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by Julie Millard
Julie and Lily at the Pineland Farms Canicross 5k (Photo by Ron Peck).
Most runners have a love-hate relationship with the sport, but we are often inspired by our training partners, who get us out the door even on the toughest days. In recent years, my most faithful running companions have been lovely ladies with four legs and infinite enthusiasm. My current trail buddy is Lily, a young Border Collie, who is always up for an adventure. On Memorial Day weekend we made the trip to Pineland Farms for the Canicross 5k. This race was part of the new Pineland Farms Trail Festival-- a lot like the old Trail Running Festival but under new management by Back40Events!
Canicross (canine cross country) is a legitimate sport with its origins in keeping sled dogs fit during the off season. It differs from just running with your dog in that the human wears a waist belt, the canine wears a harness, and the team is tethered together by a bungee. During a competition, the length of the bungee becomes important so that it doesn’t impede other runners. At Pineland, there was no official equipment check, but the sport can be quite serious, with a Border Collie/Whippet mix named Bailey leading her human (former Olympian Anthony Famiglietti) to 3:59 mile in 2019 (according to Runner’s World).
I had no idea what to expect of this event, having previously only participated in the longer races at Pineland as an individual. When we arrived at the venue, the clearing was filled with teams of varying sizes, colors, and shapes- from a 13-pound Jack Russell with her 66-year-old partner to the greyhound-and-human pair who would lead the field with a sub-14 that day. I knew that I would be the weak link in our duo, but Lily’s enthusiasm for greeting the competition reassured me that being in the middle of the pack would be fine with her.
As the pre-race clock counted down, the excitement seemed to build, with lots of barking and baying. Teams were spread out at the start, but the course rapidly funneled into a narrow trail after a relatively sharp downhill turn, making it quite easy to slip or get tripped up by someone else’s bungee. (I speak from personal experience.) In future, I would definitely start closer to the back to avoid a tangle.
All the dogs seemed to understand what to do- just follow the pack! Although the sport can be quite complicated with several recommended voice commands, I relied on the standard “Leave it,” “Go go go,” and “Good job”! Some dogs pulled up sharply for emergency potty breaks or to drink from a puddle, and it was important to be on the alert for a dog crossing over into one’s lane. (This annoys me immensely when humans do it during a race, but my tolerance was much higher for my canine competitors.) Several times Lily made the rookie mistake of looking over her shoulder, but I attribute this to race inexperience! There were a few mouth breathers- the kind that make you tired just hearing them- but they seemed to drop back once we hit the second half of the course, which was a fairly steady uphill.
Amazingly, Lily and I were 21st place in a field of about 70 teams, but the reward of having her tired out for the rest of the day was the biggest accomplishment of all! If you have a furry friend who loves other dogs, I highly recommend checking out a Canicross event. Lily and I will probably be there!
Canicross (canine cross country) is a legitimate sport with its origins in keeping sled dogs fit during the off season. It differs from just running with your dog in that the human wears a waist belt, the canine wears a harness, and the team is tethered together by a bungee. During a competition, the length of the bungee becomes important so that it doesn’t impede other runners. At Pineland, there was no official equipment check, but the sport can be quite serious, with a Border Collie/Whippet mix named Bailey leading her human (former Olympian Anthony Famiglietti) to 3:59 mile in 2019 (according to Runner’s World).
I had no idea what to expect of this event, having previously only participated in the longer races at Pineland as an individual. When we arrived at the venue, the clearing was filled with teams of varying sizes, colors, and shapes- from a 13-pound Jack Russell with her 66-year-old partner to the greyhound-and-human pair who would lead the field with a sub-14 that day. I knew that I would be the weak link in our duo, but Lily’s enthusiasm for greeting the competition reassured me that being in the middle of the pack would be fine with her.
As the pre-race clock counted down, the excitement seemed to build, with lots of barking and baying. Teams were spread out at the start, but the course rapidly funneled into a narrow trail after a relatively sharp downhill turn, making it quite easy to slip or get tripped up by someone else’s bungee. (I speak from personal experience.) In future, I would definitely start closer to the back to avoid a tangle.
All the dogs seemed to understand what to do- just follow the pack! Although the sport can be quite complicated with several recommended voice commands, I relied on the standard “Leave it,” “Go go go,” and “Good job”! Some dogs pulled up sharply for emergency potty breaks or to drink from a puddle, and it was important to be on the alert for a dog crossing over into one’s lane. (This annoys me immensely when humans do it during a race, but my tolerance was much higher for my canine competitors.) Several times Lily made the rookie mistake of looking over her shoulder, but I attribute this to race inexperience! There were a few mouth breathers- the kind that make you tired just hearing them- but they seemed to drop back once we hit the second half of the course, which was a fairly steady uphill.
Amazingly, Lily and I were 21st place in a field of about 70 teams, but the reward of having her tired out for the rest of the day was the biggest accomplishment of all! If you have a furry friend who loves other dogs, I highly recommend checking out a Canicross event. Lily and I will probably be there!
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Results for the virtual edition of the 2021 January Thaw 4.5-Mile Race
- Judson Cake 24:46 Male, 43, ME
- Joshua Way 25:58 Male, 14, ME
- Casey Gallant 26:15 Male, 18, ME
- Ron Peck 27:31 Male, 45, ME
- Kyle Simmons 27:47 Male, 35, ME
- Andrew McCormick 28:03 Male, 37, ME
- Brendan Gilpatrick 28:17 Male, 37, ME
- Patrick Guerette 29:15 Male, 39, ME
- Ryan Goebel 29:36 Male, 43, ME
- Joe DiSalvo 30:13 Male, 28, ME
- Jessica Beers 32:11 Female, 40, ME
- Steven Dubois 32:32 Male, 48, ME
- Peter Cole 34:34 Male, 45, ME
- Jeff Sands 35:031 Male, 53, ME
- Richard Blanchette 35:16 Male, 56, ME
- Gena Bosshart 35:30 Female, 37, ME
- Alicia Wilcox 35:43 Female, 42, ME
- Jon Mennealy 36:07 Male, 64, ME
- Shawn Vincent 36:17 Male, 45, ME
- Kate Scott 37:48 Female, 45, ME
- Susan Vogt Brooks 38:06 Female, 61, ME
- Charlie Stambach 38:27 Male, 33, ME
- Dave Angelini 38:33 Male, 44, ME
- Juliana Norman 38:37 Female, 15, IL
- Harold Shaw 38:48 Male, 63, ME
- Denis Dubois 39:00 Male, 70, ME
- Alicia MacLeay 40:04 Female, 45, ME
- Ryan King 40:11 Male, 51, ME
- Jerry Allanach 44:54 Male, 71, IL
- Robert Krickus 45:36 Male, 43, ME
- Sue Dubois 45:38 Female, 68, ME
- Amy Stabins 46:26 Female, 52, ME
- Maureen Mennealy 46:55 Female, 61, ME
- Mike Hallee 47:07 Male, 59, ME
- Patty Hallee 47:25 Female, 57, ME
- Ryan Gallant 47:25 Male, 47, ME
- Rachel Roy 47:41 Female, 46, ME
- Maeve Wilcox 48:51 Female, 13, ME
- Emily Bilodeau 49:01 Female, 42, ME
- Beth Allen 49:12 Female, 62, ME
- Martha Nadeau 49:20 Female, 43, ME
- Doug Allen 50:33 Male, 63, ME
- David Colby Young 52:00 Male, 68, ME
- Gary Menchen 53:02 Male, 70, ME
- Gene Roy 56:20 Male, 74, ME
- Sarah Roy 56:20 Female, 70, ME
- Julie Millard 56:50 Female, 57, ME
- Lindsey Madison 1:01:18 Female, 33, ME
- Jim Moore 1:12:46 Male, 77, ME
- Rebecca Roy 1:31:11 Female, 44, VT
- Sonya Deines 1:33:34 Female, 44, AZ
- Casey Vincent 1:42:00 Female, 33, OK
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Members had so much fun at the club's first online trivia event that they demanded another trivia night. As part of the winning team from the first event, Julie Millard graciously volunteered to host and provide the questions this time around. Although many members struggled with their knowledge of Maine Olympians, Brian Morin, Amy Stabins, and Alicia Wilcox pulled out the win and earned themselves each a new Central Maine Striders pint glass.
We're not sure when, but we promise that there will be a third Striders trivia night. You should join us!
We're not sure when, but we promise that there will be a third Striders trivia night. You should join us!
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Just a reminder that you can purchased Central Maine Striders shirts, singlets, and hats at Joseph's Sporting Goods in Waterville. Click here to download the pricing sheet.
To order, you can call Joseph's at (207) 660-6676, or stop by their store at 146 Kennedy Memorial Drive in Waterville.
To order, you can call Joseph's at (207) 660-6676, or stop by their store at 146 Kennedy Memorial Drive in Waterville.
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I started running when I was a sixth grader. After years of watching my dad (fellow Central Maine Striders member Brian Morin) through the window as he ran along our street day after day, I was convinced that running was fun and effortless. Finally, I had my chance to try running one weekend morning. I ran about halfway between our house and the end of the road before stopping. Running hurt my lungs and it certainly was not as fun as I thought it would be. Eventually, I built up the endurance to run-walk three-quarters of a mile to our neighbors’ barn where I fed carrots to their goats. The promise of feeding the animals fueled me to keep trying to run, despite the burning lungs. Later on, I accumulated fitness and suddenly running became more fun than I ever imagined. I ran varsity cross-country, indoor track, and outdoor track at Waterville Senior High School.
Though I initially thought I wanted to run on a Division III college team, I ended up attending Dartmouth College and running as part of a club team instead. I have been an active member of DRT (pronounced “dirt”), the Dartmouth Running Team, which is the club team on campus. While serving as a co-captain from March 2019 to March 2020, I helped with planning competition events and organizing team bonding opportunities. During the two springs before the pandemic, I ran in DRT’s annual overnight team relay from Maine to Vermont to raise money for the Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth (CHaD). While unable to run with DRT during my remote fall term, I began to attend the socially-distanced Central Maine Striders group on Wednesday nights. I looked forward to that weekly source of social(ly-distanced) running with the Central Maine Striders. Running has been a constant throughout the pandemic and I am grateful to run with my dad once again during this time.
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Due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the Central Maine Striders weren't able to have their annual year-end social this year. As a way to foster some kind of social spirit amongst the members of the club, Club President Ryan Goebel hosted an online trivia night after the December 15th Striders monthly meeting. The 25 questions were all running-related, with topics ranging from Striders history to movies about running to songs with running in them. Although some may say that the random algorithm that Zoom used to divide the teams wasn't very fair, the "Running With The Dogs" team (Julie Millard, Ron Peck, Pat Guerette, and Rob Krickus) came out on top of "The Mainiacs" (Alicia Wilcox, Tom & Lynda McGuire, and Drew McCormick) and "Posterior Cross Bite" (Deb Violette, Sapan Bhatt, Shanon Delaney, Brian Morin, and Kate Scott). Although Julie Millard proved to have some impressive Striders historical knowledge, no one could have guessed that it would be Ron Peck's knowledge of the song "Run" by Korean boy band superstars "BTS" that held onto the win on the final question of the night.
Thanks to everyone who participated. We already have plans for a second trivia night coming soon.
Thanks to everyone who participated. We already have plans for a second trivia night coming soon.
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Fellow Striders,
For those of you whom I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting, my name is Jordan Castillo, and I’ve been so happy to serve as Vice President of this running community for the past year.
Last December, I was just a guy looking for some friends to run with. I heard about the Striders, saw a Facebook post about a monthly meeting coming up, and decided to go. When I showed up, the camaraderie was almost tangible -- I could tell this running community had deep roots and was great at creating opportunities for people to bond over running. And I thought it was so cool how the Striders have been the oldest, active running club in Maine!
I knew I wanted to be involved, and there was an open Vice President position. The Striders at the meeting encouraged me to take the position, and I thought, “Heck, why not!” I definitely knew I was excited to organize social runs and events for the Strider community, so stepping into the VP role felt like a fun (cool-sounding!) way to do that.
So, the reason I’m writing this is because I’m stepping down from my role, and this is like a little goodbye letter because I’m actually moving to Minnesota later this month. A great career opportunity a little closer to family is the main reason for the move. And I’ve gotta tell you, I will miss this community dearly.
I mostly want to take this moment to express my deep gratitude to the Striders, and to each of you beautiful people that have made my past 12 months that much richer. From running my first Millinocket half marathon, to the countless “virtual run” gatherings, to volunteering at the Striders’ first ever 10k race, this community has helped me create so many meaningful memories during my time in Maine.
To end, I want to encourage you all to keep investing in this community. Running may seem like a simple activity, but it has the power to bring some really awesome people together. There’s just something magic that happens when runners gather. We challenge each other, we are excited to see each other grow, and we love sharing stories about our lives as we traverse miles together.
And while we currently have to get a little more creative about the ways we can be “together” in this pandemic, I’ve also found it all the more necessary to stay connected with people who share my deep appreciation for running. Especially now, the world needs joyful people who can inspire others to keep pressing on. This community breeds that joy and inspiration. I can’t wait to see the ways this community continues to grow and positively impact others through the sport of running.
So, Striders, thank you for the opportunity to be part of your story (even just for a year!). And when marathons become a thing again, who knows… maybe I’ll see you out there on the road. ;)
All the best,
Jordan
For those of you whom I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting, my name is Jordan Castillo, and I’ve been so happy to serve as Vice President of this running community for the past year.
Last December, I was just a guy looking for some friends to run with. I heard about the Striders, saw a Facebook post about a monthly meeting coming up, and decided to go. When I showed up, the camaraderie was almost tangible -- I could tell this running community had deep roots and was great at creating opportunities for people to bond over running. And I thought it was so cool how the Striders have been the oldest, active running club in Maine!
I knew I wanted to be involved, and there was an open Vice President position. The Striders at the meeting encouraged me to take the position, and I thought, “Heck, why not!” I definitely knew I was excited to organize social runs and events for the Strider community, so stepping into the VP role felt like a fun (cool-sounding!) way to do that.
So, the reason I’m writing this is because I’m stepping down from my role, and this is like a little goodbye letter because I’m actually moving to Minnesota later this month. A great career opportunity a little closer to family is the main reason for the move. And I’ve gotta tell you, I will miss this community dearly.
I mostly want to take this moment to express my deep gratitude to the Striders, and to each of you beautiful people that have made my past 12 months that much richer. From running my first Millinocket half marathon, to the countless “virtual run” gatherings, to volunteering at the Striders’ first ever 10k race, this community has helped me create so many meaningful memories during my time in Maine.
To end, I want to encourage you all to keep investing in this community. Running may seem like a simple activity, but it has the power to bring some really awesome people together. There’s just something magic that happens when runners gather. We challenge each other, we are excited to see each other grow, and we love sharing stories about our lives as we traverse miles together.
And while we currently have to get a little more creative about the ways we can be “together” in this pandemic, I’ve also found it all the more necessary to stay connected with people who share my deep appreciation for running. Especially now, the world needs joyful people who can inspire others to keep pressing on. This community breeds that joy and inspiration. I can’t wait to see the ways this community continues to grow and positively impact others through the sport of running.
So, Striders, thank you for the opportunity to be part of your story (even just for a year!). And when marathons become a thing again, who knows… maybe I’ll see you out there on the road. ;)
All the best,
Jordan
Jordan, thanks for everything you've given our club. It's been an honor and a pleasure getting to know you. We will miss the excitement and positive energy that you brought to all of our club events. And we hope that you wear your Striders beanie with this much joy in Minnesota too!
- Published on
After a brief hiatus, everyone's favorite jog into the past is back! In this edition of Running Backwards, we're heading back to the year 1990.
As many years do, 1990 started off with a quick summary of 1989. Just think, these guys thought 1989 was a strange year. Obviously, they hadn't experienced 2020 yet! Also, Ron Paquette, Donnajean Pohlman, and Gene Roy got their photo taken with a guy that is almost Chuck Norris.
Throughout the year, there were several mentions of Maine running magazines and newsletters that were ceasing publication. Maine Running and Outing Magazine seemed to be the biggest one to call it quits that year. I'm not sure what's harder to believe: That there were so many publications about Maine running back then or that so many were stopping circulation BEFORE the internet became widely available later that decade.
Although he's no longer a member of the Striders, David McIntyre still pays attention to the Central Maine running scene and recently showed up at our Fall Classic 10k and took some very nice videos of the leading pack.
I'm not sure which publication this "Town Line" was reprinted from, but it's a really nice article about Doc and Mardie Brown. It's too bad that myself and many of our younger members never got a chance to meet them, since they seem like truly amazing people. And personally, I was excited to read that they had a house rabbit. (For those of you that don't know, the current club president has two house rabbits).
We no longer make a list of all of the injuries that our club members have, but apparently they did back in 1990!
Not sure if his Arizona tan or the photocopy quality of this photo, but Rick Stuart is looking like he's straight out of Hollywood in this photo. Oh, and his 1:20:21 time was good for 18th place at the Mount Washington Road Race that year.
1990 was the year that Mardie Brown won a "Youth Award" as Tom McGuire looks on from the background. Also, can you believe that Runners World was "saluting" the Central Maine Striders back then? Yep, the Striders were that awesome back then.
The 1990 Boston Primer 15-Mile Race saw Cranberry Island's most famous resident grab 6th place, while legendary Striders Tom McGuire and Gene Roy came in 24th and 25th.
Talking about legends, Joan Benoit Samuelson showed up multiple times in the 1990 Interval newsletters. Below she is pictures with a couple Striders legends.
In 1990, the Striders issued their first "computer generated" newsletter. We told you the Striders were a big deal back then!
Current members Anne-Marie and Rick Davee were featured in a "Meet Our Members" article in the July-August issue of the Interval in 1990.
The legendary Roy family were featured on the front page of the September 1990 Interval.
Some 1990 "updates" on a few guys that are still members today:
Some things just never change. Tom McGuire was asking for members to help out. Current President Ryan Goebel would like to add, "We still need help. Please let me know if you want to help out with any aspect of the club."
It was nice to see a little write up about some of the Striders ladies in the Interval. Current Strider Linda Benn was amongst a group of them that took a trip to Boston to run in the Tufts 10k.
Gene Roy put together a pretty good group for a winter weekend run. We can't wait for this Covid thing to finish so we can get back to some club group runs!
I told you the club was big back then! For comparison, we currently have 75 memberships (which is up from 60 last year), and we hosted two races (the January Thaw and the Fall Classic 10k). Check out the planned 1991 race calendar below. Wowsers! That's a lot of club races! Also, look how many club members were willing to be race directors (hint, hint... anyone?).
And to end this edition of Running Backwards, here's proof that our membership fees are still a great value. In 1990, a membership cost $12 and stamps were 25 cents. Here in 2020/2021, club membership is $20 and stamps are 55 cents. In case you are rusty on your math, club memberships have risen only 67% in the last 30 years, while stamps have risen by 120%.
That's all for this edition of Running Backwards. Thanks for jogging along all the way to the finish line!
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Photos of Joshua Way courtesy of Maine Running Photos
Joshua Way:
The morning of the Central Maine Striders Fall Classic 10k was very cold and windy, I felt like I was freezing waiting for the race to kick off. My intentions were to win in a time around 36 minutes. When everyone was at the start line I was nervous as I didn't know how fast everyone else was, Club President Ryan Goebel kicked the race off with a "Runners set....Go!!" I was off and immediately I was up front with a fellow Strider runner Casey Gallant as we went down Quarry Road and turned onto North Street. I didn't think I could continue the pace I was running, but luckily the wind pushed me right up North street. After we finished the first half ,I pushed the uphills and got rid of Casey. He did a great job during this race. He pushed me very hard the first 5k. Back onto North Street I went, with the wind slowing me down, I was getting very tired. When I got back onto Quarry road for the home stretch, I knew I only had only a mile left. I ran that last mile faster than I thought I could, I was up front in the lead as I came near the finish line. I was pushed on by cheering family's and friends. I sprinted to the finish line in 34:32. I was very pleased as I moved off to the side for fellow runners to come through. I would love to run this race next year!
The morning of the Central Maine Striders Fall Classic 10k was very cold and windy, I felt like I was freezing waiting for the race to kick off. My intentions were to win in a time around 36 minutes. When everyone was at the start line I was nervous as I didn't know how fast everyone else was, Club President Ryan Goebel kicked the race off with a "Runners set....Go!!" I was off and immediately I was up front with a fellow Strider runner Casey Gallant as we went down Quarry Road and turned onto North Street. I didn't think I could continue the pace I was running, but luckily the wind pushed me right up North street. After we finished the first half ,I pushed the uphills and got rid of Casey. He did a great job during this race. He pushed me very hard the first 5k. Back onto North Street I went, with the wind slowing me down, I was getting very tired. When I got back onto Quarry road for the home stretch, I knew I only had only a mile left. I ran that last mile faster than I thought I could, I was up front in the lead as I came near the finish line. I was pushed on by cheering family's and friends. I sprinted to the finish line in 34:32. I was very pleased as I moved off to the side for fellow runners to come through. I would love to run this race next year!
Kristina Guerette:
As the worldwide pandemic continues to evolve, we do too and continue to roll with whatever comes our way. There have been a lot of changes over the past 7 months, but one thing has not changed for me: the sheer joy of lacing up my sneakers and going for a run. Both my husband (Patrick Guerette) and I are avid runners and have continued to find joy in running, despite races being cancelled. We were both training for big races in April and May, including the Boston Marathon and an Ultra Marathon in Vermont. We didn’t let the cancellations of those races get to us. When Patrick mentioned that the Central Maine Striders were organizing a fall race with a capacity of 40 runners, I knew I had to sign up. This was my chance to see results of all the training I’ve completed in the past year.
It was a cold, breezy morning at the Quarry Road. Foliage was at its peak and runners were happily warming up for the Fall Classic 10k. There was some nostalgia of a high school cross-country race with the crunching of the leaves and the brisk fall air. Race directors, runners and volunteers were masked up and following all COVID-19 safety protocols. Despite all the safety measures, race day did not feel any different than any other race I’ve done. I still had pre-race jitters, I still did my typical warm-up and mingled with other runners and my husband was STILL competitive with me as always. Patrick made a friendly bet with me prior to the race: If he ran faster than me, I would have to cook dinner all week (anyone who knows me is well aware that I am no chef and I never cook!). Fair enough. I knew we would be close. My 10k goal has always been to break 40 minutes but would today be the day?
I started off strong with mile 1 at 6:11 pace. Too fast? Maybe. Leaving the Quarry Road and heading on North Street, finishing the second mile at 6:12 pace. I felt strong and knew I could keep up with the pace. I could hear Patrick trailing behind me through miles 3 and 4. I was in the zone and knew I could finish strong. Patrick crept up on me and passed me going into mile 5, looking strong. He cracked a joke and broke ahead. I just had to keep him in sight if I wanted to break 40 minutes. Turning back onto the Quarry Road for the last 1.5 miles, I could feel my legs starting to cramp and the wind was strong. I could hear the voices in my head saying “How bad do you want this?” Feeling the adrenaline rush in the last 400 meters, I raced to the finish in a time of 39:07. I immediately felt that “runners high.” All the hard work and dedication paid off.
We may be living in strange times but I felt a glimpse of hope in today’s race. It was fun to see other runners in the community come together and do what we love to do. Thank you, Central Maine Striders, for putting together this event! See you next year.
As the worldwide pandemic continues to evolve, we do too and continue to roll with whatever comes our way. There have been a lot of changes over the past 7 months, but one thing has not changed for me: the sheer joy of lacing up my sneakers and going for a run. Both my husband (Patrick Guerette) and I are avid runners and have continued to find joy in running, despite races being cancelled. We were both training for big races in April and May, including the Boston Marathon and an Ultra Marathon in Vermont. We didn’t let the cancellations of those races get to us. When Patrick mentioned that the Central Maine Striders were organizing a fall race with a capacity of 40 runners, I knew I had to sign up. This was my chance to see results of all the training I’ve completed in the past year.
It was a cold, breezy morning at the Quarry Road. Foliage was at its peak and runners were happily warming up for the Fall Classic 10k. There was some nostalgia of a high school cross-country race with the crunching of the leaves and the brisk fall air. Race directors, runners and volunteers were masked up and following all COVID-19 safety protocols. Despite all the safety measures, race day did not feel any different than any other race I’ve done. I still had pre-race jitters, I still did my typical warm-up and mingled with other runners and my husband was STILL competitive with me as always. Patrick made a friendly bet with me prior to the race: If he ran faster than me, I would have to cook dinner all week (anyone who knows me is well aware that I am no chef and I never cook!). Fair enough. I knew we would be close. My 10k goal has always been to break 40 minutes but would today be the day?
I started off strong with mile 1 at 6:11 pace. Too fast? Maybe. Leaving the Quarry Road and heading on North Street, finishing the second mile at 6:12 pace. I felt strong and knew I could keep up with the pace. I could hear Patrick trailing behind me through miles 3 and 4. I was in the zone and knew I could finish strong. Patrick crept up on me and passed me going into mile 5, looking strong. He cracked a joke and broke ahead. I just had to keep him in sight if I wanted to break 40 minutes. Turning back onto the Quarry Road for the last 1.5 miles, I could feel my legs starting to cramp and the wind was strong. I could hear the voices in my head saying “How bad do you want this?” Feeling the adrenaline rush in the last 400 meters, I raced to the finish in a time of 39:07. I immediately felt that “runners high.” All the hard work and dedication paid off.
We may be living in strange times but I felt a glimpse of hope in today’s race. It was fun to see other runners in the community come together and do what we love to do. Thank you, Central Maine Striders, for putting together this event! See you next year.
- Published on
Are you interested in purchasing some Central Maine Striders gear?
We've partnered with Joseph's Sporting Goods in Waterville for some exciting new Striders apparel. They'll have Striders short and long sleeve tech tees, singlets, hoodies, and hats available for ordering. Click here to download the pricing sheet.
To order, you can call Joseph's at (207)660-6676, or stop by their store at 146 Kennedy Memorial Drive in Waterville.
We've partnered with Joseph's Sporting Goods in Waterville for some exciting new Striders apparel. They'll have Striders short and long sleeve tech tees, singlets, hoodies, and hats available for ordering. Click here to download the pricing sheet.
To order, you can call Joseph's at (207)660-6676, or stop by their store at 146 Kennedy Memorial Drive in Waterville.
