Race Reports
Do you have a race report? Send it along with any photos to tomlicc@verizon.net!
MVS Takes Bronze at Nationals!
From the Desk of Coach Scott Oullet
We are proud to announce that once again MVS will be represented at the National Scholastic HS Championship Track Meet to be held in Greensboro, NC.
MVS has made a generous donation to help send Coach Scott Ouellet and some of his star athletes from his HS team to North Carolina for the 3-day competition which begins Thursday @ North Carolina A&T University.
The team, which will be wearing MVS uniforms during all of the races will leave on Thursday AM and arrive back to Boston late on Saturday PM.
Highlights of the trip will include: competing in the 4xmile relay race which is one of the featured races of the entire meet, 3 athletes competing in the freshmen mile run and a few other relays & field events. The team will also take a tour of the University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill).
Competing at this meet is a great all around experience for any HS athlete and the generosity of MVS goes a long way in making this trip a reality.
Interacting with athletes from all across the country, getting exposure to the very best competition, being in the spotlight for college coaches and ending the school year on such a highlight are just a few of the many positives that are achieved by the athletes in traveling to Greensboro.
Coach Ouellet and the team will be attending the end of the month MVS board meeting to share a few stories about their trip and to of course express their sincere thank you.
Marci Butler...blogging Boston:
Hills? What Hills?
Boston Prep, Derry 16 miler
January 23, 2011
by Marcie Buler
Hills, what hills? That was my mantra for this race. Well . . . it was until mile 10, then I believe the mantra was “stupid (expletive-ing) hills.” On January 23, 2011 I braved the sub-freezing temperature and ran the Boston Prep 16 miler in Derry, NH.
Temperatures at the start line were just above single digits, but the sun was shining and the temperatures were sure to rise! The forecast didn’t call for any precipitation and the wind was minimal! For all accounts it seemed like the running gods were smiling on the Boston Prep race.
This was one race that, as odd as it seems, I was eager to run. I knew that it was a hilly course and I was excited for the challenge. However a day later I will always view this race, not as challenging, but, humbling.
Ringing in the New Year
...1st Run in Lowell, MA on January 1, 2011
by Marci Butler
I don’t belie
ve in making New Year’s resolutions. Call me lazy, call me gluttonous, but without the stress of “making a resolution” I never have to fret about keeping it. In addition I don’t give up anything for Lent, I don’t play pranks on April Fool’s Day, and I don’t even plant a tree on Arbor Day. However, for 2011 I am trying on a quarter year resolution, enough of a goal to bring me to Boston ‘11.
The goal: focus less on running races and more on my training.
So how do I kick off my new spirit of less races more training. . . with a race of course! I ran the New Years Day 10k out of Lowell, as I had the year before, but with a better outcome. Last New Years Day, my time was 56:05.07 with a pace of 9:03. This year it was a 46:22.07, a pace of 7:29. I was pleased as punch to have shed 1:34 off my pace per mile in a year’s time.
I enjoy this course and find this race to be well organized and fun! I didn’t make the mistake of last year and procrastinate registering. I registered very early this year to ensure a tee shirt (and a hat as well). For the record, I prefer last year’s tee shirt better, although it was given to me as a pity prize from Coach Kristina because I missed the deadline.
The race starts at 11:00 AM - not too early for a New Year’s Day race. After enjoying the festivities of the night before, motivating myself out of pajamas and out the door wasn’t the highlight of the day. Socializing and snapping pictures is the highlight of my pre-race ritual - prance and pose, prance and pose!
I was happy that my college roommate, Alana, had agreed to make the hour long trek to Lowell to run her first 5k ever! Even before the gun went off it was already my favorite of the year!
The temperature at the start line was beautiful at 47 degrees and climbing! The gun went off and Lisa Marciel and I set off. Immediately I knew I had on too many layers and shed my long sleeve within the first tenth of a mile. Our first mile was fast, and the second was faster, but from miles three through the finish I remained fairly consistent with my pace.
Approaching the last two to two and a half I heard a girl coming up behind me with a very loud and not-so-rhythmic breathing; I kept her at bay until the last tenth of a mile. Yes I should be able to let this go . . . but . . . she paced off me for a good chunk of time and then picked me off with the last tenth of a mile. Defeated and angry I sprinted in. I badly wanted to pass her but that 19-year-old-girl finished 5 seconds ahead of me.
It was a fabulous race and I enjoyed nearly every step of it! The race is well organized and is complete with a great post party with a live band and free beer for a while too!
Two years in a row I give it two thumbs up. Hope to see you all there on New Year’s Day 2012!
I have written more than a few race reports over the past year from 5ks to full marathons, but in light of my “resolution”, the number of upcoming races will be minimal, so now it’s your turn. Run a race and tell us how it went! Ok, ok, I do plan on running the Boston Prep 16 miler, a 5k on Super bowl Sunday, and the half in New Bedford, and the Eastern States run, but that is me easing up on the races. Happy New Year Striders…happy running
The Underrated 5k
…Providence Women’s 5k Race Report
by Marci Butler
Some people don’t care for 5k’s; well I for one love them! I think the distance gets put down and looked down upon, and I am here to stand up for the little guy!
Here's the rest of the story!
Kevin Yetman Conquers Alaska...again!
RACE REPORT - 48th Annual Equinox Marathon
September 18th, 2010
FAIRBANKS, ALASKA - The 48th Annual Equinox Marathon was held on September 18th, 2010. I had decided early in 2010 that this was going to be the year that I returned to run the Equinox Marathon. The last time I was in Fairbanks for the race, things didn't go very well. I decided to go back to Fairbanks for my 9th Equinox Marathon and try to redeem myself for what had happened in 2007.
Read Kevin's facinating story here.
....and watch his video.
