Race Report: Striders Run Mount Washington Road Race in June

Donnajean Pohlman and Ron Paquette before the start of the Mt. Washington Road Race.

By Tom McGuire 

On Saturday, June 18, 2016 former Central Maine Striders club president Dean Rasmussen and every runner's favorite mentor, Ron Paquette, each ran their 35th consecutive Mt. Washington Road Race on a picture-perfect day. The challenging race is a 7.6-mile hill climb to the summit of New Hampshire's Mt. Washington via the Mt. Washington Auto Road and climbs more than 4,500 feet.

For his 75th birthday this year, Ron asked his wife, Donnajean Pohlman, to accompany him on his race to the clouds. Having previously run the hill 15 times, she consented to just one more and both were seen with smiles on their faces before and after the event (see photo at right).

Another longtime Strider couple, Rick and Anne-Marie Davee, had strong performances with Anne-Marie medaling with a second place in her division.

Striders were well represented among the 1,153 finishers. We not only had a strong showing of our runners from both Maine and away, but many friends and family enjoyed the day socializing and volunteering.

Thanks to everyone who came out to volunteer. Beth Pilsbury Bridger, my wife, Lyn McGuire, and I served turkey dinner with all the fixin's after the race, and several runners and their families worked on the cleanup crew. (Were you one? Please let us know by sending an email to alicia@macleay.com, so we can add you to this race report.) 

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Notable Results
Mt. Washington Road Race, New Hampshire
Saturday, June 18, 2016

Top Male
1. Joe Gray (58:16) Colorado Springs, Colo.

Top Female
9. Kim Dobson (1:09:33) Eagle, Colo.

Central Maine Striders Members and Friends
34. Ryan Bair (1:15:23) West Chester, Pa.

74. Christopher Pothier (1:23:46) Northborough, Mass

226. Jeff Arsenault (1:38:22) Rumford, Maine

242. Anne-Marie Davee (1:39:27)- South Freeport, Maine

323. James McManus (1:44:44) Livermore, Maine

358. Mark Fisher (1:46:37) Chichester, N.H.

437. Chris Chadwick (1:51:13) West Chester, Pa.

480. Rick Davee (1:53:25) South Freeport, Maine

651. Dean Rasmussen (2:01:54) West Chester, Pa.

1026. Lori Kaley (2:30:58) Mt. Vernon, Maine

1085. Ron Paquette (2:42:14) Albion, Maine

​1086. Donnajean Pohlman (2:42:15) Albion, Maine
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Donnajean and Ron at the start of the race.

Striders Dean Rasmussen, Mark Fisher, Anne-Marie Davee, Rick Davee, Donnajean Pohlman, and Ron Paquette