Fresh off outstanding performances at the State Class A Relays on Saturday, the Newton North Tigers travel to Weymouth on Tuesday for what promises to be a very close, very competitive meet for both the girls and the boys.
Girls Preview
Like the Newton North girls, the Weymouth girls are undefeated so far in dual meets, and have strong performers in almost all events. They are one of the few teams (Wellesley and Natick come to mind as the others) that match up fairly well in the middle distance events, and they have excellent strength in the sprint and field events.
According to posted performances in the league to date, the Weymouth girls have the best shot putter (Michelle Bruce at 33') and best 4x400 relay team (4:19). Their 4x100 team beat Newton North by a half second at the State Relays, running 52.96, and they also placed with their 4x200 team. In other words, they have some good sprinters!
However, Newton North has really come into its own over the last week, and it's hard to see Weymouth amassing enough points to topple the Tigers, although anything can happen. in the sprints, Newton should stay even with Weymouth in the 100, 100H, 200, 300H, and 400. I'd give a slight edge to Newton for those events. In the middle distances, Ranti and Barton will win two of the events, and North will pick up some additional points with their depth, so they get a slight edge there as well. In the horizontal jumps, the discus, and the javelin, Newton looks stronger. I think Bruce will win the shot put, and Weymouth will take six points in the high jump.
The only area where Weymouth has an advantage is the relays, and that would be a huge swing to win both! Although Weymouth has the edge for the 4x100, I think Newton North will somehow find the runners to win the 4x400 (If they run Brown, Chiong, Ranti, Kornetsky, I think they post a time under 4:15).
It should be a barn burner!
Boys Preview
Another close meet. All I can say is that if James Endres could compete in seven events, I'd have to pick Weymouth! Unfortunately for the Wildcats, he is limited to four. I'll take a shot in the dark and say he wins the Long Jump, Javelin, and 300 hurdles, and scores somewhere else as well.
Newton looks good in the 100 (Robinson) 200 (Mitchell), 400 (Mitchell), and mile (Putzys). Newton should get some points in the 800 and 2 Mile, and take no worse than 2nd in the 110 hurdles, and 2nd and 3rd in the long hurdles. I think the two teams will split the relays, with Newton winning the 4x100 and Weymouth winning the 4x400.
On balance, I think Newton is stronger in the field events, as they showed against Brookline. Although Endres will win the LJ, Newton should limit the damage by taking 2nd and 3rd. Assuming he doesn't triple jump, Newton could go 1-2 there. The shot put belongs to Newton, and the discus is also a big strength for them. Endres will win the Jav, and Weymouth could win the high jump as well, although that's not a given.
Does Weymouth have a shot? Absolutely! It doesn't take much to swing the balance of a meet when you have good performers in most of the events. The meet gets underway at 5:00 in Weymouth and should be great!
April 30, 2007
April 29, 2007
NNHS Alumni Results: April 28, 2007
Several NN alumni competed in the NESCAC championships at Middlebury College on Saturday.
Stephanie O'Brien finished 5th in the 800m with a time of 2:17.59, and then anchored the Wesleyan 4x400 team to a 6th-place finish.
Middlebury's Simone Weisman placed 9th in the 400m in 1:01.26, and then ran the lead-off leg for the MIddlebury 4x400 team, which finished 2nd.
Anna Schindler ran 19:07.95 in the 5000m.
In the men's 5000m, Doug Brecher ran 15:58.39.
At the Rochester Invitational, Dan Chebot competed in the 1500m, running 4:22.36.
Stephanie O'Brien finished 5th in the 800m with a time of 2:17.59, and then anchored the Wesleyan 4x400 team to a 6th-place finish.
Middlebury's Simone Weisman placed 9th in the 400m in 1:01.26, and then ran the lead-off leg for the MIddlebury 4x400 team, which finished 2nd.
Anna Schindler ran 19:07.95 in the 5000m.
In the men's 5000m, Doug Brecher ran 15:58.39.
At the Rochester Invitational, Dan Chebot competed in the 1500m, running 4:22.36.
NN Girls Edge LS for State Class A Relays Title
In the end, only an inch separated the top two teams.
Fortunately for the Newton North girls, that one additional inch of combined distance in the long jump relay placed them first, just ahead of Newton South, and gave the Tigers 10 points in the event and 52 total, one point better than the Lincoln-Sudbury girls.
Although winning the state relays title is not unusual for Joe Tranchita's teams, the manner of victory was a little strange for the North squad. For one thing, they didn't score a point in the 4x100, 4x200, 4x400, or 4x800 events. They did, however, score 30 points on the track, winning the Distance Medley by a huge margin, finishing 2nd in the Sprint Medley, and taking 3rds in the hurdle relay and 4x1600.
But the meet was decided in the field events. In addition to winning the long jump, Newton took 2nd in the discus relay (behind an all-class record performance by Lowell), and 4th in the triple jump. The North girls were hoping to pick up more points in the shot put, but fell just short, finishing seventh. Luckily, those points didn't matter, and the Tigers took away the first-place plaque.
Results of all NN girls teams:
Fortunately for the Newton North girls, that one additional inch of combined distance in the long jump relay placed them first, just ahead of Newton South, and gave the Tigers 10 points in the event and 52 total, one point better than the Lincoln-Sudbury girls.
Although winning the state relays title is not unusual for Joe Tranchita's teams, the manner of victory was a little strange for the North squad. For one thing, they didn't score a point in the 4x100, 4x200, 4x400, or 4x800 events. They did, however, score 30 points on the track, winning the Distance Medley by a huge margin, finishing 2nd in the Sprint Medley, and taking 3rds in the hurdle relay and 4x1600.
But the meet was decided in the field events. In addition to winning the long jump, Newton took 2nd in the discus relay (behind an all-class record performance by Lowell), and 4th in the triple jump. The North girls were hoping to pick up more points in the shot put, but fell just short, finishing seventh. Luckily, those points didn't matter, and the Tigers took away the first-place plaque.
Results of all NN girls teams:
Girls 4x100 Meter Relay
10 Newton North H.S. 'A' 53.38 2
Girls 4x110 Meter Relay HH
3 Newton North H.S. 'A' 1:09.18 1 6
15 Newton North H.S. 'B' 1:19.25 4
Girls 4x200 Meter Relay
32 Newton North H.S. 'A' 2:06.08 7
Girls 4x400 Meter Relay
8 Newton North H.S. 'A' 4:21.93 3
Girls 4x800 Meter Relay
7 Newton North H.S. 'A' 10:30.02
15 Newton North H.S. 'B' 10:59.67
Girls 4x1600 Meter Relay
3 Newton North H.S. 'A' 22:08.41 6
Girls 1600 Sprint Medley
2 Newton North H.S. 'A' 4:17.93 1 8
Girls Distance Medley
1 Newton North H.S. 'A' 12:45.23 10
Girls Long Jump
1 68 Newton North, Girl Newton No. 14.37m 47-01.75 10
Girls Triple Jump
4 68 Newton North, Girl Newton No. 29.35m 96-03.50 4
Girls Shot Put
7 68 Newton North, Girl Newton No. 25.85m 84-09.75
Girls Discus Throw
2 68 Newton North, Girl Newton No. 88.20m 289-04 8
Girls Javelin Throw
11 68 Newton North, Girl Newton No. 66.62m 218-07
NN Boys 2nd at State Relays; 4x200 Team Sets School Record
Newton North's boys set a school record of 1:30.61 in winning the 4x200, and won two other events on their way to a runner-up finish at the State Class A Relays in Andover yesterday.
The Tigers showed balance as they won a sprint event (4x200), a jumping event (long jump), and a throwing event (shot put), while taking two 2nd place finishes (4x100, discus), and a 4th (sprint medley).
Results of all NN teams:
The Tigers showed balance as they won a sprint event (4x200), a jumping event (long jump), and a throwing event (shot put), while taking two 2nd place finishes (4x100, discus), and a 4th (sprint medley).
Results of all NN teams:
Boys 4x100 Meter Relay
2 Newton North H.S. 'A' 44.22 1 8
Boys 4x200 Meter Relay
1 Newton North H.S. 'A' 1:30.61 1 10
2 St. John's Prep-Danvers 'A' 1:31.35 1 8
Boys 4x1600 Meter Relay
16 Newton North H.S. 'A' 20:03.94
Boys 1600 Sprint Medley
4 Newton North H.S. 'A' 3:39.75 1 4
Boys Distance Medley
7 Newton North H.S. 'A' 11:20.90
Boys Long Jump
1 67 Newton North, Boys Newton No. 18.96m 62-02.50 10
Boys Triple Jump
7 67 Newton North, Boys Newton No. 35.64m 116-11.25
Boys Shot Put
1 67 Newton North, Boys Newton No. 44.92m 147-04.50 10
Boys Discus Throw
2 67 Newton North, Boys Newton No. 116.26m 381-05 8
Boys Javelin Throw
17 67 Newton North, Boys Newton No. 104.16m 341-09
April 28, 2007
Brookline 6th at Penn Relays DMR
Brookline (Matthew Stewart, Michael Bennett, Anthony Baker, Robert Gibson) finished 6th in the Boys Distance Medley Championship of America on Friday night with a time of 10:16.88. According to a Mike Burnstein (via DyeStat), splits were:
1200: Matt Stewart 3:06.8 (2nd place!!)
400: Michael Bennett 52.2
800: Toby Blattier 2:01.5
1600: Robert Gibson 4:16.4
In 7th place was Xaverian (Dan Higgins, Taylor Fitzgerald, Andrew MacIsaac, Mark Amirault) with a time of 10:23.72.
Note: The race was originally scheduled for 5:35, but there were rain and lightning delays earlier in the day, and events were going off two hours later than scheduled. I'm guessing that Brookline probably didn't get on the road for the 5+ hour drive back until late Friday evening. That will make it tough to have much energy for the State Relays today!
Added: Newton North's David Smith finished 17th in the shot put Friday with a toss of 51-9,
1200: Matt Stewart 3:06.8 (2nd place!!)
400: Michael Bennett 52.2
800: Toby Blattier 2:01.5
1600: Robert Gibson 4:16.4
In 7th place was Xaverian (Dan Higgins, Taylor Fitzgerald, Andrew MacIsaac, Mark Amirault) with a time of 10:23.72.
Note: The race was originally scheduled for 5:35, but there were rain and lightning delays earlier in the day, and events were going off two hours later than scheduled. I'm guessing that Brookline probably didn't get on the road for the 5+ hour drive back until late Friday evening. That will make it tough to have much energy for the State Relays today!
Added: Newton North's David Smith finished 17th in the shot put Friday with a toss of 51-9,
April 27, 2007
Barnicle 5th in Penn Relays 5K
Arkansas sophomore Chris Barnicle lopped more than 5 seconds off his personal best, finsihing 5th in the College Championship 5000m at the Penn Relays on Thursday night. Barnicle's time was 14:02.19 (4:31 per mile), and improves his NCAA Regional qualifying time.
More details and quotes at Arkansas' Hog Wired web site.
April 26, 2007
Penn Relays
Thursday is the first full day of competition at the 113th Penn Relay Carnival (a.k.a., "The Penn Relays"), held at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.
According to the official meet website, "...this year there will be more than 22,000 entries, about half of whom will be high schoolers, and the three-day attendance is likely to top 100,000 for the third year in a row. Saturday attendance has averaged 45,000 for the last six years, and makes the meet the best attended track event in the United States each year, and one of the best attended in the world... more athletes have run at the Penn Relays than at any single meet in the world. More spectators have watched the meet than any in the world except the Olympics and World Championships..."
For Massachusetts H.S. teams, the Penn Relays often conflicts with the MIAA State Relays, which are frequently held on the same weekend, not to mention dual meets before and after. Even so, each year several Mass. schools travel to Philadelphia to participate in this unforgettable meet. Some schools try to double, running an event at Penn on Thursday or Friday and returning for the State Relays on Saturday.
That's what Newton North did in 2005, with four athletes running (and winning) the H.S. Championship of America Distance medley at Penn on Friday, and then returning to run multiple events at the State Relays on Saturday.
As far as i know, only one Newton North athlete is making the trip to Penn this year: David Smith is seeded 11th in the shot put, which is scheduled to go off at 2:30 p.m. Friday afternoon.
Also from Mass., Brookline (seeded at 10:24) and Xaverian (seeded at 10:20) are sending boys teams to compete in the Distance Medley. Good luck to both teams, but especially to Brookline. Wouldn't it be amazing to see the Bay State take another title? State indoor champions Lexington H.S. has a team entered in the boys 4x400 relay. Lincoln-Sudbury is sending a girls team to compete in the 4x800, which is especially tough because it involves a qualifying round on Thursday just to make it to the finals on Friday. Notre Dame Academy (Hingham) is entered in the girls 4x400 and 4x100. Easthampton also has a team in the girls 4x100.
And of course there is the collegiate and open competition. I've been trying to find out whether any NN alumni are entered in collegiate events, but haven't confirmed any so far. perhaps my readers can help out...
According to the official meet website, "...this year there will be more than 22,000 entries, about half of whom will be high schoolers, and the three-day attendance is likely to top 100,000 for the third year in a row. Saturday attendance has averaged 45,000 for the last six years, and makes the meet the best attended track event in the United States each year, and one of the best attended in the world... more athletes have run at the Penn Relays than at any single meet in the world. More spectators have watched the meet than any in the world except the Olympics and World Championships..."
For Massachusetts H.S. teams, the Penn Relays often conflicts with the MIAA State Relays, which are frequently held on the same weekend, not to mention dual meets before and after. Even so, each year several Mass. schools travel to Philadelphia to participate in this unforgettable meet. Some schools try to double, running an event at Penn on Thursday or Friday and returning for the State Relays on Saturday.
That's what Newton North did in 2005, with four athletes running (and winning) the H.S. Championship of America Distance medley at Penn on Friday, and then returning to run multiple events at the State Relays on Saturday.
As far as i know, only one Newton North athlete is making the trip to Penn this year: David Smith is seeded 11th in the shot put, which is scheduled to go off at 2:30 p.m. Friday afternoon.
Also from Mass., Brookline (seeded at 10:24) and Xaverian (seeded at 10:20) are sending boys teams to compete in the Distance Medley. Good luck to both teams, but especially to Brookline. Wouldn't it be amazing to see the Bay State take another title? State indoor champions Lexington H.S. has a team entered in the boys 4x400 relay. Lincoln-Sudbury is sending a girls team to compete in the 4x800, which is especially tough because it involves a qualifying round on Thursday just to make it to the finals on Friday. Notre Dame Academy (Hingham) is entered in the girls 4x400 and 4x100. Easthampton also has a team in the girls 4x100.
And of course there is the collegiate and open competition. I've been trying to find out whether any NN alumni are entered in collegiate events, but haven't confirmed any so far. perhaps my readers can help out...
April 25, 2007
NN Boys Prevail 77-59 in Epic Meet Against Brookline; Girls Win Convincingly
The concrete steps of Dickinson Stadium are crumbling into rubble. The surface of the throwback 440-yard track is worn and pockmarked. Even the finish line is faded to the point of being almost invisible until runners are right on top of it. In a few months, the old facility at Newton North will be torn up to clear space for a new high school. But for one more day, at least, the track was in its glory, hosting a terrific track meet between the Brookline and Newton North boys teams.
Boys Meet
Although the Warriors were stronger on the track, and dominant in the distance events, clutch wins by Cailean Robinson (100), Avery Mitchell (400, 200), and Sam Arsenault (300H), kept things close, giving North's throwers and jumpers the opportunity to put the meet away, sweeping the shot put (without David Smith!), discus, triple jump, and long jump.
The long jump might have been the key event of the meet, as Ivan Kostadinov (20-9), Gordon Forbes 20-6, and Adam Bao, 20-4 swept the top three places against potential event winner Michael Bennett.
The meet had started well for Brookline. Sophomore Joel Parent ran to a dramatic come-from-behind victory in the 110 hurdles over Gordon Forbes, staking Brookline to an early lead. However, in the very next event, Robinson edged Bennett in the 100, and Hymlaire Lamisere nabbed 3rd for the Tigers. It was an early indication that both teams would battle for every place in every event.
In the 1M, Seb Putzys survived a frantic sprint over the last lap to take second to All-State champion Robert Gibson, and ahead of Brookline standouts Eliot Lehane and David Wilson. In the 400, Avery Mitchell ran 50.5 to edge Matt Stewart in one of the best events of the meet. North then won the 4x100 relay, and Sam Arsenault pulled out a victory in the 300 hurdles after trailing for the first 290 meters of the race. As expected, Brookline took the top places in the 800, with Stewart doubling back, but Peter Sun managed to take third after a tooth-and-nail final stretch battle with Brookline's Ryan Hardiman. The 200 followed, and the meet was still in the balance, but Mitchell ran what was perhaps the performance of the day, stopping the watch at 22.3, a season's best for the Newton senior.
Brookline's Mike Burnstein (10:08) and Jerzy Eisenberg-Guyot (10:16) dominated the 2-mile, but when the results of the triple jump came in showing that Newton had swept the top three places, the meet was over. It was fortunate for North, as Brookline's 4x400 team was outstanding and won by 150 meters. nevertheless, the final tally was 77-59, Newton.
Congratulations to both teams, and to all the athletes of both schools who made this such an exciting meet!
Girls Meet
The girls meet didn't quite live up to the level of drama that characterized the boys meet. Brookline was missing one of their top sprints/jumps performers, and the Tigers looked like a team that was returning to full health for the first time.
In the very first event, Haleigh Smith (who missed all of indoor with a stress fracture), followed the pace of teammate Franca Godenzi for 7 and a half laps before kicking by for the win, with Godenzi taking second. Morgan Faer won the high hurdles, and Michelle Kaufman won the 100 in a close race, and North was in business.
Adina Hemley-Bronstein won the mile with a great last lap kick, with Nora Barnicle taking second. Newton won the 4x100 relay, Kat Chiong and Emma Kornetsky went 1-2 in the 400, Kaufman came back to win the 300 hurdles, and then Carolyn Ranti turned in perhaps the outstanding running performance of the day, winning the 800 in 2:21.3, defeating multiple state champion Jess Barton and Brookline league all-star Sabrina Parise in the process.
(Barton, it must be mentioned, still took home a victory, winning the javelin with a toss of 82-9'!)
The Tigers looked good on the track, but it was in the field events where their improvement really showed, as they swept the long jump, triple jump, discus, and shotput.
Both teams now look forward to competing at the State Relays Saturday in Andover.
You can also read coverage of the Brookline meet in the Daily News Tribune.
Boys Meet
Although the Warriors were stronger on the track, and dominant in the distance events, clutch wins by Cailean Robinson (100), Avery Mitchell (400, 200), and Sam Arsenault (300H), kept things close, giving North's throwers and jumpers the opportunity to put the meet away, sweeping the shot put (without David Smith!), discus, triple jump, and long jump.
The long jump might have been the key event of the meet, as Ivan Kostadinov (20-9), Gordon Forbes 20-6, and Adam Bao, 20-4 swept the top three places against potential event winner Michael Bennett.
The meet had started well for Brookline. Sophomore Joel Parent ran to a dramatic come-from-behind victory in the 110 hurdles over Gordon Forbes, staking Brookline to an early lead. However, in the very next event, Robinson edged Bennett in the 100, and Hymlaire Lamisere nabbed 3rd for the Tigers. It was an early indication that both teams would battle for every place in every event.
In the 1M, Seb Putzys survived a frantic sprint over the last lap to take second to All-State champion Robert Gibson, and ahead of Brookline standouts Eliot Lehane and David Wilson. In the 400, Avery Mitchell ran 50.5 to edge Matt Stewart in one of the best events of the meet. North then won the 4x100 relay, and Sam Arsenault pulled out a victory in the 300 hurdles after trailing for the first 290 meters of the race. As expected, Brookline took the top places in the 800, with Stewart doubling back, but Peter Sun managed to take third after a tooth-and-nail final stretch battle with Brookline's Ryan Hardiman. The 200 followed, and the meet was still in the balance, but Mitchell ran what was perhaps the performance of the day, stopping the watch at 22.3, a season's best for the Newton senior.
Brookline's Mike Burnstein (10:08) and Jerzy Eisenberg-Guyot (10:16) dominated the 2-mile, but when the results of the triple jump came in showing that Newton had swept the top three places, the meet was over. It was fortunate for North, as Brookline's 4x400 team was outstanding and won by 150 meters. nevertheless, the final tally was 77-59, Newton.
Congratulations to both teams, and to all the athletes of both schools who made this such an exciting meet!
Girls Meet
The girls meet didn't quite live up to the level of drama that characterized the boys meet. Brookline was missing one of their top sprints/jumps performers, and the Tigers looked like a team that was returning to full health for the first time.
In the very first event, Haleigh Smith (who missed all of indoor with a stress fracture), followed the pace of teammate Franca Godenzi for 7 and a half laps before kicking by for the win, with Godenzi taking second. Morgan Faer won the high hurdles, and Michelle Kaufman won the 100 in a close race, and North was in business.
Adina Hemley-Bronstein won the mile with a great last lap kick, with Nora Barnicle taking second. Newton won the 4x100 relay, Kat Chiong and Emma Kornetsky went 1-2 in the 400, Kaufman came back to win the 300 hurdles, and then Carolyn Ranti turned in perhaps the outstanding running performance of the day, winning the 800 in 2:21.3, defeating multiple state champion Jess Barton and Brookline league all-star Sabrina Parise in the process.
(Barton, it must be mentioned, still took home a victory, winning the javelin with a toss of 82-9'!)
The Tigers looked good on the track, but it was in the field events where their improvement really showed, as they swept the long jump, triple jump, discus, and shotput.
Both teams now look forward to competing at the State Relays Saturday in Andover.
You can also read coverage of the Brookline meet in the Daily News Tribune.
April 24, 2007
In Memoriam: Parry O'Brien
David Smith once accused me of not paying enough attention to the "field" part of "Track and Field." Well, I want to write a few words about Parry O'Brien, who passed away Saturday at the age of 75.
Parry O'Brien was a great athlete who became fascinated with the physics of the shot put, and invented the technique of facing the back of the circle, and then rotating through 180 degrees before releasing the shot. He won Olympic gold medals in the shot put in 1952 and 1956, a silver medal in 1960, and placed 4th in 1964. He set world records 17 times, and even after other surpassed his marks, he continued to improve, setting his personal best in the shot in 1966 at the age of 34. According to HickSports.com, he still holds the world record for the longest combined left-handed and right-handed shot put (106 feet, 10.5 inches, achieved with a right-handed put of 61-0.75 and a left-handed put of 45-9.5 inches).
He even made the cover of Time Magazine, a rare feat for any track and field athlete, let alone a shot putter!
According to some of the many obituaries, he loved competition. He died of a heart attack while competing in a masters swim meet. One of his friends talks about how this much-decorated olympic medalist would happily stand in line for several minutes earlier in the meet to collect a fifth-place medal from a swimming event.
Perhaps the most inspiring thing about Parry O'Brien was that he started out average. As a 19-year-old freshman at USC, before he revolutionized the event, his best in the shot put was less than 55 feet. The next year he would win Olympic gold. In 1954, two days after Roger Bannister became the first man to break 4:00 for the mile, O'Brien became the first man to put over 60 feet.
He took 150 practice puts a day and said, "I don’t quit until my hands bleed, and that’s the God’s truth."
Parry O'Brien: January 19, 1932 - April 21, 2007
April 23, 2007
Newton North vs. Brookline Boys Track Preview
This Tuesday, April 24th, the Newton North boys will try to defend their dual meet win streak (eight years and counting) against a very good Brookline team. It looks like the weather will be good, and the competition is going to be very intense. Here's my take on how the two teams stack up, and who has the advantage in the clash of the titans:
Sprints
The meet starts with the 110 hurdles and Brookline's Joel Parent looks like the favorite, having run 15.8 in last week's meet against Wellesley. I expect Newton to take 2nd and 3rd. 5-4 Brookline.
In the 100 there is a fine match-up between Brookline's Michael Bennett and North's Cailean Robinson (and Hymlaire Lamisere). I think Robinson wins by an eyelash, with Bennett 2nd, Hymlaire 3rd. 6-3 Newton.
Bennett comes back in the 200, but there he'll have to contend with North's Avery Mitchell. Unfortunatley for North, although I think Mitchell could win if fresh, he'll be coming back from what promises to be a brutal 400 against Matt Stewart, so I'll give the edge to Bennett. 5-4 Brookline.
In the 300 hurdles, Brookline sophomore Ian Sandler will be tough to beat, having run 42.9 last week against Wellesley. Still, Sam Arsenault continues to improve and I'll give him the edge in this one. 6-3 Newton.
In the 4x100, Newton should win, as Bennett will be doing all individual events. 5-0 Newton.
Jumps
In the long jump, it's a great match-up between Bennett, Gordon Forbes and Adam Bao. I'm going to give the nod to Bennett here, but give Newton 2nd and 3rd. 5-4 Brookline.
Brookline's Alex Lipincott will battle Sam Arsenault in the high jump, and I think Sam will have too many other events distracting him. I give Brookline the edge here. 6-3. Brookline.
In the triple jump, Parent has jumped over 35' this season, but I think there's a homefield advantage for the Newton North boys on their funky runways. I'll give this one to Bao, and call it 5-4 Newton.
Middle Distance
This is the area where Brookline can really press its advantage. I expect the Warriors to put Robert Gibson and Eliot Lehane in the mile. Gibson is the defending state indoor champion with a PR of 4:18 and he won't lose. Lehane has run 4:29, and will be tough for currently undefeated Seb Putzys to beat. I'm afraid this goes to Brookline 8-1.
In the 400, it's going to be a great race between Avery Mitchell and Matt Stewart, or with Tobias Blatter, if Brookline chooses to run Stewart in the 800. I'm going to show my hometown bias here and say that Mitchell pulls out the win, running 50.0, but Brookline takes a solid 2nd and 3rd. 5-4 Newton.
In the 800, I don't see Newton being able to compete. Brookline will sweep, with Blattier or Stewart, Chris Mercurio, and Adam Sege the likely executioners. 9-0 Brookline.
Despite the efforts of Dan Hamilton, I think Brookline will own the 2-mile with Jerzy Eisenberg-Guyot and Mike Burnstein (both sub 10:00 2-milers), and new addition David Wilson (sub 17:00 for 5K in XC). Ryan Hardiman is no slouch either and could make it a four-way sweep.
Throws
Here's Newton's chance to make up for the points lost in the distance races. North has an excellent chance to sweep the shot put, with All-State and New England champion David Smith leading the way. 9-0 newton.
In the discus, it's Smith again, with Marvin Chan taking second. 8-1 Newton.
Unfortunately for Newton, Bennett turns out to be an excellent javelin thrower as well as a sprinter, and has chucked the spear over 140' this year. I'll give him the win, and give Newton 2nd and 3rd. 5-4 Brookline.
4x400 Relay
If all my predictions are correct (and I'm sure they will NOT be), that adds up to 67-64 Brookline going into the final relay. Unfortunately for North, Brookline has an excellent 4x400 relay with Stewart, Blattier, Gibson, and Sandler. North won't have Mitchell (since he'll run the 200 and 400), and no longer has indoor standouts Alex lee and Abasu Watanabe. If it does indeed come down to the relay, I have to give the nod to Brookline.
In any case, it should be a great meet!
Sprints
The meet starts with the 110 hurdles and Brookline's Joel Parent looks like the favorite, having run 15.8 in last week's meet against Wellesley. I expect Newton to take 2nd and 3rd. 5-4 Brookline.
In the 100 there is a fine match-up between Brookline's Michael Bennett and North's Cailean Robinson (and Hymlaire Lamisere). I think Robinson wins by an eyelash, with Bennett 2nd, Hymlaire 3rd. 6-3 Newton.
Bennett comes back in the 200, but there he'll have to contend with North's Avery Mitchell. Unfortunatley for North, although I think Mitchell could win if fresh, he'll be coming back from what promises to be a brutal 400 against Matt Stewart, so I'll give the edge to Bennett. 5-4 Brookline.
In the 300 hurdles, Brookline sophomore Ian Sandler will be tough to beat, having run 42.9 last week against Wellesley. Still, Sam Arsenault continues to improve and I'll give him the edge in this one. 6-3 Newton.
In the 4x100, Newton should win, as Bennett will be doing all individual events. 5-0 Newton.
Jumps
In the long jump, it's a great match-up between Bennett, Gordon Forbes and Adam Bao. I'm going to give the nod to Bennett here, but give Newton 2nd and 3rd. 5-4 Brookline.
Brookline's Alex Lipincott will battle Sam Arsenault in the high jump, and I think Sam will have too many other events distracting him. I give Brookline the edge here. 6-3. Brookline.
In the triple jump, Parent has jumped over 35' this season, but I think there's a homefield advantage for the Newton North boys on their funky runways. I'll give this one to Bao, and call it 5-4 Newton.
Middle Distance
This is the area where Brookline can really press its advantage. I expect the Warriors to put Robert Gibson and Eliot Lehane in the mile. Gibson is the defending state indoor champion with a PR of 4:18 and he won't lose. Lehane has run 4:29, and will be tough for currently undefeated Seb Putzys to beat. I'm afraid this goes to Brookline 8-1.
In the 400, it's going to be a great race between Avery Mitchell and Matt Stewart, or with Tobias Blatter, if Brookline chooses to run Stewart in the 800. I'm going to show my hometown bias here and say that Mitchell pulls out the win, running 50.0, but Brookline takes a solid 2nd and 3rd. 5-4 Newton.
In the 800, I don't see Newton being able to compete. Brookline will sweep, with Blattier or Stewart, Chris Mercurio, and Adam Sege the likely executioners. 9-0 Brookline.
Despite the efforts of Dan Hamilton, I think Brookline will own the 2-mile with Jerzy Eisenberg-Guyot and Mike Burnstein (both sub 10:00 2-milers), and new addition David Wilson (sub 17:00 for 5K in XC). Ryan Hardiman is no slouch either and could make it a four-way sweep.
Throws
Here's Newton's chance to make up for the points lost in the distance races. North has an excellent chance to sweep the shot put, with All-State and New England champion David Smith leading the way. 9-0 newton.
In the discus, it's Smith again, with Marvin Chan taking second. 8-1 Newton.
Unfortunately for Newton, Bennett turns out to be an excellent javelin thrower as well as a sprinter, and has chucked the spear over 140' this year. I'll give him the win, and give Newton 2nd and 3rd. 5-4 Brookline.
4x400 Relay
If all my predictions are correct (and I'm sure they will NOT be), that adds up to 67-64 Brookline going into the final relay. Unfortunately for North, Brookline has an excellent 4x400 relay with Stewart, Blattier, Gibson, and Sandler. North won't have Mitchell (since he'll run the 200 and 400), and no longer has indoor standouts Alex lee and Abasu Watanabe. If it does indeed come down to the relay, I have to give the nod to Brookline.
In any case, it should be a great meet!
April 21, 2007
NNHS Alumni Results - April 21, 2007
After weeks of rain, snow, sleet, and just generally nasty conditions, the sun came out in the Northeast for a number of college track meets.
(Added 4/23) - Kevin Chan (Bentley) won the discus at the MIT Invitational, held April 21st at MIT's Steinbrenner Stadium with a toss of 136-1. He also placed in the shot put with a throw of 44-9.75. You can read details here:
Chan Finishes First in Discus
At the State of Maine Championships, former NNHS teammates Doug Brecher (now a freshman at Bates) and Pat Pierce (now a junior at Bowdoin) avoided a rematch of their indoor 5000 duel, as Doug ran the 5000 and Pat the 10000. Doug placed fifth in 16:13.48, while Pat placed 4th in the 25-lap event in 33:34.73.
Running in the ACC Championships for Duke, former North standout and MA State 200m champion Dan King placed 5th in the 400m with a time of 47.80. Dan actually ran that same time twice, once in the trials on Friday, and again in the finals today.
At the Little Three Championships (Wesleyan-Williams-Amherst), Wesleyan's Steph O'Brien placed 5th in the 400m running 60.83.
We have a lot of one-lap results this week. At the Dartmouth Invitational, Middlebury sophomore Simone Weisman ran 60.74 to place 6th in the 400m.
Chris Barnicle ran 3:52.22 for 1500 at the John McDonnell Invitational at Arkansas.
Here's a result from earlier in the week that I missed: Dan Chebot competed in the 10000m at the Univ. of Rochester Alumni Classic (he's not an alumni, he's a sophomore, but whatever...), running 33:26.15 for 2nd place.
And another addition: as his comment indicates, Noah Jampol ran a fine race at the Widener Invitational. His time of 4:08.84 for 1500 converts to approximately 4:28 flat for the mile.
(Added 4/23) - Kevin Chan (Bentley) won the discus at the MIT Invitational, held April 21st at MIT's Steinbrenner Stadium with a toss of 136-1. He also placed in the shot put with a throw of 44-9.75. You can read details here:
Chan Finishes First in Discus
At the State of Maine Championships, former NNHS teammates Doug Brecher (now a freshman at Bates) and Pat Pierce (now a junior at Bowdoin) avoided a rematch of their indoor 5000 duel, as Doug ran the 5000 and Pat the 10000. Doug placed fifth in 16:13.48, while Pat placed 4th in the 25-lap event in 33:34.73.
Running in the ACC Championships for Duke, former North standout and MA State 200m champion Dan King placed 5th in the 400m with a time of 47.80. Dan actually ran that same time twice, once in the trials on Friday, and again in the finals today.
At the Little Three Championships (Wesleyan-Williams-Amherst), Wesleyan's Steph O'Brien placed 5th in the 400m running 60.83.
We have a lot of one-lap results this week. At the Dartmouth Invitational, Middlebury sophomore Simone Weisman ran 60.74 to place 6th in the 400m.
Chris Barnicle ran 3:52.22 for 1500 at the John McDonnell Invitational at Arkansas.
Here's a result from earlier in the week that I missed: Dan Chebot competed in the 10000m at the Univ. of Rochester Alumni Classic (he's not an alumni, he's a sophomore, but whatever...), running 33:26.15 for 2nd place.
And another addition: as his comment indicates, Noah Jampol ran a fine race at the Widener Invitational. His time of 4:08.84 for 1500 converts to approximately 4:28 flat for the mile.
April 18, 2007
Rain, but no Tears as North Dispatches Walpole
The Newton North Boys and Girls ran their records to 3-0 with dominating wins over undermanned Walpole teams at rain-drenched, windswept Dickinson Field on Tuesday.
The girls won 107-28, and the boys nearly duplicated that score, winning 106-29, according to reports on Dyestat.
According to Daily News tribune coverage, Lily Brown scored in four events, winning the 200 and shot put and placing second in the 100 and 3rd in the discus to account for 14 points. Michelle Kaufman also won two events (the 100 and 300 hurdles), while placing second in the long jump. Sarah Berkland, Morgan Faer, and Jess Barton scored 8 points apiece with Jess winning the 800 and placing second in javelin (!).
Story in Daily News Tribune
No one seems to know anything about the boys meet except that they got it in, leaving them free to focus all their attention on next week's showdown with Brookline.
The girls won 107-28, and the boys nearly duplicated that score, winning 106-29, according to reports on Dyestat.
According to Daily News tribune coverage, Lily Brown scored in four events, winning the 200 and shot put and placing second in the 100 and 3rd in the discus to account for 14 points. Michelle Kaufman also won two events (the 100 and 300 hurdles), while placing second in the long jump. Sarah Berkland, Morgan Faer, and Jess Barton scored 8 points apiece with Jess winning the 800 and placing second in javelin (!).
Story in Daily News Tribune
No one seems to know anything about the boys meet except that they got it in, leaving them free to focus all their attention on next week's showdown with Brookline.
April 17, 2007
NN vs. Walpole Today
This year, Bay State coaches voted to schedule a dual meet for April vacation. In theory, this avoids the need to schedule two meets in a single week early in the season, and gives more flexibility in rescheduling meets that have been rained out. On the down side, many students are either visiting colleges or away on vacation this week, so teams will be depleted.
We have had two meets so far this season, and the third meet -- the vacation meet -- is scheduled for this morning at 11:00 a.m. against Walpole. There is no indication yet that the meet has been postponed, despite the weather (light rain/mist and temperatures in the high 30's).
It is, of course, miserable weather to try to run fast, especially for the sprinters, jumpers, and throwers, who must find a way to warm up effectively for a few seconds of explosive action. It's hard for the distance runners, too, although yesterday's marathon seemed to prove that distance runners are used to suffering from the elements.
There's no doubt it has been a tough spring so far. We haven't had a really warm day yet, and half the days of April have had rain of some kind. The remnants of the storm that soaked Boston over the weekend will remain another several days, and we might not see the sun until Saturday.
So what will the meets against Walpole be like? Unlike indoor, where all the results were posted and you knew which teams were strong in which events, outdoor is a return to the old days of scouring newspapers and trying to sit through rumors to guess the strength of opposing teams. As I recall, the Walpole girls had some good runners, and one very promising distance runner, Olivia Perry, but we won't know until the meet who is actually competing in outdoor track.
In many ways, it feels as though the season hasn't really started yet. And yet, we are exactly one week away from the Brookline meet, and 11 days away from the State relays meet at Andover ("The true state championship" - Joe Tranchita).
We have had two meets so far this season, and the third meet -- the vacation meet -- is scheduled for this morning at 11:00 a.m. against Walpole. There is no indication yet that the meet has been postponed, despite the weather (light rain/mist and temperatures in the high 30's).
It is, of course, miserable weather to try to run fast, especially for the sprinters, jumpers, and throwers, who must find a way to warm up effectively for a few seconds of explosive action. It's hard for the distance runners, too, although yesterday's marathon seemed to prove that distance runners are used to suffering from the elements.
There's no doubt it has been a tough spring so far. We haven't had a really warm day yet, and half the days of April have had rain of some kind. The remnants of the storm that soaked Boston over the weekend will remain another several days, and we might not see the sun until Saturday.
So what will the meets against Walpole be like? Unlike indoor, where all the results were posted and you knew which teams were strong in which events, outdoor is a return to the old days of scouring newspapers and trying to sit through rumors to guess the strength of opposing teams. As I recall, the Walpole girls had some good runners, and one very promising distance runner, Olivia Perry, but we won't know until the meet who is actually competing in outdoor track.
In many ways, it feels as though the season hasn't really started yet. And yet, we are exactly one week away from the Brookline meet, and 11 days away from the State relays meet at Andover ("The true state championship" - Joe Tranchita).
April 15, 2007
Misc Results from 4/14/2007
Newton North senior Avery Mitchell ran the open 400m at the Northeastern Solomon Classic in Dedham on Saturday, recording a season's best time of 50.90.
Josh Seeherman, making his way back after arthroscopic knee surgery last Fall, finished second in Saturday's Fresh Pond 5 Mile race, with a time of 31:34.
Bates freshman Doug Brecher ran 16:24.74 for 5000m at the MIT Invitational.
At the Georgia Invitational, BU freshman David Polgar ran 1:58.25 for 800m, winning his heat.
Josh Seeherman, making his way back after arthroscopic knee surgery last Fall, finished second in Saturday's Fresh Pond 5 Mile race, with a time of 31:34.
Bates freshman Doug Brecher ran 16:24.74 for 5000m at the MIT Invitational.
At the Georgia Invitational, BU freshman David Polgar ran 1:58.25 for 800m, winning his heat.
April 13, 2007
Barnicle Runs 14:07 at MtSac!
At the Mt Sac Relays in Walnut, CA, today, Chris Barnicle ran a big PR and NCAA Provisional Qualifier for 5000m, placing 6th in 14:07.57.
For results, click on the following link and navigate to Event #219
Mt SAC Results Page
For results, click on the following link and navigate to Event #219
Mt SAC Results Page
Barnicle in the 5000m tonight at Mt. Sac Relays
Tonight at 5:50 Pacific time or thereabouts, Chris Barnicle will toe the line in the Olympic Development 5000m at the Mt. Sac Relays meet. There are 42 runners entered in the event, so there will most likely be at least two heats. Among the other entrants are Arkansas teammates Tyler Hill, James Strang, Scott MacPherson, and Matt Munoz, plus two well-known names from around here: Jordan MacDougal (Liberty) and Mohamed Khadraoui (Iona).
This is a big race for Chris. For over a year, Chris has been struggling to post results that reflect his talent and dedication. Ever since running 24:05 for 8K at Van Cortland Park to qualify for the U.S. Junior World XC team, Chris has mostly had to deal with disappointment. After focusing on the World XC meet, Chris red-shirted his 2006 outdoor track season. He then had to overcome injuries, anemia, a case of mono, and other assorted ailments in the Fall of 2006 that pretty much wiped out his XC season. In indoor track, he ran one decent race late, but it was clear he was still recovering. Now he's healthy, as indicated by his recent 8:13 for 3000 and 3:53 for 1500. He's entered in the event that should be his strength. It should be a great field, with everyone focused on more or less the same goal: running 14:12 to meet the NCAA Provisional qualifying standard.
It's not at all unusual for great HS runners to go through a period of adjustment in college. I think that Chris has gone through that, and has maintained his dedication to training. It would be terrific if this race gives him a chance to see all that hard work pay off.
Back East, it looks like another cold and rainy weekend. Here's hoping that meets aren't cancelled and athletes get a chance to post some spring times.
This is a big race for Chris. For over a year, Chris has been struggling to post results that reflect his talent and dedication. Ever since running 24:05 for 8K at Van Cortland Park to qualify for the U.S. Junior World XC team, Chris has mostly had to deal with disappointment. After focusing on the World XC meet, Chris red-shirted his 2006 outdoor track season. He then had to overcome injuries, anemia, a case of mono, and other assorted ailments in the Fall of 2006 that pretty much wiped out his XC season. In indoor track, he ran one decent race late, but it was clear he was still recovering. Now he's healthy, as indicated by his recent 8:13 for 3000 and 3:53 for 1500. He's entered in the event that should be his strength. It should be a great field, with everyone focused on more or less the same goal: running 14:12 to meet the NCAA Provisional qualifying standard.
It's not at all unusual for great HS runners to go through a period of adjustment in college. I think that Chris has gone through that, and has maintained his dedication to training. It would be terrific if this race gives him a chance to see all that hard work pay off.
Back East, it looks like another cold and rainy weekend. Here's hoping that meets aren't cancelled and athletes get a chance to post some spring times.
April 11, 2007
Results of NN vs Framingham - April 10
Newton North swept Framingham yesterday, with the girls winning just about every event on the track and the boys outscoring the Flyers by about 40 points. I'm sorry I don't have official results, but here's what I remember (or what caught my attention):
Boys
Cailean Robinson is looking much better. I believe he won the 100 in 11.2. Avery Mitchell (23.0) and Robinson (24.0) went 1-2 in the 200. Mitchell won the 400 easily in about 52s. Alex Gurvitz and Peter Sun went 1-2 in the 800, with Gurvitz coming from behind for the win (both in about 2:15). Seb won the mile in about 4:50, but no one else from either team broke 5:00. Where are all the milers? Dan Hamilton learned his lesson from last week's meet and bided his time for six laps before unleashing a big surge to win the 2M in 10:44. I believe NN went 1-2 in the 300 hurdles with Arsenault (?) winning. Newton also won the 4x100, but lost the 4x400 to a good Framingham team. In field events, David Smith won the shot and discus. Indoor state champion Jordan Maddocks won the HJ for Framingham with a leap of 6-4, and ran 15.5 to win the high hurdles (in his first time running the event!). Is he a legitimate shot for two state championships?
Girls
Jess Barton and Adina Hemley-Bronstein went 1-2 in the 2-Mile without much competition. Lily Brown won the 200. Emma Kornetsky won the 400, with Kat Chiong 2nd. Carolyn Ranti won the 800 in 2:24 and continues to look like a State finalist in the middle distance events. Nora Barnicle won the mile rather easily in about 5:50. Morgan Faer won the high hurdles. I think Michelle Kaufman was second in the 300 hurdles, but I'm not sure about that. Newton won both relays easily. I don't have any of the results of the field events.
Next up for Newton will be a vacation-week meet against Walpole, Tuesday at 11:00 a.m. at Newton.
Happy 18th, Jess!
Boys
Cailean Robinson is looking much better. I believe he won the 100 in 11.2. Avery Mitchell (23.0) and Robinson (24.0) went 1-2 in the 200. Mitchell won the 400 easily in about 52s. Alex Gurvitz and Peter Sun went 1-2 in the 800, with Gurvitz coming from behind for the win (both in about 2:15). Seb won the mile in about 4:50, but no one else from either team broke 5:00. Where are all the milers? Dan Hamilton learned his lesson from last week's meet and bided his time for six laps before unleashing a big surge to win the 2M in 10:44. I believe NN went 1-2 in the 300 hurdles with Arsenault (?) winning. Newton also won the 4x100, but lost the 4x400 to a good Framingham team. In field events, David Smith won the shot and discus. Indoor state champion Jordan Maddocks won the HJ for Framingham with a leap of 6-4, and ran 15.5 to win the high hurdles (in his first time running the event!). Is he a legitimate shot for two state championships?
Girls
Jess Barton and Adina Hemley-Bronstein went 1-2 in the 2-Mile without much competition. Lily Brown won the 200. Emma Kornetsky won the 400, with Kat Chiong 2nd. Carolyn Ranti won the 800 in 2:24 and continues to look like a State finalist in the middle distance events. Nora Barnicle won the mile rather easily in about 5:50. Morgan Faer won the high hurdles. I think Michelle Kaufman was second in the 300 hurdles, but I'm not sure about that. Newton won both relays easily. I don't have any of the results of the field events.
Next up for Newton will be a vacation-week meet against Walpole, Tuesday at 11:00 a.m. at Newton.
Happy 18th, Jess!
April 08, 2007
NNHS Alumni Results - April 6-7, 2007
Unseasonably cold temperatures resulted in some meet cancellations this weekend, but here are a few results from Newton North alumni who ran in early season meets:
Simone Weisman (Middlebury) ran 2:24.86 in the 800m yesterday in a quad meet at Springfield College. Simone also ran the second leg for the Middlebury's winning 4x400 relay team.
Dan King (Duke) placed sixth in the 400m in 48.41 at the Duke University Invitational on Saturday.
Chris Barnicle ran 3:53.85 for 1500m in what was likely a tactical race at the Texas Relays. That time is equivalent to approximately 4:12 for a full mile.
Simone Weisman (Middlebury) ran 2:24.86 in the 800m yesterday in a quad meet at Springfield College. Simone also ran the second leg for the Middlebury's winning 4x400 relay team.
Dan King (Duke) placed sixth in the 400m in 48.41 at the Duke University Invitational on Saturday.
Chris Barnicle ran 3:53.85 for 1500m in what was likely a tactical race at the Texas Relays. That time is equivalent to approximately 4:12 for a full mile.
April 06, 2007
Pictures from Newton North vs. Natick
Peter Sun sent the following pictures, taken at the very chilly meet between Newton North and Natick on April 5th. The Tiger boys prevailed unofficial score: 84-52), while the girls edged out the Natick girls 69-67.
Emma Kornetsky - winner of the girls 800.
Seb Putzys ran 4:50 to win the boys mile.
I should also note that Peter won the 800 in about 2:15. I'll try to post more results from the meet soon.
Emma Kornetsky - winner of the girls 800.
Seb Putzys ran 4:50 to win the boys mile.
I should also note that Peter won the 800 in about 2:15. I'll try to post more results from the meet soon.
April 02, 2007
All those who wander...
It's snowy today, but it was beautiful and dry on Sunday.
A couple of times a year, I drive out to Lunenberg to visit my friends John and Sue LaChance and to do a long run with John and some of my other running buddies on the back roads of Lunenberg and Groton, and on the miles of trails along the Nashua River and through the Groton Town Forest. These runs are "adventure" runs, typically lasting two or more hours and involving all kinds of terrain, including genuine river crossings. John has good navigational skills, but he likes to challenge those skills by finding new and interesting trails. When we stop at a trail junction and he says "Hmm... I don't remember THIS place..." well, we might have anywhere from ten minutes to an hour left to run.
John invited a few of us out Sunday to see the course of the Groton 10K (the race will be held on April 29th and will serve as the New England USATF 10K championship), and then to extend our day with another 8-10 miles of trails.
It was a beautiful spring day, with temperatures perfect for a long, meandering run. The trails were unusually dry for so early in the Spring, although there was still snow in spots.
Running through unfamiliar woods...with John...on April 1st... instills a mood of fatalistic calm. One runs without definite expectations of getting anywhere any time soon. The only expectation is to wait for the trail to turn muddy and the terrain to turn precipitous. Will we have to sprint up the side of the steepest hill in town? Will we have to climb under some barbed wire? Will we have to build a makeshift pontoon bridge to cross the river? Pondering these and other possibilities, no one even thinks about pushing the pace. We just trot along as efficiently as possible, avoiding the worst of the puddles and bogs while watching the ground for tree roots and other hazards.
It's hard to find any training books that recommend this particular kind of running, but I find it indispensable. First, it is easy on the joints. Second, it requires constant tiny adjustments to uneven surfaces, teaching the feet to be smart and nimble. Third, you can run a long way when you aren't obsessed with how fast you are going and how much further you have to go. Fourth, nothing beats the camaraderie of running in the woods with your friends.
In the middle of winter, after many weeks of running in the dark on hard asphalt, I pined for the soft trails and the fascination of the woods. It might snow once or twice more this season, but I know that summer is on its way and that means Sunday long runs at the Hale reservation, or at Walden, or along the Battle Road trail, or on carriage roads in Maine.
After an hour and a half, we reach a parking lot and a main road. We stop briefly to make sure everyone has survive, and John gives us a new choice: take the road and be back in fifteen minutes or take trails and be back in "about twenty minutes." None of us hesitates, and we head back into the forest. When we finally arrive at the cars -- thirty minutes later -- no one complains.
A couple of times a year, I drive out to Lunenberg to visit my friends John and Sue LaChance and to do a long run with John and some of my other running buddies on the back roads of Lunenberg and Groton, and on the miles of trails along the Nashua River and through the Groton Town Forest. These runs are "adventure" runs, typically lasting two or more hours and involving all kinds of terrain, including genuine river crossings. John has good navigational skills, but he likes to challenge those skills by finding new and interesting trails. When we stop at a trail junction and he says "Hmm... I don't remember THIS place..." well, we might have anywhere from ten minutes to an hour left to run.
John invited a few of us out Sunday to see the course of the Groton 10K (the race will be held on April 29th and will serve as the New England USATF 10K championship), and then to extend our day with another 8-10 miles of trails.
It was a beautiful spring day, with temperatures perfect for a long, meandering run. The trails were unusually dry for so early in the Spring, although there was still snow in spots.
Running through unfamiliar woods...with John...on April 1st... instills a mood of fatalistic calm. One runs without definite expectations of getting anywhere any time soon. The only expectation is to wait for the trail to turn muddy and the terrain to turn precipitous. Will we have to sprint up the side of the steepest hill in town? Will we have to climb under some barbed wire? Will we have to build a makeshift pontoon bridge to cross the river? Pondering these and other possibilities, no one even thinks about pushing the pace. We just trot along as efficiently as possible, avoiding the worst of the puddles and bogs while watching the ground for tree roots and other hazards.
It's hard to find any training books that recommend this particular kind of running, but I find it indispensable. First, it is easy on the joints. Second, it requires constant tiny adjustments to uneven surfaces, teaching the feet to be smart and nimble. Third, you can run a long way when you aren't obsessed with how fast you are going and how much further you have to go. Fourth, nothing beats the camaraderie of running in the woods with your friends.
In the middle of winter, after many weeks of running in the dark on hard asphalt, I pined for the soft trails and the fascination of the woods. It might snow once or twice more this season, but I know that summer is on its way and that means Sunday long runs at the Hale reservation, or at Walden, or along the Battle Road trail, or on carriage roads in Maine.
After an hour and a half, we reach a parking lot and a main road. We stop briefly to make sure everyone has survive, and John gives us a new choice: take the road and be back in fifteen minutes or take trails and be back in "about twenty minutes." None of us hesitates, and we head back into the forest. When we finally arrive at the cars -- thirty minutes later -- no one complains.
April 01, 2007
NNHS Alumni News - March 31, 2007
Two NNHS alumni competed at the Tufts Snowflake meet in Medford on Saturday.
Doug Brecher ran very well in the 10000 meters, recording a time of 33:05.75 to place 6th in his first attempt at a 10K.
In the 800 (a much more popular event with 66 entrants!), Dave Cahill ran 2:04.37 to place 19th.
NNHS 200m record holder and former MA state champion Dan King ran 21.88, placing third in the 200m at the Univ. of North Carolina Invitatational.
Doug Brecher ran very well in the 10000 meters, recording a time of 33:05.75 to place 6th in his first attempt at a 10K.
In the 800 (a much more popular event with 66 entrants!), Dave Cahill ran 2:04.37 to place 19th.
NNHS 200m record holder and former MA state champion Dan King ran 21.88, placing third in the 200m at the Univ. of North Carolina Invitatational.
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