Congratulations to BU senior David Polgar, who ran a personal best 4:15.55 in the mile at the BU Terrier Classic on Saturday. At the same meet, David Cahill turned in a nifty 2:40.99 in the 1000, and David Smith threw the shot 14.25 (46-9). Also, Brown University freshman Carolyn Ranti competed in a new event for her, running 1:21.16 in the 500m.
(A trio of former Brookline runners turned in mighty impressive performances in the distance events, none more attention-getting than Rob Gibson's 8:09.61 in the 3000. Gibson, who transferred to BU from Texas has been running extremely well this winter. His former and current teammate Elliot Lehane also ran a personal best in the 3K, clocking 8:35.17. The third Warrior was Ryan Hardiman, competing unattached, who ran the mile in 4:24.14.)
On the other side of the Mass Pike, the Reggie Lewis Track was hosting the Reebok Boston Indoor Collegiate Games. Northeastern's Seb Putzeys ran 1:58.63 in the 800, and also ran a leg (400?) on his team's distance medley relay. In the mile, Jess Barton ran 5:11.97. Cailean Robinson finished 4th in the long jump with a mark of 6.68 (21-11), and Steven Long finished 8th in the shot put with a throw of 13.99 (45-10.75).
Univ. of Rochester freshman Dan Hamilton competed in the 3000 at the Colgate Invitational on Saturday, running 9:14.83.
Johns Hopkins senior Noah Jampol ran 4:38.12 in the mile at the Seamus McElligot Invitational, held Saturday at Haverford College.
January 31, 2010
January 28, 2010
Bringing Out Their Best
The cheers from all sides swelled into an urgent frenzy as the two best runners -- the girl with the orange and white singlet followed by the girl with the maroon and gold singlet -- flew around the final turn. A few more desperate moments and the race was over, and the cheering turned to clapping and then to an excited murmur. Both athletes had run superbly, but as they stepped onto the infield, Margo Gillis, the girl in orange, knew only the happy exhaustion of victory, while Jill Corcoran, the girl in maroon, knew the agonizing experience of giving everything and coming up just short.
And it was only the first race of the night...
Over the next two and a half hours, Newton North and Weymouth staged one of the most exciting dual meets I have ever seen. In event after event, athletes from both teams stepped up with surprising performances, far beyond anything they had done before. It was as if the two schools were playing an extended game of "Can you top this?" As soon as a Weymouth runner won a crucial battle in one race with a huge PR, a Newton North runner would do something equally amazing.
With that first mile race, Newton North took a 5-4 lead (Gillis 5:07.65, Corcoran 5:08.78, Barker 5:37.29). In the 1000, Weymouth reclaimed as Morgan Fitzgibbon kicked by Maggie Heffernan for the win in 3:12.17, with Julie Tevenan taking third.
Ariana Tabatabaie ran a personal best 1:41.81 to win the 600 by half a second over Weymouth's Bridget Jaklitsch, but senior captain Jaya Tripathi earned a crucial point for the Tigers by taking third in a personal best 1:43.88, just 0.2 ahead of Weymouth's Jen Kimball.
As the meet went on, first one team and then the other seemed to have the edge. By my count, there were five lead changes and two ties in the team score of the meet, with the two schools never separated by more than a few points.
While some events went according to form, some of them were shocking (at least to me). The high jump was one of the best competitions of the meet, with five girls from the two teams still alive as the bar went to 5 feet. On her first attempt at 5-2, Weymouth's Emily Clark soared over the bar cleanly. When North's Lucia Grigoli failed to clear the same height, Clark had taken five points in an event that North was hoping to sweep. I admit, after that I thought it was all over for North.
And in the hurdles, Amy Ren's personal best 8.87 won handily, but Clark and Madeline Manning (previous best 9.6) ran 9.20 and 9.22 to take 2nd and 3rd, stealing more precious points away from the Tigers in what was supposed to be their best event. (The Tigers had only a few days before dominated the shuttle hurdles relay at the State Championship.)
I thought the shot put would be a sweep for Weymouth, but after making a change to her throwing technique this week, Kate Bellerose threw a two-foot PR, and nabbed 2nd place for Newton North with a mark of 30-05 behind Rachel Ivil's 35-3.
While terrifically exciting for us, the spectators, it was obvious that the athletes from both teams were under tremendous pressure. It was hard to watch as athletes from both teams ran their hearts out only to miss that 2nd or 3rd place by the slimmest of margins. For example, in the 300, Weymouth's Melissa Darling ran the race of her life in a brave attempt to take the win against North's fabulous freshman, Carla Forbes. In the final strides of the race, with Forbes uncatchable, Darling slowed just enough for North's Steph Brown to just edge her at the line for second place. All three runners ran big PRs, but Darling who had run brilliantly, looked crushed. In a cruel twist, Brown would pull exactly the same rabbit out of the hat in the 55, catching Darling at the line to take third by 1/100th of a second.
In the 2-Mile, North's Susannah Gleason ran forty seconds faster than her previous best, and fought back into the race when it looked like she might be dropped by Weymouth's Shayna Albanese and Andrea Hicks. But in the end, her last, desperate lap wasn't enough to match the closing speed of the Weymouth girls and she finished third, less than a second away from the win.
At such moments, I'm sure that the runners feel not only personal disappointment but the awful emptiness that comes of believing (erroneously) that they've let their coaches or teammates down. I found myself wishing I could pull those runners aside and say, through all the noise and chaos, that races are sometimes lost, but nothing of value is ever truly lost. It hurts for a while after you lose, and I won't lie, it feels a lot better when you win, but its only by caring enough to compete that you and your team and yes, your arch rivals, manage to take a simple high school track meet and create something exquisite and memorable.
With only the 4x400 relay to run, the score of the meet stood at 41-40, North.
I had wandered over to watch the last couple of races near the Newton North section of the bleachers, and was talking to Joe Tranchita, Newton North's coach, as the boys relays were going on. JT is an extraordinary coach, but when he is watching a meet, he maintains the demeanor and attitude of a man taking frequent sips from a bottle of vinegar. As he pointed out all the things that had conspired to put him and his team in this terrible position, Weymouth's intense but affable coach, Mike Miller, came by.
Without hesitating JT, shook Mike's hand and congratulated him on the meet. The implication was clear: JT was certain that Weymouth would win the relay and with it the meet -- and all of JT's meticulous planning and preparation would come to naught. I believe Mike has a lot of affection for JT, but he had heard this line before and wasn't falling for JT's permanent fatalism, heading off to the other side of the track to find a place where he could enjoy the final race of the night and cheer on his team in relative peace and optimism.
From the start of the relay, it was clear that it would be a two-team race. Weymouth jumped out to the lead, but North's first leg hung on to the pace, and only a half second, if that, separated the two teams at the first exchange. Arianna Tabatabaie took the baton and tried to make up the gap, but found herself unable to pass and running extra yardage around the curves, and at the second exchange, Jaya Tripathi was still behind Weymouth's third runner. I have to believe that Jaya's leg was one of the best races she has ever run. She neither panicked nor fell too far behind. In the second lap, she fought back, just trying to get close enough to give Margo Gillis a chance. At the final exchange, it was only about 5 meters difference between the two teams. Through the first 200 meters of the final leg, Gillis closed the gap on Jill Corcoran, drawing even as they approached the bell. With JT beside me screaming for her to wait and not pass on the turn, Gillis did not wait and passed on the turn. It didn't matter, once she sensed the open track in front of her she was gone. The race and the meet ended as it had begun, with the two best runners from each team battling with everything they had. But on this night, Gillis had a little more, and as she crossed the line, the stands around me went crazy.
I kind of wanted to end this report right there, but I think I need to say what should be obvious: these two teams really bring out the best in each other. The number of fine performances, the class with which each team competed... these things demonstrate the quality of the programs. Looking ahead to the State meet, outdoor, next year, I see both teams getting better. North will be scary good next year, but so will Weymouth. There are freshmen on both teams with oceans of potential, and I look forward to the next edition of what has become one of the best rivalries in the state.
Full results on CoolRunning.com
And it was only the first race of the night...
Over the next two and a half hours, Newton North and Weymouth staged one of the most exciting dual meets I have ever seen. In event after event, athletes from both teams stepped up with surprising performances, far beyond anything they had done before. It was as if the two schools were playing an extended game of "Can you top this?" As soon as a Weymouth runner won a crucial battle in one race with a huge PR, a Newton North runner would do something equally amazing.
With that first mile race, Newton North took a 5-4 lead (Gillis 5:07.65, Corcoran 5:08.78, Barker 5:37.29). In the 1000, Weymouth reclaimed as Morgan Fitzgibbon kicked by Maggie Heffernan for the win in 3:12.17, with Julie Tevenan taking third.
Ariana Tabatabaie ran a personal best 1:41.81 to win the 600 by half a second over Weymouth's Bridget Jaklitsch, but senior captain Jaya Tripathi earned a crucial point for the Tigers by taking third in a personal best 1:43.88, just 0.2 ahead of Weymouth's Jen Kimball.
As the meet went on, first one team and then the other seemed to have the edge. By my count, there were five lead changes and two ties in the team score of the meet, with the two schools never separated by more than a few points.
While some events went according to form, some of them were shocking (at least to me). The high jump was one of the best competitions of the meet, with five girls from the two teams still alive as the bar went to 5 feet. On her first attempt at 5-2, Weymouth's Emily Clark soared over the bar cleanly. When North's Lucia Grigoli failed to clear the same height, Clark had taken five points in an event that North was hoping to sweep. I admit, after that I thought it was all over for North.
And in the hurdles, Amy Ren's personal best 8.87 won handily, but Clark and Madeline Manning (previous best 9.6) ran 9.20 and 9.22 to take 2nd and 3rd, stealing more precious points away from the Tigers in what was supposed to be their best event. (The Tigers had only a few days before dominated the shuttle hurdles relay at the State Championship.)
I thought the shot put would be a sweep for Weymouth, but after making a change to her throwing technique this week, Kate Bellerose threw a two-foot PR, and nabbed 2nd place for Newton North with a mark of 30-05 behind Rachel Ivil's 35-3.
While terrifically exciting for us, the spectators, it was obvious that the athletes from both teams were under tremendous pressure. It was hard to watch as athletes from both teams ran their hearts out only to miss that 2nd or 3rd place by the slimmest of margins. For example, in the 300, Weymouth's Melissa Darling ran the race of her life in a brave attempt to take the win against North's fabulous freshman, Carla Forbes. In the final strides of the race, with Forbes uncatchable, Darling slowed just enough for North's Steph Brown to just edge her at the line for second place. All three runners ran big PRs, but Darling who had run brilliantly, looked crushed. In a cruel twist, Brown would pull exactly the same rabbit out of the hat in the 55, catching Darling at the line to take third by 1/100th of a second.
In the 2-Mile, North's Susannah Gleason ran forty seconds faster than her previous best, and fought back into the race when it looked like she might be dropped by Weymouth's Shayna Albanese and Andrea Hicks. But in the end, her last, desperate lap wasn't enough to match the closing speed of the Weymouth girls and she finished third, less than a second away from the win.
At such moments, I'm sure that the runners feel not only personal disappointment but the awful emptiness that comes of believing (erroneously) that they've let their coaches or teammates down. I found myself wishing I could pull those runners aside and say, through all the noise and chaos, that races are sometimes lost, but nothing of value is ever truly lost. It hurts for a while after you lose, and I won't lie, it feels a lot better when you win, but its only by caring enough to compete that you and your team and yes, your arch rivals, manage to take a simple high school track meet and create something exquisite and memorable.
With only the 4x400 relay to run, the score of the meet stood at 41-40, North.
I had wandered over to watch the last couple of races near the Newton North section of the bleachers, and was talking to Joe Tranchita, Newton North's coach, as the boys relays were going on. JT is an extraordinary coach, but when he is watching a meet, he maintains the demeanor and attitude of a man taking frequent sips from a bottle of vinegar. As he pointed out all the things that had conspired to put him and his team in this terrible position, Weymouth's intense but affable coach, Mike Miller, came by.
Without hesitating JT, shook Mike's hand and congratulated him on the meet. The implication was clear: JT was certain that Weymouth would win the relay and with it the meet -- and all of JT's meticulous planning and preparation would come to naught. I believe Mike has a lot of affection for JT, but he had heard this line before and wasn't falling for JT's permanent fatalism, heading off to the other side of the track to find a place where he could enjoy the final race of the night and cheer on his team in relative peace and optimism.
From the start of the relay, it was clear that it would be a two-team race. Weymouth jumped out to the lead, but North's first leg hung on to the pace, and only a half second, if that, separated the two teams at the first exchange. Arianna Tabatabaie took the baton and tried to make up the gap, but found herself unable to pass and running extra yardage around the curves, and at the second exchange, Jaya Tripathi was still behind Weymouth's third runner. I have to believe that Jaya's leg was one of the best races she has ever run. She neither panicked nor fell too far behind. In the second lap, she fought back, just trying to get close enough to give Margo Gillis a chance. At the final exchange, it was only about 5 meters difference between the two teams. Through the first 200 meters of the final leg, Gillis closed the gap on Jill Corcoran, drawing even as they approached the bell. With JT beside me screaming for her to wait and not pass on the turn, Gillis did not wait and passed on the turn. It didn't matter, once she sensed the open track in front of her she was gone. The race and the meet ended as it had begun, with the two best runners from each team battling with everything they had. But on this night, Gillis had a little more, and as she crossed the line, the stands around me went crazy.
I kind of wanted to end this report right there, but I think I need to say what should be obvious: these two teams really bring out the best in each other. The number of fine performances, the class with which each team competed... these things demonstrate the quality of the programs. Looking ahead to the State meet, outdoor, next year, I see both teams getting better. North will be scary good next year, but so will Weymouth. There are freshmen on both teams with oceans of potential, and I look forward to the next edition of what has become one of the best rivalries in the state.
Full results on CoolRunning.com
January 26, 2010
NN vs. Weymouth Girls Preview
It's funny to think that only a few years ago, the Weymouth girls were annual underdogs against Newton North. That all changed in January 2008, when the Wildcats dominated the sprint events on their way to a 56-30 deconstruction of the Tiger track machine.
The Weymouth girls repeated as Carey and BSL champs in '09, taking down NN along the way, 49-37. They look to be narrow favorites for this Thursday's match-up, too, but the two teams are pretty even. I don't remember a NN-Weymouth meet ever coming down to single digits, but I think this year it will.
So with the usual disclaimers that I have no idea what either of the teams are planning, and with apologies in advance if I inadvertently offend someone, here's what I will be looking for in this showdown meet...
Beginning with the distance events, Weymouth has the deeper team and should score more points in aggregate across the 1M, 1000, and 2M, but the deployment of runners will be a little tricky for them.
NN's best distance runner is Margo Gillis, and Weymouth's best is Jill Corcoran. Both runners have excellent range -- from 600 to 2M -- and both are likely to be needed for the 4x400 relay.
So who runs what? It seems to me that Weymouth's lineup will look something like this:
1M: Molly Barker, Julie Tevenan
1000: Jill Corcoran, Morgan Fitzgibbon
600: Bridget Jaklitsch
2M: Shayna Albanese, Andrea Hicks
Some major footnotes here: Corcoran could run anywhere, and might actually be more valuable in the mile or 600. Naturally, moving Corcoran would shift the rest of the lineup.
I think North's lineup will look something like this:
1M: Margo Gillis
1000: Maggie Heffernan
600: Ariana Tabatabaie, Meghan Bellerose
2M: Susannah Gleason, Sarah Perlo
Gillis has not run the mile much this year, but having her in the mile seems to optimally distribute North's talent across the races. The 1000 will be a pivotal race, and could feature a fierce battle for second.
With the above lineups, I think the points go this way (NN-Wey):
Mile: 5-4
1000: 1-8 (key event!)
600: 6-3
2M: 1-8
Total: 13-23
On to the other events:
300 - Carla Forbes should win, but Melissa Darling will give her a run for the money. I expect Steph Brown to run for North, but I'm not sure who will run for Weymouth. I think Emily Clark will be busy in the 55 and 55 hurdles. Madeline Manning? Anyway, I think this goes 6-3 to North.
55 Hurdles - This is one of North's strongest events, and I think Amy Ren and Kayla Wong will take 1-2. Third place is definitely in play. Clark has run 9.24 and anything can happen in the hurdles. I'll score this 8-1 NN.
55 Dash - Carla Forbes has the fastest time in the league this season, but Weymouth's Melissa Darling and Emily Clark look like they'll be able to take 2-3 ahead of Steph Brown and Kayla Wong. 5-4 NN.
High Jump - This might be North's strongest event, and while nothing is ever certain in the high jump, I think Emily Hutchinson, Amy Ren, and Lucia Grigoli have an excellent chance to sweep. 9-0 North
Shot put - Weymouth counters with the shot put, where Rachel Ivil and Emily Clark have throws over 30 feet this season. The NN shot putters have been coming on strong in recent weeks, but I think Weymouth's Brittany Brown will nail down 3rd place and the sweep for the Wildcats.
If my math is correct, that brings us to the relay with the score 41-40 in favor of North. The two relay teams are very evenly matched, and both schools have run 4:11 this season. I would be crazy to predict the outcome, but I will go out on a limb and say that for the first time in MY memory, the outcome of the meet will be determined by the final race.
The Weymouth girls repeated as Carey and BSL champs in '09, taking down NN along the way, 49-37. They look to be narrow favorites for this Thursday's match-up, too, but the two teams are pretty even. I don't remember a NN-Weymouth meet ever coming down to single digits, but I think this year it will.
So with the usual disclaimers that I have no idea what either of the teams are planning, and with apologies in advance if I inadvertently offend someone, here's what I will be looking for in this showdown meet...
Beginning with the distance events, Weymouth has the deeper team and should score more points in aggregate across the 1M, 1000, and 2M, but the deployment of runners will be a little tricky for them.
NN's best distance runner is Margo Gillis, and Weymouth's best is Jill Corcoran. Both runners have excellent range -- from 600 to 2M -- and both are likely to be needed for the 4x400 relay.
So who runs what? It seems to me that Weymouth's lineup will look something like this:
1M: Molly Barker, Julie Tevenan
1000: Jill Corcoran, Morgan Fitzgibbon
600: Bridget Jaklitsch
2M: Shayna Albanese, Andrea Hicks
Some major footnotes here: Corcoran could run anywhere, and might actually be more valuable in the mile or 600. Naturally, moving Corcoran would shift the rest of the lineup.
I think North's lineup will look something like this:
1M: Margo Gillis
1000: Maggie Heffernan
600: Ariana Tabatabaie, Meghan Bellerose
2M: Susannah Gleason, Sarah Perlo
Gillis has not run the mile much this year, but having her in the mile seems to optimally distribute North's talent across the races. The 1000 will be a pivotal race, and could feature a fierce battle for second.
With the above lineups, I think the points go this way (NN-Wey):
Mile: 5-4
1000: 1-8 (key event!)
600: 6-3
2M: 1-8
Total: 13-23
On to the other events:
300 - Carla Forbes should win, but Melissa Darling will give her a run for the money. I expect Steph Brown to run for North, but I'm not sure who will run for Weymouth. I think Emily Clark will be busy in the 55 and 55 hurdles. Madeline Manning? Anyway, I think this goes 6-3 to North.
55 Hurdles - This is one of North's strongest events, and I think Amy Ren and Kayla Wong will take 1-2. Third place is definitely in play. Clark has run 9.24 and anything can happen in the hurdles. I'll score this 8-1 NN.
55 Dash - Carla Forbes has the fastest time in the league this season, but Weymouth's Melissa Darling and Emily Clark look like they'll be able to take 2-3 ahead of Steph Brown and Kayla Wong. 5-4 NN.
High Jump - This might be North's strongest event, and while nothing is ever certain in the high jump, I think Emily Hutchinson, Amy Ren, and Lucia Grigoli have an excellent chance to sweep. 9-0 North
Shot put - Weymouth counters with the shot put, where Rachel Ivil and Emily Clark have throws over 30 feet this season. The NN shot putters have been coming on strong in recent weeks, but I think Weymouth's Brittany Brown will nail down 3rd place and the sweep for the Wildcats.
If my math is correct, that brings us to the relay with the score 41-40 in favor of North. The two relay teams are very evenly matched, and both schools have run 4:11 this season. I would be crazy to predict the outcome, but I will go out on a limb and say that for the first time in MY memory, the outcome of the meet will be determined by the final race.
January 25, 2010
NNHS Alumni Results 1/23-24/10
David Smith had a great throw in the shot put (48-4.75) to win that event on Saturday in a meet between Yale, Columbia, and Dartmouth. Smith also had a mark of 43-7.75 to place 5th in the weight throw.
Brown Freshman Carolyn Ranti placed 5th in the 800 in a meet at Harvard on Saturday, running 2:23.94.
Doug Brecher (9:02.20) and Ben Chebot (9:48.98) competed in the 3000m for Bates in a meet against Colby, University of Maine (Orono), and the University of Southern Maine on Saturday.
Dave Cahill, who typically races the 400 and 800, extended his range on Sunday at the GBTC Invite, clocking 4:55.37 for the mile. It was Dave's first race on the track in six months.
Brown Freshman Carolyn Ranti placed 5th in the 800 in a meet at Harvard on Saturday, running 2:23.94.
Doug Brecher (9:02.20) and Ben Chebot (9:48.98) competed in the 3000m for Bates in a meet against Colby, University of Maine (Orono), and the University of Southern Maine on Saturday.
Dave Cahill, who typically races the 400 and 800, extended his range on Sunday at the GBTC Invite, clocking 4:55.37 for the mile. It was Dave's first race on the track in six months.
January 24, 2010
NN Girls Win DI State Relays
Newton North won three events (SMR, 4x50 shuttle hurdles, LJ), finished second in the HJ, and third in the DMR and 4x50 to amass 50 points and upset favored Andover for the D1 State Relays title.
It was a great all-around performance for the Tigers in the meet that Coach Joe Tranchita considers the real state championship. The Newton North girls had two scoring teams each on the oval, the infield running events, and the jumps.
It was no surprise that Margo Gillis and Carla Forbes were involved in several of the Tigers' more impressive efforts. Gillis led off the winning sprint medley team (4:16.28) and anchored the third-place DMR (12:49.76). Forbes jumped a foot further than the second-best competitor in the difficult two-jump format to lead NN's winning long jump relay, and ran on North's third-place 4x50 relay (school record 25.34).
But junior Amy Ren was the only Tiger who made it to the top of the podium twice, once as part of the winning long jump relay, and again for her leg on the winning 4x50 shuttle hurdle relay, which set a class record of 29.49. She also helped North to a 2nd place finish in the high jump relay, although she probably would have liked to have a better clearance in that event.
By my count, there were only three girls teams that scored in six events: Newton North, Andover, and Weymouth. Indeed, the Wildcats seemed to be right on the Tigers' heels all afternoon, finishing right behind them in the SMR and SMR, and within a few places in the hurdles and long jump. North won the relay battle, but next week's dual meet will decide the Carey Division title.
Newton North Results:
4x800
17 Newton North HS 'A' 10:40.24
1) Kruskal, Shoshana 12 2) Gleason, Susannah 12
3) Gluck, Sam 12 4) Spitaels, Kaylee 09
Sprint Medley
1 Newton North HS 'A' 4:16.28 4
1) Gillis, Margo 11 2) Cuccurullo, Julia 11
3) Fugazzotto, Jess 12 4) Tabatabaie, Ariana 12
4x200
13 Newton North HS 'A' 1:53.18 9
1) Wong, Kayla 10 2) Forbes, Carla 09
3) Brown, Steph 10 4) Pursley, Meghan 11
4x400
27 Newton North HS 'B' 4:34.72 1
1) Bellerose, Meghan 09 2) Nadeau, Madison 09
3) Gluck, Sam 12 4) Smith, Lauren 10
Distance Medley
3 Newton North HS 'A' 12:49.76
1) Heffernan, Maggie 10 2) Tabatabaie, Ariana 12
3) Tripathi, Jaya 12 4) Gillis, Margo 11
4x50 Yard Shuttle Hurdle
1 Newton North HS 'A' 29.49* 6
1) Ren, Amy 11 2) Denn, Emily 12
3) Liu, Jen 12 4) Wong, Kayla 10
4x50 Yard Relay
3 Newton North HS 'A' 25.34 11
1) Brown, Steph 10 2) Forbes, Carla 09
3) Pursley, Meghan 11 4) Prior, Kayla 10
18 Newton North HS 'B' 26.58 8
1) Fugazzotto, Jess 12 2) Larkin, Maeve 09
3) Liu, Jen 12 4) Denn, Emily 12
High Jump
2 Newton North, Girls Newton No. 4.52m 14-10.00
2 Hutchinson, Emily 11 Newton No. 1.60m 5-03.00
3 Grigoli, Lucia 10 Newton No. 1.55m 5-01.00
13 Ren, Amy 11 Newton No. 1.37m 4-06.00
Long Jump
1 Newton North, Girls Newton No. 13.94m 45-09.00
1 Forbes, Carla 09 Newton No. 5.27m 17-03.50
7 Ren, Amy 11 Newton No. 4.46m 14-07.75
16 Prior, Kayla 10 Newton No. 4.21m 13-09.75
Event 19 Girls Shot Put
17 Newton North, Girls Newton No. 23.88m 78-04.25
42 Bellerose, Kate 12 Newton No. 8.04m 26-04.50
48 Salvucci, Michela 10 Newton No. 7.97m 26-01.75
49 Azadzoi, Smira 12 Newton No. 7.87m 25-10.00
Women - Team Rankings
1) Newton North HS 50
2) Andover HS 41
3) Lincoln-Sudbury Reg. HS 28
4) Weymouth HS 24
5) Wachusett Reg-Holden 22
5) Newton South HS 22
Complete Results on Cool Running
Local Coverage in the Newton Tab
It was a great all-around performance for the Tigers in the meet that Coach Joe Tranchita considers the real state championship. The Newton North girls had two scoring teams each on the oval, the infield running events, and the jumps.
It was no surprise that Margo Gillis and Carla Forbes were involved in several of the Tigers' more impressive efforts. Gillis led off the winning sprint medley team (4:16.28) and anchored the third-place DMR (12:49.76). Forbes jumped a foot further than the second-best competitor in the difficult two-jump format to lead NN's winning long jump relay, and ran on North's third-place 4x50 relay (school record 25.34).
But junior Amy Ren was the only Tiger who made it to the top of the podium twice, once as part of the winning long jump relay, and again for her leg on the winning 4x50 shuttle hurdle relay, which set a class record of 29.49. She also helped North to a 2nd place finish in the high jump relay, although she probably would have liked to have a better clearance in that event.
By my count, there were only three girls teams that scored in six events: Newton North, Andover, and Weymouth. Indeed, the Wildcats seemed to be right on the Tigers' heels all afternoon, finishing right behind them in the SMR and SMR, and within a few places in the hurdles and long jump. North won the relay battle, but next week's dual meet will decide the Carey Division title.
Newton North Results:
4x800
17 Newton North HS 'A' 10:40.24
1) Kruskal, Shoshana 12 2) Gleason, Susannah 12
3) Gluck, Sam 12 4) Spitaels, Kaylee 09
Sprint Medley
1 Newton North HS 'A' 4:16.28 4
1) Gillis, Margo 11 2) Cuccurullo, Julia 11
3) Fugazzotto, Jess 12 4) Tabatabaie, Ariana 12
4x200
13 Newton North HS 'A' 1:53.18 9
1) Wong, Kayla 10 2) Forbes, Carla 09
3) Brown, Steph 10 4) Pursley, Meghan 11
4x400
27 Newton North HS 'B' 4:34.72 1
1) Bellerose, Meghan 09 2) Nadeau, Madison 09
3) Gluck, Sam 12 4) Smith, Lauren 10
Distance Medley
3 Newton North HS 'A' 12:49.76
1) Heffernan, Maggie 10 2) Tabatabaie, Ariana 12
3) Tripathi, Jaya 12 4) Gillis, Margo 11
4x50 Yard Shuttle Hurdle
1 Newton North HS 'A' 29.49* 6
1) Ren, Amy 11 2) Denn, Emily 12
3) Liu, Jen 12 4) Wong, Kayla 10
4x50 Yard Relay
3 Newton North HS 'A' 25.34 11
1) Brown, Steph 10 2) Forbes, Carla 09
3) Pursley, Meghan 11 4) Prior, Kayla 10
18 Newton North HS 'B' 26.58 8
1) Fugazzotto, Jess 12 2) Larkin, Maeve 09
3) Liu, Jen 12 4) Denn, Emily 12
High Jump
2 Newton North, Girls Newton No. 4.52m 14-10.00
2 Hutchinson, Emily 11 Newton No. 1.60m 5-03.00
3 Grigoli, Lucia 10 Newton No. 1.55m 5-01.00
13 Ren, Amy 11 Newton No. 1.37m 4-06.00
Long Jump
1 Newton North, Girls Newton No. 13.94m 45-09.00
1 Forbes, Carla 09 Newton No. 5.27m 17-03.50
7 Ren, Amy 11 Newton No. 4.46m 14-07.75
16 Prior, Kayla 10 Newton No. 4.21m 13-09.75
Event 19 Girls Shot Put
17 Newton North, Girls Newton No. 23.88m 78-04.25
42 Bellerose, Kate 12 Newton No. 8.04m 26-04.50
48 Salvucci, Michela 10 Newton No. 7.97m 26-01.75
49 Azadzoi, Smira 12 Newton No. 7.87m 25-10.00
Women - Team Rankings
1) Newton North HS 50
2) Andover HS 41
3) Lincoln-Sudbury Reg. HS 28
4) Weymouth HS 24
5) Wachusett Reg-Holden 22
5) Newton South HS 22
Complete Results on Cool Running
Local Coverage in the Newton Tab
January 22, 2010
NN Boys Deny Brookline, Turn Close Meet into Rout
Sometimes it happens that after thousands of miles of training, countless early morning weekend practices, and years of finishing somewhere in the pack, you experience a race that answers every question you ever had -- ever will have -- about whether it was all worth it. The kind of race I have in mind ends in a victory that is well-earned but wholly unexpected, a victory over a worthy champion who seemed beyond reach.
I don't know for sure whether Jake Gleason feels that way about his brilliant win in the 2-Mile last night, but I sure hope he does. Not only did he take the win in a big race against his team's chief rival in, arguably, their strongest event, he did it by running an 11-second PR, breaking 10:00 for the first time, and executing a patient and gutsy race and a perfect kick to come from well back and win by the slimmest of margins against the reigning Bay State XC runner-up. It really doesn't get much better than that. I'm also willing to bet that no one, including Jake himself, expected that to happen, but it did, and I hope it's a race he remembers for the rest of his life.
The 2M was only one highlight in a meet that featured many, including other extraordinarily close races. Unfortunately for the Warriors, Newton North athletes won all of them. As a result, the closeness of the meet and the competitiveness of the two teams is not accurately reflected in the score, which shows North on the winning end of a 63-23 rout. The very first race set the tone of the entire meet as Dan Ranti won the mile by less than a tenth of a second over Brookline's Christian Sampson, 4:38.01 to 4:38.09. The Warriors put four runners under 4:45, but came up with only four points.
In the next event, Ezra Lichtman won tby a similarly miniscule margin, taking the 1000 over Will Jackson 2:41.42 to 2:41.55, with Justin Keefe running a PR 2:41.98 for 3rd. Those two races turned two-tenths of a second into an 8-point swing in the Tigers' favor, and although there was a lot of track and field left, it was an insurmountable hill for the Warriors to climb.
In fact, the Tigers would not lose a single event. Isaiah Penn ran a PR 1:25.52 to win the 600 with Alon Soran dipping under 1:30 to take 3rd. Ben Kiley won the 300, 55, and high jump, Faisal Mayanja led a NN sweep in the 55 hurdles, and Con(n)or Ebbs led an orange sweep in the shot put. The 2M was Brookline's best chance for a win, but Gleason took care of that, and then the NN 4x400 team put an exclamation mark on the night by winning in 3:34.50.
Results on Cool Running
No preview of NN-Weymouth boys next week; it's time to give the attention to the girls team as they take on the defending Bay State champs.
I don't know for sure whether Jake Gleason feels that way about his brilliant win in the 2-Mile last night, but I sure hope he does. Not only did he take the win in a big race against his team's chief rival in, arguably, their strongest event, he did it by running an 11-second PR, breaking 10:00 for the first time, and executing a patient and gutsy race and a perfect kick to come from well back and win by the slimmest of margins against the reigning Bay State XC runner-up. It really doesn't get much better than that. I'm also willing to bet that no one, including Jake himself, expected that to happen, but it did, and I hope it's a race he remembers for the rest of his life.
The 2M was only one highlight in a meet that featured many, including other extraordinarily close races. Unfortunately for the Warriors, Newton North athletes won all of them. As a result, the closeness of the meet and the competitiveness of the two teams is not accurately reflected in the score, which shows North on the winning end of a 63-23 rout. The very first race set the tone of the entire meet as Dan Ranti won the mile by less than a tenth of a second over Brookline's Christian Sampson, 4:38.01 to 4:38.09. The Warriors put four runners under 4:45, but came up with only four points.
In the next event, Ezra Lichtman won tby a similarly miniscule margin, taking the 1000 over Will Jackson 2:41.42 to 2:41.55, with Justin Keefe running a PR 2:41.98 for 3rd. Those two races turned two-tenths of a second into an 8-point swing in the Tigers' favor, and although there was a lot of track and field left, it was an insurmountable hill for the Warriors to climb.
In fact, the Tigers would not lose a single event. Isaiah Penn ran a PR 1:25.52 to win the 600 with Alon Soran dipping under 1:30 to take 3rd. Ben Kiley won the 300, 55, and high jump, Faisal Mayanja led a NN sweep in the 55 hurdles, and Con(n)or Ebbs led an orange sweep in the shot put. The 2M was Brookline's best chance for a win, but Gleason took care of that, and then the NN 4x400 team put an exclamation mark on the night by winning in 3:34.50.
Results on Cool Running
No preview of NN-Weymouth boys next week; it's time to give the attention to the girls team as they take on the defending Bay State champs.
January 21, 2010
EPO and the "Goldman Dilemma"
There's an interesting article in the New York Times that reviews recent findings on the use of moderate doses of Darbepoetin Alfa (one of the "EPO" class of drugs) to treat diabetes, kidney disease and anemia.
Will Olympic Athletes Dope if They Know It Might Kill Them?
The findings indicate strongly that even in amounts previously considered fairly safe, the drug was associated with higher risk of death and was little better than a placebo in terms of improving patient outcomes. To quote the article:
"Going in, we had really expected that Epo would make people feel better and improve their outcomes," says the study’s lead author Dr. Marc Pfeffer, a professor at Harvard University Medical School and senior physician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. "We certainly had to reject that hypothesis."
The article goes on to talk about the "popularity" of EPO as an illegal performance-enhancing drug that is still in widespread use by endurance athletes seeking an illegal edge. Towards the end of the article it cites surveys done by a researcher named Bob Goldman, who began in the 1980s to ask elite athletes whether they would take a drug that guaranteed them a gold medal but would also kill them within five years. To his surprise, more than half of the athletes said yes. When he repeated the survey biannually for the next decade, the results were always the same. About half of the athletes were quite ready to take the bargain.
When asked the same question, almost all non-athletes turn down this Faustian bargain.
Will Olympic Athletes Dope if They Know It Might Kill Them?
The findings indicate strongly that even in amounts previously considered fairly safe, the drug was associated with higher risk of death and was little better than a placebo in terms of improving patient outcomes. To quote the article:
"Going in, we had really expected that Epo would make people feel better and improve their outcomes," says the study’s lead author Dr. Marc Pfeffer, a professor at Harvard University Medical School and senior physician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. "We certainly had to reject that hypothesis."
The article goes on to talk about the "popularity" of EPO as an illegal performance-enhancing drug that is still in widespread use by endurance athletes seeking an illegal edge. Towards the end of the article it cites surveys done by a researcher named Bob Goldman, who began in the 1980s to ask elite athletes whether they would take a drug that guaranteed them a gold medal but would also kill them within five years. To his surprise, more than half of the athletes said yes. When he repeated the survey biannually for the next decade, the results were always the same. About half of the athletes were quite ready to take the bargain.
When asked the same question, almost all non-athletes turn down this Faustian bargain.
January 19, 2010
NN - Brookline Preview
We know that anything can happen in a track meet. Plans can go awry. Athletes can stumble. Batons can be dropped. On a more positive note, individuals and teams can step it up and surprise even themselves with stellar performances that stretch beyond what anyone thought they could do. So yes, Brookline can win tomorrow's meet with Newton North, but they'll need to step it up big time to pull off what would have to be considered a big upset. Upsets happen.. (where have I heard that recently?).. How big an upset would it be for Brookline's red and blue to seize what has been an orange mantle for more than a decade?
Brookline might not have a state champion on its team, but they are quite deep, and nowhere more so than in the distance events. They won't give up a single easy point in the 1M, 1000, and 2M, and could conceivably take 20-21 points in those events. I think Ezra Lichtman will win either the mile or 1000, although the mile would be a tougher race. So let's say North runs Justin Keefe in the mile. I think Justin will have to run 4:42 or better to have a hope of a second place, and even then, it's not guaranteed. In this scenario, Brookline could get 8 points in the mile, 4 in the 1000. Another scenario would have North running both Lichtman and Keefe running the 1000 where they could go 1-2, but I don't expect North's coaches to take that gamble and leave the mile open. What if they run Dan Ranti in the mile? That's appealing, although it certainly doesn't guarantee a win (and would leave Jake Gleason to battle Brookline's 2-milers by himself).
Ok, enough second guessing. Since the point of this exercise is to show how Brookline can keep it close, I'll say that they take 12 points in the 1M and 1000.
In the 600, Brookline needs a big race from Will Jackson. North's Isaiah Penn has the better time this year, but for the sake of making this interesting, let's say Jackson pulls it out and Brookline also takes 3rd to get 6 points.
The 300 should be a terrific race with Ben Kiley vs. Irwin Scott, but after last week, I just don't see Ben Kiley losing. Freshman Ryan Lucken should take third, so we'll give Brookline 3 points here.
The 55 looks much like the 300, with similar personnel plus North's Hao-Kai Wu. Kiley should win, and let's give Scott 2nd (not a sure thing!). 3 more points for Brookline.
The 55 hurdles is a weak event for the Warriors, and the Tigers' Faisal Mayanja seems to be getting it together. Let's say 1-3 North, and Brookline gets another 3 points.
The 2-mile should be an epic battle, with three Warriors and two Tigers all capable of running at or under 10:00. (Unless of course Dan Ranti runs the mile...) My head says Brookline goes 1-3, but again, to keep things interesting let's write down 8 points for them here.
Kiley jumped 6-0 last week. If he can get within 4 inches of that, I think he probably wins over Scott for the third time (well, actually for the first time since the high jump comes before the sprints). North 6, Brookline 3.
It will take a minor miracle for Brookline to avoid a sweep in the shot put. I don't see it happening. 9-0 North.
Have you been adding this all up at home? By giving Brookline the benefit of the doubt in all the distance races, giving them an upset win in the 600, but assuming that Ben Kiley has not lost his superman cape, I have Brookline with...wait for it...38 points going into the relay, and a chance to tie.
But North won't lose the relay. Nope. You'd be more likely to convince me that a Republican could be elected to the senate in Blue Massachusetts than that Brookline could win the 4x400 relay tomorrow with the meet on the line. Nope, couldn't possibly happen...
Brookline might not have a state champion on its team, but they are quite deep, and nowhere more so than in the distance events. They won't give up a single easy point in the 1M, 1000, and 2M, and could conceivably take 20-21 points in those events. I think Ezra Lichtman will win either the mile or 1000, although the mile would be a tougher race. So let's say North runs Justin Keefe in the mile. I think Justin will have to run 4:42 or better to have a hope of a second place, and even then, it's not guaranteed. In this scenario, Brookline could get 8 points in the mile, 4 in the 1000. Another scenario would have North running both Lichtman and Keefe running the 1000 where they could go 1-2, but I don't expect North's coaches to take that gamble and leave the mile open. What if they run Dan Ranti in the mile? That's appealing, although it certainly doesn't guarantee a win (and would leave Jake Gleason to battle Brookline's 2-milers by himself).
Ok, enough second guessing. Since the point of this exercise is to show how Brookline can keep it close, I'll say that they take 12 points in the 1M and 1000.
In the 600, Brookline needs a big race from Will Jackson. North's Isaiah Penn has the better time this year, but for the sake of making this interesting, let's say Jackson pulls it out and Brookline also takes 3rd to get 6 points.
The 300 should be a terrific race with Ben Kiley vs. Irwin Scott, but after last week, I just don't see Ben Kiley losing. Freshman Ryan Lucken should take third, so we'll give Brookline 3 points here.
The 55 looks much like the 300, with similar personnel plus North's Hao-Kai Wu. Kiley should win, and let's give Scott 2nd (not a sure thing!). 3 more points for Brookline.
The 55 hurdles is a weak event for the Warriors, and the Tigers' Faisal Mayanja seems to be getting it together. Let's say 1-3 North, and Brookline gets another 3 points.
The 2-mile should be an epic battle, with three Warriors and two Tigers all capable of running at or under 10:00. (Unless of course Dan Ranti runs the mile...) My head says Brookline goes 1-3, but again, to keep things interesting let's write down 8 points for them here.
Kiley jumped 6-0 last week. If he can get within 4 inches of that, I think he probably wins over Scott for the third time (well, actually for the first time since the high jump comes before the sprints). North 6, Brookline 3.
It will take a minor miracle for Brookline to avoid a sweep in the shot put. I don't see it happening. 9-0 North.
Have you been adding this all up at home? By giving Brookline the benefit of the doubt in all the distance races, giving them an upset win in the 600, but assuming that Ben Kiley has not lost his superman cape, I have Brookline with...wait for it...38 points going into the relay, and a chance to tie.
But North won't lose the relay. Nope. You'd be more likely to convince me that a Republican could be elected to the senate in Blue Massachusetts than that Brookline could win the 4x400 relay tomorrow with the meet on the line. Nope, couldn't possibly happen...
January 17, 2010
NNHS Alumni Results 1/16/10
It was a busy weekend, with at least four college/open meets in the Boston area on Saturday.
Bowdoin freshman Michele Kaufman won the 55 hurdles in 8.87 and finished 3rd in the long jump with a leap of 4.77m (15-7.5) at the Reggie Poyau Memorial Track Meet, hosted by Brandeis in Waltham.
At the Harvard Invitational, Northeastern's Seb Putzeys had a blazing time in the 1000m, finishing 4th in 2:31.73. At the same meet, NNHS alum John Blouin ran the mile in 4:47.64.
Over at MIT, Bates senior Doug Brecher placed 4th in the 3000m in a solid 8:57.72, less than a second behind teammate and Newton South alum Andrew Wortham who finished 3rd in 8:56.93. The MIT track is flat and rock-hard, so those are very decent times. I feel a little sorry for Ben Chebot, who ran the 5000 (25 laps!), finishing 10th in 17:13.32.
There was also a meet at Tufts, but I didn't spy any NNHS alums in the results.
Farther south, URI hosted the Sorlein Men T&F Invitational. UMass-Dartmouth sophomore Hymlaire Lamisere ran 6.69 in the heats, and 6.77 in the finals to place 5th in the 55m dash. Lamisere also placed 11th in the 200m with a time of 23.98. In the field events, Lamisere jumped 20-8 to place 8th in the long jump, but he trailed former NNHS teammate and Wheaton sophomore Cailean Robinson, who placed 2nd with a big mark of 6.78m (22-03.00).
Bowdoin freshman Michele Kaufman won the 55 hurdles in 8.87 and finished 3rd in the long jump with a leap of 4.77m (15-7.5) at the Reggie Poyau Memorial Track Meet, hosted by Brandeis in Waltham.
At the Harvard Invitational, Northeastern's Seb Putzeys had a blazing time in the 1000m, finishing 4th in 2:31.73. At the same meet, NNHS alum John Blouin ran the mile in 4:47.64.
Over at MIT, Bates senior Doug Brecher placed 4th in the 3000m in a solid 8:57.72, less than a second behind teammate and Newton South alum Andrew Wortham who finished 3rd in 8:56.93. The MIT track is flat and rock-hard, so those are very decent times. I feel a little sorry for Ben Chebot, who ran the 5000 (25 laps!), finishing 10th in 17:13.32.
There was also a meet at Tufts, but I didn't spy any NNHS alums in the results.
Farther south, URI hosted the Sorlein Men T&F Invitational. UMass-Dartmouth sophomore Hymlaire Lamisere ran 6.69 in the heats, and 6.77 in the finals to place 5th in the 55m dash. Lamisere also placed 11th in the 200m with a time of 23.98. In the field events, Lamisere jumped 20-8 to place 8th in the long jump, but he trailed former NNHS teammate and Wheaton sophomore Cailean Robinson, who placed 2nd with a big mark of 6.78m (22-03.00).
January 15, 2010
NNHS Alumni Results - 1/14/10
In a rare mid-week meet, BU competed against Sacred Heart and UMass-Amherst in Boston on Thursday afternoon.
There were some familiar NN and Bay State names in the results.
BU Senior David Polgar finished 8th in the mile in 4:19.01, well behind former Bay State rival and current teammate Rob Gibson, who ran 4:13.00.
Another former Brookline all-star, Elliot Lehane, ran 8:46.94 in the 3000m to finish 4th in that race.
Sam Arsenault won the long jump (22-00.25), placed 6th in the 55 hurdles (8.23), and 7th in the shot put (!) with a throw of 36-02.
There were some familiar NN and Bay State names in the results.
BU Senior David Polgar finished 8th in the mile in 4:19.01, well behind former Bay State rival and current teammate Rob Gibson, who ran 4:13.00.
Another former Brookline all-star, Elliot Lehane, ran 8:46.94 in the 3000m to finish 4th in that race.
Sam Arsenault won the long jump (22-00.25), placed 6th in the 55 hurdles (8.23), and 7th in the shot put (!) with a throw of 36-02.
In Familiar Refrain, North Sweeps Framingham
Ben Kiley ran and jumped like a champion, Mike Bower's shot putters had the longest throws of the night, and Newton North's 4x400 relay team ran the fastest time in the league this season as the Tigers stepped it up against a tough Framingham team to down the Flyers Thursday night at Reggie.
Kiley won three events with three season's bests. He won the HJ with a leap of 6-0, ran 36.35 (one of the top five times in the state this season) to best Framingham's Bolander Lewis in the 300, and then edged Richard Johnson by 0.04 to win the 55 in 6.82.
But it was a team effort for the Tigers, who upped their record to 3-0. Dan Ranti ran a great time of 4:38.18 to take second in the mile to Framingham's surprising sophomore Ben Groleau, who ran 4:37.07. Justin Keefe won the 1000 in 2:45.06, with Ezra Lichtman taking 2nd in 2:49 (was Ezra ill?). Isaiah Penn won the 600 in 1:28.79. Freshman Ryan Lucken took 3rd in the 300 in 38.29. Jake Gleason won the 2-Mile in 10:18.
And then there was the shot put crew, who took the top four spots overall, led by Connor Ebbs (48-11.25), with sophomore Young Guang (45-7) taking second.
It was all over when it came to the relay, but North cruised to the win in 3:34.82, the league's best mark this season, nearly half a lap ahead of the Flyers. Final score 56-30, North, and next up: Brookline.
Newton North's girls had many outstanding performances on the way to a 59-27 victory over the Lady Flyers.
Emily Hutchinson cleared 5-4 in the high jump to equal the league's best mark.
Margo Gillis had the fastest time of the night in the 1000, running to a solo 3:03.49.
Carla Forbes continued her impressive season, with an impressive 43.26 in the 300 (I believe her first time running that event), with Steph Brown 2nd in 44.84. Forbes also won a close victory in the 55 dash in 7.50 and won the (non-scoring) long jump with a mark of 17-0.
Amy Ren (9.08) and Kayla Wong (9.16) led a North sweep in the hurdles.
Susanna Gleason (13:00) and Devika Banerjee (13:06) took 1-2 in the 2-Mile.
Complete Results on CoolRunning
Kiley won three events with three season's bests. He won the HJ with a leap of 6-0, ran 36.35 (one of the top five times in the state this season) to best Framingham's Bolander Lewis in the 300, and then edged Richard Johnson by 0.04 to win the 55 in 6.82.
But it was a team effort for the Tigers, who upped their record to 3-0. Dan Ranti ran a great time of 4:38.18 to take second in the mile to Framingham's surprising sophomore Ben Groleau, who ran 4:37.07. Justin Keefe won the 1000 in 2:45.06, with Ezra Lichtman taking 2nd in 2:49 (was Ezra ill?). Isaiah Penn won the 600 in 1:28.79. Freshman Ryan Lucken took 3rd in the 300 in 38.29. Jake Gleason won the 2-Mile in 10:18.
And then there was the shot put crew, who took the top four spots overall, led by Connor Ebbs (48-11.25), with sophomore Young Guang (45-7) taking second.
It was all over when it came to the relay, but North cruised to the win in 3:34.82, the league's best mark this season, nearly half a lap ahead of the Flyers. Final score 56-30, North, and next up: Brookline.
Newton North's girls had many outstanding performances on the way to a 59-27 victory over the Lady Flyers.
Emily Hutchinson cleared 5-4 in the high jump to equal the league's best mark.
Margo Gillis had the fastest time of the night in the 1000, running to a solo 3:03.49.
Carla Forbes continued her impressive season, with an impressive 43.26 in the 300 (I believe her first time running that event), with Steph Brown 2nd in 44.84. Forbes also won a close victory in the 55 dash in 7.50 and won the (non-scoring) long jump with a mark of 17-0.
Amy Ren (9.08) and Kayla Wong (9.16) led a North sweep in the hurdles.
Susanna Gleason (13:00) and Devika Banerjee (13:06) took 1-2 in the 2-Mile.
Complete Results on CoolRunning
January 13, 2010
NN Takes on Framingham
To borrow a phrase from Steven Covey ("The 7 Habits of Successful People"), when it comes to a track meet against a dangerous rival, you want to "begin with the end in mind."
Tomorrow the Newton North boys face a dangerous rival in Framingham, and I'm pretty sure North wants to put the meet out of reach before the final event. If the meet DOES come down to the 4x400 relay, it will be a barn burner of a race, with the Flyers mindful that they came out on top last week.
Framingham is good this year, and especially strong in the short events. Here's how I see the meet playing out:
1 Mile - Seems like North would want to run Lichtman here to take on impressive sophomore Ben Groleau (4:44 last week). Score it 6-3 NN.
1000 - Is Matt Lee around? Seems like he and Justin Keefe could take the top two places. 8-1 NN.
600 - Isaiah Penn ran 1:26 before Christmas, but wasn't in the results last week. Since he's MIA, I'll give the win to Framingham's Sean Adley. 4-5
300 - The race of the night, with Andrew Lawson (37.40), Bo Lewis (37:43), and Ben Kiley (37.68) the top three finishers from last week competing in the same race. This will be a huge race for Kiley, who seems to love the pressure. If he wins, the meet is all but over. But he'll need his A game to pull it off. Let's split the difference and say Framingham gets 1st and 3rd. 3-6.
2-Mile - Probably NN's safest points of the night, as the Flyers have no one who can run with Ranti and Gleason. 8-1 NN.
55 - Kiley again. I think he wins the dash, but Framingham goes 2-3. 5-4 NN.
55 - hurdles. Framingham sweeps. 0-9.
SP - North could/should sweep, but Daniel Ruiz has thrown 41-7, so let's give the Flyers third. 8-1 North.
HJ - Kiley wins, and North gets third as well. 6-3 NN.
By my count (someone check my math) that would give North 48 points, and they wouldn't need the relay. However, things can go wrong. North could give up points in the 1000 (maybe Groleau?). Kiley could finish third in the 300. Anything can happen in the dash, and don't get me started on the hazards of counting on the high jump.
Good luck to both teams. It should be an exciting meet!
Tomorrow the Newton North boys face a dangerous rival in Framingham, and I'm pretty sure North wants to put the meet out of reach before the final event. If the meet DOES come down to the 4x400 relay, it will be a barn burner of a race, with the Flyers mindful that they came out on top last week.
Framingham is good this year, and especially strong in the short events. Here's how I see the meet playing out:
1 Mile - Seems like North would want to run Lichtman here to take on impressive sophomore Ben Groleau (4:44 last week). Score it 6-3 NN.
1000 - Is Matt Lee around? Seems like he and Justin Keefe could take the top two places. 8-1 NN.
600 - Isaiah Penn ran 1:26 before Christmas, but wasn't in the results last week. Since he's MIA, I'll give the win to Framingham's Sean Adley. 4-5
300 - The race of the night, with Andrew Lawson (37.40), Bo Lewis (37:43), and Ben Kiley (37.68) the top three finishers from last week competing in the same race. This will be a huge race for Kiley, who seems to love the pressure. If he wins, the meet is all but over. But he'll need his A game to pull it off. Let's split the difference and say Framingham gets 1st and 3rd. 3-6.
2-Mile - Probably NN's safest points of the night, as the Flyers have no one who can run with Ranti and Gleason. 8-1 NN.
55 - Kiley again. I think he wins the dash, but Framingham goes 2-3. 5-4 NN.
55 - hurdles. Framingham sweeps. 0-9.
SP - North could/should sweep, but Daniel Ruiz has thrown 41-7, so let's give the Flyers third. 8-1 North.
HJ - Kiley wins, and North gets third as well. 6-3 NN.
By my count (someone check my math) that would give North 48 points, and they wouldn't need the relay. However, things can go wrong. North could give up points in the 1000 (maybe Groleau?). Kiley could finish third in the 300. Anything can happen in the dash, and don't get me started on the hazards of counting on the high jump.
Good luck to both teams. It should be an exciting meet!
January 12, 2010
Boston Indoor Games Gets Interesting
When the ads for the Reebok Boston Indoor Games begin to appear in December, I always think to myself that I don't really need to go this year. It's a bit expensive, and some of the races seem like glorified time trials (impressive, yes, but not necessarily must-watch track and field).
And then the organizers always pull the right strings to draw me back in. The organizers had already announced that double-Olympic gold medalist Tirunesh Dibaba would be back for, one presumes, another run at 5K world record. Yesterday, BIG announced that Galen Rupp (5K), Nick Willis (mile), and Anna Pierce (nee Willard) will be running. Pierce will take a shot at Jen Toomey's AR (2:34.19) in the 1000, and the BIG web site is running a poll asking whether she can do it (69% so far say "yes").
In the next couple of weeks, fields will be announced and other stars added to the lineups. Soon, the lure will be irresistible and I'll spring for tickets.
Of course, the best races might not be the ones with the big names. The boys high school mile always ends up being a great race. And last year, unheralded Lindsay Gallo provided one of the meet highlights by winning the women's mile. But geez, I'd love to see Anna Willard, I mean Anna Pierce really crush the 1000...
News and schedules can be found at the meet's own website.
And then the organizers always pull the right strings to draw me back in. The organizers had already announced that double-Olympic gold medalist Tirunesh Dibaba would be back for, one presumes, another run at 5K world record. Yesterday, BIG announced that Galen Rupp (5K), Nick Willis (mile), and Anna Pierce (nee Willard) will be running. Pierce will take a shot at Jen Toomey's AR (2:34.19) in the 1000, and the BIG web site is running a poll asking whether she can do it (69% so far say "yes").
In the next couple of weeks, fields will be announced and other stars added to the lineups. Soon, the lure will be irresistible and I'll spring for tickets.
Of course, the best races might not be the ones with the big names. The boys high school mile always ends up being a great race. And last year, unheralded Lindsay Gallo provided one of the meet highlights by winning the women's mile. But geez, I'd love to see Anna Willard, I mean Anna Pierce really crush the 1000...
News and schedules can be found at the meet's own website.
January 11, 2010
Why Wind Chill Numbers Are Confusing
I had a very nice 14-mile run with friends on Sunday morning. Cold, but clear roads, little wind, no rain or snow, and a nice bright sun.
Speaking of wind, an article in Slate.com (originally from 2007, but recently reposted) makes the case that we should stop paying attention to wind chill factors as a measure of how cold we feel. As the article says, "If the weather makes headlines only when it's horrendous out, wind chill is its PR agent."
You can read the article here:
Wind Chill Blows
"Rather than trying to patch up wind chill's inconsistencies, we should just dump it altogether. The best algorithm we'll ever have for determining how cold it feels comes from our own experience."
Speaking of wind, an article in Slate.com (originally from 2007, but recently reposted) makes the case that we should stop paying attention to wind chill factors as a measure of how cold we feel. As the article says, "If the weather makes headlines only when it's horrendous out, wind chill is its PR agent."
You can read the article here:
Wind Chill Blows
"Rather than trying to patch up wind chill's inconsistencies, we should just dump it altogether. The best algorithm we'll ever have for determining how cold it feels comes from our own experience."
January 10, 2010
Ranti Over Gleason at MSTCA Winterfest
For the second time in three days, Dan Ranti and Jake Gleason went 1-2 in a 2M race. After running 10:06 and 10:08 on Thursday night, on Saturday, the two were separated by a mere two tenths of a seconds, with Ranti getting the victory in 10:03.28 to Gleason's 10:03.49.
North had six competitors in the shot put, with five of them over 40'. This formidable crew was led by Charles Ebbs whose PR throw of 49-0.25 was good for 2nd place.
Ezra Lichtman took 2nd in the mile, running a personal best (I think) 4:35.96. Justin Keefe finished 8th in the 1000 in 2:45.90.
Kevin Han was North's top finisher in the 55, running 7.13, with fast freshman Ryan Lucken clocking 7.24.
Full Results on Cool Running
North had six competitors in the shot put, with five of them over 40'. This formidable crew was led by Charles Ebbs whose PR throw of 49-0.25 was good for 2nd place.
Ezra Lichtman took 2nd in the mile, running a personal best (I think) 4:35.96. Justin Keefe finished 8th in the 1000 in 2:45.90.
Kevin Han was North's top finisher in the 55, running 7.13, with fast freshman Ryan Lucken clocking 7.24.
Full Results on Cool Running
NN Girls Take 2nd at Dartmouth Relays
Carla Forbes won the long jump and triple jump, finished fourth in the 55m dash, and ran on the 2nd-place 4x200 relay to lead Newton North to a strong second-place showing at the Dartmouth Relays on Saturday. The Tigers amassed 58 points, far ahead of third place, but no match for Shenendehowa, which won the team title with 84.
Forbes was the model of consistency in the 55, running 7.49 in the heats, 7.50 in the semis, and 7.50 in the final. Her winning jumps were 17-10.5 and 39-01.25, with the latter only a few inches shy of the meet record.
Emily Hutchinson placed 2nd in the high jump, with a season's best clearance of 5-4. Amy Ren jumped 5-0 and Lucia Grigoli cleared 4-10.
Margo Gillis placed 2nd in the 1000, running 3:03.23, and anchored the fifth-place sprint medley relay team.
Steph Brown cleared 10-0 in the pole vault to take 2nd place.
Dartmouth Relays - High School Girls Results
Forbes was the model of consistency in the 55, running 7.49 in the heats, 7.50 in the semis, and 7.50 in the final. Her winning jumps were 17-10.5 and 39-01.25, with the latter only a few inches shy of the meet record.
Emily Hutchinson placed 2nd in the high jump, with a season's best clearance of 5-4. Amy Ren jumped 5-0 and Lucia Grigoli cleared 4-10.
Margo Gillis placed 2nd in the 1000, running 3:03.23, and anchored the fifth-place sprint medley relay team.
Steph Brown cleared 10-0 in the pole vault to take 2nd place.
Dartmouth Relays - High School Girls Results
January 09, 2010
The MIAA vs. the iPod
The MIAA (Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association) makes and enforces the rules for athletic competition in 33 sports (including indoor track) for 373 high schools in Massachusetts. I was on the MIAA web site looking up the qualifying standards for the Mass. State Meet when I came across the following notice on Page 3 of the 2009-2010 Indoor Track Championship Format document:
"ALL Electronic devices are banned from the gym, track and infield as well as the Shot Put area. The Shot Put area will include inside the fence as well as the cordoned off area outside the fence. This rule will be in force at all times when within the designated areas. This rule will apply to all athletes and coaches as well as officials and meet personnel."
Wow, I thought, that's a broad ban (no pun intended).
I assume "all electronic devices" includes all cell phones, smart cell phones, iPods, and other media players. Surely it does not include digital watches, but does it include digital cameras, GPS watches, headphones?
Does anyone know the background of this new rule, and why the MIAA is so adamant about the ban? Was it put in place to minimize the distracting bursts of music from cell phone ringtones? Or were the officials worried that athletes and coaches were gaining an advantage from taking surreptitious videos and analyzing them between efforts? In either case, my first reaction is wonder why such a big deal. Trying to minimize distractions in the circus that is the Reggie Lewis Track on the day of a big meet is an impossible task. Frankly, you'd be lucky to hear a cell phone ringtone in the cacophony.
And as for the advantage to be gained from recording a throw or jump, well, I agree that it shouldn't be allowed for the purpose of gaining an advantage in the meet, but can't a coach or athlete take a video of a race? The universal ban on all electronic devices seems too sweeping to me.
Haven't kids been listening to their iPods at meets for years? And has this really been a problem? What has changed to make the MIAA go all authoritarian on us all of a sudden? Was there some incident? Did a coach or a parent complain?
The MIAA rules go on to state:
"If an athlete or a coach is found to be in violation of this rule a warning shall be given by an official who will report the violation and warning to the Referee. For a second offense by an athlete, s/he shall forfeit all individual places and points and shall be disqualified from further competition. If a relay event is involved, the team’s relay points and place shall also be forfeited. For a second offense by a coach, s/he will be disqualified from further involvement in the meet and will involve follow-up with school administration and may involve a hearing before the MIAA Track & Field Committee."
Someone is taking this very, very seriously. But why?
January 08, 2010
NN Boys Begin New Decade With Win
On Thursday, the Newton North Boys Indoor Track team improved it's record in the new decade (assuming you have become tired of correcting people and have grudgingly accepted that it's ok to act as though the decade begins on Jan 1, 2010) to 1-0 with a 73-12 thrashing of Braintree. As other have pointed out, the boys have not lost an indoor dual meet this century, although sterner tests lie ahead.
Highlights of yesterday's meet include Ben Kiley's two wins in the 55 and 300, Justin Keefe's PR 4:45.34 in the mile, Ezra Lichtman's PR (I think) 2:41.09 in the 1000, and Dan Ranti and Jake Gleason's sub 10:10 clockings in the deuce (earning state meet qualifying times). Swardick Mayanja also won the shot put, and North took the 4x400 relay with the second fastest time of the night.
Results (from CoolRunning):
Highlights of yesterday's meet include Ben Kiley's two wins in the 55 and 300, Justin Keefe's PR 4:45.34 in the mile, Ezra Lichtman's PR (I think) 2:41.09 in the 1000, and Dan Ranti and Jake Gleason's sub 10:10 clockings in the deuce (earning state meet qualifying times). Swardick Mayanja also won the shot put, and North took the 4x400 relay with the second fastest time of the night.
Results (from CoolRunning):
Mile
5 Keefe, Justin SO Newton North 4:45.34
14 Fogel, Sam SR Newton North 5:00.83
16 Weinfeld, Mike SR Newton North 5:01.60
26 Demarest, David FR Newton North 5:10.04
-- Bressler, Jon Sr Newton North DQ broke early
1000m
2 Lichtman, Ezra JR Newton North 2:41.09
16 Long, Jon FR Newton North 2:59.82
25 Buzby, David SO Newton North 3:10.80
32 Simmons, Jesse JR Newton North 3:17.57
600
12 Foo, Kevin SR Newton North 1:34.40
13 Kwan, Ryan SR Newton North 1:34.46
14 Lee, Matt SR Newton North 1:35.53
21 Roth, Nathaniel SR Newton North 1:37.55
300
3 Kiley, Ben SR Newton North 37.68 6
10 Soran, Alon Newton North 39.27 6
17 Lucken, Ryan FR Newton North 40.06 6
2 Mile
1 Ranti, Dan JR Newton North 10:06.26
2 Gleason, Jake SR Newton North 10:08.86
55 Hurdles
15 Mayanja, Faisal SR Newton North 9.34 6
21 Dickey, Matt JR Newton North 9.79 6
23 Silverman, Eliot SR Newton North 9.91 6
28 Guang, Young SO Newton North 10.24 6
55 Meter Dash
1 Kiley, Ben SR Newton North 6.84 6
7 Wu, Hai Kai SR Newton North 7.00 6
17 Han, Kevin SR Newton North 7.21 6
32 Vaglica, Mike SR Newton North 7.53 6
High Jump
10 Mayanja, Faisal SR Newton North J5-03.00 1.60m
Shot Put
1 Mayanja, Swardick SO Newton North 41-01.00 12.52m
3 Guang, Young SO Newton North 39-11.00 12.16m
5 Castillo, Umberto SR Newton North 39-05.00 12.01m
6 Pang, ED SR Newton North 39-03.00 11.96m
4x400 Meter Relay
2 Newton North 3:41.15 2
Long Jump
3 Lucken, Ryan FR Newton North 17-02.00 5.23m
5 Soran, Alon Newton North 17-00.00 5.18m
9 Mayanja, Swardick SO Newton North 16-04.75 4.99m
55 Yard Dash JV
1 Lucken, Ryan FR Newton North 7.17 3
8 King, Dylon JR Newton North 7.71 3
NN Girls Beat Braintree, Head to Dartmouth
The Newton North Girls Track team took care of business against Braintree on Thursday night, winning eight of nine individual events and swamping the Wamps 65-17 while resting several of their top athletes. This afternoon the Tigers head to Hanover, New Hampshire for the Dartmouth Relays with a legitimate chance to take a run at the team title.
Against Braintree, the girls got off to a fast start with senior Elena Hemler winning the mile (6:14), and sophomores Becca Trayner and Allie Phillips taking 2nd and 3rd. The Tigers then swept the 1000, with Sam Gluck winning in 3:30. Jaya Tripathi won the 600, Meghan Pursley the 300, Emily Denn led a sweep in the 55 hurdles, and Bridget McLaughlin, Jess Fugazzotto, and Pursley swept the dash.
In the field events, Emily Hutchinson and Amy Ren went 1-2 with clearances at 5-1, and Lucia Grigoli took 3rd at 4-11 (THAT is a solid relay team!). Michela Salvucci PR'd in the shot put with a throw of 26-6, and Semira Azadzoi threw 25-10. The versatile Amy Ren also leapt 15-4.75 in the (non-scoring) long jump.
Looking ahead to Dartmouth, North has entered teams in the sprint medley and distance medley Friday night. Most individual events will be on Saturday, and North figures to have good scoring chances with Carla Forbes (55 dash, long and triple jumps), Margo Gillis (1000), Hutchinson, Ren, and Grigoli (HJ), Steph Brown (pole vault), amd Tabatabie (400). The Tigers also have relay squads entered in the 4x200 and 4x800 for Saturday.
Results will be posted on www.lancertiming.com
Against Braintree, the girls got off to a fast start with senior Elena Hemler winning the mile (6:14), and sophomores Becca Trayner and Allie Phillips taking 2nd and 3rd. The Tigers then swept the 1000, with Sam Gluck winning in 3:30. Jaya Tripathi won the 600, Meghan Pursley the 300, Emily Denn led a sweep in the 55 hurdles, and Bridget McLaughlin, Jess Fugazzotto, and Pursley swept the dash.
In the field events, Emily Hutchinson and Amy Ren went 1-2 with clearances at 5-1, and Lucia Grigoli took 3rd at 4-11 (THAT is a solid relay team!). Michela Salvucci PR'd in the shot put with a throw of 26-6, and Semira Azadzoi threw 25-10. The versatile Amy Ren also leapt 15-4.75 in the (non-scoring) long jump.
Looking ahead to Dartmouth, North has entered teams in the sprint medley and distance medley Friday night. Most individual events will be on Saturday, and North figures to have good scoring chances with Carla Forbes (55 dash, long and triple jumps), Margo Gillis (1000), Hutchinson, Ren, and Grigoli (HJ), Steph Brown (pole vault), amd Tabatabie (400). The Tigers also have relay squads entered in the 4x200 and 4x800 for Saturday.
Results will be posted on www.lancertiming.com
January 07, 2010
"Voodoo" Physical Therapy
Stretching, strengthening, hot packs, cold packs, taping, therapeutic massage -- these things are essential after an injury, right?
Well, according to an article in the NY Times, maybe not always. The article raises the question of whether a number of common modalities of physical therapy do any good at all.
Treat Me, but No Tricks Please
A representative quote:
"There is a growing body of evidence that supports what physical therapists do, but there is a lot of voodoo out there, too... You can waste a lot of time and money on things that aren’t very helpful."
The article goes on to point out how little actual research supports the efficacy of various treatment approaches, including ice, heat, ultrasound, stretching, massage, taping, and so on. This is not to say that these treatments don't work, or don't work for some ailments, or don't work for some people, but there are apparently very few studies to prove what does and doesn't hasten recovery.
Not being a researcher myself, my conclusions about various forms of physical therapy are strongly biased and colored by my own experiences. That's alright when I'm making decisions only for myself, but it sure would be nice to have hard evidence that certain forms of physical therapy work reliably when I tell someone else to stretch (or not to stretch), ice (or not ice), etc.
As usual with these kinds of articles, the focus is on the general population, not on professional, elite, or even serious athletes. It would be very interesting to get the perspective of someone whose job depends on keeping full-time athletes healthy and able to compete.
I also wonder whether most serious runners already have a pretty good sense of what is helpful and what is irrelevant. It would be interesting to get the perspective of runners who have learned how to avoid the physical therapist by incorporating strengthening, stretching, rolling, etc. into their own routines.
Still, I keep coming back to the lack of data, and it makes me wonder if some day we'll be looking back and saying "remember when athletes were always treated with such-and-such? How crazy was that?"
Well, according to an article in the NY Times, maybe not always. The article raises the question of whether a number of common modalities of physical therapy do any good at all.
Treat Me, but No Tricks Please
A representative quote:
"There is a growing body of evidence that supports what physical therapists do, but there is a lot of voodoo out there, too... You can waste a lot of time and money on things that aren’t very helpful."
The article goes on to point out how little actual research supports the efficacy of various treatment approaches, including ice, heat, ultrasound, stretching, massage, taping, and so on. This is not to say that these treatments don't work, or don't work for some ailments, or don't work for some people, but there are apparently very few studies to prove what does and doesn't hasten recovery.
Not being a researcher myself, my conclusions about various forms of physical therapy are strongly biased and colored by my own experiences. That's alright when I'm making decisions only for myself, but it sure would be nice to have hard evidence that certain forms of physical therapy work reliably when I tell someone else to stretch (or not to stretch), ice (or not ice), etc.
As usual with these kinds of articles, the focus is on the general population, not on professional, elite, or even serious athletes. It would be very interesting to get the perspective of someone whose job depends on keeping full-time athletes healthy and able to compete.
I also wonder whether most serious runners already have a pretty good sense of what is helpful and what is irrelevant. It would be interesting to get the perspective of runners who have learned how to avoid the physical therapist by incorporating strengthening, stretching, rolling, etc. into their own routines.
Still, I keep coming back to the lack of data, and it makes me wonder if some day we'll be looking back and saying "remember when athletes were always treated with such-and-such? How crazy was that?"
January 05, 2010
Sloggers...
Above my desk is a copy of a calendar page that shows Boston sunrise and sunset times for every day in January. Today, January 5, sunrise was at 7:13 a.m., same as yesterday, same as tomorrow. Well, surely it's not exactly the same. If my calendar gave sunrise times with seconds, I believe that it would show that today's sunrise was just slightly earlier than yesterday's -- the beginning of a long, slow slog through the winter months to more light.
It has been nearly four weeks since the day of earliest sunset. Since about December 12th, we've been gaining a few seconds of afternoon light every day. Sunset today will be at 4:25 p.m., fourteen minutes later than December's nadir.
Why does any of this matter? Well, it doesn't really except that watching the sunrise/sunset is one of the mental games that I play to stay motivated through the slogging reality of outdoor training at this time of year. I envy those who delight in cross-country skiing, and I admire those who can head indoors day after day for runs on treadmills. I'm not nearly as resourceful, and I pretty much just keep running during the winter, with the addition of the once-a-week indoor track workout and the occasional indoor race to get me out of the cold.
It would make sense to swim or get on a bike trainer -- so why don't I do it? Habit? Stubbornness? The secret hope that winter running will toughen me up? Probably it's some combination of all of these.
There's also this: running through the winter only deepens my appreciation and fondness for my fellow sloggers. I still have very happy memories of last winter's long runs, meeting in the parking lot of the Shaw's Supermarket in Auburndale and setting out for the wilds of Weston and Lincoln.
In the last three weeks, all three of my Sunday long runs have taken place in the snow or rain. The first was a memorable run with Terry and Tyler around and around the winter wonderland of the Bentley College campus -- probably averaging no better than eight minute miles, if that. The following week was a soggy twelve miles with Liz, our shoes becoming three times as heavy from the puddles by the time we finished. Last Sunday was a ninety-minute jaunt with Noah, seeking out roads in Newton and Needham that had been plowed and salted as the snow continued to fall throughout the morning. After each of these runs, I had a pile of wet clothes to go through the laundry and sodden shoes to dry by stuffing them with old newspapers. Nothing remarkable here -- nothing really impressive or physically demanding, just a few more examples of mindless slogging away, trying to get in the required weekly mileage. But thank goodness for the company!
Of all the mental tricks we use to get through the winter with our psyches and our training intact, maybe the most effective is our ability to just shut down the higher functions of our brains and become oblivious to the obstacles that winter wants to throw in our way. What's the alternative? As Jonathan says, blizzard or no, the intrepid must run, so...
So the runs aren't very fast or super long, but day-by-day they get done. And every day now, sunrise will be a little earlier, sunset a little later. And one day, we'll wake up and we'll be fast again.
At least that's the secret hope, dormant for now, but not entirely forgotten as we gather in small groups and forage for roads with good footing, where we can slog away for a few more miles.
It has been nearly four weeks since the day of earliest sunset. Since about December 12th, we've been gaining a few seconds of afternoon light every day. Sunset today will be at 4:25 p.m., fourteen minutes later than December's nadir.
Why does any of this matter? Well, it doesn't really except that watching the sunrise/sunset is one of the mental games that I play to stay motivated through the slogging reality of outdoor training at this time of year. I envy those who delight in cross-country skiing, and I admire those who can head indoors day after day for runs on treadmills. I'm not nearly as resourceful, and I pretty much just keep running during the winter, with the addition of the once-a-week indoor track workout and the occasional indoor race to get me out of the cold.
It would make sense to swim or get on a bike trainer -- so why don't I do it? Habit? Stubbornness? The secret hope that winter running will toughen me up? Probably it's some combination of all of these.
There's also this: running through the winter only deepens my appreciation and fondness for my fellow sloggers. I still have very happy memories of last winter's long runs, meeting in the parking lot of the Shaw's Supermarket in Auburndale and setting out for the wilds of Weston and Lincoln.
In the last three weeks, all three of my Sunday long runs have taken place in the snow or rain. The first was a memorable run with Terry and Tyler around and around the winter wonderland of the Bentley College campus -- probably averaging no better than eight minute miles, if that. The following week was a soggy twelve miles with Liz, our shoes becoming three times as heavy from the puddles by the time we finished. Last Sunday was a ninety-minute jaunt with Noah, seeking out roads in Newton and Needham that had been plowed and salted as the snow continued to fall throughout the morning. After each of these runs, I had a pile of wet clothes to go through the laundry and sodden shoes to dry by stuffing them with old newspapers. Nothing remarkable here -- nothing really impressive or physically demanding, just a few more examples of mindless slogging away, trying to get in the required weekly mileage. But thank goodness for the company!
Of all the mental tricks we use to get through the winter with our psyches and our training intact, maybe the most effective is our ability to just shut down the higher functions of our brains and become oblivious to the obstacles that winter wants to throw in our way. What's the alternative? As Jonathan says, blizzard or no, the intrepid must run, so...
So the runs aren't very fast or super long, but day-by-day they get done. And every day now, sunrise will be a little earlier, sunset a little later. And one day, we'll wake up and we'll be fast again.
At least that's the secret hope, dormant for now, but not entirely forgotten as we gather in small groups and forage for roads with good footing, where we can slog away for a few more miles.
January 03, 2010
Mayanja Wins SP at Frosh-Soph Meet
NN Sophomore Swardick Mayanja won the shot put at yesterday's Frosh-Soph meet with a throw of 43-6, with teammate Young Guang taking 4th with a throw of 40-10. Mayanja also ran 7.27 in the 55 dash (shades of David Bell!).
Justin Keefe had a great race in the 1000, taking 3rd in 2:43.56, a time that qualifies him for the State meet.
55 Meter Dash
9 Lucken, Ryan 09 Newton North 7.04q 3
26 Mayanja, Swardick 10 Newton North 7.27 6
Semi-Finals
18 Lucken, Ryan 09 Newton North 7.16 1
300 Meter Dash
36 Menninger, Nate 12 Newton North 41.17 14
79 Apfel, Miles 09 Newton North 44.94 11
600 Meter Run
39 Abbott, Robert 10 Newton North 1:41.58
1000 Meter Run
3 Keefe, Justin 10 Newton North 2:43.56
1 Mile Run
40 Demarest, David 09 Newton North 5:13.24
43 Long, Jon 09 Newton North 5:16.81
Shot Put
1 Mayanja, Swardick 10 Newton North 43-06.00
4 Guang, Young 10 Newton North 40-10.25
4x200 Meter Relay
9 Newton North 'A' 1:41.60 5
Justin Keefe had a great race in the 1000, taking 3rd in 2:43.56, a time that qualifies him for the State meet.
55 Meter Dash
9 Lucken, Ryan 09 Newton North 7.04q 3
26 Mayanja, Swardick 10 Newton North 7.27 6
Semi-Finals
18 Lucken, Ryan 09 Newton North 7.16 1
300 Meter Dash
36 Menninger, Nate 12 Newton North 41.17 14
79 Apfel, Miles 09 Newton North 44.94 11
600 Meter Run
39 Abbott, Robert 10 Newton North 1:41.58
1000 Meter Run
3 Keefe, Justin 10 Newton North 2:43.56
1 Mile Run
40 Demarest, David 09 Newton North 5:13.24
43 Long, Jon 09 Newton North 5:16.81
Shot Put
1 Mayanja, Swardick 10 Newton North 43-06.00
4 Guang, Young 10 Newton North 40-10.25
4x200 Meter Relay
9 Newton North 'A' 1:41.60 5
Forbes, NN Girls Shine at Frosh-Soph Meet
A steady light snow fell on Boston, but it wasn't nearly enough to think about postponing the MSTCA Freshman-Sophomore meet (Large Schools), held at the Reggie Lewis Center Saturday.
The Newton North girls had an impressive showing. Freshman Carla Forbes won the 55 dash and long jump (17-1.25 and ran on NN's winning 4x200 relay team. Kayla Wong had a nice series of races in the 55 Hurdles, running 9.02 in the heats, and then taking 3rd in the final with a time of 9.08. Lucia Grigoli cleared 5-0 to place 3rd in the high jump.
Girls Results:
55 Meter Dash
Preliminaries
1 Forbes, Carla 09 Newton North 7.56q 9
Semi-Finals
1 Forbes, Carla 09 Newton North 7.48Q 3
Finals
1 Forbes, Carla 09 Newton North 7.42
55 Meter Hurdles
Prelims
3 Wong, Kayla 10 Newton North 9.02q 4
34 Prior, Kayla 10 Newton North 10.99 7
Semi-Finals
4 Wong, Kayla 10 Newton North 9.12q 1
Finals
3 Wong, Kayla 10 Newton North 9.08
300 Meter Dash
19 Brown, Steph 10 Newton North 45.58 14
600 Meter Run
18 Bellerose, Meghan 09 Newton North 1:51.91
1000 Meter Run
28 Smith, Lauren 10 Newton North 3:33.74
38 Trayner, Rebecca 10 Newton North 3:39.52
1 Mile Run
7 Heffernan, Maggie 10 Newton North 5:38.23
26 Perlo, Sarah 10 Newton North 6:01.75
Girls Long Jump
1 Forbes, Carla 09 Newton North 17-01.25
7 Prior, Kayla 10 Newton North 14-11.75
High Jump
3 Grigoli, Lucia 10 Newton North 5-00.00
19 Larkin, Maeve 09 Newton North J4-06.00
Shot Put
37 McLaughlin, Bridget 09 Newton North 22-03.50
4x400 Meter Relay
16 Newton North 'A' 4:37.54 4
1) Heffernan, Maggie 10 2) Bellerose, Meghan 09
3) Smith, Lauren 10 4) Trayner, Rebecca 10
4x200 Meter Relay
1 Newton North 'A' 1:50.95 5
1) Wong, Kayla 10 2) Forbes, Carla 09
3) Brown, Steph 10 4) Larkin, Maeve 09
The Newton North girls had an impressive showing. Freshman Carla Forbes won the 55 dash and long jump (17-1.25 and ran on NN's winning 4x200 relay team. Kayla Wong had a nice series of races in the 55 Hurdles, running 9.02 in the heats, and then taking 3rd in the final with a time of 9.08. Lucia Grigoli cleared 5-0 to place 3rd in the high jump.
Girls Results:
55 Meter Dash
Preliminaries
1 Forbes, Carla 09 Newton North 7.56q 9
Semi-Finals
1 Forbes, Carla 09 Newton North 7.48Q 3
Finals
1 Forbes, Carla 09 Newton North 7.42
55 Meter Hurdles
Prelims
3 Wong, Kayla 10 Newton North 9.02q 4
34 Prior, Kayla 10 Newton North 10.99 7
Semi-Finals
4 Wong, Kayla 10 Newton North 9.12q 1
Finals
3 Wong, Kayla 10 Newton North 9.08
300 Meter Dash
19 Brown, Steph 10 Newton North 45.58 14
600 Meter Run
18 Bellerose, Meghan 09 Newton North 1:51.91
1000 Meter Run
28 Smith, Lauren 10 Newton North 3:33.74
38 Trayner, Rebecca 10 Newton North 3:39.52
1 Mile Run
7 Heffernan, Maggie 10 Newton North 5:38.23
26 Perlo, Sarah 10 Newton North 6:01.75
Girls Long Jump
1 Forbes, Carla 09 Newton North 17-01.25
7 Prior, Kayla 10 Newton North 14-11.75
High Jump
3 Grigoli, Lucia 10 Newton North 5-00.00
19 Larkin, Maeve 09 Newton North J4-06.00
Shot Put
37 McLaughlin, Bridget 09 Newton North 22-03.50
4x400 Meter Relay
16 Newton North 'A' 4:37.54 4
1) Heffernan, Maggie 10 2) Bellerose, Meghan 09
3) Smith, Lauren 10 4) Trayner, Rebecca 10
4x200 Meter Relay
1 Newton North 'A' 1:50.95 5
1) Wong, Kayla 10 2) Forbes, Carla 09
3) Brown, Steph 10 4) Larkin, Maeve 09
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