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The Downeast Sunrise Trail (DEST) relay is one of the great races in Maine. It holds the distinction of being the only overnight relay race in the Pine Tree state and lets competitors enjoy the natural beauty of some of Maine’s quieter camp towns. I was honored to be part of the Central Maine Striders (Streakers?) team with my greatest asset being a reliable (read: available) SUV.
Not only was I new to the race, but it’d also be my first time visiting each town along the trail. Ron spent the drive passing on such geographic gems as Eastport being the easternmost city in the US (because Lubec is technically a town). I listened intently as Ron had won a marathon up there a few years back and his insider knowledge of the terrain was bound to
save us valuable minutes.
After a delicious pizza and pasta dinner, we arrived at the starting point to a mini rave. The Wackos from Waco, a fellow perennial team, were busy weaving glowsticks onto an old mountain bike. This psychedelic figure would always appear at the end of legs; a luminous siren shepherding us to cold water and starchy treats.
The team took off at 10:30pm with me taking the lead leg. The typical start-line adrenaline was magnified by the reality of running into the wilderness in the dead of night with nothing to guide me except the clearance headlamp I got at Walmart 2 years ago (I knew I should’ve sprung for that Black Diamond). After the first couple of miles, I was able to sink into the moment. The quiet and calm of the trail coupled with the darkness made it feel as if I were running through a sensory deprivation tank. I was able to zone out and let my instincts take over as I passed through marshes and woodlands with the moon to guide the way.
With the first handoff to Tiana, the relay was in full swing. Each rendezvous point was designated by GPS coordinates which greatly helped with navigation (save the occasional detour through a blueberry farm). I was eager to pass the baton to our teammates in car 2 and get a few hours of rest before sunrise. I was surprised to see how many local teams rolled up in campers and sprint vans, as if our expedition was taking us around the whole state rather than a 3 hour drive north. However, incredulity was quickly replaced with envy as I gave the captain’s chair in my Toyota Rav4 the airplane seat tilt.
The second half was soon underway, with Brian getting to enjoy the namesake of the trail instead of our captain, Julie (I’m sure she’s already consulting almanacs and time splits to recalibrate for next year =). This sunrise also brought one of the hottest days of the summer; air temps reached the mid 90s and the roads were well into the triple digits. We made our way through Machias as the sun picked up. I cost our team a couple min by being on the porcelain (plastic?) throne as Tracey waited to handoff after running a blistering pace for leg 10, but I think we can all agree the extra facilities on the trail were a huge plus. Great legs by Ron, Tiana, Jess, and Pat helped us extend our lead over the Wackos, our Maine rivals.
We waited in a beautiful park in Eastport overlooking a Canadian island as Pat took us from trail to road and the last exchange. Our closer, Brian, was psyched and ready to go. He slipped into his experimental Nikes that had such rebound, they made Vaporflys look like Bean boots. The heat was beating down on the roads and we stationed our cars along the final stretch to keep our anchorman hydrated and cool. A few minutes later, we crossed the finish as a team to receive some impressive race medals.
The race provided unique challenges and memorable experiences all within the confines of 24 hours. We arrived back in Waterville on Saturday afternoon with a great sense of accomplishment and having seen picturesque locations in some more rural parts of Maine. If you’re looking for a race that will challenge you physically, give you a chance to explore the state, and most importantly spend time with some really cool Striders, look no further than signing up for DEST next year.
Not only was I new to the race, but it’d also be my first time visiting each town along the trail. Ron spent the drive passing on such geographic gems as Eastport being the easternmost city in the US (because Lubec is technically a town). I listened intently as Ron had won a marathon up there a few years back and his insider knowledge of the terrain was bound to
save us valuable minutes.
After a delicious pizza and pasta dinner, we arrived at the starting point to a mini rave. The Wackos from Waco, a fellow perennial team, were busy weaving glowsticks onto an old mountain bike. This psychedelic figure would always appear at the end of legs; a luminous siren shepherding us to cold water and starchy treats.
The team took off at 10:30pm with me taking the lead leg. The typical start-line adrenaline was magnified by the reality of running into the wilderness in the dead of night with nothing to guide me except the clearance headlamp I got at Walmart 2 years ago (I knew I should’ve sprung for that Black Diamond). After the first couple of miles, I was able to sink into the moment. The quiet and calm of the trail coupled with the darkness made it feel as if I were running through a sensory deprivation tank. I was able to zone out and let my instincts take over as I passed through marshes and woodlands with the moon to guide the way.
With the first handoff to Tiana, the relay was in full swing. Each rendezvous point was designated by GPS coordinates which greatly helped with navigation (save the occasional detour through a blueberry farm). I was eager to pass the baton to our teammates in car 2 and get a few hours of rest before sunrise. I was surprised to see how many local teams rolled up in campers and sprint vans, as if our expedition was taking us around the whole state rather than a 3 hour drive north. However, incredulity was quickly replaced with envy as I gave the captain’s chair in my Toyota Rav4 the airplane seat tilt.
The second half was soon underway, with Brian getting to enjoy the namesake of the trail instead of our captain, Julie (I’m sure she’s already consulting almanacs and time splits to recalibrate for next year =). This sunrise also brought one of the hottest days of the summer; air temps reached the mid 90s and the roads were well into the triple digits. We made our way through Machias as the sun picked up. I cost our team a couple min by being on the porcelain (plastic?) throne as Tracey waited to handoff after running a blistering pace for leg 10, but I think we can all agree the extra facilities on the trail were a huge plus. Great legs by Ron, Tiana, Jess, and Pat helped us extend our lead over the Wackos, our Maine rivals.
We waited in a beautiful park in Eastport overlooking a Canadian island as Pat took us from trail to road and the last exchange. Our closer, Brian, was psyched and ready to go. He slipped into his experimental Nikes that had such rebound, they made Vaporflys look like Bean boots. The heat was beating down on the roads and we stationed our cars along the final stretch to keep our anchorman hydrated and cool. A few minutes later, we crossed the finish as a team to receive some impressive race medals.
The race provided unique challenges and memorable experiences all within the confines of 24 hours. We arrived back in Waterville on Saturday afternoon with a great sense of accomplishment and having seen picturesque locations in some more rural parts of Maine. If you’re looking for a race that will challenge you physically, give you a chance to explore the state, and most importantly spend time with some really cool Striders, look no further than signing up for DEST next year.
Striders L to R
Jess Beers, Ron Peck, Pat Cote, Tracey Cote
Sapan Bhatt, Tiana Thomas, Julie Millard, Brian Morin Brian breaking the speed limit!
Jess Beers, Ron Peck, Pat Cote, Tracey Cote
Sapan Bhatt, Tiana Thomas, Julie Millard, Brian Morin Brian breaking the speed limit!
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Congratulations to all the runners who came out to the 40th running of the January Thaw 4.5-Mile Road Race on January 27.
Ron Peck (27:28) and Pamela Lattin (33:17) were the top male and female finishers, receiving $50 gift certificates from New Balance.
Full race results are as follows:
1.Ron Peck 43 27:28
2. Pamela Lattin* 44 33:17
3. Kris Dubois 42 33:17
4. Anne Charles* 43 33:35
5. J.C. Rhodes 48 33:45
6. Richard Bissett 45 34:43
7. Jacob Brugger 35 34:50
8. Gena Bosshart * 35 34:55
9. Eycee Pheet* 47 35:13
10. Julie Millard* 55 36:00
11. Bradley Yarbough 30 37:00
12. Jared McGouldrick 36 38:41
13. Tammy Moulton* 54 39:20
14. Amy Gagne* 35 39:52
15. Alyss Brugger* 30 39:58
16. Paul Miles 66 41:20
17. Maureen Sproul* 62 41:54
18. Amy Stabins* 50 42:45
19. Kate Cooley* 40 42:56
20. Lloyd Harmon 78 43:40
21. Martha Nadeau* 41 47:36
22. David Benn 73 49:06
23. Gi Reed* 54 53:23
24. Jim Moore 75 62:48
*Female
Ron Peck (27:28) and Pamela Lattin (33:17) were the top male and female finishers, receiving $50 gift certificates from New Balance.
Full race results are as follows:
1.Ron Peck 43 27:28
2. Pamela Lattin* 44 33:17
3. Kris Dubois 42 33:17
4. Anne Charles* 43 33:35
5. J.C. Rhodes 48 33:45
6. Richard Bissett 45 34:43
7. Jacob Brugger 35 34:50
8. Gena Bosshart * 35 34:55
9. Eycee Pheet* 47 35:13
10. Julie Millard* 55 36:00
11. Bradley Yarbough 30 37:00
12. Jared McGouldrick 36 38:41
13. Tammy Moulton* 54 39:20
14. Amy Gagne* 35 39:52
15. Alyss Brugger* 30 39:58
16. Paul Miles 66 41:20
17. Maureen Sproul* 62 41:54
18. Amy Stabins* 50 42:45
19. Kate Cooley* 40 42:56
20. Lloyd Harmon 78 43:40
21. Martha Nadeau* 41 47:36
22. David Benn 73 49:06
23. Gi Reed* 54 53:23
24. Jim Moore 75 62:48
*Female
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The club is thankful for the service of two board members who finished their second two-year terms in December.
Ron Peck served as the club's treasurer from 2015-18. Ron has overcome his initial fears to actually enjoy racing distances from 3K to marathons. He can often be found at club pub runs and the weekly Quarry Road Summer Race Series, and he is a member of the club's annual team for the Down East Sunrise Trail Relay.
Ron was a finalist for the 2016 Strider of the Year and is an associate professor of biology at Colby College. He has appreciated the chance to meet many CMS members while serving as treasurer. Thanks, Ron!
Ron was a finalist for the 2016 Strider of the Year and is an associate professor of biology at Colby College. He has appreciated the chance to meet many CMS members while serving as treasurer. Thanks, Ron!
Ron running the New England Green River Marathon in August of 2018.
Alicia MacLeay served as the club's communications director from 2015-18, overseeing the Striders website, newsletter, race calendar, and other outreach efforts. She enjoys trail running, being outdoors, and documenting beautiful and random moments on the run (#thingsiseewhenirun).
Alicia has run race distances from 3K to 100 miles and in 2015 was named a Strider of the Year. She is the co-founder and editor of Trailspace, an outdoor gear review site. Thanks, Alicia!
Alicia has run race distances from 3K to 100 miles and in 2015 was named a Strider of the Year. She is the co-founder and editor of Trailspace, an outdoor gear review site. Thanks, Alicia!
Alicia finishing the Vermont 100 in July of 2017.
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Below is the 2018 annual financial report for the club, submitted by Ron Peck, 2018 treasurer.
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Take your love of running and the running community even further—join the Central Maine Striders board!
Three board positions are open, or will be shortly, and the club needs individuals who can step up and support and grow Striders.
Terms are two years, with the option of one renewal. Club meetings are held approximately nine times a year and are casual and social events. Come hang out with fellow runners!
Secretary
The Secretary is responsible for recording the minutes of board meetings, ensuring their accuracy and availability, and keeping membership records updated.
Main responsibilities:
Treasurer
Ron Peck, Treasurer, will finish his two terms on the board in December. The Treasurer is responsible for the club’s financial accounts.
Main responsibilities:
Communications
Alicia MacLeay, Communications, will finish her two terms on the board in December. The Communications officer oversees the club's web, social, newsletter, and other communication, plus updates the Maine race calendar.
Main responsibilities (which can be divided up among multiple people):
Help continue our legacy as the oldest active running club in Maine. If you can help with any of the above, please send an email to run@centralmainestriders.com, come to a monthly club meeting, or reach out to a current board member.
Established in 1975, Central Maine Striders is the oldest, active running club in Maine, and is a completely volunteer-run organization. The club is open to all interested runners and serves runners of all ages, abilities, and interest levels in the Central Maine area.
Three board positions are open, or will be shortly, and the club needs individuals who can step up and support and grow Striders.
Terms are two years, with the option of one renewal. Club meetings are held approximately nine times a year and are casual and social events. Come hang out with fellow runners!
Secretary
The Secretary is responsible for recording the minutes of board meetings, ensuring their accuracy and availability, and keeping membership records updated.
Main responsibilities:
- Write up and distribute club meeting agendas
- Take notes at meetings and post notes on website and/or Facebook
- Update membership records online (with Treasurer)
- Monitor club's email
Treasurer
Ron Peck, Treasurer, will finish his two terms on the board in December. The Treasurer is responsible for the club’s financial accounts.
Main responsibilities:
- Manage checking account
- Check club PO mailbox
- Update membership records online (with Secretary)
- File taxes
- Pay Road Runners Club of America dues
Communications
Alicia MacLeay, Communications, will finish her two terms on the board in December. The Communications officer oversees the club's web, social, newsletter, and other communication, plus updates the Maine race calendar.
Main responsibilities (which can be divided up among multiple people):
- Maintain club's Maine race calendar
- Maintain/update club website
- Send out newsletter (approximately monthly)
- Serve as Admin for club Facebook page and Facebook group (share club news, create Facebook club events, etc)
Help continue our legacy as the oldest active running club in Maine. If you can help with any of the above, please send an email to run@centralmainestriders.com, come to a monthly club meeting, or reach out to a current board member.
- President: Brendan Gilpatrick
- Vice President: Ryan Goebel
- Treasurer: Ron Peck
- Communications: Alicia MacLeay
Established in 1975, Central Maine Striders is the oldest, active running club in Maine, and is a completely volunteer-run organization. The club is open to all interested runners and serves runners of all ages, abilities, and interest levels in the Central Maine area.
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By Ryan Goebel
It is hard not to run a race that starts less than a mile from your house. That’s probably the main reason I ran the Doc & Mardie Brown 5K last year and again this year.
In the race last year, I was new to Maine and didn’t really know what to expect from the competition and from the course. I managed to place second overall and win the 40-49 male age group division with a time of 18:38, which was 29 seconds behind the overall winner. Having never actually won a race on a certified course before, I immediately put the thought into my head that I wanted to come back in 2018 and win this race.
The Doc & Mardie 5K course is by no means easy. In fact, it’s the hardest road 5K that I’ve ever run. The first mile includes an elevation gain of 128 feet, most of which is over a quarter mile while you climb up the hill to Colby College from North Street. How you run up this hill can make or break your race, and I was determined to conquer it. So, I ran up this hill frequently during my training, including seven times in the week prior to this year’s Doc & Mardie 5K. I made several attempts at capturing the Strava segment “course record” from fellow Strider Ron Peck, but continually failed. The only thing I could hope for was some race day magic to propel me up the hill at the pace I wanted to run.
Going into the race, I gave myself about a 50 percent chance that I could win it. My running has improved a lot over the last year, including cutting nearly 30 seconds off my 5K PR, but I knew there was no guarantee that I could beat the winning time from last year. I was also afraid that a random Colby College kid would show up and blow me away.
On the morning of the race, I jogged from my house to the YMCA to pick up my number and t-shirt and then jogged back home where I changed shoes and shirt and drank some water. Once again, the convenience of racing this close to home can’t be overstated. As I ran down the street heading back to the YMCA and the start of the race, I started feeling a little hungry, so I made a U-turn to go back home to eat a GU energy gel and drink more water.
It is hard not to run a race that starts less than a mile from your house. That’s probably the main reason I ran the Doc & Mardie Brown 5K last year and again this year.
In the race last year, I was new to Maine and didn’t really know what to expect from the competition and from the course. I managed to place second overall and win the 40-49 male age group division with a time of 18:38, which was 29 seconds behind the overall winner. Having never actually won a race on a certified course before, I immediately put the thought into my head that I wanted to come back in 2018 and win this race.
The Doc & Mardie 5K course is by no means easy. In fact, it’s the hardest road 5K that I’ve ever run. The first mile includes an elevation gain of 128 feet, most of which is over a quarter mile while you climb up the hill to Colby College from North Street. How you run up this hill can make or break your race, and I was determined to conquer it. So, I ran up this hill frequently during my training, including seven times in the week prior to this year’s Doc & Mardie 5K. I made several attempts at capturing the Strava segment “course record” from fellow Strider Ron Peck, but continually failed. The only thing I could hope for was some race day magic to propel me up the hill at the pace I wanted to run.
Going into the race, I gave myself about a 50 percent chance that I could win it. My running has improved a lot over the last year, including cutting nearly 30 seconds off my 5K PR, but I knew there was no guarantee that I could beat the winning time from last year. I was also afraid that a random Colby College kid would show up and blow me away.
On the morning of the race, I jogged from my house to the YMCA to pick up my number and t-shirt and then jogged back home where I changed shoes and shirt and drank some water. Once again, the convenience of racing this close to home can’t be overstated. As I ran down the street heading back to the YMCA and the start of the race, I started feeling a little hungry, so I made a U-turn to go back home to eat a GU energy gel and drink more water.
Striders Ryan Goebel, Ron Peck, and Julie Millard
As I chatted with some of the other Striders while standing at the starting line, I looked around and either didn’t see or didn’t recognize the guy who won last year’s race. I also didn’t see anyone else I recognized as being faster than me. I knew that winning was a real possibility now.
“On your mark. Go!”
I immediately shot out into the lead having no idea how close anyone was behind me. I looked at my watch about a quarter mile into the race and saw I was running 5:15 pace. I knew I had to slow down a bit so I wasn’t too winded by the time I reached the base of the hill. As I ran up the hill, I started getting paranoid that someone was right on my tail. I thought I was hearing heavy breathing and footsteps right behind me, but was afraid to look back.
I continued to push up the hill trying to pull away from the phantom runner trying to pass me. The hill felt much less bad than normal. I made it to the top of the steep part of the hill, but knew that the road kept climbing until close to the one-mile mark just past the Colby Art Museum. My Garmin GPS watched beeped and showed that I ran my first mile in 6 minutes flat. “Not bad,” I thought to myself. “I can do this.”
Running down Mayflower Hill, I knew my pace would increase, but I didn’t want to push it too much. I knew that the third mile included another climb that may not be as big as the hill in the first mile but still had the potential to zap a lot of energy out of me. I came through the second mile at 5:36 min/mile pace. I was right where I wanted to be.
As I approached the bottom of the hill at the Gilman Street bridge, I again thought I heard heavy breathing right behind me. After crossing the bridge, there was a car that seemed to want to drive through the construction barriers. I was relieved to see that race director Patrick Guerette was talking to the driver, but also a tad worried because the driver seemed to keep inching forward. I wasn’t sure whether I should go around the left or the right side of the car. I went to the right without incident and soon after saw my wife standing on the side of the course cheering for me.
“Are you winning?” she asked.
“Yes. How far back is the next guy?”
“I don’t know. I can’t tell.”
I was relieved to know that the phantom runner chasing me really was a phantom and I was well on my way to winning the race as long as I maintained my pace to the finish.
Of course, knowing that I had a comfortable lead also killed my adrenaline rush. My breathing grew heavier and I felt hot for the first time in the race. Running up the hill on West Street felt much worse than the giant hill in the first mile. At this point, I just wanted the race to be over. I topped the hill and turned onto North Street. “Only a half mile to go,” I thought to myself. I really wanted this half mile to be finished.
As I turned into the YMCA parking lot, I saw the race clock counting up from 17:37. I pushed to the finish line realizing that I was going to win the race and run a sub-18:00 time. I had just won a race for the first time ever!
I turned around to see the next runners approach the finish and was glad to see that Ron Peck came in second overall and Julie Millard won the women’s race.
After I got home and loaded my GPS data to Strava, I found that I had finally beat the segment record going up the big hill to Colby (sorry, Ron). That capped off a great week of running for me: placing fifth in my age group at Beach to Beacon, winning the Doc & Mardie 5K, topping 70 miles for the week, and getting a segment record on Strava. The only thing left to do was to head over to the New Balance Factory Store Tent Sale and spend the gift card I won from the Doc & Mardie race.
Thanks to Patrick Guerette for organizing a great race. If you live in the area and haven’t run the Doc & Mardie Brown 5K, you really should consider it. I plan on running it again next year.
Doc and Mardie 5K winners Julie Millard and Ryan Goebel