February 25, 2001
Hyannis, Massachusetts
By Tom Derderian
Since it beginning in 1978 with 170 runners the race that would become the Sheraton Hyannis Marathon, Half Marathon, and Penfield’s Twin Brook Marathon Team Relay has in fact become one of the premier races in New England. Because of the Greater Boston Track Club’s history in support of the race and ability to finish marathoners high in the standings the race director has invited a team of Greater Boston runners to compete. Last year GBTC runner Glen Mays won the race in 2:30.43.
Jim Pawlicki with a marathon best of 2:33 and Matt Lyons, a 4:13 miler from Tufts University, will represent the GBTC men and Dara Zall the women. All are looking to qualify for Boston, something that for runners of their ability should be a formality. Pawlicki and Lyons would certainly like to follow the victorious steps of teammate Mays. Those three bolstered by other GBTC men will contend for the club’s Boston Marathon team.
Greater Boston star Jessica Blake, hot off a successful indoor track season, has already qualified for Boston and will race the half marathon, as speed work, as may 51 year-old Greater Boston coach Tom Derderian who will be special guest at the banquet on the night before and signing copies of his award-winning book, Boston Marathon: The first Century of the World’s Premier Marathon.
The race may well herald the contenders for the New England Championship half-marathon on March 11th at Melrose.
In 1988, the Hyannis Half Marathon record was established in its fourth year with an outstanding time of 1:09:43 which was run by current prize-winning author and former Greater Boston Track Club runner Sebastian Junger of Truro. He is one of only three runners to break 1:10 on the Half Marathon course. In that same race Julie Peterson made herself known as she ran to her first of three victories in a new course record of 1:18:50. Julie would later lower this standard to 1:15:41 in 1991, which still stands today.
2000 was a great year for speed and overall runner participation Mary Chute of New Fairfield, CT won the Hyannis Marathon taking the women’s time under 3 hours for the 1st time in a few years with a 2:59:07, and the top two men in the Hyannis Marathon both ran close to 2:30 with Glen Mays of the famed Greater Boston Track Club winning in a grand time of 2:30:43 and Robert Ashby placing 2nd in a time of 2:33:55…2001 is a new beginning as far race directors go.. For entry info and applications, see
