Tag: Eric Blake

World Mountain Running Championships Preview

Sep. 13 Articles, Racing no comments

Got some pics from Paul Kirsch who’s over in Italy with Team USA for tomorrow’s World Mountain Running Championships. The courses look pretty ridiculous. The courses actually end in a marble quarry, even going through a marble tunnel:

And here’s the first 4 km of the senior women’s and the juniors races:

As far as the race goes, there’s a great preview over at Runner’s World:

Joe Gray and Allie McLaughlin will lead the senior U.S. men and women into this weekend’s 30th annual World Mountain Running Championships, to be held in Italy. Gray and McLaughlin, both of Colorado Springs, Colo., earned U.S. mountain running championships for their wins at New Hampshire’s Loon Mountain Race in July.

Eric Blake will be repping Team USA and the New England region. Kasie Enman also made the team based off of her performance at the Loon Mountain race, but she opted out to run (and win) The Rut 50k today in Montana.

From the MUT Facebook page: Follow us tomorrow on twitter at @usmrt Junior Women’s race starts at 3:15 AM Eastern Time, 1:15AM Mountain Time.

All you early birds, you now have a race to follow. USA! USA! USA!

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Blake Wins in Austria

Sep. 11 Articles, Racing no comments

Masters Mountain running world championships – Telfes Austria 09-07-14

By Dave Dunham

A number of athletes with ties to New England visited Austria to take part in the Masters Mountain running world championships.  Each 5 year age groups started 15 minutes apart. The M35-M50 started in the town of Telfes and covered a 11.5 km (7.1 miles) course that climbed 1,200 meters (3,900’).  The M55-M75 age groups started at the Mittlestation covering a 7.2km course with 760 meters of climb (4.4 miles and 2,500’ of climb).

Eric Blake, who runs for La Sportiva, and is based in West Hartford CT, was the winner of the M35 running 59:31.  No other runner finished within 3 minutes of Blake’s time which bodes well for him as he heads to Italy for the World Mountain running championships.  Peter Maksimow (Inov-8) finished in fourth place in the M35 in 1:03:21.  Maksimow runs for Team Colorado but lived in New England for a number of years when he competed as a member of the Central Mass Striders.

Masters Mountain World Championships 2014 DunhamRichard Bolt (Salomon) finished in 26th in the M40 in 1:15:20.  He also ran for the Central Mass Striders at one time and chaired the USATF New England Mountain committee.  Bolt now lives in California and will be managing the US team at the World Championships this weekend.

Francis Burdett (GSH) finished in 10th place in the M45 running a 1:10:18.  Dave Dunham (CMS) finished in 8th place in the M50 with a 1:10:50.  Len Hall (GCS) took 34th place in the M60 running 55:38.

Team USA fielded a complete team (three runners) in the M50.  Dunham teamed up with Craig Kenworthy (WA) and Garry Harrington (CO) to take 7th place out of 16 countries.  In all over 800 runners competed from 29 countries.

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Gray Edges Blake on the Rockpile

Jun. 22 Articles, Interviews, Racing no comments

Joe Gray ran a 59:09 on the way to his first Mt Washington Road Race win. Last year’s champion Eric Blake was right behind him and nearly dipped under an hour himself, running a 60:01. Here’s the full, uncut interview with the two top finishers.

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Gray & Payne Win Mt Washington

Jun. 21 Articles, Racing no comments

Joe Gray got under the vaunted 60:00 mark to win the 54th Annual Mount Washington Road Race in  a time of 59:09. That’s 7:47 pace for the 7.6 mile course with only one hill.  Here’s a video of Gray en route to victory.

On the women’s side, Shannon Payne of Colorado Springs, CO claimed first with a time of 70:12 (9:15 pace).  Other top performers on the women’s side include  Valentina Belotti (71:58), Brandy Erholtz (75:38), Kasie Enman (77:12), and Denise Sandahl (77:21). Top master was Regina Loiacano in 75:56.

The Top 3 Women (left to right): Belotti, Payne, and Erholtz. Photo by Joe Viger.

Back to the men’s side, behind winner Joe Gray were some other pretty fast guys: Eric Blake (60:01), Sage Canady (61:30), Zach Miller (62:56), and Ryan Bak (63:28). Simon Gutierrez was sixth overall and also top master in a time of 65:11.  Check here for complete results. Check back on this site for more detailed coverage in the near future.

blake gray mt wash lvl insta 6.21.14

Joe Gray (right) and Eric Blake finished 1-2. Photo by The LVL.

 

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Ascutney Mt: The Battle For Second

Jun. 14 Articles, Interviews, Racing no comments

Although we’ve already posted a couple of items from Ascutney, there are a few key things that we haven’t touched upon yet. What we’ve already covered is the fact that Eric Blake dominated. It was as if Blake was on the lead bicycle or something, it just wasn’t even close. Blake’s on another level. Behind him, the Battle For Second unfolded.

Newcomer Drew Best was able to top Brandon Newbould by the slimmest of margins (30:59 to 31:05). It was a deep, competitive field and Drew showed he could run with the mountain men of New England. Todd Callaghan continued his (uphill) roll by finishing 6th overall and locking down the top masters spot yet again (31:59).

For the ladies, Christin Doneski yet again won the women’s race. She probably won’t like us continually reminding the Level Legion of her age, but she’s a masters runner and she showed all the open runners that age doesn’t have to slow you down. Christin ran a 35:10 and finished 17th overall, topping the 37:15/22nd overall of runner-up Kerri Lyons.

For more on the stats of the race, we kick it over to Dave Dunham: 

Ascutney SNAPacidotic Pearce

Cathy Pearce, courtesy of SNAPacidotic.

Christin Doneski (WRT) ran 35:10 to take the women’s title running the third fastest time ever. Her time also smashed Suzy West’s previous course record for masters by 1:42. West ran 36:52 in 2003.

Cathy Pearce (WRT) finished in fifth place overall as she topped the 50+ age group. Her 39:32 broke Suzy West’s age group CR of 40:52 from 2013.

Dave Dunham (CMS) finished in eight place overall taking the senior title in 32:09. His time broke Mt Washington Hall of Fame member Keith Woodward’s course record of 33:34 from 2002.

Len Hall was top veteran running a 40:10 which knocked one second off of John Pelton’s age group CR from 2001.

The final record of the day was the field of 201 finishers which topped the biggest field of 192 from 2011.

New senior record holder Cathy Pearce had this to say about her race:

“I didn’t know what the record was when I ran up. I was hoping to break 40 minutes. And not be too far off what I ran back in 2002, which was the last time I ran up there.

“Training is coming around after a foot injury in February that kept me from running Boston. Sunday felt really tough though. I got a little dehydrated and was getting chills, so I’m hoping the weather is a little cooler for Mt Washington. Or I might have to carry some water.”

And lastly, we had to get an interview with the soon-to-be Mt Washington Road Race Hall of Famer Dave Dunham:

How does it make you feel setting the bar a little higher for the other seniors?

Ascutney SNAPacidotic Dunham

Mountain Man Dave Dunham, courtesy of SNAPacidotic.

Great to be in the new age group…sort of like hitting the reset button. I’m looking forward to setting some records but there is always someone right there. Heck, Erik Vandendries finished 10 seconds behind me at Ascutney and he is 49. I’m guessing we’ll have some battles in the 50+ next year.

Do you view this race as a measuring stick for Mt Washington?

Ascutney is a bit tougher than Mt Washington. The average grade is the same but Ascutney has a bunch of flattish sections so the steep stuff is quite steep. It does help with confidence knowing you can do some tough climbing leading into Mt Washington.

Considering your rough start to the year, do you think you’re just getting going taking down these senior records?

Not many other records I’d have a shot at with guys like Craig Fram, having run many of the races. I’m looking towards just trying to place well in my new age group and get/stay healthy.

Ah, looking forward to Mt Washington and beyond. The mountain season is just starting to heat up!

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Blake Sounds Ready to Top His ’13 Rockpile Race

Jun. 12 Articles, Interviews, Racing no comments
Ascutney SNAPacidotic Blake

Blake dominated at Ascutney, running the race solo. Courtesy of SNAPacidotic.

Eric Blake decimated the field in his record-breaking win at the Ascutney Mountain Race. It’s a 3.7 mi race, all uphill, and Eric ran a blazing 27:57. Runner up Drew Best said it, well, best, when he said “To even the best New England mountain runners, Eric is basically untouchable in an all-uphill race. It’s understood. Instead, the battle for second played out.” I think I just found the title for the Ascutney recap article. Anyway, here’s an interview we did with Eric afterward:

What was your old course record? When was it from?

28:16 from 2010

Is this your last tune up before the Rockpile?

Yes. Really my one and only race during this build up.

How do you think your conditioning compares to this point last year?

I feel stronger and fitter than last year. Looking forward to Mount Washington.

Blake bike Hypoxico Altitude generatorHave you been doing the same things (oxygen tent, etc) as you did in your prep for last summer’s races?

Yes I have a Hypoxico Altitude generator. It works great! I have one mask for sleeping and one for exercise. Normally I have it set to simulate 13,000 Feet. I usually spin on an exercise bike a total of 2 hours a week broken up into 3 to 4 days. I usually jump on the bike after a run. An example would be a 75 min run followed by a 30 min bike. When I get closer to Pikes Peak in August I will bike for much longer.

Is it a big challenge to push yourself when you’re all alone going up a steep slope?

In mountain races it doesn’t seem as important for me to have someone competing directly alongside. In a normal flat race or on the track races I usually need someone dragging me to even come close to a PB. But mountain races I don’t seem to need that. Having said that I think I could run faster at Ascutney if I needed too.

Was it your goal to break the record?

My number one goal was to come off the race feeling good. I wanted to go hard because a lot of my treadmill incline runs are a progression. Racing is not always like that so I took the race out relativity hard. Once I got past the second mile I just held the effort knowing I would break the record but also knowing I have more down the road.

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Mount Washington Road Race Preview

May. 28 Articles, Racing no comments

By Paul Kirsch

There was a time when you knew if certain runners showed up at Mount Washington, that the battle on the mountain would be for second or third place because the winner was a given.  This year’s race is as far away from that as one could possibly imagine with a men’s and women’s field that is going to leave us all waiting until late morning on June 21st to know who the winners will be.

Every year, Dave Dunham makes his prediction list of who he thinks has the odds of winning the race.  This article won’t attempt to make any similar predictions. We’ll leave that to Dave. 

On to the preview…

The Men

Kirsch Dogs Mt Washington IILast year Eric Blake reminded us what patience, perseverance, and hard work can do for you as a runner.  After a hamstring injury in 2011 that left him with months of rehabilitation, Blake came back in 2012 and had a strong showing at Mt. Washington with his 3rd place finish.  He wasn’t back 100% but just being back in the field and making another US Mountain Running Team (his 6th Team) was quite the accomplishment.  But then, in 2013 he was back firing on all cylinders and it showed.  Blake broke the magical one hour barrier; one few have ever broken at Mt. Washington.  He continued his success, winning the Pikes Peak Ascent, not your typical feat for a runner who lives and trains in Connecticut.

In 2014, Blake will be part of what promises to be quite a showdown, with Sage Canaday and Joe Gray returning to the mountain as well.  Canaday ran last year with tired legs after racing an Ultra just before Washington, which left him a little flat compared to his sub 59 minute win in 2012.

Gray has yet to win Mount Washington but he has been on fire in the last year.  In 2013, he finished 2nd at Washington and had a dominating win at the 2013 US Mountain Champs at Mt. Cranmore.  He followed that with a 7th place finish in Poland at the World Mountain Running Championships, finishing as the top American.  As the year went on, Gray continued to get stronger, winning the USATF Club Cross Country Championships in December, finishing 8th the Bupa Great Edinburgh Cross Country Race, and followed it with a 4th place finish at the USATF Cross Country Champs in February 2014. This doesn’t even include his success on the road.  When the gun goes off for the 2014 Climb to the Clouds, you can be assured Gray is going to be there in that lead pack.

There are a several newcomers taking on the Hill for the first time this year that could also create some waves:

The first is Ryan Bak, whose resume includes competing in the Olympic Trials at both 5000 meters and the Marathon, a 5K PR of 13:35 and a marathon PR of 2:14:17.  Bak has planned on Washington in previous years but had to back out due to injuries.  This year he is competing at both Washington and at the US Mountain Running Champs at Loon Mountain in July.

The second newcomer is Zach Miller, a member of the Nike Trail Elite Team and  winner of the 2013 JFK 50 Miler.  Miller has set several Ultra course records this year and could be a threat at Washington.

Joining them will be Emanuele Manzi of Italy, who has been a longtime member of the Italian Mountain Running Team, helping to win numerous team medals, as well as a silver individual medal in 2001.  Italians have dominated the world of mountain running for many years so it will be interesting to see how Manzi tackles the hill at Mt. Washington.

While Blake, Canaday and Gray are sure to be in the lead pack along with some others, never discount the rest of the field, which includes three time winner Simon Gutierrez, and other former US Mountain Team members Ryan Woods, Matt Byrne, Kevin Tilton and Peter Maksimow.

The Women

Only three US women have ever won individual medals at the World Mountain Running Championships.  This year’s Mt Washington field will include all three of them:  2011 World Champion Kasie Enman, 2012 Bronze Medalist Morgan Arritola, and 2007 Bronze Medalist Laura Haefeli. This alone would be an impressive field but it also includes two-time winner Brandy Erholtz and Valentina Belotti, the 2009 World Mountain Running Champion and 2010 and 2012 runner up at Worlds.

Kirsch Dogs Mt WashingtonHaefeli won her first Mt. Washington last year at age 45 and is a former Masters Course record holder at the event.

Enman finished 3rd in 2012 and is pretty up front that Mount Washington is not her favorite kind of Mountain Race- it would be more to her racing style if they removed the paved road and added in a few sections of New England rocks and roots on the way to the summit.  But, it’s hard to count out a former World Champion and Olympic Trials Marathoner from any race.

Brandy Erholtz finished second last year as she “took it easy”, being four months pregnant.  She is back to her regular form this year, recently winning America’s Uphill in Vail this Winter and she just finished second at the Black Canyon Ascent in Colorado.  Erholtz has two Mount Washington wins under her belt and knows the course as well as anyone.

Morgan Arritola is a 2010 US Olympic Nordic Skier who competed in her first official mountain race in 2012, where she set the course record at Mont Ventoux in France. Later that Summer she went on to win the US Mountain Running Team selection race at Loon Mountain in Lincoln, NH and finished in 3rd place in Ponte di Legno, Italy at the 2012 World Mountain Running Championships.  Arritola was also winner of the 2013 Mountain Championships at Mount Cranmore, showing her versatility in up/down races as well.  Arritola has only lost one mountain race she has competed in- that 2012 World Championship.

One of the two runners who beat Arritola in 2012 will be at Mount Washington- Valentina Belotti, from Italy. The 34 year old Belotti has been a dominant force in Europe, where she has been on the podium in 3 out of her last 4 World Mountain Running Championships (she was injured in 2013).  Belotti recently won the Taipei 101 Run Up for the third year in a row.  The Run Up is a stairclimb event that shows Belotti’s strength in an climbing discipline.  With Arritola and Belotti both in the field, it gives you visions of the epic battle of Melissa Moon and Anna Pichrtova from 2005 where Moon finally took the lead on the last ascent before the finish at Washington.

Joining the above competitors will be New England’s own Carolyn Stocker, who holds the under 20 course record at Mt. Washington and has the potential to be in the lead pack at the race. Stocker was injured last year at Washington but is an experienced mountain runner who also competes for the University of Maine in Cross Country and Track.

Late entrant Shannon Payne, of Boulder, CO, could also be a factor in this year’s race.  She just beat Erholtz at the Black Canyon Ascent, missing Mt Washington winner Kim Dobson’s course record by only 6 seconds.  Payne is fairly new to mountain running but has plenty of experience on the roads, trail and in cross country to be part of the contenders.

There’s still some lingering snow up on Mount Washington at the moment with the Auto Road finally open to the summit and the race just a month away.  .

On a side note, I am really excited that this year’s Mt. Washington Hall of Fame Ceremony will take place just before the awards on race day, where we will all get to witness Dunham and Craig Fram getting inducted.  If you will be at the Hill Climb, be sure to be there for the beginning of the awards ceremony to witness New England Mountain Running History.

About the Author

Paul Kirsch is the elite liaison for the Mount Washington Road Race, a member of the Mount Washington Road Race Hall of Fame Committee and a staff member of the US Mountain Running Team.  When he isn’t posting pictures of his dogs on Facebook, he is probably out running with them in the mountains and trails of the Mount Washington Valley. He has run the Mt. Washington Race 13 times and is looking forward to his 14th time this June. Paul also just recently ran up the auto road with his two dogs on Alton Weagle Day. It served as a good preview and so a couple of pics from that adventure were included here.

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Eric Blake Named to Team USA

Apr. 18 Articles, Press Release no comments

Team USA announced for 2014 NACAC Mountain Running Championships

Official USMRT release

Team USA will compete alongside squads from Mexico and Canada at the 11th North American Central American Caribbean (NACAC) Mountain Running Championships on Sunday, July 20, at Carrera La Chupinaya in Ajijic, Jalisco, the same venue which hosted the event in 2011.  The teams are comprised of up to four men and four women with the top two finishers scoring for their respective country. The 2014 US team includes past NACAC team members as well as newcomers to this championship event.

The men’s team is headlined by Eric Blake, 35, West Hartford, CT, who will make his fourth appearance at the NACAC event. Blake also competed at the World Mountain Running Championships six times for Team USA. Said Blake, “The NACAC championships is one of the races I am currently gearing all my training for. I look forward to running with my teammates and representing Team USA in Ajijic!”

Ryan Woods, 35, Boone, NC, makes his third NACAC appearance, most recently in 2013 when the NACAC Mountain Running Championships was held concurrent with the US Mountain Running Championships at Cranmore, NH. Woods was also a scoring member on the 2011 US Team at the World Mountain Running Championships in Albania. Woods looks forward to competing in Mexico and said, “My training is going great. I’m healthy and getting fast. I’ve won my last two (La Sportiva) mountain cup races and have just started to gear up the mountain training. I can’t wait to race.”

Jordan Chavez, 20, Southlake, TX, is a newcomer to NACAC competition, but is familiar with international mountain racing having represented the U.S. on the junior team at the World Mountain Running Championships in 2012 when he finished in 17th position and 2013 when he moved into the top ten with a seventh place effort. Said Chavez, “I cannot wait to race in what looks to be a beautiful venue and well run race. Every opportunity to run internationally is a great honor and it will be a great experience to race with and against some of the best mountain runners in the world.” Chavez is finishing his sophomore year at University of Richmond.

Danny Martinez, 20, Alhambra, CA, like Chavez, is a newcomer to the NACAC event. Martinez was a teammate of Chavez’s last year in Poland where he was the second US junior finisher with a solid ninth place effort. Martinez, who will complete his freshman year at University of Portland this spring, was WCC Freshman of the Year 2013 running 23:58 for 8k. He competed at the NCAA All-West Region 2013 finishing in 23rd place, and was 117th at the 2013 NCAA XC Championships (team finished seventh), and ran 14:15 5k on the track at the Stanford Invitational 2014. Martinez spoke about making the team, “I’m really excited to have another opportunity to represent the USA! I think Mexico is going to be a great experience and I’m really looking forward to competing with the senior team this time.”

On the women’s side, all team members have NACAC Mountain Running Championship experience.

Brandy Erholtz, 36, Evergreen, CO, is a two-time individual NACAC champion (2010 and 2012) and was also a member of the 2007 and 2009 NACAC teams. She is a five-time member of the US Mountain Running Team, and a two-time member of Team USA competing at the WMRA Long Distance Challenge. She is a two-time winner of both the Pikes Peak Ascent and the Mount Washington Road Race which showcases her excellence in uphill racing. Said Erholtz, “I’m looking forward to competing again in 2014 after taking 2013 off to have little Asher (her first child). Although I’ve competed in many places, I have yet to compete in Mexico. I am looking forward to the course and experience. Any time I get the opportunity to represent the U.S. I feel it is both a blessing and an honor. I think we have a strong team and will be in contention for both the individual and team gold. Despite my lack of sleep and frequent nursing, training is going relatively well with recent victories at the Vail and Aspen uphill winter races, a third place finish at Moab’s Red Hot 33k and a victory at the Gorge Waterfalls 50K.”

Amber Reece-Young (formerly Moran), 35, Arden, NC, will make her fourth appearance at the NACAC event. Her racing has gotten off to a great start in 2014 with wins and course records at the Assault on Black Rock in Sylva, NC, last month and the Winter Splash Trail Race in Spruce Pine, NC in February. Reece-Young said, “We have a great team this year and I’m super excited to have an opportunity to race in the 2014 Chupinaya as part of Team USA. In 2011, the Mexican hospitality was amazing and the race was a true mountain race. I look forward to a competitive, adventure race!”

Maria Dalzot, 26, Bellingham, WA, has been on two NACAC teams, having won the individual gold in 2011 in Mexico and team gold in 2012. She was a member of the silver-medal winning US Junior Mountain Running Team in 2007. Said Dalzot, “I have been injury-free for almost a year now and have been able to do some of my best training. I am running high mileage consistently and for the first time, I have added in gym training that is specific to mountain running. Running in the NACAC Championship in Ajijic, Mexico in 2011 was one of the best experiences of my life and I am very excited to have the opportunity to go back as part of this year’s team.”

Christine Lundy, 43, Sausalito, CA, won the NACAC event in 2007 and 2009, and was on the team in 2011. She is a five-time member of the US Mountain Running Team, most recently in 2013. Lundy also excels on the roads having competed in the USA Olympic Marathon Trails in 2004, 2008, and 2012. Said Lundy, “I am very excited to return to the Chupinaya race this year as part of the 2014 USA NACAC team. Training is going well and I hope to improve my time on the course.”

Richard Bolt (Mountain View, CA) will travel with the U.S. Team to Mexico as team leader and provide social media updates from the venue, “”I’m excited to bring the US team back to Ajijic for the 2014 NACAC Mountain Running Championships,” said Bolt. “Our hosts and race organizers presented us with a challenging course and overwhelming hospitality in 2011. I’m confident our athletes will have a first-class international mountain racing experience again this summer.” Get live Twitter updates from the event at https://twitter.com/usmrt

Competitors will race over a 13.8-kilometer course which will start in the principal square of town, head toward the mountains, cross two creeks and start ascending. The majority of the course is within the Sierra Madre Mountains offering amazing views of Chapala Lake, with a downhill finish back at the town square.

The NACAC Mountain Championships have been held since 2004, with the event rotating between the U.S., Mexico, and Canada. This is the fourth time Mexico has hosted the event having previously staged the championships in 2006, 2008, 2011. Canada hosted the championships in 2007, 2010, and 2012, while the U.S. hosted every other year with last year’s NACAC Mountain Championships held at the Cranmore Hill Climb in North Conway, NH.

Follow the U.S. Team at www.usmrt.com and www.usatf.org.  Photos of the US team at the 2011 NACAC Mountain Running Championships in Ajijic, Mexico can be found here.

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Not Your Average Bear

Apr. 05 Articles no comments

There was some pretty good running-related stuff floating around the web on April Fools Day this year. The Loon Mountain Race held onto one gem until Throwback Thursday (#TBT) came around:

Blake Yogi bear Loon Mountain

Before you start panicking and wondering how Eric Blake fought off the bears and went on to win the Mt Washington Road Race last year, just relax. The bears are photoshopped into the pic that we posted last year. It’s part of a compilation of Blake vs Bears that was inspired by the now famous Scott Mason shot of an actual bear out on the course as Eric ran up Upper Walking Boss a few years earlier.

Check out the Loon Mountain Race Facebook page. They do a good job of inserting stuff like this into their race info. Lots of solid work with the pictures! Especially enjoying the old-timey fight poster stuff, too.

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2013: A Look Back, Pt II

Jan. 01 Articles no comments

Part II of a multi-part year end review by Jim Dandeneau

JUNE

June saw the 53rd Mt. Washington Road Race dominated by 45 year old Laura Haefeli of Colorado. Laura won by an astounding 5:43. Connecticut’s Eric Blake, 34, won his 3rd title finally dipping under the magical 60:00 barrier (by 3 seconds). Craig Fram, 54 (and the 50-54 record holder), dominated the division yet again with a superlative 1:09:52 even though he was still well off his amazing division record 1:06:58. Jacqueline Gareau, 60, the 1980 Boston Marathon winner, destroyed the 60-64 course record by almost 8 minutes running 1:33:24.

On the track, Henry Wynne dipped under 1:50 at the New England high school championship and won the New Balance Outdoor national championship. New Canaan’s James Randon finished second in the 2 mile (8:52:56) and 4th in the mile. Westport ,CT star Hannah DiBalsi (only a freshman), finished 3rd in the 2 mile.

At the NCAA Div I Track and Field Championship in Eugene, OR Riley Masters, a Maine native running for Oklahoma and one of the favorites for the 1500 meter national title, got caught up with 120 meters to go, falling to the track finishing 11th. Abbey D’Agostino pulled away to win the women’s 5K with Emily Sisson of Providence College finishing 6th and teammate Laura Nagel 12th.

At the USATF national championship Molly Huddle finished 2nd in the 5K qualifying her for the IAAF World Track and Field championship in August. Ben True, after a pedestrian first 2 miles, took the pace and ran 3:55 for his last 4 circuits however was only able to finish a heartbreaking 4th in the men’s 5K. 2012 Olympian Donn Cabral finished 6th in the men’s 3000 meter steeplechase.

Kenya’s Stephen Sambu (28:08) and Ethiopia’s Mamitu Daska (31:45) won the BAA 10K road race. Brighton’s Mark Reeder, 53, an age group sensation, ran a fantastic 34:48 in hot conditions.

Tim Ritchie (13:47) led 4 under the magical 14 minute barrier at the USATFNE 5K in Hollis, NH while Erica Jessman (15:30) reversed places with Olympian Steph Reilly (15:46) at the 3rd stop of the road race grand prix. Maria Servin, 50, a former Olympian from Mexico ran 17:31. Richard Larsen, 61, ran 17:07.

JULY

July saw Eric Blake win the insanely tough Loon Mountain race by 2 1/2 minutes with Hopkinton’s Christin Doneski, 42, dominating the female race winning by almost 4 minutes.

At the USA National Mountain Running Championship later that month in North Conway, Morgan Arritola, of Ketchum, ID, finished clear of Stevie Kremer, Crested Butte, CO and world class marathoner Magdalena Boulet, Oakland, CA, to claim the title. Doneski finished 12th with Kasie Enman, the 2011 world mountain running champion, right behind in 15th. On the men’s side, Joseph Gray, Renton, Wa, pulled away from Zack Ornelas and Max King to solidify his place among the nation’s best. Locally, Eric MacKnight finished a solid 11th.

Sam Alexander, Waterford, CT won the Blessing of the Fleet 10 mile road race by 7 seconds over collegian Brian Doyle while Irish Olympian, and former Providence College star Marie Davenport, 38, making a comeback, won the women’s race.

In Little Compton, RI, Amos Sang and Glarius Rop formerly of AIC took a shot at Dylan Wykes course record (22:38) coming up just short, running 22:47 and 22:49, 4:45 pace for the 4.8 mile race. Jessica Barton won the women’s division.

At the hot/humid Carver 5 mile USATF road race Tim Ritchie held off a very game Ruben Sança winning by 4 seconds in 23:59. Steph Reilly won the women’s race to increase her lead in the series while Sean Duncan (5th 24:30) started to take command in the men’s grand prix standings.

At the Yankee Homecoming 10 mile race, NINE men broke 51:00, something rarely seen these days in New England with Brian Harvey (50:17) finishing 5th being the top NE result. Heidi Westover (58:41) won the female division. Robert Cipriano, 53, ran 58:13. Pat Fullerton tuned up for his sub 4 road mile a week later winning the 5K in 15:21.

If you missed Part I, check it out here. As you can see, we were quite busy in 2013, and the clips thrown in here only represent a fraction of what we did. To see the rest, check out our YouTube channel. More to come on 2013.

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