Notes
Cold morning but roads were pretty clean from the snow and overall not bad racing conditions. Saw a few of the SRR crew at the starting line, including Joe, Pick, Jake, Jesse, and Antunes. Start of the race was a bit of a surprise, we were all at the starting line but not much notice about the gun going off other than a random 3-second count immediately before.
Got out to a pretty quick start before I settled down and avoided getting too carried away, especially with the hills looming ahead. Within the first half mile, I was sitting in about 7th place. There was a little movement in the top 10, but for every person I passed another person went by. By the one mile mark, first place was well ahead (Hoka shirt) with second place (Western Mass) pretty far off although plenty ahead of me. There was no doubt about the placement of the first two runners, it would be a battle for the remaining positions.
Mile 1 ticked off at 5:16, not quite what I hoped for but still in the mix of the race (outside of the top positions). Around the 1.5 mile mark, got into a back and forth with a BAA runner over the following 2 miles. Worked out great, every time he passed me, I would get off his shoulder then eventually make a pass. He would sit on me, then pass. It kept us both honest and in contact with the group ahead as otherwise we probably would have fallen off pace.
Mile 2 was a bit slower at 5:20, again a bit slower than I would have hoped and knowing that mile 3 tends to be one of the more challenging for me with the hills. Sure enough, that came in around 5:27. Heading up to Highland, I was able to break free from the BAA challenger and made a move to reel in the group ahead of me. After turning onto Summer, I caught a runner in a green shirt and shortly after one in a red shirt. The next two runners were in sight and knew I could get a little strength back on the downhill. Only, the green shirt went blowing by me regaining the pack ahead. I wasn't slacking off, but just couldn't go with. Now I was in survival mode just trying to maintain my position. I kept grinding over the last mile going pretty hard but the group ahead only got slightly closer, they were pushing too. As we flattened out and turned onto Elm the red shirt went blowing by in an all out sprint. I was working pretty damn hard, going maybe about mile pace at this point but it was no match. Got beat to the line closing out in 7th.
PR at the Gobble for me, about 5-8 seconds off a 4-mile PR for me (last year's Wicked Frosty Four).
Surprised Pick and Jake never went blowing by me. I think Pick was hungover and Jake is still probably in recovery mode, saving his racing for another day.
Good times at the Burren after although had to bail early to drive back to Needham and then host Thanksgiving dinner for the families.
Place No. Name Finish Pace Town St Ag Sex/Tot S Div/Tot Div
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1 2415 Tyler Andrews 19:53 4:59 CONCORD MA 24 1/1070 M 1/170 M2029
2 3013 Nicolai Naranjo 20:41 5:11 26 2/1070 M 2/170 M2029
3 2974 Harry Stants 21:17 5:20 NEEDHAM MA 41 3/1070 M 1/252 M4049
4 3005 Peter Gilmore 21:21 5:21 25 4/1070 M 3/170 M2029
5 2897 Manuel Gonzalez 21:22 5:21 ROXBURY MA 25 5/1070 M 4/170 M2029
6 936 Chris Hine 21:23 5:21 BRIGHTON MA 31 6/1070 M 1/365 M3039
7 1146 Christopher Klucznik 21:23 5:21 NEEDHAM MA 32 7/1070 M 2/365 M3039
8 2880 Robert Espinosa 21:30 5:23 BROOKLINE MA 30 8/1070 M 3/365 M3039
9 2847 Patrick Callahan 21:32 5:23 NEEDHAM MA 41 9/1070 M 2/252 M4049
10 2586 Ryan Hayes 21:37 5:25 WOBURN MA 36 10/1070 M 4/365 M3039
11 2924 Samuel Jurek 21:44 5:26 SOMERVILLE MA 27 11/1070 M 5/170 M2029
12 2424 David Bedoya 21:50 5:28 SOMERVILLE MA 37 12/1070 M 5/365 M3039
13 2724 Gregory Picklesimer 21:52 5:28 NEWTON MA 48 13/1070 M 3/252 M4049
14 2617 Brian Kennedy 22:03 5:31 CAMBRIDGE MA 27 14/1070 M 6/170 M2029
15 2417 Chris Antunes 22:07 5:32 SOMERVILLE MA 33 15/1070 M 6/365 M3039
16 838 Kevin Gravina 22:08 5:32 CAMBRIDGE MA 35 16/1070 M 7/365 M3039
17 112 Jacob Barnett 22:18 5:35 ARLINGTON MA 29 17/1070 M 7/170 M2029
18 651 Rory Fagan 22:47 5:42 SOMERVILLE MA 52 18/1070 M 1/147 M5059
19 1663 Joe O'Leary 22:55 5:44 MEDFORD MA 47 19/1070 M 4/252 M4049
20 1653 Ciaran O'Donovan 22:58 5:45 CAMBRIDGE MA 30 20/1070 M 8/365 M3039