Run to Win

The weather this morning for Eliot was much better than what the forecasts had called for. Rather than the torrential downpours and wind we were expecting, the runners were treated to a very humid but relatively cool and very calm morning with temperatures in the low 60s. Fog may have blanketed everything and all of the events for the Eliot Festival Days (except for the race) may have been canceled, but 412 runners still came out to run.

The men’s field was very competitive, with 13 runners going sub-16. Not quite the 25 sub-16s of 2005, but a good jump on the past few years where only 7 or 8 sub-16 runners competed. Louis Luchini was unchallenged at the finish line in 14:39, while Robert Edgerton only managed to edge out Patrick Moulton by 1 second with a time of 14:53.

Carry Buterbaugh also had a strong lead at the finish line, finishing 22 seconds ahead of Johanna Fickenscher in 18:11. Christine Reaser took 3^rd place in 19:13.

In team racing, Dirigo won the day no matter how you scored the race. It seems as though they went on finishing time at the awards ceremony, but the final results have the scores age graded (as they were supposed to.) All that meant was that 2 of our 3 scorers were different. PR Racing finished in 2^nd place, about 3 and a half minutes back.

The food at the end of the race was pretty good, with plenty of fruit, bagels, bread, pasta salad, cookies, and soup for all of the runners. There was even some left after people finished their cool downs.

I am not sure if there was a problem with the sponsorship, though, because the prize structure did not seem to pan out. The race announced that it would pay out 10 places, male and female, but they decided only to pay out 5 places and also reduced the money earned at that. This does not strike me as a good way to convince top talent to return to your race, especially with the constant turnover in race directorship. I think that Eliot’s best days may be past, which is shame because it used to be such a good showcase for New England talent.

My own race went well, but I still failed to meet my season goal. I finished in 16:30, going out a few seconds slower than I wanted and then falling apart near the end. One of my teammates kept himself motivated at the end by watching my form fall apart in the last half mile, although I still kept my lead on him as I struggled to the finish line.

(Full Results – Team Results – Official Photos – Photos & Videos)

It was a light week this week last year.

• I began the week by discussing how effective body weight exercises are when traveling. This was the final article of the month on training and travel in collaboration with Scott.
• I collected my best tips as well as what other people with the article about what to do when a dog wants to chase you. Once you use these tips and are safely away, I really recommend that you call animal services or your local warden. It may seem like a harsh thing to do and it will definitely upset the owner, but it is in the dog’s best interest for their owner to be aware of what they are doing and making sure that the animal stays safe and doesn’t put itself or anybody else in danger.
• This week last year, the marathon world record was broken by Haile Gebrselassie with a time of 2:04:26. That ain’t walkin’…
• In local racing news, Kay West finished the Eliot 5k in 1:28:53, which was below the USATF age group guidelines for the distance. She was 97 years old! I wonder if she’ll be running again later this morning?
• This week 2 years ago, I made the front page of the local newspaper. The story didn’t have a whole lot to do with me, but it involved a giant picture so I won’t complain! I pointed out how easy it is to make new friends while you are running, and discussed how important a flexible training schedule can be.
• This week 3 years ago, I discussed DNA tests that determine what sports you may have better success at than others. I also spoke about running through illnesses and a good swiss ball routine.

This week last year ranged from humorous to serious as I discussed topics ranging from cartoons to hospitals.

• In the training tips department, I wrote about training options while on the road. There are a lot of different ways to stay in shape even if you travel regularly, and this article pointed at some different ways to stay fit in your hotel room, the hotel fitness center or a local gym, or by heading outside.
• I make no bones about my abhorrence to caffeine, but I can still joke about it. I found a great webcomic strip that helps you to learn how to quit drinking caffeine. It gave me a good chuckle.
• In local news, cyclists received the protection of some new laws here in Maine by allowing motor vehicles to cross a solid yellow line when passing a cyclist, requiring at least 3 feet of clearance before passing, and by not allowing teenagers to use their cell phones while driving. I haven’t really noticed much of a difference on the streets over the past year, however. In other local news, Team competition returned to the Eliot 5k. Eliot used to be the largest 5k in Maine, and annually draws an extremely competitive local field. This year’s race (which is a week from today) should be no different.
• Also in the news, John L Parker, Jr had a heart attack and spent the next few months recovering. His health has since improved and he is doing quite well as of the last that I heard some months ago.
• This week 2 years ago, I created a video demonstration of how to tie your shoes with a runner’s knot so that they do not come untied. I also listed a few exercise related How-To articles and also reviewed Chariots of Fire, which must be the most well known running movie ever made. Dean Karnazes began the Endurance 50 and ran his first of 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 days. I began to mix up my pushups with medicine balls to give myself a little extra challenge, and I also offered a race tip about running first thing the morning before a race to properly loosen up your body.
• This week 3 years ago, I climbed Mount Washington and I wrote about proper gym etiquette.

Photo by David Colby Young
Photo #68 of 124The Elliot Festival Day 5k was this morning in Elliot, Maine. There were 683 finishers this year, including Kay West (pictured right) who finished below the USATF age group guidelines time in 1:28:53; she was the oldest finisher at 97 years of age!

The weather conditions were near perfect for running, with clear skies and cool temperatures in the mid-60s. The course is slightly aided with about 5 feet of total elevation loss.

Ethan Hemphill did not face the stiff competition that he had last year, but bettered his time to win the race in 15:08. There were 20 finishers under 17 minutes, when Mariko Holbrook came in to win the women’s race by a healthy 26 seconds.

Team results for this race are based upon an age and sex graded time, so despite winning the race Ethan did not even score to help Dirigo in their almost 2 minute win over Whirlaway Racing. The age graded times of Tom Ryan, Mike Payson, and Pete Bottomley were all faster than Whirlaway’s first runner.

Dirigo had a good showing at the race; my time was not even fast enough to make it into the team results. I failed to meet my goal of running under 16 minutes. I was right on pace through 2 kilometers (6:24) but wound up running at about the same pace as I have for most of this season. My 16:37 was a 1 second season PR.

In a reversal of last year specifically, and just about any race with a downhill finish generally, I managed to out sprint TJ Hesler by about 4 seconds coming into the finish line. I did not manage to keep up with Chris Gatchell, who ran a personal best 16:16 (congratulations!)

(Full Results – Team Results – Race Photos: Set 1 – Set 2 – Set 3)

Photo by Don Penta
Eliot 5k 2006 – #72 of 283The Eliot 5k will be on Saturday morning, September 29^th, this year. Eliot is one of (if not the) best courses in Maine to run a personal best at. The race has historically been the largest 5k in the state, until they got rid of team competition last year and the Sea Dogs officially took over. The good news this year, though, is that team competition has returned and there are cash prizes for the 3 teams and the top 10 individuals (both genders).

The race will not be taking back the honors as the largest 5k in Maine; they are capping the field at 1000 runners. Pre-registration costs $17 and must be post-marked by September 24^th. You can also register online. If you are running for a team, be sure to mark your entry form with your team name.

Plan on arriving early to find parking and to register if you have not done so prior to race day.

Registration closes at 8:00 a.m. and the streets will begin to be closed off at that time as well. You can check in or register as early as 6:45 a.m., and the gun will go off at 8:30 a.m.

The race this year has new race directors, Anne Marie Prewitt and Sue McNamara. They are committed to keeping the race fast, large and competitive. There will be plenty of food at the end of the race, along with live music by the Fat Cats.

The Eliot 5k has top-3 prizes for each age category along with the cash awards, and there will be a large raffle as well. All proceeds raised by the race will go towards the Eliot Community Service Senior & Youth Transportation van/mini-bus fund. The awards ceremony is followed by the Eliot Festival Day parade and street fair

My goal this year is to run under 16 minutes, which I have yet to do. I should be recovered from the 50k by then, and will be ramping my mileage back up for the Marine Corps Marathon at the end of October. The return of team competition this year is the first sign that the race may be returning to its recent glory years; last year was a little disappointing when it didn’t live up to all of the great hype that I had heard leading up to the race. You could tell that the management of the race wasn’t really into it, and this year already promises to be better.

The Eliot Festival Day 5k was this morning in Eliot, Maine. The field was not quite as deep this year, but still saw a record setting winning time of 14:16. Pat Tarpy of Providence (formerly of Yarmouth) beat the field by almost a minute. Casey Moulton and Ethan Hemphill came through in 15:12 and 15:18 to round out the top 3. Rehima Kedir and Reba Naser of Ethiopa won the women’s race, coming in right behind me in the low-mid 16:40s. Kristen Barry was third in 17:14.

There was no team award this year, but Dirigo would have won it had there been one. Everybody that came down on both the men’s and women’s side went home with cash or hardware. Josh Zolla missed breaking 16 minutes by 6 seconds. Bill Mariski and Tom Ryan were the first masters runners in 16:19 and 16:20. I was a short ways behind them in 16:38, failing to catch PR Racing’s TJ Hesler.
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