EXzone-SUMMER2010-LORES

NEW ENGLAND

Summer 2010

USA Track & Field –New England Eric Blake dominates 2010 USATF–NE Mountain Running Circuit

Laurie Femmel won the Young Women’s 400m hurdles at the USATF Youth Championships.

USATF-NE 2001 Beacon St, Suite 207 Brighton, MA 02135

Permit #50 Fort Atkinson, WI

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Inset Photo Credit: Richard Femmel, Cover Photo Credit: Lisa Coniglio, Photorun.net

Inside: Youth Track & Field Action

NEW ENGLAND

NEW ENGLAND uSA

TRACK & FIELD – NEW ENGLAND

USATF – New England Directory

Mailing Address: P. O. Box 1905, Brookline, MA 02446 Street Address (at Cleveland Circle): 2001 Beacon Street, Suite 207, Brighton, MA 02135–7787 Telephone: 617-566-7600 • Fax: 617-734-6322 E-mail: office@usatfne.org • Office Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday Association Website: www.usatfne.org • National Website: www.usatf.org

2009–2010 Board of Governors Officers

July 2010 Dear Athletes: We’re in the midst of another summer of many exciting events taking place in our New England Association. The board of directors and our sport chairs have taken on a big responsibility in making all of these events successful. The opportunities for you, your families, and friends to participate in these enjoyable series is always our intent.

Our Outdoor Track & Field Meet was held at the new Regis College facility with great success. I wish more would have been able to take advantage of the facility; that site will host the meet for the coming years. Our young athletes met at Fitchburg State College for the NE Junior Olympic meet and many continued on to the Regional meet in Maine to qualify for Nationals.

The road racing circuit is half-way complete, with four great events (three with record fields) and moving on toward another competitive conclusion in October. Do you know we have the most sanctioned running events in the country—well over 400?

Our mountain and trail program is part of the best in the country. This year’s Mt. Washington Road Race celebrated its 50th anniversary and was the sole qualification of the U.S. Mountain Running Team.

Congrats to directors Bob and Anita Teschek (who will pass the directors’ torch to other managers in 2011), and to Northeast Delta Dental for orchestrating and supporting this historic event.

Our association’s annual meeting will be held on the third Thursday in September (Sept. 16). Check our website after Aug. 1 for the specific location.

This is a year for election of all board positions—officers, sports chairs, and athlete representatives.

If anyone you know is interested in giving back to the sport and assisting our efforts to promote the association, feel free to contact me or the office with any questions. A position involves participation in monthly board meetings and working at our events during the year.

As always, I want to thank all the New England board members and our office staff for their generosity of time. Where would we be if there weren’t volunteers giving of themselves for the betterment of the sport? The dedication of those individuals has made my final year as president a very smooth one.

Best wishes in all your endeavors.

Ken Robichaud President, New England Association

FOR THE RECORD . . .

The board of governors meets on the first non-holiday Monday of each month to discuss timely topics and to advance the sport as a whole. Meetings are open to interested members.

2010 USATF-New England Annual Meeting Thursday, September 16, 2010, 6:30 p.m.

Doubletree Guest Suites, Waltham MA Agenda includes annual reports, 2010 awards, and elections for all officers, sports committee chairs and athlete reps.

Meeting open to all USATF-NE members.

Full agenda, directions, information at www.usatfne.org/board.

President Ken Robichaud (North Medford Club) Kenrob44@aol.com Vice Presidents Barry Auskern (Sugarloaf Mt. AC) bauskern@usatfne.org Jim Garcia (Gr.Lowell RR) jgarcia@alum.mit.edu John Oleski (Mass Velocity) jperformax@earthlink.net Secretary Stephen Viegas (Mystic Runners) Stephenviegas@hotmail.com Treasurer Stephen Peckiconis (CSU) speckiconis@usatfne.org Immediate Past President Gary Snyder (Gr.Boston TC) garysnyder@att.net Sport Committees Men’s LDR Chair Courtney Bird (Falmouth TC) courtney.bird@verizon.net Women’s LDR Chair Lisa Doucett (CSU) ldoucett@usatfne.org Master’s LDR Chair Skip Cleaver (GCS Triad) skip@coolrunning.com T&F Chair David Callum (Gr.Boston TC) david_callum@yahoo.com Race Walking Chair Justin Kuo (NE Walkers) jkuo@usatfne.org Cross Country Chair Bill Newsham (Gr.Boston TC) wnewsham@gmail.com Mountain/Ultra/Trail Chair Paul Kirsch (White Mtn. Milers) pkirsch@roadrunner.com Youth Chair Larry Libow (Y-Speed TC) larry@massvelocity.org Master’s T&F Chair Michael Travers mikefit@mindspring.com Officials Laurie Boemker (RI Officials Guild) lab_boemker@hotmail.com Athlete Representatives Joan Boehlke (New Balance Boston) jbohlke@usatfne.org Laura Golitko (AirTime Athletics) lgolitko@usatfne.org Caitlyn Clark (Sisu Project) cclark@usatfne.org Office Staff Managing Director Steve Vaitones svaitones@usatfne.org Webmaster Justin Kuo jkuo@usatfne.org

S u m m e r 2 0 1 0 • New England Exchange Zone 3

NEW ENGLAND

PEOPLE George King, longtime track official, and coach at Canton High School, and member of the Mass. State Track Coaches Association Athlete Hall of Fame, passed away at age 76. As an athlete, he was a state champ at Boston English HS, top-three placer at the New England HS XC, All American at New York University, and member of a U.S. record in the 4x1500m relay. A gentleman who clearly understated his honors in the sport over the years, USATF-NE started the George and Whitey King 4x1600m Relay in his (and his brother’s) honor 4 years ago.

The race will be run on Aug. 12 in South Boston.

Greater Lowell RR stalwart road runner Phil Riley suffered a heart attack while on a group run in April. Phil was a regular scorer on the GLRR 40s and now 50s teams, and was a teacher and XC/assistant track coach at Stoneham HS. Phil Riley was a stalwart of the Greater Lowell RR masters team.

COACHING

Rick Kates (Notre Dame Academy, Hingham MA) was a regional finalist for the first Gill Athletics and USA Track & Field National High School Track & Field Coaches of the Year program. Selection was based on the candidates’ coaching record, honors and recognitions, and service to the sport and communities.

1996 Olympian Mark Coogan (New Balance/Exeter NH) was named assistant coach at Dartmouth. Michelle Eisenreich was promoted to director of track & field at Brown University.

HONORS The National Scholastic Sports Foundation honored a pair of longtime Massachusetts coaches at the Nike Indoor Nationals on March 14 in Boston. Bishop Feehan (Attleboro MA) coach Bob L’Homme was presented with the Mike Byrnes Coach of the Year award. In his coaching tenure at Feehan, his boys’ outdoor track & field teams have won 18 league and seven state divisional championships. Coaching both boys and girls in cross country since 1992, he’s racked up four state championships with the boys and two state titles with the girls.

He has a three-season career overall record of 513–85–7!

John Carroll, longtime girls’ program coach at Falmouth (MA) HS, Falmouth Track Club founder, and a leader in bringing girls’ track & field to the high school level, received the Allen Dawson Achievement Award. In a 28-year HS coaching career, his athletes took home 40 individual state champion

Gold medals, and he earned coach of the year honors nine times.

Both individuals also served in volunteer capacities during the National Scholastic Meet in Boston.

HALL OF FAME INDUCTIONS

Greater Lowell Road Runners has one of the older club hall of fame programs, set up to recognize competitors, coaches, and volunteers. Honored this year were Tom Doody and Eric Beauchesne, both of whom have been New England champions on the road. www.glrr.net On the eve of the 50th running of the Mt. Washington Road Race, four of the greatest runners in the race’s history became the first members of the new Mt. Washington Road Race Hall of Fame. Bob Hodge of Massachusetts, Anna Pichrtova of the Czech Republic, legendary English coal miner-turned runner Fred Norris, and the late Gary Crossan of New Hampshire were chosen as the first honorees. Details and race info (it was the 2010 USA Mountain Running Championship) can be found at mountwashingtonroadrace.com.

The Massachusetts State Coaches Association Athlete Hall of Fame added six individuals on January 31. Inductees spanned three centuries: Thomas Burke (Boston English 1893, 1896 Olympian, Sprints); Mildred Continued on page 6

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Tom Derderian

LOSSES TO OUR COMMUNITY

Race historian Dave Dunham presents Mt. Washington Race Hall of Fame award to Bob Hodge.

4 New England Exchange Zone • S u m m e r 2 0 1 0

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NEW ENGLAND

PEOPLE

Continued from page 4

Olympic Gold Medal and Massachusetts Hall of Fame award of Mary Carew Armstrong.

winning relay teams, Eddins claimed 17 career All American awards in the late 1980s.

Her name is still on the outdoor NCAA championship 4x400 record. Eddins went on to compete in the 1996 U.S. Olympic Trials at 800 meters. She’s a graduate of West Roxbury (MA) HS, started her career as a youth with Boston International, and also ran for the B.A.A. and Reebok Boston.

While the big news from the 116th Penn Relays Carnival in Philadelphia was the appearance of world recordholder Usain Bolt, a local school was in the spotlight for its historical contribution to the classic meet.

The 1911 Boston English High School

Boys 4x440 earned a place on the Penn Relays Wall of Fame. The school’s time of 3:29 and 2/5 seconds was the Relays HS record from 1911 to 1921 and is still a quality time in New England schoolboy results 90 years later. Significantly, meet director Dave Johnson confirmed that this was the first sub 3:30 in high school history. Runners on that team were Billy Meanix, Irving Howe, Walter Ferguson, and George Read.

The only other New England teams on The Wall are the 1902 Harvard Mile Relay, 1913 Phillips Exeter Academy Mile Relay, and 1915 Yale Distance Medley Relay.

ROUTE TO OLYMPIC GOLD GOES THROUGH YOUTH PROGRAM Track & field is often the building block for other sports, and we regularly find athletes who go on to great successes in other sports have a solid track & field background.

At the 2000 USATF New England Junior Olympics, Hannah Kearney of Norwich VT won the Youth Girls (13–14) long jump and triple jump, and placed third in the 100.

Ten years later, Hannah won the first U.S. Olympic Gold medal of the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver with her performance in the moguls skiing competition. Congratulations to her!

And there’s another Winter Olympic connection to track & field, as bobsled Bronze medalist Erin Pac was a heptathlon star at Springfield College.

RUNNING STORE OPENING Bayside Runner has opened in Plymouth MA, filling a gap of no-stores down through Cape Cod. The owner/founder is long-time regional runner Adam Stuhfaut. The store hosts club programs and regular runs. Check them out at www.BaySideRunner.com and on Facebook.

We encourage you to support local running stores, with their personal service and their support of local events.

last year and while she holds several agegroup records around New England, she didn’t start running until she was 40 years old.

Trained as a registered nurse and a mother of three, Carrie joined the Liberty Athletic Club in 1979 and continues to be a mainstay of their competitive teams. Liberty is one of the oldest women-only running clubs in the country and has nurtured many champions over the years.

Carrie holds the Women’s 60–64 division record at Mt. Washington and won the Women’s 70s age-group in this year’s 50th anniversary of the race in June, her time eighth fastest among all women age 55 and over. Carrie hiked Mt. Kilimanjaro recently, and training for the Mt. Washington road race brings back memories of pushing through physical fatigue to attain your goal. Carrie’s advice to new runners is to “stay with the sport and listen to your body. It takes time to figure out what works for you.“ While she competes in road races, cross country continues to be one of Carrie’s interests. She averages about 20–25 miles a week and includes a track workout with her Liberty teammates. While she has run the Boston Marathon over a dozen times, her favorite road distance has become the half marathon.

She will be returning to the Applefest Half Marathon in New Hampshire this fall to defend her 1:56:21 age-group record.

Retired from the workforce, Carrie moved to Cape Ann about 8 years ago and enjoys living by the ocean. She took seaside living to the extreme earlier in her retirement by volunteering with the Peace Corps in Micronesia for 2 years as a medical professional.

WOMEN’S LONG DISTANCE RUNNING PROFILE: CARRIE PARSI

By LDR chair Lisa Doucett Carrie Parsi has been an inspiration for many people, both in the sport of running and for her generous spirit. Carrie turned 70 years old

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Carrie Parsi Ian Hurley

Wiley Dee (Quincy 1918, 1928 Olympian, High Jump); Mary Carew Armstrong (Medford 1931, 1932 Olympian, Sprints, Relay Gold Medal); Fran Washington (Boston Trade 1955, Hurdles/Sprints world ranked); Liz Natale (Newton North 1982, Distance); Jonathan Riley (Brookline 1997, 2004 Olympian, Distance Running).

The MSTCA also welcomed four coaches for 2010 into its Hall of Fame for longtime service and success: Joe Chadwick, Mohawk Regional HS (Central/W.Mass.); John Normant, Boston College HS (E.Mass); George Rose, Sacred Heart HS (E.Mass); and Brian Wallace, Wachusett Regional HS (Veterans).

The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association announced four new members of its Division III Track & Field Athlete Hall of Fame, including Genesia Eddins from UMass–Boston. An eight-time individual NCAA champion and six-time member of

NEW ENGLAND

BOSTON MARATHON 2010 BOSTON MARATHON 2010 From the pre-event activities to the final results, the 114th running of the B.A.A. Boston Marathon produced a long list of superlatives.

The 25 years of John Hancock sponsorship

fastest non-paced time run in the U.S. U.S. favorites Ryan Hall and Meb Keflezighi placed fourth and fifth, Hall’s 2:08:39 the fastest American

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The B.A.A. expanded their youth involvement in 2010. Sonya Jampel (Newton MA) was the winner of the first Middle School 1K on Sunday.

Ryan Hall ran the fastest American time ever at Boston.

can’t be matched by many major events around the world, and B.A.A. executive director Guy Morse was also recognized for his 25-year involvement with the nation’s oldest marathon.

Sunday’s action was at shorter distances, and went off well despite the less-than-ideal weather. Elite marathoner Josh Cox (California) and local Jennifer Campbell (Watertown MA) were the winners in the B.A.A. 5K, Campbell’s time a course record 16:52. The middle school kilometers were won by Sonya Jampel (Newton/Waltham TC) and Caleb Winn (Natick), the scholastic miles went to Melanie Fineman (record 5:10.5, Newton) and Ben Groleau (Framingham), and the professional miles to Andy Baddeley (4:08.6, record) and Morgan Uceny (4:43.0).

Monday’s action held the attention of the running world. Robert Kiprono Cheriyuot (no relation to the younger) set a new course record by over a minute at 2:05:51 in the

time ever over the course and bettering Bob Kempainen’s time from 1994. It was the first time since 2006 two American men finished in the top five.

Teyba Erkesso held on for the women’s race win by 3 seconds in 2:26:11—the total winning margins in the women’s races in the past 3 years is 6 seconds. Ernst Van Dyk won his ninth wheelchair title, and Aakako Tshchida kept her string going at four wins.

Top New Englanders were Lucas Meyer (B.A.A.), 24th, and Heidi Westover (Walpole NH), 18th. Age divisions in 2010 were broken down to 5-year groups; local division winners were Simonetta Piergentilli (Whirlaway) W45, Glenn Guillemette (TNT), M50, and Reno Stirrat (Whirlaway), M55.

Top-placing New England State Residents (club or town): CT: Lucas Meyer (B.A.A.) 2:21:29; Tina Senft

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(Stratford) 3:01:44 MA: Nathan Krah (AdiNE) 2:25:04; Michelle Sarney (B.A.A.) 2:52:26 ME: Patrick Fournier (Rome) 2:36:44; Sheri Piers (Dirigo) 2:40:46 NH: Scott Rowe (Dover) 2:24:34; Heidi Westover (Walpole) 2:39:14 RI: Glenn Guillemette (TNT) 2:37:30 (1, M50+); Claire Gadrow (ReebProv) 2:56:52 VT: Norm Larson (GMAA) 2:43:22 (3, M5054); Tammy Richards (GMAA) 2:56:40 Continued on page 10

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NEW ENGLAND Continued from page 8

BOSTON MARATHON 2010

Three of four team titles went to local clubs.

Host B.A.A. won the women’s cup with the trio of Michelle Sarney, Jody Dushay, and Laura Smith. Whirlaway men (Bob Dabrieo, Mike Cooney, Reno Stirrat) and women (Simonetta Piergentili, Nancy Corsaro, Petra Platt) both brought home the masters’ trophies. All divisions scored three by time.

New England Team Scoring in Top 25 Men 1. Hansons-Brooks Distance Project (MI) 6:58:24 2. Boston A.A. (MA) 7:15:59 4. Whirlaway RT (MA) 7:33:01 5. Greater Boston TC (MA) 7:33:12 6. Somerville RR (MA) 7:51:43 7. Cambridge RC (MA) 7:56:51 9. Central Mass Striders (MA) 8:05:14 25. Green Mountain AA (VT) 8:37:44 58 scored Women 1. B.A.A. 8:48:28 4. Gr.Boston TC 9:06:40 6. Cambridge RC 9:35:07 12. CMS 9:37:42 16. GMAA 9:41:54 19. Somerville RR 9:55:32 20. Gate City 10:07:58 52 scored Men’s Masters 1. Whirlaway RT 8:02:54 2. B.A.A. 8:09:10 4. Somerville RR 8:18:14 6. Gate City 8:27:09 9. HFC 8:30:33 12. Cambridge Sports Union (MA) 8:42:06 17. Gr.Springfield Harriers 8:50:05 19. Go the Distance (MA) 8:52:30 76 scored Women’s Masters 1. Whirlaway RT 9:15:15 3. Gate City 9:49:16 5. Gr.Lowell RR 10:04:13 10. Winners Circle 10:18:46 11. Somerville RR 10:29:34 12. Suburban Striders 10:34:05

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TEAM SCORING

13. B.A.A. 10:35:24 17. GMAA 10:43:02 18. Shamrock RC 10:43:47 22. Wampanoag RR 10:49:13 24. Gr.Springfield Harriers 10:54:41 38 scored

2012 OLYMPIC TRIALS MARATHON QUALIFIERS After the April 19 Boston Marathon, there are now nine New England states’ women among the 56 total women who have qualified for the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials in the marathon. The A standard of 2:39:00 provides full expenses while the B standard of 2:46:00 gives a runner entry into the race.

Since the qualifying period began, the fastest local qualifier is Sheri Piers (Dirigo RC/Maine); not only has she made the A standard, she has hit the B standard twice.

Marathon Trial Qualifiers Time, Name, and Club 2:37:24 Sheri Piers (ME/Dirigo RC) 2:39:14 Heidi Westover (NH) 2:39:47 Esther Erb (MA/B.A.A.) 2:40:36 Shannon McHale (CT) 2:40:38 Kristin Barry (ME/Dirigo RC) 2:41:57 Kim Duclos (MA/CMS) 2:42:39 Jeanette Seckinger (MA/B.A.A.) 2:43:18 Susannah Beck (ME) 2:43:58 Heather Cappello (MA/B.A.A.) 2:45:36 Brett Ely (MA/B.A.A.) No New England men are among the 48 who have made the men’s standard of 2:19:00 yet.

BOSTON FACTS AND FIGURES 26,790 — Entrants in the 2010 Boston Marathon 11,350 — Number of female entrants, an all-time record.

2,839 — Number of runners who did not pick up bib numbers for the race.

47 — Temperature at the race start time, the coldest in the last 12 years.

13 — Miles per hour of the headwind that runners faced at the start. $150,000 — The amount awarded to the respective winners in each the men’s and women’s races.

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B.A.A. executive director (r) Guy Morse was honored for 25 years of service by B.A.A. president Tom Grilk.

MORSE HONORED Boston Athletic Association executive director Guy Morse was given a surprise honor by B.A.A. president Tom Grilk, recognizing Morse’s 25 years with the Boston Marathon.

Morse began working with the race in 1985 just prior to John Hancock Financial’s sponsorship and when the race only had 5,594 entrants.

“It has been 25 great years,” Morse told several hundred attendees at the race’s Champions Breakfast this morning. He continued: “It’s an amazing progression, evolution, an amazing string of success that we’ve all been a part of.”

Morse, along with race director Dave McGillivray, are widely credited with bringing Boston into the modern era of professional running, with financial support from Hancock.

The 1985 race was the last to finish at Prudential Center Plaza, which represented a rival company to Hancock. Under Morse, the finish was moved down Boylston Street to Copley Square, and prize money was awarded for the first time in 1986.

Under Morse, the event has grown fivefold in size, to 26,331 entrants in 2009, and the race now offers the largest prize money check of any marathon in the United States, $150,000.

NEW ENGLAND

CROSS COUNTRY USA WOMEN MEDAL AT WORLD CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS March 28, Poland

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Marblehead MA native Shalane Flanagan (Portland OR) led the USA women to a Bronze medal at the 38th IAAF World Cross Country Championships. It was the first USA women’s team medal since 2003. Flanagan finished 12th overall and was backed by a strong 19th-place finish by Molly Huddle (Providence RI/Saucony).

“Walking away with a medal was the goal coming over here.

The race was hard. There were times where I felt I wasn’t moving, and felt like I was standing still. My coach thought that I could get top 20, so I think that it was a successful day,” Huddle noted afterward.

In the junior women’s race, local runners Shelby Greany (Providence College, 29th) and Emily Jones (Harvard MA/ Georgetown U, 41st) contributed points to the sixth-place finish by the U.S. The USA senior men were ninth, and junior men placed eighth. Kenya swept all four team titles and Ethiopia scored three seconds and a third.

Preliminary Fall 2010 Cross Country Schedule Full entry info can be found at www.usatfne.org/cross Please send additions to the schedule to office@usatfne.org Mondays through September, Empire One RC 5K Series, Stanley Park, Westfield 6:00 pm Tuesdays through September 27, Sugarloaf Mt. AC 5K Series, Northampton MA 6:00 pm Tuesdays through August 3, White Mountain Milers Trail series, Whitaker Woods, North Conway NH 5:30 pm Thursdays through August 19, Winners Circle RC 1.5/3 mile Series, Maudsley State Park, Newburyport MA 6:00 pm Thursdays through September 30, Empire One RC 5K Series, Holyoke MA, 6:30 pm August 28 Thomas Chamberas Memorial 5K XC Race, Great Brook Farm, Carlisle MA, 9:00 am August 29 Green Mt AA Scholarship Cross Country 5K, Red Rocks Park, South Burlington VT September 11 Essex VT HS XC Invitational AllComers/Open Citizens Race 8:30 a.m.

Catamount Center, Williston VT, Pavel Dvorak pdvorak@bsdvt.org

September 18 Burlington VT HS XC Invitational AND All-Comers/Citizens Race 9:00 AM North Beach/Burlington HS, Burlington, VT pdvorak@bsdvt.org September 25 43rd Codfish Bowl, Clubs/College/Open Women 5K, Men 8K, Franklin Park October 3, 17 Boston Parks/USATF-NE races, Age 14/under 1.1 mile, Open 5K. Franklin Park, 9:30 a.m. Standard courses since 1995 October 10 Wayland Cross Country Festival, Wayland MA HS, 10:00 a.m.

October 16 GBTC Cross Country Team Challenge, Bradley Palmer Park, Ipswich MA, 10 a.m. www.gbtc.org October 24 Boston Mayor’s Cup, Franklin Park, Boston10:00 a.m.

Sponsored by the B.A.A. and adidas Youth 1.1 mile races, open 5K, championship women’s 5K/men’s 8K. November TBA Amherst NH XC Festival, Youth and Open Clinic, 9:30-11:30, races at 12 noon, Includes open/masters 5K November TBA Burrillville XC/NE Junior Olympic Preview Meet and Open races 3K and 4K youth races, 5K open/masters, 12 noon

November 6 Massachusetts Middle School State Meet Invitational, meet moves to Tewksbury MA in 2010 November 7 USATF-NE Open & Masters XC Championships, Franklin Park, Boston, 10 a.m.

Women Open/Masters 6K, Men Open 10K, Men Masters 8K November 14 NE Junior Olympic XC Championships, Burrillville RI Middle School, for youth born 1992 and later. Top teams and individuals qualify for Region I meet November 21 Region I Junior Olympic XC Champ’s, Burrillville RI, previous week’s NE Association Meet qualifies top 3 teams and other individuals in top 25 to run December 11 USA Fall Nationals, McAlpine Park, Charlotte, North Carolina, includes Open & Masters men’s 10K and Open & Masters women’s 6K December 11 Junior Olympic Nationals, Hoover, Alabama

S u m m e r 2 0 1 0 • New England Exchange Zone 11

NEW ENGLAND

THEY’RE BRAND NEW BUT WE’VE PUT 170 MILES ON THEM.

YOUTH ATHLETICS FEMMEL WINS NATIONAL YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP Waltham Track Club’s Laurie Femmel (cover picture) won the Young Women’s 400m hur-

personal bests from Maine. Eight NE association competitors were double winners and Dominic Cirillo won all three throws events in the Youth Boys division. Top three placers qualified for Nationals in Sacramento, California at the end of July.

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REGION I WINNERS Bantam Girls 800 Anha McCusker, Fast Feet/NH, 2:55.25 1500 Choloe Taylor, Waltham TC, 5:57.95 4x400m Fast Feet RC, 5:41.98 Turbo Jav Kathleen Collins, Strafford NH, 59-1

dles at the USATF Youth Championship meet in Lisle, Illinois on July 4. The junior-to-be from Natick MA clocked 1:03.51 for the lap over the barriers, her second-best time ever and winning by 0.9 seconds. She was only seventh fastest out of the trials round.

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JUNIOR OLYMPICS New England Championship June 19, Fitchburg MA An even 500 entries were in the system for the New England Championship Meet at Fitchburg State College, with the top six places eligible to advance to the Region I meet in Maine.

All four states in the association and many youth clubs were represented. The new online system has some challenges, but should be finetuned in the future. The college continues to be a fine host and exceptional site for this meet; it will return there in 2011.

A note for 2011: The sub-bantam division will be added to all meets up through nationals, that is, ages 7 and 8 (not turning 9) during the year.

Results at usatfne.org/jo

Region I Junior Olympic Championships June 25–27, Bowdoin College, Brunswick ME © 2010 W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc. GORE-TEX®, XCR®, GUARANTEED TO KEEP YOU DRY®, GORE® and designs are trademarks of W. L. Gore & Associates.

It was a successful trip north for many local young athletes who brought home medals and

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Bantam Boys 1500 Calvin Perkins, Waltham TC, 5:21.81 HJ Owen Creed, Granite St. Flash, 3-5.25 LJ Maximillian Syversen, Goffstown NH, 12-0.05 Triathalon Nathan Halberstadt, Waltham TC, 311 Midget Girls 100 Maegan Doody, Durham NH, 13.87 LJ Mikayla Hickey, Amherst TC, 13-11.5 Turbo Jav Rachel Solomon, Waltham TC, 75-1 Midget Boys 100 Shayne Simpson, Prov. Cobras, 13.66 200 Simpson, 28.26 400 Kai Marcos, Beverly MA, 1:04.06 1500 David Principe, TNT, 5:02.59 3000 Principe, 10:40.63 80m H Sven Syversen, Goffstown NH, 16.96 Shot Put Dominic Cirillo, Wilbraham MA, 38-2.75 Discus Cirillo, 73-6 Javelin Cirillo, 100-8 Pentathlon Luke Halberstadt, Waltham TC, 1820 Youth Girls 100 Margaret Barrie, Manchester NH, 13.06 200 Barrie, 26.53 400 Kathleen Hosang, Granite St. Flash, 1:02.20 1500 Colleen Sands, Princeton MA, 5:02.37 3000 Sands, 10:38.37 4x100 NEC TC, 54.77 Continued on page 14

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NEW ENGLAND

YOUTH ATHLETICS

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High Jump Hosang, 4-11.5 Shot Put Athena Higgins, Team RUN, 346.75 Youth Boys 100 Nicholas Schutz, Brookline NH, 12.24 400 Ryan Dix, Rutland TC, 55.79 3000 RW Dylan Greger, Innovation, 22:25.19 HJ Nicholas Gelotte, Wellesley MA, 4-11 LJ Schutz, 18-4.5 Shot Put Brian Kennedy, Essex Jct VT, 363.5 Discus Taylor Garner, Mt. Mansfield TC, 102-9

Javelin Tyler Ferra, World’s Longest Throw, 126-2 Pentathlon Paul Halberstadt, Waltham TC, 1984 Intermediate Girls 400 Courtney Gabinetti, Granite St. Flash, 1:01.60 800 Cassandra Wright, Gate City Str, 2:33.89 1500 Courtney Hawkins, Gate City Str, 4:55.53 100mH Moriah Arnold, Waltham TC, 16.59 4x400 Innovation, 4:47.95 Pole Vault Steph Brown, NE PV, 10-11.5 LJ Carla Forbes, Waltham TC, 17-8.25 TJ Mollie Gribbin, S. Burlington VT, 38-7.75 Hammer Nicole Johnson, Central Falls RI, 131-10

USATF-NE

Joe Fischetti

Intermediate Boys 400 Derrick Stone, Quincy TC, 53.80 110mH Justin Conor, Holden MA, 16.65 400mH Conor, 1:04.06 Pole Vault Edward Simon, Mansfield Athletics, 13-6 Javelin TJ Noonan, Waltham TC, 153-1 Hammer Nico Danielson, Central Falls, RI, 179-5

Young Women 100 Jen Christian, Y-Speed, 12.39 200 Targie Gervais, Y-Speed, 26.33 400 Mimi Narbonne, Waltham TC, 59.56 3000 Alexandra Zeller, Rutland TC, 11:14.71 100mH Katherine McManus, Bow NH, 15.94 400mH Laurie Femmel, Waltham TC, 1:05.59 4x400 Waltham TC 4:04.08 High Jump Katherine Schelling, Amherst TC, 5-1.75 Pole Vault Mackenzie Arndt, Patriot PV, 11-1 TJ Shayna Stein, Newton MA, 35-3.25 Shot Put Melissa Derrico, Newburyport MA, 36-6.75 Discus Derrico, 121-0 Javelin Katie Cataldo, Attleboro, MA, 116-2 Hammer Robyn McFetters, Barrington RI, 154-5 Young Men 100 Brett Buskey, Blackstone MA, 11.02 800 Henry Alston, Y-Speed, 2:00.68 5000 Sam Belcher, Sugarloaf Mt. AC, 16:36.33 110H Evan Shea, Prov. Cobras, 15.77 400mH Nicholas Russo, Natick MA, 57.80 4x400 Y Speed TC, 3:55.90 HJ Parker Lyttle, Milford NH, 5-11.5 Discus Ryan Mills, Exeter NH, 164-1 Javelin Colin Quinn, Nashua NH, 179-9 Decathlon Nick Athanasopoulos, Fitzwilliam NH, 5857

USATF-NE

Matt Fischetti (Nitehawks) won the YB shot and pole vault at the New England meet.

Edward Simon (Mansfield Athletics VT) set a personal best in the pole vault in Maine.

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In their first year as a club, Innovation Academy (Tyngsboro MA) had a number of medalists at the Region I meet.

If you want to run your absolute best in the upcoming cross country season, laying down a conditioning base by doing lots of summer mileage is essential. Without it, you won’t run anywhere near your full potential in your fall cross country races and your chances of injury are greatly increased.

Your racing peak is greatly determined by the depth of the fitness foundation you develop over the summer. Having superior aerobic fitness enables you to maintain your race pace over the cross country course, and still have enough left to finish fast. Running solid summer mileage has dozens of physiological benefits including developing your maximal oxygen uptake (your ability to take in and process oxygen), improving your cardiac output efficiency (your heart’s ability to deliver an adequate blood supply to your running muscles) and greatly enhancing your muscles’ ability to process oxygen and store and utilize glycogen for fuel.

Contrast these great benefits doing summer conditioning mileage with turning up at your first fall cross country practice out of shape. You’ll spend the entire season just regaining your aerobic fitness, so you performances won’t even be close to what you could have done if you did your conditioning over the summer and arrived at your first workout ready for the faster training that your coach is giving you. And herein lies another of the major benefits of doing a good fitness base over summer: You’ll be ready for the higher intensity workouts like tempo running, track interval sessions, and fartlek workouts that your coach will be throwing you into almost immediately. The better your aerobic fitness, the less your body will have to tap into the anaerobic energy systems.

This means you won’t be fatigued as easily because your muscles are able to hang on to their glycogen fuel for longer, and you’ll be able to deal with lactic acid accumulation much better if you’re in excellent aerobic shape.

Another reason summer mileage is important is because all of that long running strengthens your muscles, tendons, and connective tissue. Con-

versely, if you haven’t put in some good summer mileage, you’ll have a high probability of getting injured as you try to keep up with your fitter team members. Eventually the stress on your muscles and tendons catches up with you, and you’ll strain a muscle or get tendonitis, which effectively puts you out for the rest of the season.

The starting point for every successful cross country runner is to do lots of steady-paced distance running from June through August. Most of your summer running should be continuous aerobic running at a pace fast enough for you to improve your fitness (not slow jogging), but not so fast that you overtrain. One guideline that coaches use is that you should be able to talk while running. Another more scientific method commonly used these days is using a heart rate monitor to make sure that you stay within your ideal training zone. For most of your long running, you should keep your heart rate at 65% to 75% of your maximal heart rate. How do you establish your maximal heart rate? Easy. Go to the track, warm up and run a mile as fast as you can. Note your heart rate immediately after you finish.

Do as much of your summer running as you can on softer surfaces like grass, dirt roads or trails, and beaches. You should be running between 25 to 70 minutes every day, depending on your age and whether you’ve been running for a year or two previously. Include one long run every week to keep improving your base and run different distances every day to give your legs a break on the shorter days. The following schedule will give you some idea of how to do this. Beginning runners should stick to the low end of these workouts, and more experienced runners can go to the high end.

Monday: Short recovery jog (20–30 minutes) Tuesday: Easy-paced run (30–50 minutes) Wednesday: Medium distance run (40–80 minutes) Thursday: Easy-paced run (30–50 minutes) Friday: Steady-paced run (40–60 minutes) Saturday: Faster run over hilly course (30–60 minutes) Sunday: Long run (45–90 minutes)

2010 AT&F Coaching Tech Columns Presented by Saucony are produced by Shooting Star Media, Inc. Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. Design/Layout: Alex Larsen; Proofreader: Marg Sumner; Publisher: Larry Eder. Photos: PhotoRun.net. Twelve-week daily training program can be found at american-trackandfield.com.

Visit twitter.com/americantf for daily training updates.

When possible try to run with other teammates of your ability. And because you’re going to be racing cross country, you should get used to running hills hard during your summer training sessions.

This will give you a big advantage over your teammates and competitors in your races because hill running develops endurance, cardiovascular fitness and helps strengthen your gluteals for cross country surface.

2010 Montra USATF-NE

scottmasonphoto.com

Gina Lucrezi scored an unprecedented perfect six wins in six mountain circuit races.

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As I write this, we just closed out the end of the 2010 Montrail/Mountain Hardwear USATF–NE Mountain Circuit. This year’s series had great attendance at all of the races, with 105 runners earning “Mountain Goat” status for 2010.

Mountain Goats are a special breed, as they commit to running six mountain races over a period of 8 weeks—one of the “down weekends” being the Mt. Washington race. The rewards for becoming a mountain goat are both direct and indirect—the most direct being a bypass to the Mt. Washington entry lottery for the following year. The indirect centers more around the feeling of accomplishment and achievement of conquering six mountains, as well the friendships and feeling of camaraderie you develop over that period.

I thought of this camaraderie when running down Pack Monadnock with a first-time Mountain Goat a few weeks ago. The individual commented on how they were struck by the great energy and lack of ego of the mountain running folks. I have always thought this since I first got the mountain running bug in the late ’90s, but every year I am reminded again of a great group of people who laugh and joke before the race gun goes off, battle to the finish during the race, and then share a good laugh and story at the finish and awards ceremonies.

Blake and Lucrezi 2010 Circuit Eric Blake (B.A.A.) and Gina Lucrezi (Inov-8) finished at the top of the standings for 2010.

Heading into the final race at Mt. Ascutney in Vermont, Blake was undefeated in the four races he ran, while Lucrezi was gunning for 600 points through six races. No one has ever scored a perfect 600 points in the circuit. The only perfect scores were accomplished back

ail/Mountain Hardwear Mountain Running Circuit when the circuit consisted of only three races; Eric Morse (CMS) was three for three in both 1997 and 2000, Dave Dunham (CMS) had a perfect score in 1996, and Margo Webber scored a perfect 300 in both 1996 and 1997. Blake ended up setting a new course at Ascutney, running the all-uphill 3.7 miles to the summit in 28:16.

Lucrezi got her perfect 600 with a finishing time of 37:48, the fifth-fastest time ever for a woman at Mt. Ascutney.

In between the series races, Blake finished in a strong second place at Mt. Washington to earn a spot on the 2010 U.S. Mountain Running Team that will compete in Slovenia at the World Mountain Running Championships on Sep. 5. This will be Blake’s fifth time on the men’s team, which looks to reclaim a spot on the podium, a feat last accomplished in 2008 when Blake was also on the team.

Lucrezi, who struggled in the heat this year at Washington, didn’t let that get her down, as she came back to win the Cranmore Hill Climb over rival Abby Woods (CMS-Inov-8). This was Lucrezi’s second time racing at Cranmore, where she finished fifth in 2009 when the race served as the USA Mountain Running Championships. Both Blake and Lucrezi were also victorious at the Loon Mountain Race on July 4, a 5.5 mile race to the top of Loon Mountain Ski Area in Lincoln, NH. 208 people conquered the famed “Upper Walking Boss” ski trail at Loon, which consists of a 1K section on grades that reach 40% (see cover photo of Blake at the top of the Upper Walking Boss trail). At Loon, Blake had more than just fellow runners to compete with as he encountered a bear on the upper sections of the mountain. Bears have been a recurring theme on the mountain circuit. In 2008, three runners at the Cranmore Hill Climb went off-course and as they went through the woods to get back to the race course, they encountered two mating bears—not something that even the bravest mountain runner wants to disturb.

With the sweep, Lucrezi was the

hands-down circuit winner with 500.0 points (scoring top five races). Behind her were a pair of 2009 winners: last year’s open champ Abby Mahoney (CMS/Inov-8) at 479.20 and masters repeater Karen Encarnacion (SRR) at 461.33.

The closest division was W50–59 where Donna Smyth (CSU) edged teammate and four-time division winner Lisa Doucett by just 0.2 point, 419.62–419.42.

Also taking age wins were Haley Heinrich (WMM), 19 and under, 384.35; Linda Usher (CMS), 60–69, 71.25; and Barbara Robinson (GCS), 70+, 61.12, with the latter two running just one race each. In the

a point, good for second place overall in the series. On the women’s side, Donna Smyth edged out CSU teammate Lisa Doucett by less than a point. For complete series results, visit our website at www.usatfne.org/trail A special thanks to Dave Dunham for his assistance in scoring the series, as well as directing the Northfield Mountain Race.

Thanks to the Gate City Striders for hosting the Pack Monadnock Race, the White Mountain Milers for hosting Cranmore and Loon, the Central Mass Striders for hosting Wachusett, and Penguin Cycles and Raina White for hosting Ascutney. Thanks to series title sponsor Montrail/Mountain Hardwear and product sponsor Hammer Nutrition.

–Paul Kirsch, USATF-NE MUT Chair

Eric Blake avoided an encounter with a hefty “local” on the course at Loon Mountain.

scottmasonphoto.com

men’s competition, his perfect record gave Blake the series title (500.00) ahead of Jim Johnson (CMS), 480.56, who beat Bronze medalist Kevin Tilton (CMS) up Ascutney to eke out a 0.5 point circuit edge.

Age diversity in the circuit was evidenced by three age division winners in the overall top 10 scorers. Todd Callaghan (GCS), 40–49, fourth, 463.52; 19 and under Michael Robinson (GDTC), eighth, 403.10, and Paul Bazanchuk (WMM) 50–59, 10th, 392.51. Other age winners were Vincent Rivard (NMC), 60–69, 328.12, and Frank Hurt (WMM), 70+, 288.17.

Other Series Results In other series’ battles, there were some close competitions in both the open and age division results as Jim Johnson (Inov8-CMS) edged out Kevin Tilton by less than

Mount Washington Celebrates 50 Years Courtesy of Nancy Hobbs U.S. Mountain Running Team Each year, close to 1,000 runners take on the Beast of the East on the third Saturday of June. With its 12% grade, Mount Washington is considered one of the toughest mountain races in the country. In 2010, it also served as the U.S. Mountain Championships for the third time in history, and where, for the first time ever, all 10 spots on the U.S. Mountain Running Team were selected.

The race saw two newcomers take top honors at the USA Mountain Running Championships. Chris Siemers of Colorado crossed the finish line after 7.6

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S u m m e r 2 0 1 0 • New England Exchange Zone 17

miles to an elevation of 6,288’ above sea level in a time of 1:00:22. Kristen Price of North Carolina was the top U.S. woman and USA Champion, timed in 1:11:13.

Overall winner was 23-year-old Ethiopian Shewarge Amars, who raced to a course record of 1:08:21, breaking the previous mark of 1:10:08 (Magdalena Thorsell of Sweden) set in 1988.

With their wins, Siemers and Price made the 2010 U.S. Mountain Running Team slated to compete in Kamnik, Slovenia, at the 26th World Mountain Running Championships on Sept. 5. Joining

Siemers and Price will be Eric Blake (B.A.A./New Britain CT) who finished second in 1:00:40, Joseph Gray (Washington, third, 1:01:31), Rickey Gates (Colorado, fourth, 1:02:34), Max King (Oregon, fifth, 1:03:18), and Tommy Manning (Colorado, sixth, 1:03:27).

On the women’s side will be mountain team veterans Brandy Erholtz (Colorado), second American in 1:11:13, two-time U.S. team member Nicole Hunt (Montana), the third American in setting a new master’s mark of 1:12:59, and Megan Lund (Colorado), running 1:13:30. Hunt was on the 2006 gold-medal–winning team.

Mt. Washington Race Hall of Fame This year was also the 50th running of the race and the introduction of the Mt. Washington Hall of Fame. This year’s inductees are Bob Hodge of Massachusetts, Anna Pichrtova of the Czech Republic, legendary English coal-minerturned-runner Fred Norris, and the late Gary Crossan of New Hampshire. They were chosen by a committee made up of the race’s organizers.These runners each have an outstanding history at Mt. Washington.

scottmasonphoto.com

Bob Hodge The only person ever to win this race seven times, Hodge won from 1976–1980 and again in 1985 and 1987.

He set course records in 1977, 1978, and 1979 and finished in the top ten 13 times, including a second-place finish in 1989 in the narrowest margin ever—one second!

Mountain goat Emer O’Donoghue was 2nd master in 2010 and has a streak of 18 consecutive circuit finishes.

Anna Pichrtova A former world mountain running champion, Pichrtova, from the Czech Republic, has won the race six times, including four wins in four consecutive attempts (2001–2004) and then two more in 2006 and 2007. In 2005, she finished second while running the thirdfastest time of any woman in this race ever, 1:10:26.

Gary Crossan A New Hampshire native, Crossan won the race four times and finished in the top 10 two other times between 1980 and 1986. He set a course record of 1:01:13 in his 1984 victory, also

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winning in 1981, ’82, and ’86. In his memory, the race each year awards the Crossan Cup to the first male and female finishers from New Hampshire.

Fred Norris An English coal miner who came to the United States on a track scholarship, Norris won the race in 1962 at the age of 40 with a then-course record time of 1:04:57. That time remained the course record until 1977, and stayed on the books as the master’s record until it was broken in 2001. His time is still the ninth fastest ever run by anyone over the age of 40, and he remains the oldest man ever to win the race. *Information courtesy of the Mount Washington Road Race Hall of Fame.

Nominations for possible 2011 Hall of Fame candidates may be sent to mtwhof@gmail.com

Mountain Series by the Numbers The Mountain Circuit continues to see phenomenal growth, attracting great runners, people looking for a different challenge, and those looking to guarantee their spot in the Mount Washington Race. Four of the six races saw their highest attendance ever (Northfield, Pack, Loon and Ascutney) with Wachusett and Cranmore both seeing great attendance as well.

Average attendance at the races was 255 runners, the fourth consecutive year of a 200+ average. 105 runners achieved Mountain Goat status in 2010, with 264 USATF Members participating in at least one of the races.

Clubs with Highest Mountain Goat Totals: North Medford Club 7 Central Mass Striders 6 Mystic Runners 6 Gate City Striders 5 Greater Derry Track Club 4 White Mountain Milers 4

5 5)& 64"5'/& , $)".1*0/4)*1 ) & 6 4 "5 ' / & , $ ) " . 1 * 0 / 4 ) * 1

Bridge Of Flowers 10K Classic on the Deerfield River, in the Berkshire Highlands, has all sorts of scenice wonderfulness, but rrequires equires tough-mindedness!

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ChooseT’S Women’ or norm a l c ut s

Presented by:

Men & Women's Open Individuals Ages 19-39 1. $250 2. $225 3. $200 4. $175 5. $125 6. $100 7. $80 8. $70 9. $60 10. $50

Top Ten Overall = $2,670

Men & Women's Division Individuals 10K Division Winners..........1.........2.........3 40-44 (Men & Women)........$100....$50....$35 45-49 (Men & Women)........$100....$50....$35 50-54 (Men & Women)........$100....$50....$35 55-59 (Men & Women)........$100....$50....$35 60-64 (Men & Women)........$100....$50....$35 65-69 (Men & Women)........$100....$50....$35 70-74 (Men & Women)........$100....$50....$35 75-79 (Men & Women)........$100....$50....$35 80+ (Men & Women)........$100....$50....$35

Five Year Age Groups 40-80+ = $3,300

Grand Total Total Prize Money $13,700.

Men & Women's Women's COURSE RECORDS

Course Records Men & Women: Includes Open Division & every 5 year Increment up to 80+... $150.00 each

Course Records Possible=$1800 USATF USA TF TEAMS USATF Teams..............1.........2..........3 Teams..............1.........2..........3 Open Team(M&W).....$350...$250...$225 40+ Team (M&W).....$350...$250...$225 50+ Team (M&W).....$300...$225...$200 60+ Team (M&W).....$300...$225...$200

Total $ for teams $6,000

NEW ENGLAND

MASTERS TRACK AND FIELD USA MASTERS INDOOR CHAMPS Mass Velocity Wins Team Trophy Boston, March 26–28

OUTDOOR RECORDS

By Roger Pierce World Masters Champion Kamloops B.C. Canada hosted the 4th Indoor World Masters Track & Field Championships March 1–6. Nestled in the mountains northeast of Vancouver, Kamloops provided a spectacular venue for the many amazing performances by the men and women of the world who converged here.

The Tournament Capital Center was the location of the indoor track, adjacent to the outdoor Hillside Stadium which boasted the outdoor track facilities used for warmup activities, all located on the grounds of Thompson River University. The entire meet was staffed with efficient and kind officials who were bolstered by many volunteers from the college and the surrounding community. All of these folks bent over backward to make our visit a truly memorable event.

During the 6 days of competition, I was involved in four events as a 65-year-old sprinter: the 60m, 200m, 400m, and the 4x200 relay. From my perspective, that meant

Chris Kalafarski

Mary Harada (Liberty AC/W.Newbury MA) established a new world masters record in the mile for women 75–79 at June’s Hayward Masters Classic in Eugene, Oregon, clocking 7:55.74, beating her own pending mark of 8:11.55 set on her 75th birthday on June 17 at the Adrien Martinez Classic in Concord MA. Flo Meiler set two records at the East Region Masters Championship in Valatie, New York on July 3–4. She cleared 2.03 meters (6' 8") in the pole vault to beat the listed WR (1.91m) and set an American record of 14:07.34 in the 2000m steeplechase.

At the same meet, Mass Velocity TC won the women’s team title and placed second in the men’s scoring, where Twilight Throwers were the winners.

TRAVELOG

Chris Kalafarski

The USA Masters National Indoor Track & Field Championships concluded a successful three days at the Reggie Lewis Center with many new standards. With almost 850 individual entries, the meet was the largest of the 12 held in Boston since 1997, and competitors ranged from the 30-year-old minimum to 95 years old. Records were set from the opening pentathlon (Ralph Maxwell, 90, Alamo Texas) down to the final 4x400 relays, with 21 marks better than the listed world age division bests at the beginning of the season.

Among those marks were records set by local athletes. The W70+ 4x400 record was lowered to 7:21.74 by the Liberty Athletic Club, and pole vault and 60 meter hurdles performances by 75-year-old Flo Meiler (Shelburne VT). Flo was the most productive New Englander with wins in the pole vault, pentathlon, 60mH, triple jump, long jump, and hurdles. Dennis Branham (79, Providence/Ronald McDonald House) was a triple winner at 800/1500/3000, and facility shift supervisor Everad Samuels took a break to win the M50 200 meters in 23.58.

New England clubs had an excellent showing, as Mass Velocity won its first masters team title (combined men and women) with

363 points over TNT International (Pennsylvania) and Southern California TC. For that win, Mass Velocity was given the nod as USATFNE Athlete of the Month for March 2010. Twilight Throwers placed sixth among 86 clubs scoring points. Results at usatf.org.

The masters indoor championship heads to Albuquerque in 2011 and then to Bloomington, Indiana in 2012. New England may bid to host it again after that.

Flo Meiler of Vermont has set multiple W70 records including the pole vault and steeplechase this year.

The Mass Velocity relay contributed points to their winning indoor team title.

that I had a semi-final and final in all but the relay, mandating that I be at the track at least 2 hours before each event to facilitate checkin and warmups, which are essential for maximum performance and avoidance of injuries.

The warmup procedure requires some fairly aggressive work and one walks a fine line between too much and too little. The upshot of all this is a serious amount of physical activity before each race which can sap one’s energy as much as the race itself. As we age, masters runners need to be highly focused on this warmup procedure because injuries strike more often and take longer to heal. We need a strong body awareness and we can’t hope we are warmed up and ready for our race— we have to know we are ready to go.

I continue to get serious butterflies before my races and that’s a good thing. Without that feeling, I wouldn’t be on the edge, and for a sprinter that’s significant. For me, the key is to channel the fear into the race, because fear is energy I can use in a positive manner. It’s OK to be scared before a competition—just don’t be afraid! I used this method for all my races over the course of the week and it worked well except for my 200m final. During those warmups, I was having difficulty getting loose and no matter what I did, my body just wasn’t responding well. As a result, I was pressing myself relentlessly for the first 150m of the race.

I held a lead, but didn’t feel comfortable and with 50m left, Peter Crombie from Australia, my friend and my roommate in Kamloops, eased by me despite all my efforts, defeating me by 4⁄10 of a second. It was difficult to swallow because he had nipped me in the 60m final by 2⁄100 of a second 2 days earlier, in a race that was so close I thought I had won. I now had two Silver medals and my Australian roommate had two Gold.

My final individual race was the 400m and Crombie was once again my toughest competitor. I won my semi-final easily with the best overall time, and just before the final the next day, found myself pacing like a caged animal. My plan was to go out as hard as possible for the first 300m and just hold on during the final 100m, and that is exactly what I did.

In fact, I went through the 200m mark only 0.4 seconds slower than I had run in the final of my 200m a few days earlier but on this day, I felt just fine. I was finally victorious, and Peter had to lunge at the tape to secure second

place, over one second behind me.

For me, it was redemption.

Later in the day, the 4x200m relays were held in 5-year agegroups and I was asked to drop down from the 65-year-old team to anchor the 60-year-old U.S. team, which gave both U.S. teams a better chance to score.

It became a bit troubling for me to watch our first two legs each lose 10m to a strong German quartet.

Our third leg was Nolan Shaheed, the fabulous world recordholder in middle distance races, took the baton 20m behind the Germans and proceeded to roar around the track like a man possessed, eating up the entire 20m deficit in the process. (Nolan was featured in “Faces in the Crowd” in a recent Sports Illustrated which mentioned him running the third leg of this relay.) As he rolled down the straight toward the passing zone, the crowd was on its feet cheering. I took off and threw my arm back for the baton but felt it glance off my hand. I looked back and saw Nolan holding the baton out toward me with a smile on his face. I grabbed it and proceeded to extend the lead and as I crossed the finish line, I raised the baton in victory, more than 4 seconds in front of the Germans.

The U.S. 60-year-old team had won Gold.

Australia with Crombie also dropping down an age-group, finished third. Now our medal totals were Crombie two Gold, one Silver, and one Bronze. My medal totals were two Gold and two Silver. (The 65-year-old U.S. team won a Bronze.)

The reason I mention all this is because of the fact that Crombie and I were roommates during this competition despite being involved in a fierce competition in the same events. We both had battled through injuries during the previous 2 years. Where but in Masters T&F would it be possible for rivals from different countries to compete head-to-head in a World Championship and still be friends? I have even more respect for Peter than I had before the meet. For 20 years we have raced each other in various parts of the World with varied results. We have both been world champions at different times. The difference in masters track

Courtesy of Roger Pierce

MASTERS TRACK AND FIELD

is the fact that we run with each other as much as against each other. Masters track & field is a unique sport and has enabled me to continue competing as a sprinter to a degree far beyond anything I ever imagined. Like most people, I want a long life, but only if it is a quality existence. I don’t want to be 18 again; that’s not the purpose or goal of any of this.

I’m quite happy with being whatever age I happen to be. I just want to get the most out of the life I have been given. So far, so good.

At the U.S. Customs checkpoint on the way home, I was asked by the Customs Officer if I had anything to declare, I responded, ”Yes, Canadian Gold and Silver from the World Masters T&F Championships.” The official smiled and said, “Come on in.”

Roger Pierce is a member of the Mass Velocity Track Club which won the U.S. Team award at the recent 2010 U.S. Masters Indoor T&F Championships in Boston. He holds 10 world records and has 28 national championship titles.

S u m m e r 2 0 1 0 • New England Exchange Zone 21

REVIEWS

Cross Country Shoes Fall 2010 by Cregg Weinmann

Cross Country 2010 toes the starting line with something fresh—fresh air, fresh school year, and a fresh batch of spikes and flats designed to dig into the terrain of the toughest courses around. Here we take our annual look at eight newly released or updated cross country shoes for fall. All are low-profile models that skimp a bit on protection in favor of performance.

Deciding whether you should go for traditional XC spikes or a spikeless model should be based on the racing surfaces you’ll encounter during your season. Cross country spikes are slightly better than spikeless shoes at gripping muddy or soggy ground, but they are limited to use on all-natural courses and are not allowed for high school use in California. Spikeless models work almost as well as spikes in the mud and in addition, they manage pavement, sidewalks, and rocky surfaces and work well on indoor or outdoor tracks. Finally, always try to get in a few speed sessions in your racing shoes before the actual race, since the low profile of the shoe coupled with the intense effort of racing can be tough on your soft tissue if you haven’t prepared well.

Okay, that’s out of the way, so it’s on to the shoes …

adidas XCS The XCS is the update to the RLH from a couple seasons back. The XCS features the same Traxion outersole of the RLH in both a six-spike configuration and the more versatile spikeless version.

The upper is the same in each: a mini airmesh and a supportive, extended heel counter with a low-volume, foot-hugging fit. The midsole is low even for low-profile shoes and is molded EVA. The EVA provides adequate cushioning on its own, and gets an assist from the Traxion lugs that supply not only traction, but some cushion (via deflection). The close fit, deft touch of cushioning, and excellent traction help the foot efficiently negotiate whatever the cross country course puts between you and the finish line.

ASICS Hyper XC & Hyper Rocketgirl This update retains the same midsole/outersole in last season’s version: low-profile, molded EVA and a hightraction, lugged sole that, judging by the significant number of runners who wear them, are extremely effective. Changes have been implemented in the upper, particularly some upgrades to the meshes which make them sturdier. The smooth and well-finished interior is supportive and breathable. The extended heel counter and added medial overlays deter picking up mud while offering better support this time around. Overall, the ASICS fit, gender specificity, traction, and quality deliver good value.

SPIKE/SPIKELESS $60

SPIKE $60/SPIKELESS $55

Sizes: men 7–13,14,15; women 5–12 Weight: (men’s 11) 8.3 oz. spike; 7.8 oz. spikeless;

Sizes: men 4–13,14,15; women 5–11,12 Weight: (men’s 11) 9.2 oz. spike, 8.6 oz.

(women’s 8) 7.5 oz. spike; 7.0 oz. spikeless Fit: snug throughout

spikeless; (women’s 8) 7.9 oz. spike; 7.3 oz. spikeless Fit: snug heel, close forefoot

Brooks Mach 12

Mizuno Wave Kaze 6

The Mach 12 marks the first significant change in these shoes since version 5 way back in 2001. New are the last (the foot model that the shoe is built around) and the pattern of the upper. These changes align BEST RENOVATION the Mach 12 with the Wire, Brooks’ new distance spike, and give the shoe a bit lower profile. NoCross Country ticeably more pronounced is the toe spring that proFALL 2010 pels the foot forward. The fit has been improved by adding webbing in the midfoot lacing to better cinch the shoe around the foot. The interior has a sueded ankle collar and arch wrap that secure the foot comfortably—even if you run in them without socks. The cushioning is familiar: just enough for the varied terrain, but not so much as to add extra weight. In fact, the new midsole and upper shave almost 10% from a men’s size 11. It all adds up—fit, cushion, weight—to earn our Best Renovation award.

Five versions of the Kaze have integrated the Wave technology with a breathable, supportive upper.

And now we can make that six. The Kaze 6 maintains the molded EVA midsole with the modified Wave plate designed for cross country. The lugged outersole is also carried over in both a 6-spike configuration and a spikeless version. The new upper features fewer overlays (eliminated to save weight and improve breathability) with a more sheath-like fit (some runners may want to go up a half-size for a more comfortable fit). Runners familiar with the Kaze will find the performance they expect, while those searching for traction, good cushioning, and a secure fit have one more possibility in a racing shoe.

SPIKE/SPIKELESS $65

Sizes: men 7–13; women 6–11 Weight: (men’s 11) 8.9 oz. spike, 7.7 oz. spikeless;

Sizes: men 5–12; women 5–12 Weight: (men’s 11) 7.6 oz. spike, 6.8 oz. spikeless;

(women’s 8) 7.8 oz. spike, 7.0 oz. spikeless Fit: snug heel, very snug forefoot

SPIKE/SPIKELESS $80

(women’s 8) 6.7 oz. spike, 6.0 oz. spikeless Fit: snug heel, close forefoot

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REVIEWS

Cross Country Shoes Fall 2010 continued New Balance 507

The 507 picks up right where the 506 left off.

The midsole and outersole are carried over. The same solid rubber, lugged outersole provides durable traction with a TPU plate for protection and springy responsiveness and molded EVA for a measure of cushion on harder surfaces. The familiar story of changes to the upper here results in a more supportive midfoot saddle. (It was previously just a couple straps from the eyestay to the heel counter.) Now the heel is locked down more securely and the forefoot is better supported with a full rand that also helps keep the elements out. The barefoot interior feel has even been improved a little, as the closed mesh breathes well and synthetic suede on the tongue and low-cut ankle collar has a soft, non-irritating feel. And the availability of men’s widths broadens its reach (no pun intended). The effect is a well-executed cross country performer.

Nike Zoom Waffle XC/Racer VII & Zoom Jana Star XC/Waffle The Waffle Racer pioneered the track spike/ racer/cross country hybrid.

Version VII upgrades a few features while maintaining its most effective components. The midsole/outersole is unchanged with a fournibbed waffle tread and a co-molded shank that works equally on tracks, hills, and dales. The upper’s no-sew technology enhances the support with a smooth interior and, though it gains a few grams in the process, it’s a worthwhile trade-off as the full rand and overlays reinforce the mesh throughout. The fit is unchanged—it’s close—but with good curvature and snugness to match the racing foot. The matching lasts of the spiked (Zoom Waffle XC) and spikeless models, the gender specificity of the Jana and Waffle Racer, and broadest cross country size range in the industry offer runners and teams a wide variety of XC options.

SPIKE $60/SPIKELESS $50 Sizes: men 4–13,14,15 (D,2E widths); women 5.5–10,11 Weight: (men’s 11) 7.5 oz. spike,

SPIKE $55/SPIKELESS $45

6.8 oz. spikeless; (women’s 8) 6.7 oz. spike, 6.0 oz. spikeless Fit: snug heel, close forefoot

Sizes: men 1–13,14,15; women 5–12 Weight: (men’s 11) 7.4 oz. spike, 6.8 oz. spikeless; (women’s 8) 6.5 oz. spike, 5.9 oz. spikeless Fit: snug heel, close forefoot

Puma Complete Haraka XCS

Saucony Shay XC 2

Haraka is a Swahili word best translated as “hurry,” which aptly describes the new Complete Haraka XCS that’s built on the strength of Puma’s recent track and cross country successes.

The outersole is an aggressively lugged, six-spiked configuration designed to maximize traction. The midsole is a healthy slab of molded EVA that seems at home on the hard surfaces without being too spongy off-road. The upper is a closed mesh with good breathability and a combination of welded overlays and soft synthetic suede. The interior is cozy enough for bare feet, with a velour-lined tongue and innersole offering a plush feel. The performance says hurry, but the attention to detail didn’t cut any corners.

Round two of the Shay XC features improved tailoring and a neat way to customize the shoe.

The fit has been tailored to wrap the foot more snugly, especially through the arch. The upper BEST SHOE has a sturdy rip-stop fabric on the sides of the vamp with an open stretch mesh on the tongue Cross Country down to the toes while wrapping the forefoot inFALL 2010 side the shoe. Overlays anchor the eyestay under the midfoot/heel. In a nice touch, various colors of vinyl film can be inserted into the overlays to customize the shoe with your team colors. The proven midsole and outersole carry over from round one, providing good cushioning and outstanding traction. The combination of fit, cushioning, and traction earned the Shay XC 2 our award for Best Cross Country shoe.

SPIKE/SPIKELESS $65 Sizes: men 7–12,13,14; women 5.5–12 Weight: (men’s 11) 7.6 oz. spike, 6.7 oz. spikeless; (women’s 8) 6.6. oz. spike, 6.0 oz. spikeless Fit: snug heel, close forefoott

SPIKE $75/SPIKELESS $70 Sizes: men 7–13,14; women 5–11,12 Weight: (men’s 11) 8.0 oz. spike, 7.1 oz. spikeless; (women’s 8) 7.0 oz. spike, 6.2 oz. spikeless Fit: snug throughout

CREGG WEINMANN is footwear and running products reviewer for Running Network LLC. He can be reached via e-mail at shuz2run@lightspeed.net.

Copyright © 2010 by Running Network LLC. All Rights Reserved. No part of this article may be stored, copied, or reprinted without prior written permission of Running Network LLC. Reprinted here with permission.

S u m m e r 2 0 1 0 • New England Exchange Zone 23

NEW ENGLAND

TRACK & FIELD SCHOLARSHIP

Go to: BestBuy.com

Englands. Deanna Latham (Triton/Byfield MA), sixth in the 100 hurdles and set a new state record in the 100 hurdles at 14.21.

Three state records were etched in the boys 4x1 mile relay: RI: Bishop Hendricken, GATORADE ATHLETES second in 17:21.59; NH: OF THE YEAR Winners of the Gatorade High School Track & Bp. Guertin, fourth in and MA: Field Athletes of the Year awards are based on a 17:29.35; Methuen, sixth in 17:33.79. combination of athletics, academics, and citizenship. Here are the New England States’ winners. Other top-eight All American placings are listed below.

Boys CT: Chris FitzSimons, Hamden ME: Will Geoghegan, Brunswick MA: Sam Bombaugh, Falmouth NH: Dominic Filiano, Lebanon RI: Kadeem Kushimo, La Salle VT: Mike DiMambro, Essex Girls CT: Eleanor Fulton, Highlands Ranch ME: Abbey Leonardi, Kennebunk MA: Deanna Latham, Triton Regional NH: Arianna Vailas, Manchester Central RI: Molly Reilly, So.Kingstown VT: Hannah Rowe, St.Johnsbury

Justin Kuo

According to the 2008–09 NFHS Athletics Participation Survey, outdoor track & field is the second-most-popular sport in the U.S. for high school boys and the most popular sport for girls.

The sport ranks second in the number of schools having teams for both boys and girls.

Jacqui Wentz won the NCAA Division III steeplechase, and then placed 8th at the USA championships

Boys 100 4. Kadeem Kushimo, La Salle RI, 10.55 200 7. Kushimo, 21.93 (21.51 qual) SC 5. Ben Wallis, Dover NH, 6:03.09 4x200 4. Andover, 1:28.23 800 Medley 4. Andover MA, 1:31.23 Pole Vault 8. James Strawderman, Cranston W RI, 15-6.25 SP 3. Dominic Filiano, Lebanon NH, 63-11⁄4; 4. Sam Bombaugh, Falmouth MA, 62' 8.75 HT 6. Max Midler, Bp.Hendricken RI, 197' 0 JT 7.George Trees, Deerfield Acad MA, 190' 6

Girls Mile 5. Monica Adler, Beverly MA, 4:52.26 2 Mile 8. Jacy Christiansen, New Ipswich NH, New Balance HS Nationals 10:40.94 Greensboro NC, June 18-19 Junior Moira Cronin (Andover MA) won the girls 5000 5. Millie Chapman, Beverly MA, high jump at the New Balance Nationals, clear- 17:39.76 ing 5' 8-3/4", that followed a win at the New Shuttle Hurdles 4. Mansfield MA, 1:04.78

sennheiserusa.com/sports

Corey Thomas While high schoolers can have some trouble adapting to the college ranks, Stonehill freshman Corey Thomas stepped right into the national action. The Brookline MA resident and Boston College HS graduate made an immediate impact on the NCAA Division II scene. Indoors and outdoors, he was honored as NCAA East Region athlete of the year. Undercover, he cleared a best of 7'2 1/4" in the high jump (Division II best for the season) and was third at nationals; he also qualified for the NCAA meet in the 50 meter hurdles. Outdoors at Nationals, he matched the indoor Bronze medal with a 7'1" leap, and was 11th in the 110 hurdles.

He capped his first year in college at the U.S. Junior Nationals, placing fourth in the high jump in an outdoor personal best/school record 7' 1-1/2" and missed a spot on the U.S. team for the world juniors by just one height.

Photo courtesy Stonehill Athletics

24 New England Exchange Zone • S u m m e r 2 0 1 0

NEW ENGLAND

TRACK & FIELD SCHOLARSHIP Sprint Medley 7. E.Greenwich RI, 3:28.59 DMR 5. Newton Centre Athletics MA 11:44.77 HJ 6. Kristen McDonagh, Mansfield MA, 5' 61⁄2" LJ 8. Latham, 18' 3" TJ 3. Nadia Eke, Holy Name, Worcester MA, 41' 41⁄4" 800 Leanne Tucker, Tewksbury MA, 2:09.13 HT 5. Robyn McFetters, Barrington RI, 146' 8"; 6. Aleide Fernandes, Central Falls RI, 144' 5"

NCAA CHAMPIONS FROM NEW ENGLAND KINSLEY TAKES DIVISION I JAVELIN At the Division I championship in Eugene, Oregon, Brown javelin thrower Craig Kinsley won the javelin. On his sixth and final throw, he threw a personal best of 250' 3" to become the first outdoor national champion from Brown since 1952. Norwich VT native Andrew Wheating, closing out his career at Oregon, won both the 800 and 1500, former Mass. state champ Arantxa King (Medford/Stanford)

was Silver in the long jump at 21' 63⁄4", and Tim Morse (Hingham MA/Radford U) was an All American eighth in the hammer, 212' 7".

BARRETT WINS NCAA DIVISION II GOLD U. Mass. Lowell senior Jacqui Barrett (Woburn MA) brought home Gold from the Division II national championships held in North Carolina. Taking first in the shot put, her 50' 8.25" was a school record. Barrett is the third national champion in UML history. Electrical storms caused schedule delays and postponements throughout the 3 days, challenging athletes’ preparation for their events.

Two other River Hawk seniors also earned All American honors: Ruben Sanca (Boston) placed fifth in both the 5000 and 10,000, and Doug Caves (Oxford MA) earned his eighth career certificate for sixth in the 400. Other New Englanders bringing home A-A honors included a pair of freshmen Bronze medalists: American International College’s Glarius Rop (Eldoret, Kenya) in the 10,000 and Stonehill’s Corey Thomas (Brookline MA) in the high jump. In the latter event, AIC duo Noel James (Whitman MA) and

Dylan Moore (Somersworth NH) placed fifth (6' 113⁄4") and sixth (6' 103⁄4"), respectively. On the women’s side, Bidemi Balogun (AIC, Providence) spun the hammer 177' 5" for fifth.

MULTIPLE LOCAL WINNERS IN DIVISION III The Division III championships at Baldwin-Wallace College in Ohio found six New Englanders on the top step of the medal stand.

A pair of women took Gold: steeplechase winner Jacqui Wentz of MIT won in a USATF-qualifying 10:16.16, the best DIII time of the year. She followed with a fifth in the 1500, and a leg on the second-place 4x400 relay squad. Tanasia Hoffler took the triple jump in 40' 101⁄2".

MIT’s Stephen Morton won the long jump 23' 9" and placed third in the triple jump. Sprint rival Stephen Headley, a senior at Springfield, won the 100 in 10.33, Silver in the 200 in 21.15, and Silver in the 4x100 relay. Connor Kamm of Williams was the 5000 champ in 14:28.06. Wheaton College won the 4x100 in 40.77, a DIII season best. A long list of competitors achieved All American status.

SOUND THAT KEEPS YOU GOING WHEN NOTHING ELSE WILL. The best of both worlds: adidas meets Sennheiser. A total of 120 years of experience in sports and sound brought together. The result: the new Sennheiser/adidas sports earphone range. Specially developed to meet the needs of today‘s athletes.

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ROAD RACING Completed Races: February 28 Jones Realty Group 10-Mile, Amherst MA New Bedford 1⁄2 Marathon March 21 May 15 Bedford NH Rotary 12K June 6 Rhody 5K (Men), Lincoln RI Stowe VT 8-Mile July 18 Remaining Races: August 10 Bridge of Flowers 10K, Shelburne Falls MA October 3 Ronald McDonald House 5K (Women) Providence RI October 17 Bay State Marathon, Lowell MA Full schedule, results, and scoring at www.usatfne.org/gp 2011 series to be voted online by members in November.

Matt Ely (306, B.A.A.), NE 5K champ, leads the men’s 2010 series scoring. Behind him, Joseph Koech has two masters wins and is second in 40+ scoring.

USA TRACK & FIELD – NEW ENGLAND 2010 GRAND PRIX Standings as of July 1 TEAM STANDINGS Men’s Open Boston A.A. Central Mass Striders Gr.Boston TC Whirlaway RT Green Mt.AA Gr.Springfield Harriers Cambridge Sports Union Gate City Striders Triad Somerville RR Team RUN

76 71 63 63 53 47 40 38 30 30

Men’s 40+ Whirlaway RT Central Mass Striders Green Mt.AA Gate City Striders Triad Cambridge Sports Union Gr. Springfield Harriers Boston A.A. Gr. Lowell RR Winners Circle RC Somerville RR

56 49 43 41 33 29 25 25 20 15

Men’s 50+ Whirlaway RT Cambridge Sports Union Green Mt.AA Gr. Lowell RR Winners Circle RC Gate City Striders Triad Boston A.A. Gr. Springfield Harriers North Medford Club Merrimack Valley Strider

54 42 42 40 37 28 23 21 19 18

MEN’S 60+ CCambridge Sports Union Gate City Striders Triad Green Mt.AA North Medford Club

25 17 13 7

WOMEN’S OPEN Gr. Boston TC Boston A.A. Whirlaway RT Central Mass Striders Gate City Striders Triad Green Mt.AA Cambridge Sports Union New Balance Boston Cambridge RC adidas New England

40 36 32 28 25 22 18 12 11 10

Women’s 40+ Whirlaway RT Gate City Striders Triad Central Mass Striders Cambridge Sports Union Green Mt.AA Gr.Lowell RR Goon Squad Runners Sugarloaf Mt.AC Somerville RR

31 28 26 17 17 12 11 6 4

Women’s 50+ Whirlaway RT Central Mass Striders Gate City Striders Triad Cambridge Sports Union Green Mt.AA

20 16 10 6 5

26 New England Exchange Zone • S u m m e r 2 0 1 0

John Parker TVFR Bill Riley BAA

7 6

Women’s Open Jeanette Seckinger BAA Jennifer Campbell BAA Caitlyn Clark SISU Yolanda Flamino RUN Heidi Westover BAA Mariko Holbrook BAA Maria Varela BAA Abigail Gosling CMS Katie Twarog BAA Tammie Robie WHIR Caroline Bjune adi NE

18 17 14 11 10 10 10 10 10 9 9

Women’s 40–49 Barbara McManus CMS Simonetta Piergentili WHIR Cathy Pearce WHIR Karen Pattelena GCST Tina Dowling adiNE

38 19 17 16 16

48 33 30 25 13

Women’s 50–59 Nancy Corsaro WHIR Cathy Merra GCST Miae Jacobs WHIR Sidney Letendre CMS Lisa Doucett CSU

37 30 24 21 20

Men’s 60–69 Gordon MacFarland CSU Rick Bayko WCRC Charles White GMAA

49 37 25

Women’s 60+ Diane McLaughlin CSU Catherine Farrell CSU Linda Usher CMS

21 20 13

Men’s 70+ Harry Carter BAA

14

INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS Men’s Open Matt Ely BAA Justin Fyffe CMS Mark Miller BAA Patrick Moulton BAA Brian Harvey BAA Nicholas Wheeler adiNE Brendan Callahan BAA Curtis Wheeler adiNE Lucas Meyer BAA Bob Wiles CMS Dan Smith GBTC

32 28 21 20 20 15 13 10 9 9 9

Men’s 50+ Wayne Levy BAA Rich Smith GCST Joseph Koech RUN Henry Scollard CRC Mike Cooney WHIR Scott Anderson WHIR

46 25 20 20 19 19

Men’s 50–59 Norm Larson GMAA Tony Bates GMAA Reno Stirrat WHIR Paul Doe WHIR John Barbour GLRR

GP standings are posted at www.usatfne.org/gp

Behind every successful distance runner, or any well-performing athlete for that matter, you’ll find a coach somewhere in the background. Most of us think a coach is just there to give us training schedules, but that’s a relatively minor part of his or her role. Running is a healthy, inexpensive activity that keeps us fit and teaches us self-discipline at an age where these valuable lessons will stand us in good stead forever. However, there are many pitfalls in distance running that we can easily fall into if we blunder along without knowing what we are doing—and the younger we are, the more we rely on a coach to help us through our early years as distance runners.

Here are some things to look for in your coach.

One of the most important things a coach brings with him is objectivity. Your coach is your personal sounding board. He listens to you talk about how you feel, how confident you are about your current racing fitness, your hopes, ideas, and synthesizes these thoughts. He does this without having your personal thoughts and feelings interfering with hard decisions that have to be made about your training program. So when a coach recommends that you get more sleep, or try eating more carbohydrates, or slow down your training runs, or that you do more stretching in your cool-down, listen to him. He’s seeing things from an outside perspective, and is highly likely to be right. A good coach will also not hesitate to discipline you if you need it—this is most effective, however, when done privately and used sparingly.

And yes, a coach is expected to deliver good

training schedules based on sound principles and experience and should keep up with his reading on running training techniques, and attend training sessions on new developments. You should be able to ask your coach about almost anything to do with running, from how to tie your shoelaces to what sort of sports drinks are the best to take.

What’s more, the coach’s schedules should be based specifically on his knowledge of you, and what you need most in your training. A good coach will take your previous running experience into consideration when prescribing your workouts and races. He’ll look at your goals, how much you’re training, pace, and recent racing times. You’ll know that your coach’s training schedules are sound if your team’s injury and illness rate is low. This means he is using proven techniques to make sure you are not overtraining or overstressing yourself.

A good coach should also be there when things go wrong, to do a post mortem and quickly figure out a plan on what to do about it. A coach who demonstrates flexibility in his approach to training, has your best interests in mind.

Motivation is one of the coach’s most important functions. A good coach will make you feel confident about your training and racing, will challenge you to perform better, and make you believe that you will perform your best. I’d like to think that I witnessed distance running history one Sunday in New Zealand in 1974, when I had just returned from a training run with John Walker. Walker had cranked through a hilly 18-miler at just over 5 minutes per mile, all by himself, leaving the rest of us miles behind. His coach, Arch Jelley, said to Walker, “Judging from that run, John, I’ve never had a runner as fit as you. Keep running like that and you’ll break 3:50 for the mile in Europe next year.” Walker looked at him, saw Jelley’s poker face, and said, “Yeah, you know I think I can do it.” And sure enough, Walker went under 3:50 the following August 1975 in Göteborg, Sweden.

Finally, one of the most valuable coaching skills is strategizing, with the athlete, how the race should be run. Beware the coach who says, “Just go out as fast as you can and hang on to the finish.” Unless

you’re the best runner by far in the race, this is advice for a tactical disaster. The coach should take your fitness, your competitors, the weather, and the course into consideration.

A coach then, is a jack-of-all-trades. He’s there cajoling you to run your intervals faster one day, then congratulating you on a fine performance the next.

Above all else, your coach should want you to enjoy the experience

2010 AT&F Coaching Tech Columns Presented by Saucony are produced by Shooting Star Media, Inc. Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. Design/Layout: Alex Larsen; Proofreader: Marg Sumner; Publisher: Larry Eder. Photos: PhotoRun.net.

Twelve-week daily training program can be found at american-trackandfield.com.

Visit twitter.com/americantf for daily training updates.

NEW ENGLAND

2010 USATF-NE CHAMPIONSHIPS 2010 USATF-NE CHAMPIONSHIPS June 13, Regis College The USATF-NE Open and Masters Championship meet ran at the Regis College facility in Weston MA to positive reviews by competitors. The first meet at the brand new facility posted a fine initial list of facility records and Regis will likely be home to the meet for

the forseeable future. The only thing missing was more competitors.

Prize money was offered in selected events based on point scoring tables. 400 meter winners Josette Pierre-Louis and Doug Caves were the only ones to match their wins with the necessary times. The plan will be refined and offered again next year. Greater Boston again swept the team titles.

WINNERS WOMEN 100 Adeline Kuo, Una, 14.09 200 Jennifer Harlow, GBTC, 28.61 400 Josette Pierre-Louis, GBTC, 56.85 800 Caitlin Malloy, New Balance Boston, 2:19.34 1500 Taylor Bean, Bermuda, 5:02.33 5000 Caitlyn Clark, Sisu Project, 17:51.89

Shelby Greany won the U.S. Junior steeplechase.

Photorun.NET

28 New England Exchange Zone • S u m m e r 2 0 1 0

2010 USATF-NE CHAMPIONSHIPS and Westerly RI’s Andrew Springer placed third in the 5000.

100mH April Garner, Una 13.72 400mH Jessica Klett, GBTC, 1:03.12 3000 SC Anna King, NBB, 10:53.8 4x100 Boston International, 50.0 4x400 Greater Boston TC, 4:03.82 High Jump Deirdre Mullen, Shore AC, 6-.75 Pole Vault Yanelis Mestre, AirTime, 10–06 Shot Put Lisa Wilson, GBTC, 43-10 Discus Throw Stacey Connor, GBTC, 14910 Hammer Throw Keelin Godsey, Una, 20304 Javelin Throw Kateema Riettie, CentralPark TC 173-06 3000 Walk Maryanne Daniel CTRW, 15:48.49

Victoria Barnaby (GBTC) placed in the New England steeplechase.

Teams: 1. Greater Boston TC, 66; 2. YSpeed, Twilight Throwers, 10; 4. New Balance Boston, 9; 5. MITPVC, New England Walkers, Adidas New England, 8; 8. Mass Velocity, 7; 9. CSU, 6; 10. SISU Project, World’s Longest Throw, Boston-North, Emerging Elite 5; 14. Greater Lowell RR 3; 15. Cape Cod AC, Patriot Pole Vault 2; 17.

Gate City Striders 1.

JUNIORS Steeplechase 1. Shelby Greany, Providence College, 10:27.15 5000 3. Andrew Springer, Georgetown/ Westerley RI, 14:41.78; 5. Aaron Watanabe, Hanover NH, 14:54.79 3000 4. Emily Jones, Georgetown/Harvard MA, 9:40.97 5000 2. Emily Jones, 17:27.91 High Jump 4. Corey Thomas, Stonehill College/Brookline MA, 7-01.5

USA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS June 24–28, Des Moines Iowa Sean Furey, graduate of Methuen (MA) HS and Dartmouth, won the javelin at the USA Championships. The former GBTC member, now living in California, earned his first U.S. title with a 262' 0" throw. NCAA champion from Brown University Craig Kinsley threw a personal record for third. Also making the medal stand were Joanne Dow (Manchester NH), in the 20K race walk and Molly Huddle (Providence) in the 5000; both won Silver medals.

In the Junior (not turning 20 during the year) meet, Providence College freshman Shelby Greany won the steeplechase, qualifying for the World Junior Championships.

Emily Jones (Harvard MA/Georgetown) was second in the 5000 and third in the 3000,

Justin Kuo

MEN 100 Matt Amendola, ConnQuest, 11.29 200 Doug Caves, Unat, 21.70 400 Doug Caves, Unat, 47.00 800 Shaquille Dill, Bermuda, 1:53.42 1500 Yassine Zaimi, Unat, 4:13.25 3000 Henry Russell, Emerging Elite, 8:56.00 5000 Matthew Germain, Sisu Project, 15:41.59 110mH Kandrick Cooper, RIADHA, 14.07 400mH Elhadje Mbow, CPTC, 52.17 3000 SC Michael Bunker, AdiNE, 9:25.5 4x400 Greater Boston TC, 3:30.89 High Jump Corey Thomas, Una, 6-09 Pole Vault Alexandre Barbaud, MIT PV, 15-00 Long Jump Terrence Young, GBTC, 21-06 Triple Jump Nick DeCelle, ConnQuest, 451.75 Shot Put John Langhauser, CentralParkTC, 55-09 Discus Throw Jon Gray, Twilight Throwers, 163-04 Hammer Throw Chris Bryce, Una, 226-06 JT Dylan Dombrowski, ConnQuest, 193-00 3000m Walk Bob Keating, NEWalk, 15:11.47

WOMEN Steeplechase: 8. Jacqueline Wentz, MIT, 10:12.46 5000 2. Molly Huddle, Saucony, 15:30.80; 7. Rebecca Donaghue, New Balance Boston, 15:46.66 20K Walk 2. Joanne Dow, 1:43:19 High Jump 10. Becky Christensen, Harvard, 5-08.75 Hammer 5. Keelin Godsey, 208-04 Tom Derderian

TEAMS: 1. GBTC, 74; 2. New Balance Boston, 10; 3. World’s Longest Throw, 9; 4. Cambridge Sports Union, 8; 5. Liberty AC, SISU Project, Airtime Athletics, MITPVC, 5; 9. Mass Velocity, Waltham TC, Innovation, 4; 12. Team RUN, 3; 13. Patriot Pole Vault, 1.

SENIORS - FINALISTS Javelin 1. Sean Furey, 262-0; 3. Craig Kinsley, Brown, 256-03 PR Shot Put 12. Nate Hunter, Northeastern, 5911.25

Joanne Dow earned another medal in the 20K walk.

S u m m e r 2 0 1 0 • New England Exchange Zone 29

Lagat/SimpSon Chris Simpson (Eliot tC/Somerville ma) shares a moment at the USa indoor nationals in albuquerque with U.S. recordholder Bernard Lagat. the 41-year-old Simpson won the masters invitational 1000 meters, clocking 2:39.92.

30 New England Exchange Zone • S u m m e r 2 0 1 0

2010 Mayor’s Cup Sunday, October 24 Franklin Park, Boston 10:00 a.m.

Girls’ & Boys’ 10 and under 1.1-mile race

10:15 a.m.

Girls’ & Boys’ 11–12 1.1-mile race

10:30 a.m.

Girls’ & Boys’ 13–14 1.1-mile race

10:50 a.m.

Franklin Park 5K

11:30 a.m.

Women’s Championship 5K

Noon

Men’s Championship 8K Presented by

PRE-REGISTER YOURSELF, YOUR CLUB, or YOUR YOUTH TEAM

VISIT www.baa.org/mayorscup Directed by

NEW ENGLAND