers, Don Fredrickson, Bob Hodge, Bob Fitzgerald and Dave Quintal.

>Too bad i missed you at the post race, Tess.

>Stupid Human Tricks Dept. : Coming home along Route 16, i realized i needed to stop to relieve myself. So i find a deserted place to stop, hop over a log (well, not quite) and fall flat on my face and cut open my shin, the log didn't look slippery. Bloody shin and sock, but i felt better anyway. Next time i think i will look for a gas station.

>To anyone going to Cranmore next week, See you there.

Later

Scott

  

Grog and Dog

I started the day with a run, 6 miles at Warwick City Park followed by bottling my latest homebrew, an imperial IPA. With all the important stuff done, it was time to venture into Providence to watch the Wild Colonial's Grog and Dog Relay. This consists of a four runner team that has to run 1 1/4 miles each, but before the handoff, you must eat a hotdog and down a beer ( Narragansett, to be exact).

We had a team entered here, lets call them TNT!?. Seeing that one of our runners is not really a Turtle, he was the !? part of the name. The team consisted of Dave Principe, Ben Keefe, Bob Jackman and former Turtle, Zak Kudlak. Dave was the leadoff runner and was caught off guard by the low-key start but quickly got up to pace and came in second on the leg, getting beat by someone in a Hendricken HS singlet. Dave was a bit slow to get down the dog and beer, so a mixed team got out front with Mary Camire running. Our second runner was Zak Kudlak, who got by Mary pretty fast, but then had to hold off Keith Kelly and Molly Huddle on his leg. Keith was dressed as the construction worker from the Village People, as well as Ben the indian( sorry, don't know your last name), Clay Howland as the cowboy and Brien Lang as the leather clad biker.

 Zak finished and grabbed the dog and beer, he seemed to struggle a little with getting these down while Keith coming from behind, actually inhaled his. How you eat a hotdog and down a beer this fast i do not know. I think i heard Keith say it took 14 seconds, either way, they had a brief lead. Brien took off first, followed by Ben, who was coming off the Nipmuck Trail Marathon. He took the lead and we never looked back. Ben handed, if you want to call it that, to Bob Jackman, and we cruised to the win. 

This was an awesome event. There were 40 teams entered, the race put on by The Wild Colonial on South Main in Providence and sponsered by Narragansett Beer is so much fun. You race along the Providence River on the edge of downtown P-town. It is a great setting for a very low key race.

Everyone seemed to have a great time here. I really want to compete in this race when it is held again this fall. Just have to sign up early. 

Check out a few photos here.

Read Keith Kelly's Blog here.

Photo at left is Mary Camire, i think 

she is giving me the evil eye for taking her picture while eating :)

Saturday, i headed up to Northfeild, Ma for the Northfeild Mountain Race. See some photos(300+)from the race here.

  

Busy Weekend

What a hectic weekend! I was photographing a soccer tournament in Tiverton and Pawtucket on Saturday and Sunday. It consisted of 9-10 year old kids, girls on Sat. and boys on Sunday. There were 2-3 games every hour and i had to get photos from them all which means a lot of hustling around, 34 games in 13 hours between 2 days. It was fun to watch the kids playing, but equally annoying to listen to some of the parents. They seem to forget that there are actual coaches to tell the kids what to do. Why confuse the kids? They have people yelling at the from both sidelines, just shut up, sit down and enjoy the game. If you are going to yell, try some encouragement. I'm not a parent, so you can take my opinion for what it's worth. I'm just an outside observer.

See a few soccer photos here

Before Sundays games started, i stopped by the Rhody 5k NE Grand Prix in Lincoln. I would have thought it was Lincoln, Ma. or NH when i looked around at the lack of RI talent that shows for this race. Being that it is the USATF-NE Grand Prix and gets almost 800 runners is great, but why aren't there more good RI runners at this race? I counted 6 RI men in the top 100 and 12 RI women in the top 100. I realize that there were two other races in this tiny state on Sunday and that real Rhode Islanders have a problem with traveling across the state without making hotel accomadations for the weekend. This is a good race on a somewhat dull course, but it is a 5k race and you aren't here to sightsee. The post race feed is great and they even have good, deep competition here, all the better to drag you along and get a good time out of it. I know that hosting a Grand Prix will boost a races numbers greatly, but i do wonder why they even bother considering holding one in RI. It would be nice to only hold the GP Series where the locals are going to support it. Runners drive hours to get here for such a short race, it just doesn't seem right.

You can check out a few photos from the race here.

The photo above is DJ Principe, son of Tuesday Night Turtle Prez Dave Principe. DJ ran 20.41 @ 6.40 pace, not bad for a 10 year old!

Next up, Northfield. See you there.

Scott