Triple Victory at Carlisle 6km xc

Amelia Bishop charging to the finish.
Photo by Jim Rhodes, coolrunning.

On a rainy and slick course over rocks, roots, and puddles new GBTC member Amelia Bishop felt comfortable although she ran the first cross-country race of her life. In her previous life her competition over slick courses passed on cross-country skis. At Dartmouth College she did not run track or cross-country, but now she no longer lives in snow country.

Scarlett Graham running in her second race of the week after helping the team to victory in Lynn Woods took second for the team. Graham was the only team member from winning woods team to race in Carlisle. So the team is looking strong for the coming season as the competition increases all the way to the club nationals in Lexington, KY in December.

For men Ryan Place led the team again with Haringa, Korhonen, and Smith close behind to insure the team place.

But the big news of the day comes from the old guys. John Raguin organized the men's masters team and ran in first for them. They won the team prize too. A triple threat for the season's cross-country Grand Prix looms.

Full results here, GBTC results below.

Carlisle 6km XC

1. Esther Erb 21:15 unatt
2. Amelia Bishop 21:18 GBTC
4. Scarlett Graham 22:35 GBTC
5. Tara Wommack (nee Vance) 22:37 GBTC
10. Alissa Nelson 24:23 GBTC
11. Beth Harlow 24:43 GBTC
12. Katie Famous 24:46 GBTC
47 women finishers

1. Shoemaker Jarrod 17:27 BAA
2. Harvey Brian 17:29 (team prospect)
3. Place Ryan 18:01 GBTC
4. Haringan Matthew 18:03 GBTC
5. Korhonen Jon 18:04 GBTC
Smith Dan 18:11 GBTC
Eckel Ryan 19:45 GBTC
Barnes Dustin 21:05 GBTC
Uchiki Tomoaki 20:15 GBTC
Blouin John 20:21 GBTC
Feldman William 20:21 GBTC
Guarascio Michael 20:45 GBTC
50 open men finishers

Masters Men 40+
5. Raguin John 20:41 GBTC
7. Harder Adam 21:34 GBTC
8. Depew Kristopher 21:35 GBTC
14. Dwyer Christopher 23:32 GBTC
7. Bargmann Joel 23:44 GBTC
9. Bond Bruce 24:05 GBTC
16. Hare Brian 24:32 GBTC
57 masters finishers

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Lynn Woods Relay, men and women win

The happy teams. Note Junyung poised by the grill on the right. New member Annie Morgan third from left in the front row.

Kim Eckel flying out of the darkling woods. photos by GreaterSnap

Bill Newsham brought his whole family to race. Bill and Wendy met after they each joined the club, thus their team name: Generations.

Annie Morgan is the youngest (adult) member of the club coming to Boston to school as a freshman at Harvard from Spokane, WA.

Full results here, and GBTC results below.

1 . GBTC PUMAS (425) 53:33
DAN SMITH 13:06 13:06
JUNYUNG PAK 26:25 13:19
RYAN ECKEL 40:20 13:55
KEVIN SOMERS 53:33 13:13

3 . GBTC LEFTOVERS (441) 58:27
MAX WHITE 15:13 15:13
CHRIS LOWE 29:36 14:23
MIKE GUARASCIO 44:07 14:31
JOHN BLOUIN 58:27 14:20

14. GBTC - FAST GIRLS (455) 67:10
ANNIE MORGAN 17:01 17:01
ALLISON MCCABE 31:08 14:07
KIM ECKLE 50:45 19:37
SCARLETT GRAHAM 67:10 16:25

55. GBTC - GENERATIONS (411) 82:13
BILL NEWSHAM 14:44 14:44
WENDY NEWSHAM 35:32 20:48
EMILIE NEWSHAM 58:36 23:04
BRYCE NEWSHAM 82:13 23:37

CYNTHIA HASTINGS 57:53 20:33

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Men's team wins Bridge of Flowers 10km

Ryan Place ran his first race in a GBTC uniform.

On the day before the race Dan Smith took the team on a tour of the Shelburne Falls 10 km course. The key to this race is knowing and understanding the monster hill called Crittendon. The road rises from the valley where the Deerfield River flows over the falls up and around tree canopied turns that conceal the pitch each runner will confront in the next minute. Crittendon raises 400 feet in a mile. The running speeds change tremendously in the race because of these contours. David Bedoya who placed 10th averaging 5:21 per mile for the 10 km ran up the monster in 6:40 and down in 4:50. New GBTC member Ryan Place who hadn't raced in months ran cautiously with the following pack up the hills. Eric Blake and Justin Freeman led to the crest. Place wanted to be intact for the downhills. At the top they ran threw a cooling spray from garden hoses and past a seated musician playing a jolly accordion. On this picture post-card perfect day the runners all cooled and wet flew down the dirt road and back into the valley. Ryan Place came alive with speed.

Place won the race in 32:10 followed by Dan Smith in 9th at 33:08, Bedoya in 33:15, Jon Korhonen in 33:16, and Kevin Somers in 33:21. These five in the top 12 clinched the team title for GBTC and the $350 in prize money for the club. Place won $250 for first and Smith and Bedoya collected some cash too.

Interviewed after the race Place said this to Bill Wells of The Republican:
"I've never run a course like this. I'm not a great hill runner. To be honest I was hoping just not to get annihilated. I was trying to conserve as much energy as I could on that hill.

"As soon as we hit the flats, I was feeling pretty good. I found my stride, and I was pulling in the two guys ( Eric Blake and Justin Freeman). I hit the last mile, got excited, got a little bit of an adrenaline rush and carried it home."

David Hantman in his debut ran 36:40 for 21st place. The club's only female entrant, Beth Harlow, ran 18th among women in 44:25.

Dan Smith, who grew up in Shelburne Falls, arranged a sumptuous barbecue for the team as well as lodging on the night before. There really is a bridge over the Deerfield River that was once a railroad and is now a flower garden.

Full results here.

Smith, Bedoya, Korhonen, and Somers past half way

Ryan and the runners getting cooled after running 400 feet up from the valley floor. Other GBTC runners are about to emerge from the shadows.

all photos by GreaterSnap

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Greater Boston in Thessaloniki, Greece

Giannis Papadopoulos races in the sweltering Mediterranean heat

Photo by Lefteris Damianidis.


Thessaloniki, the second biggest city of Greece with a population of 1.5 million will host the IAAF Golden League Grand Prix in September. On August 2 the city hosted the country's national championship.

Greater Boston Track Club runner, Giannis Papadopoulos ran in the Greek National Championship 5km wearing his GBTC shirt.

"The 5K race was at night but the temperature was still at 90 degrees. They even had a table with water bottles for the runners but of course nobody stopped..."

Papadopoulos, a Greek citizen, who just finished a graduate degree at Emerson College in Boston ran out hard in the heat clocking several 72 second laps and passing 3km in 9:10. The time of 14:27 won the race with the Greek National marathon champion placing 8th in 15:10. Papadopoulos ran 15.43.11 for 14th out of 33 runners who started the race. "After 2.5 k I was running alone because the guy who was behind me, a 14.50 guy dropped out. "

"And before the race one of the judges had an argument with one of the runners about the placing at the starting line. They were ready to start punches. The crowd got involved as well cursing the judge! What can I say, Greek, mediterranean mentality!"

Papadopoulos's training around 110 miles this week. He is training for the NYC marathon this fall as well as the club USATF Grand Prix and cross-country races. He will return to Boston on Sept 2.

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The news of Aug 1: Three races and another wedding

GBTC president Bruce Davie is repaired from his injury and returns to racing feeling prepared to race at Falmouth after winning the weekly Fresh Pond 5 miler. photo by GreaterSnap

David Bedoya ran 32:30 for 31st place out of 5618 in the big Cape Elizabeth, ME 10 km and Gretchen Chick ran 37:33 for 7th in her age group. Tim Stickney ran 35:36 for 105th place.

KATE KLIM ran 4th woman the Cape Cod race in 33:49 at 6:27 per mile

Tara Vance and Andrew Wommack married on August 1st in Iowa. Last weekend club members Michelle Lang and John Blouin married in North Conway, NH.

Davie and Klim will race at Falmouth, MA and Bedoya will join a top GBTC men's team to race for the win in the Bridge of Flowers in Shelburne Falls, MA next weekend.

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