Run to Win

Emily’s Run this weekend marks the 2^nd of 3 races in the Triple Crown 5k Race Series, and despite the rain the race saw a record attendance of 581 runners.

Times were a little slower this year but both races were close, with Corey Bean and Ryan Fitzsimons racing neck and neck through the finish in 17:06 and Andrea Rotz edging Danielle Paul by only 2 seconds in 20:15.

I was nowhere near where I ran last year as I managed to hurt my foot earlier in the week. It didn’t seem too bad before the race after most of the week off so I ran anyway, but it’s been extremely swollen and painful ever since.

I’ll find out this afternoon what’s wrong with it, and hopefully will be able to run next month in the final race. My 19:25 is probably not going to be fast enough to let me win the series, though, especially without any training for the next few weeks if I need an extensive amount of time off.

(More Info: Full Results – Awards – Photos)

This year’s Lewiston/Auburn Triple Crown 5k Race Series has now gotten underway with this morning’s YMCA Fit Fest. The race saw some tremendous growth, with over twice as many finishers this year as there was last year (534 and 249, respectively.)

Henry Gaudion made the trip all the way from Dover-Foxcroft to win the race in 16:33, only 3 seconds behind his 5k PR from cross country season. He’s going to have a great senior year and some good college running to look forward to!

Henry had taken over the lead about 2/3 of a mile into the race as he came up on my shoulder with my fellow Dirigo runner Dan Crooker (4^th, 17:12) and we ran down the rabbit that had gone out way too hard.

We all felt pretty comfortable with the 5:11 first mile, and other than a short surge down a steep hill on Locust Street Henry and Dan were seemingly running away with the race.

By the second mile, though, I’d started to reel Dan in and tried to work my way up to Henry. I though with about 1/2 to 3/4 of a mile to go that I might be able to do it; I was feeling strong. Henry dropped a hammer, though, and ran a 4:51 3^rd mile (which was realistically about 5 flat given that the 3^rd mile marker was a bit early.)

Henry wound up beating me by 13 seconds as I came through in second place in 16:46, with 3^rd place Ryan Fitzsimons of Turner another 22 seconds back from there.

Despite coming into the race with some lingering injuries, last year’s Triple Crown champion Tina Meserve won the race pretty handily in 19:55.

The battle between 2^nd and 3^rd was much tighter, though, with Kacie Herrick of Portland edging out local runner Kelley St. Hiliare by only 3 seconds to take 2^nd place in 20:38.

The next race in the Triple Crown Series is Emily’s Run on July 26^th.

(More Info: Full Results – Triple Crown 5k – Photos – More Photos)