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GBTC was at it again this past weekend at the Terrier meets held at the Boston University Track. Due to a time conflict with the Adidas Boston Indoor Games, a pro meet of high caliber, many of the men chose to watch the world record holders battle it out at Reggie Lewis. We were delighted to see Jen Toomey, who set a new meet record in the 800 just two weeks ago at our GBTC Invitational, take on the big guns and flatten them like a pancake, defeating the American record holder in the process.

Back to the GBTC performances, there were fine marks on both sides. The women were highlighted by an absolute sterling set of performances in the 800. Three athletes broke 2:20, with club record holder Joanie Bohlke running 2:12, Catherine Regan running 2:15, and Sloan Siegrist running 2:19. For Sloan, it was a Guam national record, and she will be representing the tiny U.S. protectorate in the World Championships this year (and maybe the Olympics in Athens ?). The club has had three sub-2:20 performers before, but this was the first time we saw three this early and at the same meet. Moving up, the team had three milers, led by Jessica Blake's 5:21. With that type of speed, she will certainly make some noise at her preferred much longer distances (she is the defending Hyannis Half-Marathon champion). Even longer, in the 3000, Amanda LaBelle ran a startling 10:39 in her race, 20 seconds faster than her last attempt. Meagan Chaggaris also broke 11, and over at a different meet altogether, the MIT Six-Way meet, Jen Boudreau in her GBTC debut also broke 11 minutes (a few GBTCers also competed in that more low-key event). Finally, in the dash and 400, we were represented by Imo Akpan, in what seems to be her last race with the club. She ran a 57.93 in the 400, which is the 3rd fastest indoor time ever for the club. Her 55 time was a club record. People make decisions in post-collegiate athletics that sometimes absolutely boggle me, and that's all I'm going to say about our club's brief flirtation with the best female sprinter in Swarthmore College history.

The men's performances were somewhat more limited, but they still performed very well. The team was paced by Chris Westfield, who with yet another 15-6 clearance has stamped his mark as the best pole vaulter in club history. His competition actually included two old friends, Mark Malatesta & Jake Radzewich, who competed for GBTC in high school. Adrian Shears backed up his booming 6-11 mark two weeks ago with a 6-8 clearance taking 4th overall. In the running, Francis Shen won his heat of the 500 in 65.8, Dave Cahill won his 400 heat in 50.75, and Dana Bellows did the same in the 800 with an easy cruise 1:59. Steve Pasche, out at Williams College, broke 15 minutes in the 5000 which is the first sub-15 time for the club this year. Finally, James Lemieux, our solitary active thrower, continued to throw the 35-lb weight over 40 feet.

Josh Seeherman