- Published on
by Heather Cable
Striders, both human and canine, were well represented at this year’s Pineland Farms Trail Festival over Memorial Day weekend.
On Saturday, Arne Koch competed in the event’s 50k distance! After looping through the two loops of winding, hilly trails he finished in a time of 6:06:56.
On Sunday, Julie Millard, Lindsey Madison, and myself took part in the Canicross 5k with our dogs, Lily, Ginny, and Tidbit, respectively. It was starting to heat up as runners lined up with their pups.
When the race started, it was total chaos as we took off hard towards the trail. You could definitely feel the excitement of the dogs. The goal was to find a spot for you and your pup to run without the distraction of too many other dogs and runners. I remember thinking that this wasn’t even close to Tidbit’s normal pace (a pretty big 3-4 minutes faster than normal) so I knew it was only a matter of time before we’d slow down, but he just kept chugging along to the finish with an occasional stop in a puddle or pool to cool off.
Tidbit and I came through the finish in 9th with Tidbit running his fastest 5k ever. Julie and Lily were not far behind us and came through in 18th. Followed by Lindsey and Ginny in 21st out of 35 competitors.
If you are a dog-loving runner, I highly recommend this event. It’s a great way to bond with your dog through running and most of the time, they love it!
Next up for Striders was Kate Scott running the 10k event. At this point the temps were starting to creep into the 80’s and it was getting a little toasty. Despite the warm weather and difficult course, Kate came through the finish as the 6th place female in a time of 55:45!
Other striders in attendance were Ron Peck, who helped get some great photos, and Martha Nadeau, who volunteered at the finish line handing out medals.
On Saturday, Arne Koch competed in the event’s 50k distance! After looping through the two loops of winding, hilly trails he finished in a time of 6:06:56.
On Sunday, Julie Millard, Lindsey Madison, and myself took part in the Canicross 5k with our dogs, Lily, Ginny, and Tidbit, respectively. It was starting to heat up as runners lined up with their pups.
When the race started, it was total chaos as we took off hard towards the trail. You could definitely feel the excitement of the dogs. The goal was to find a spot for you and your pup to run without the distraction of too many other dogs and runners. I remember thinking that this wasn’t even close to Tidbit’s normal pace (a pretty big 3-4 minutes faster than normal) so I knew it was only a matter of time before we’d slow down, but he just kept chugging along to the finish with an occasional stop in a puddle or pool to cool off.
Tidbit and I came through the finish in 9th with Tidbit running his fastest 5k ever. Julie and Lily were not far behind us and came through in 18th. Followed by Lindsey and Ginny in 21st out of 35 competitors.
If you are a dog-loving runner, I highly recommend this event. It’s a great way to bond with your dog through running and most of the time, they love it!
Next up for Striders was Kate Scott running the 10k event. At this point the temps were starting to creep into the 80’s and it was getting a little toasty. Despite the warm weather and difficult course, Kate came through the finish as the 6th place female in a time of 55:45!
Other striders in attendance were Ron Peck, who helped get some great photos, and Martha Nadeau, who volunteered at the finish line handing out medals.
- Published on
by Julie Millard
These days, you can’t get much for 5 bucks. A cup of fancy coffee, a movie rental, a gallon of gas…or a delightful 5k at the Baptist Church in Smithfield. I last ran this family friendly race in 2012, and it was easy to convince Lindsey Madison and Ron Peck to join me this year. The modest entry fee, the prospect of running early to beat the heat, the tantalizing assortment of prizes, and the promise of a post-race breakfast at Early Bird were all powerful selling points.
Clearly, most Central Maine Striders appreciate a bargain (what other club offers a year-long family membership for only $20?), and so I was not surprised to see several other members at the venue. Camp Manitou was also well represented with counselors and what seemed like dozens of young campers in the field of about 50 runners. The out-and-back course along the shores of North Pond seemed like a walk in the park compared to my most recent 5k, but it could have been the nostalgia for simpler times that propelled me through to the finish.
The Striders cleaned up, winning many of the age group awards, and proudly claimed several loon-themed items, including a pillow, mug, and towel, as well as maple syrup and homemade jam. The race lived up to my memory as one of Maine racing’s “hidden gems,” an all-around great way to spend a Saturday morning in July with friends!
Clearly, most Central Maine Striders appreciate a bargain (what other club offers a year-long family membership for only $20?), and so I was not surprised to see several other members at the venue. Camp Manitou was also well represented with counselors and what seemed like dozens of young campers in the field of about 50 runners. The out-and-back course along the shores of North Pond seemed like a walk in the park compared to my most recent 5k, but it could have been the nostalgia for simpler times that propelled me through to the finish.
The Striders cleaned up, winning many of the age group awards, and proudly claimed several loon-themed items, including a pillow, mug, and towel, as well as maple syrup and homemade jam. The race lived up to my memory as one of Maine racing’s “hidden gems,” an all-around great way to spend a Saturday morning in July with friends!
- Published on
by Ryan Goebel
Photo by Joe Viger.
Despite the miserable weather at this year's Mount Washington Road race, a moment was captured by the official race photographer that warmed the hearts of many runners across New England. In the days following the race, the photo shown above from Joe Viger seemed to go viral across various social media and traditional media channels.
Although Joe originally didn't know who the runners in the photo were, Laura Chadwick (wife of Chris Chadwick and mother to John McGinty) recognized the photo as being her son helping Ron Paquette up the mountain.
From Joe Viger's Facebook post:
Although Joe originally didn't know who the runners in the photo were, Laura Chadwick (wife of Chris Chadwick and mother to John McGinty) recognized the photo as being her son helping Ron Paquette up the mountain.
From Joe Viger's Facebook post:
The photo was shared by many media outlets, including this segment on WMUR in Manchester, NH.
Even the Boston Globe ran an article about the photo that included an interview with John and Ron.
Unfortunately, the Boston Globe article is behind a paywall and due to copyright laws, we can't reproduce the story here. However, here's an excerpt:
Unfortunately, the Boston Globe article is behind a paywall and due to copyright laws, we can't reproduce the story here. However, here's an excerpt:
When McGinty and Paquette saw that Viger had captured the moment on the mountain, they were astounded. The response to the photo has been overwhelming, with many people reaching out in recent days.
“The picture shows that you don’t have to do hard things alone,” McGinty said. “There’s a team around you, and people willing to lend a hand.”
Paquette wonders what would have happened to him had McGinty not run to his aid. The photo, he said, will forever serve as a reminder of how McGinty helped him “accomplish something that made it special for both of us.”
“This means so much to me,” he said.
“The picture shows that you don’t have to do hard things alone,” McGinty said. “There’s a team around you, and people willing to lend a hand.”
Paquette wonders what would have happened to him had McGinty not run to his aid. The photo, he said, will forever serve as a reminder of how McGinty helped him “accomplish something that made it special for both of us.”
“This means so much to me,” he said.
The Central Maine Striders are proud to have had Ron Paquette representing us in the Mount Washington Road Race for so many years, and for John McGinty to run for us for the last five years. We hope they both make several more trips up the "one hill".
For some bonus content, check out this video interview (recently unearthed by Julie Millard) that Central Maine Strider Erzsie Nagy did with Ron Paquette when they were a Lawrence High School student back in 2012:
- Published on
by Mark Fisher
It was a great but highly variable weather day on the mountain for this year's edition of the Mount Washington Road Race. A very successful day for the Central Maine Striders and a milestone year for two of our teammates.
Friday started with our team volunteering to support the parking process for Registration. I want to thank Linda Fisher for her leadership on site as I was unable to make it to the mountain on time. The team was well represented and did a stellar job in allowing 5 CMS Team members to get into the field despite not “winning” the lottery. Special thanks to the following for volunteering on behalf of the club:
Linda Fisher
Dawn Gee
Mike Lansing
Sylvia Ryan
Martha Nadeau
Dawn Gee
Friday started with our team volunteering to support the parking process for Registration. I want to thank Linda Fisher for her leadership on site as I was unable to make it to the mountain on time. The team was well represented and did a stellar job in allowing 5 CMS Team members to get into the field despite not “winning” the lottery. Special thanks to the following for volunteering on behalf of the club:
Linda Fisher
Dawn Gee
Mike Lansing
Sylvia Ryan
Martha Nadeau
Dawn Gee
The Race:
The day started with the new starting configuration around the pond instead of the downhill pitch starting line close to Route 16. The temperature and precipitation for the first 90 minutes or so of the race was cool, misty and pretty comfortable. Those conditions deteriorated rapidly around mile 5 to the finish complete with dense fog, strong winds of ~20-40 MPH and driving rain. The conditions toward the top were challenging to say the least. To finish any year is a massive accomplishment but this year's conditions made it all the more difficult.
Central Maine Striders 2023 Finishers:
Dawn Gee
Mike Lansing
Martha Nadeau
Sylvia Ryan
Peter Leone
Mark Fisher
Dean Rasmussen (1st in Age Group)
Ron Paquette (2nd in Age Group)
Chris Chadwick
Patrick Guerette
John McGinty (5th in Age Group)
Jon Chapin
Full results can be found at:
http://www.iresultslive.com/?op=overall&eid=5660
The day started with the new starting configuration around the pond instead of the downhill pitch starting line close to Route 16. The temperature and precipitation for the first 90 minutes or so of the race was cool, misty and pretty comfortable. Those conditions deteriorated rapidly around mile 5 to the finish complete with dense fog, strong winds of ~20-40 MPH and driving rain. The conditions toward the top were challenging to say the least. To finish any year is a massive accomplishment but this year's conditions made it all the more difficult.
Central Maine Striders 2023 Finishers:
Dawn Gee
Mike Lansing
Martha Nadeau
Sylvia Ryan
Peter Leone
Mark Fisher
Dean Rasmussen (1st in Age Group)
Ron Paquette (2nd in Age Group)
Chris Chadwick
Patrick Guerette
John McGinty (5th in Age Group)
Jon Chapin
Full results can be found at:
http://www.iresultslive.com/?op=overall&eid=5660
- Published on
by Billy Kobin
Photo by Humane Society Waterville Area.
Dozens of dogs and humans made the inaugural 5K Woof Run a doggone success.
The June 10 run kicked off the daylong Woofstock festival held outside the Waterville Area Humane Society, with proceeds benefiting the organization and its vital work with animals.
Central Maine Striders played a key part in organizing the Woof Run, with a big thanks to race director Lindsey Madison, Ron Peck and Emiko Peck for checking in runners and walkers along with their furry companions and ensuring the 5K went off smoothly.
Members Billy Kobin and Heather Cable also were the top two finishers. Other Striders joined in the fun with Stephanie Dodson (running with her pup Sierra) finishing as 3rd place female. Emiko Peck and Gi Reed also ran strong races on the Saturday morning.
- Published on
Calling all animal lovers! Join us for a pawsitively awesome 5k race supporting the Humane Society Waterville Area!
Are you ready to lace up your running shoes and make a difference for our furry friends? The Central Maine Striders are excited to co-sponsor the Waterville Humane Society's upcoming 5k charity race on Saurday, June 10th. Not only will you have a blast, but you'll also be helping a fantastic cause. This race supports the Waterville Area Humane Society's efforts to provide shelter, care, and loving homes for countless animals in need. Every stride you take will contribute to their vital mission and help improve the lives of our beloved four-legged companions. The 5k course will be an out-and-back on scenic country roads starting from the HSWA shelter on Webb Road. If your canine running partner is road savy and dog friendly, you are encouraged to race with them!
Are you ready to lace up your running shoes and make a difference for our furry friends? The Central Maine Striders are excited to co-sponsor the Waterville Humane Society's upcoming 5k charity race on Saurday, June 10th. Not only will you have a blast, but you'll also be helping a fantastic cause. This race supports the Waterville Area Humane Society's efforts to provide shelter, care, and loving homes for countless animals in need. Every stride you take will contribute to their vital mission and help improve the lives of our beloved four-legged companions. The 5k course will be an out-and-back on scenic country roads starting from the HSWA shelter on Webb Road. If your canine running partner is road savy and dog friendly, you are encouraged to race with them!
Big thanks to Strider Lindsey Madison, who is coordinating the club's participation in organizing this event. If you are interesting in volunteering, please reach out to Lindsey at lmadison13@gmail.com.
This event is part of Humane Society Waterville Area's Woofstock and following the race there will be the Canine Carnival at 12:30 and Music Festival at 4pm.
Date: June 10th
Time: Race Registration 9:30 - 10:20 am
Race starts at 10:30 am
Location: HSWA, 100 Webb Rd Waterville, ME
$15 for CMS members, $20 for general public
More Information about Woofstock-2023:
https://hswa.org/event/woofstock-2023/
This event is part of Humane Society Waterville Area's Woofstock and following the race there will be the Canine Carnival at 12:30 and Music Festival at 4pm.
Date: June 10th
Time: Race Registration 9:30 - 10:20 am
Race starts at 10:30 am
Location: HSWA, 100 Webb Rd Waterville, ME
$15 for CMS members, $20 for general public
More Information about Woofstock-2023:
https://hswa.org/event/woofstock-2023/
- Published on
In 2021 I competed in my first TUCARD, Maine’s most Terrifically (& Unnecessarily) Complicated Adventure Race and Duathalon. You can read that race report HERE if you want to understand the next few paragraphs of this write up. Or better yet, google the TUCARD website.
In 2022, the organizers changed things up. This year participants were given starting and ending points, and a list of coordinates that MIGHT be waypoints on race day. This was a bonus for me, as I’m largely unfamiliar with the Old Town area and being able to scout the actual locations was extremely helpful. The night before race day we were given our final instructions- in order to know which locations were official waypoints, we could go to the point furthest from the start to visit ‘The Oracle’ who would provide the correct list of waypoints. Option two was to skip The Oracle and just visit as many points as possible with the hope of hitting the right ones- this could be a big time saver or a wild goose chase. The third option was to go to a point that was the furthest from the start in the opposite direction and get a ‘Golden Ticket’ which would allow you to skip all other waypoints. The Golden Ticket would require wading through a mucky wetland, but could get you across the finish line first. At this point in my narrative you may be thinking that this explanation makes no sense- I will refer you back to the race name…
In the 2021 TUCARD I earned the award title ‘Lost Puppy’, as the racer that covered the most distance. In honor of my difficulties with Time and Relative Distance in Space during that race, I donned my TARDIS dress for this race (see photo). The race went smoothly for me- I chose The Oracle option, and was happy to see that I was well prepared to hit the correct waypoints. My primary transport was an old mountain bike, but I also ran some stretches of rough single track and paddled across the Stillwater River.
Finish time in the TUCARD requires a complicated formula based on racing surface and mode of transport. In the end I was 18th across the finish line, but ranked 17th overall (out of 21, a mix of teams and individuals). This year I also earned the title of Puppy Dog- the racer who had the most fun- thanks to running the whole thing in the TARDIS dress.
I believe that I am the only Central Maine Strider to enter this race- it's a ton of fun and I encourage you to check it out when you are planning your 2023 racing season!
In 2022, the organizers changed things up. This year participants were given starting and ending points, and a list of coordinates that MIGHT be waypoints on race day. This was a bonus for me, as I’m largely unfamiliar with the Old Town area and being able to scout the actual locations was extremely helpful. The night before race day we were given our final instructions- in order to know which locations were official waypoints, we could go to the point furthest from the start to visit ‘The Oracle’ who would provide the correct list of waypoints. Option two was to skip The Oracle and just visit as many points as possible with the hope of hitting the right ones- this could be a big time saver or a wild goose chase. The third option was to go to a point that was the furthest from the start in the opposite direction and get a ‘Golden Ticket’ which would allow you to skip all other waypoints. The Golden Ticket would require wading through a mucky wetland, but could get you across the finish line first. At this point in my narrative you may be thinking that this explanation makes no sense- I will refer you back to the race name…
In the 2021 TUCARD I earned the award title ‘Lost Puppy’, as the racer that covered the most distance. In honor of my difficulties with Time and Relative Distance in Space during that race, I donned my TARDIS dress for this race (see photo). The race went smoothly for me- I chose The Oracle option, and was happy to see that I was well prepared to hit the correct waypoints. My primary transport was an old mountain bike, but I also ran some stretches of rough single track and paddled across the Stillwater River.
Finish time in the TUCARD requires a complicated formula based on racing surface and mode of transport. In the end I was 18th across the finish line, but ranked 17th overall (out of 21, a mix of teams and individuals). This year I also earned the title of Puppy Dog- the racer who had the most fun- thanks to running the whole thing in the TARDIS dress.
I believe that I am the only Central Maine Strider to enter this race- it's a ton of fun and I encourage you to check it out when you are planning your 2023 racing season!
- Published on
by Ryan Goebel
To kick off the summer racing season, the Central Maine Striders will be hosting a pizza party following the first Quarry Road trail race of the summer. Stick around after the 3k race on June 20th for some pizza and socializing. If the weather isn't accommodating for eating pizza outside, we reserve the right to cancel or reschedule for another date.
Photo by ROMAN ODINTSOV: https://www.pexels.com/photo/pizza-on-white-ceramic-plate-5903101/
- Published on
by Ryan Goebel
We've recently purchased a limited number of custom Central Maine Striders socks. As discussed at recent club meetings, these socks will be given to any Central Maine Strider member who volunteers at an event. The member must be representing the Striders at the event they volunteer for. Examples of qualifying events include the Ironman 70.3 Maine, high school track meets (if and only if they are there as a Strider, and not just as a parent or coach), Quarry Road Summer Race Series, Fall Classic 10k, etc. If you aren't sure if whether your volunteer duties qualify you for a pair of socks, please contact us. Also, the socks will be limited to one pair per membership. We only have 25 pairs of crew socks and 25 pairs of ankle socks.
- Published on
By Julie Millard, Ryan Goebel, and ChatGPT
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio: https://www.pexels.com/photo/close-up-photo-of-woman-tying-her-white-sneakers-on-running-track-3763869/
The Central Maine Striders are excited to announce our new High School Outreach Committee, focused on supporting local high school cross country and indoor/outdoor track runners in Central Maine. As a community-oriented running club, we believe in the importance of fostering young talent and promoting a healthy and active lifestyle. To that end, we are reaching out to local coaches for ways that we can support their athletes. Examples could include assistance with the purchase of running gear, discounted race entry fees, and volunteers for track meets. We hope that this initiative will provide high school runners in our area with the resources they need to achieve their running goals. Martha Nadeau will lead the committee, but we encourage all members of our club to participate and contribute to this effort, and we look forward to seeing the positive impact that we can make together.