Long day of fun XC. Here is a quick summary:
--Another fantastic day for our fantastic ladies team! Keep in mind that we left at 5 a.m. from Marist, and our women did not race till 1 p.m. Given that, and the sunny and warm conditions (loved it!) and the sloppy course ... and this was our third race in three weeks ... a great effort from a team that is so much fun to watch. Nicely done!
--Our top 3 men in the Gold Race ran tremendously well, breaking into the scoring packs of several nationally ranked teams. Note the rankings of teams in that race. To be middle of the pack in such a stellar field is something else.
--Sloppy course: Chuck surmises the women's 6km ran about 30 seconds slower than ideal conditions due to the slop. My best guess on the men's side is that it was about 45 seconds slow. These are just estimates, and of course XC is all about place ... but at least it gives you a basis of comparision, as imperfect as that might be.
--Pleasant surprise to see Walsh there cheering on the Foxes and the various Wantagh/LI-related runners in the many races.
--Great to see Marist Running Alum Justin Harris, coaching his SUNY New Paltz charges.
--Always nice to see our Poughkeepsie XC/Track neighbors from Vassar College.
--Thanks to all parents and family members for their support and for telling me that you read this blog!
Paul Short Run
Lehigh University
Women’s results, Brown Race
Team standings: 1-Iona 125, 2-Tampa 150, 3-Marist and Rowan 158, 5-Holy Cross 195, 6-Cortland 288, 7-Haverford 315, 8-Lock Haven 318, 9-Buffalo 351, 10-Nebraska Wesleyan 361, 11-Monmouth 365, 12-Queen’s University 366, 13. Mansfield 371, 14-Bloomsburg 397, 15-TCNJ 435, 16-Rider 449, 17-IUP 495, 18-Elizabethtown 524, 19-Vassar 539, 20-Canisius 543, 21-Ithaca 561, 22-American 618, 23-Maryland 619, 24-Lafayette 643, 25-Fairfield 649, 26-Muhlenberg 658, 27-Swarthmore 706, 28-Philadelphia 761, 29-SUNY New Paltz 764, 30-Marywood 771, 31-Mount Olive 799, 32-Temple 807, 33-Rochester 837, 34-UNC Asheville 885, 35-Niagara 963, 36-Adelphi 976, 37-West Chester 982, 38-St. Rose 985, 39-Manhattan 999, 40-Gettysburg 1040, 41-Florida Southern 1071, 42-St. Bonaventure 1186, 43-St. Thomas Aquinas 1227, 44-Siena 1422
Individual results, 6,000-meter course
8-Michelle Gaye 22:04
15-Addie DiFrancesco 22:29
33-Erin Thompson 23:05
47-Katie Messina 23:15
55-Briana Crowe 23:20
59-Brianna Freestone 23:22
91-Becca Denise 23:51
132-Erin O’Reilly 24:11
137-Jackie Gamboli 24:13
386 finishers
Open race results, 6,000-meter course
90-Dayna McLaughlin 24:19
106-Tara Nuccitelli 24:37
118-Alex Davis 24:45
120-Colleen Smith 24:48
137-Elizabeth O’Brien 24:57
165-Laura Lindsley 25:20
175-Miy Mahran 25:29
202-Kelley Hanifin 25:59
203-Kara Lightowler 25:59
226-Rachel Lichtenwalner 26:18
266-Kim Bartlett 26:56
Men’s results, Gold Race (with national rankings in parentheses)
Team standings: 1-Oklahoma (No. 4) 34, 2-Georgetown (No. 21) 143, 3-Columbia (received votes) 156, 4-Villanova (No. 18) 177, 5-Syracuse (No. 14) 229, 6-Providence (No. 17) 247, 7-Brown 255, 8-Dartmouth (No. 30) 264, 9-Harvard 279, 10-Virginia (No. 19) 298, 11-Navy 352, 12-Cornell 355, 13-William and Mary (RV) 359, 14-LaSalle 411, 15-UNC Greensboro 418, 16-Haverford (No. 2 in D3) 489, 17-Guelph 514, 18-American 561, 19-Yale 565, 20-Lehigh 568, 21-Princeton (No. 12) 569, 22-Marist 588, 23-Buffalo 606, 24-Army 690, 25-Duquesne 698, 26-St. Joseph’s 716, 27-UMass 801, 28-Maryland 877, 29-Stony Brook 889, 30-High Point 909, 31-St. Lawrence (No. 6 in D3) 929, 32-Mississippi State 941, 33-Shippensburg (No. 17 D2) 944, 34-Penn 987, 35-Richmond 995, 36-Appalachian State 1004, 37-Tennesee 1020, 38-Bucknell 1069, 39-Lock Haven (No. 10 D2) 1072, 40-UMBC 1085, 41-Vermont 1232, 42-Western Carolina 1246, 43-VCU 1265, 44-Temple 1367, 45-Winthrop 1419
Individual results, 5-mile course
46-Matt Flint 25:09
66-Will Griffin 25:19
68-Arquimedes DelaCruz 25:20
193-Ken Walshak 26:05
268-Justin Tampellini 26:38
284-Tommy Lipari 26:48
295-Joel Moss 26:53
333-Mike Nicoletti 27:18
382-Brian Townsend 28:16
Open race results, 5-mile course
59-Mike Keegan 26:51
91-Mohamed Eid 27:14
119-Mark Valentino 27:37
132-Ian Dorset 27:45
139-Kevin O’Sullivan 27:47
157-Nick Salek 27:55
168-Matt Panebianco 27:59
187-Ryan Fitzsimons 28:10
190-Kyle Havard 28:12
229-Ryan Brown 28:34
239-Ben Windisch 28:40
282-Tommy Lappas 29:09
305-Luke Shane 29:22
354-Mike Clausen 30:12
Friday, September 30, 2011
Thursday, September 29, 2011
CCSU men's splits
In the "better late than never" category, here are the 1-mile, 2-mile and 5km splits for the men's race last Saturday at Central Connecticut.
Based on course maps and observations, the consensus was that the course was a bit longer than the 8km as advertised.
Thanks to Brian Townsend and Billy Hild for providing splits and support last week.
20-Tommy Lipari 27:27
5:09, 10:33, 16:27
41-Mohamed Eid 28:08
5:12, 10:44, 16:46
49-Nick Salek 28:28
5:13, 10:53, 17:00
50-Will Schanz 28:31
5:16, 10:53, 16:58
56-Rob Gorski 28:44
---, 10:58, 17:07
59-Ryan Scrudato 28:50
5:13, 10:53, 17:02
64-Ryan Brown 29:01
5:23, ---, 17:26
68-Nick Hughes 29:22
5:13, 10:53, 17:11
70-Kyle Havard 29:34
5:21, 11:13, 17:41
72-Doug Ainscow 29:44
5:21, 11:09, 17:30
77-Ben Windisch 30:07
---, 11:10, 17:26
84-Luke Shane 30:49
5:32, 11:40, 18:21
92-Adam Osowski 31:37
5:28, 11:45, 18:48
95-Brendan Green 32:24
5:28, 11:51, 19:04
Based on course maps and observations, the consensus was that the course was a bit longer than the 8km as advertised.
Thanks to Brian Townsend and Billy Hild for providing splits and support last week.
20-Tommy Lipari 27:27
5:09, 10:33, 16:27
41-Mohamed Eid 28:08
5:12, 10:44, 16:46
49-Nick Salek 28:28
5:13, 10:53, 17:00
50-Will Schanz 28:31
5:16, 10:53, 16:58
56-Rob Gorski 28:44
---, 10:58, 17:07
59-Ryan Scrudato 28:50
5:13, 10:53, 17:02
64-Ryan Brown 29:01
5:23, ---, 17:26
68-Nick Hughes 29:22
5:13, 10:53, 17:11
70-Kyle Havard 29:34
5:21, 11:13, 17:41
72-Doug Ainscow 29:44
5:21, 11:09, 17:30
77-Ben Windisch 30:07
---, 11:10, 17:26
84-Luke Shane 30:49
5:32, 11:40, 18:21
92-Adam Osowski 31:37
5:28, 11:45, 18:48
95-Brendan Green 32:24
5:28, 11:51, 19:04
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Michelle Gaye: ECAC Runner of the Week
Freshman Michelle Gaye earned another honor today, as she was named ECAC Runner of the Week. This is great news! Earlier in the week, Michelle was tabbed as MAAC Runner of the Week.
For details on this excitement announcement, check this link ...
For details on this excitement announcement, check this link ...
Paul Short racing schedule
Here is the order of events, from a Marist Running perspective, for Friday:
10 a.m.: Women's open race (Marist runners not in the top-10)
10:10 a.m.: Men's open race (Marist runners not in the top-10)
11 a.m.: Men's Gold Race (Marist varsity runners)
1 p.m.: Women's Brown Race (Marist varsity runners
There are many other races in what amounts to a mega cross country festival at Lehigh.
Bus departure is 5 a.m.
I can hear the groaning already.
10 a.m.: Women's open race (Marist runners not in the top-10)
10:10 a.m.: Men's open race (Marist runners not in the top-10)
11 a.m.: Men's Gold Race (Marist varsity runners)
1 p.m.: Women's Brown Race (Marist varsity runners
There are many other races in what amounts to a mega cross country festival at Lehigh.
Bus departure is 5 a.m.
I can hear the groaning already.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Michelle Gaye: MAAC Runner of the Week
Congrats to freshman Michelle Gaye, who was chosen as MAAC Runner of the Week!
Michelle's second individual victory of the season at Saturday's Ted Owens/CCSU meet resulted in a team victory for the Running Red Foxes. It was a great day for Michelle and our team.
Here is the link to the story ...
Michelle's second individual victory of the season at Saturday's Ted Owens/CCSU meet resulted in a team victory for the Running Red Foxes. It was a great day for Michelle and our team.
Here is the link to the story ...
Conor on Fifth Avenue: 4:15.5
How about this for range?
Marist Running alum Conor Shelley runs his first half marathon last week in Philly: 1:09:00.
Less than a week later, he is zooming down Fifth Avenue in the New York Road Runners Championship Fifth Avenue Mile race. Representing NYAC, Conor ran 4:15.5. Pretty snazzy!
Here is the link to the results ...
Marist Running alum Conor Shelley runs his first half marathon last week in Philly: 1:09:00.
Less than a week later, he is zooming down Fifth Avenue in the New York Road Runners Championship Fifth Avenue Mile race. Representing NYAC, Conor ran 4:15.5. Pretty snazzy!
Here is the link to the results ...
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Confessions of a streak runner
I did not run today.
The last time I could accurately type or say that sentence was on June 27, 1998. For those keeping score at home, that was 4,837 days ago.
The streak ends today – Saturday, September 24, 2011. Mostly on my own terms. But a consecutive days’ running streak rarely ends on one’s own terms. The streak takes on a life of its own. After 13.25 years, the life of this streak has ended. This streak has died of natural causes.
During the past few years, I have been very ambivalent about my streak. I was equal parts proud and ashamed of the streak. I was certainly proud to have plundered through all those days, months and years – through terrible weather and terrible illness, heavy rain and root canal pain, post-marathon haze and mid-summer days. I trudged through knee pains and ankle sprains, plantar fascia throbbing and calf/Achilles hobbling; bruised ribs from a nasty fall, and bruised ego from less-than-stellar racing.
But I was also slightly embarrassed to discuss the times I would jog up and down my street at 1 a.m., in the wee hours after an endless indoor track meet, just to “get the next day out of the way” so I could sleep in for a few hours before an early CYO basketball game.
Or the time I jogged around my basement for 15 minutes (in our pre-treadmill days at home) instead of dealing with the ravages of a severe thunderstorm.
Or the time I was half-asleep and jogged around the parking lot of the Poughkeepsie Train Station for 15 minutes in street clothes, waiting for Greg Salamone to arrive from Syracuse on an extremely delayed train after finals were over, to run in the IC4A 10,000-meter race the next day.
Or when my wife Heidi was going into labor with our first child, and she implored me to “go out and get my run in” at 6:30 a.m., not knowing how long the labor would last. Our other two children were born early in the morning, leaving plenty of time to get a run in later in the day.
Yes, that’s right. The streak was longer and older than my three children.
The streak pre-dates 9/11.
The streak went through three leap years.
When I started the streak, the Marist Running Class of 2002 was just graduating high school. They are now married, with children, and coaching high school athletes all over the Northeast. I’m proud of all of them.
When I started the streak, the current freshmen on our team had not yet entered kindergarten.
When I started the streak, gas prices were under $1.00 (I think; I didn’t look it up, but it was pretty darn close).
I have a long history with streak running. My first streak started the day after Memorial Day in 1983. It lasted for a little less than 2 years, including a “streak within a streak” in which I doubled 5 days per week for the first 6 months of it. A nasty flu bug forced me to call it quits on that first streak. Silly me. The older streak-runner in me surely would have coughed and wheezed through such trivialities.
After four days off to recuperate, I immediately started another streak, which lasted more than 9 months. Again, a flu curtailed that one. And that was that for my streak running days. Until 1998.
Why I started this beast of a streak has become hazy through these nearly 5,000 days. I remember running a disappointing (for me) marathon in San Diego back in June 1998. After a few post-marathon days of hanging out with Marist Running Alum Todd “Lurch” Coulson in the San Diego area, I decided to get going on a streak upon arriving home.
If I recall properly, I was thinking about going for a year. One year came, and I figured I’d keep going. And going. And going. And going.
As I said, the past few years have gotten more complicated, and the streak became as much of a burden as a point of pride. But the longer it went, the more I realized there was no way I would just stop it … “just because.”
I often joked that the only things that would stop me were: 1. A broken bone; 2. Hospitalization; 3. Death.
Since I’m typing this, #3 clearly didn’t end this; but it was a bizarre combination of #1 (sort of, but not really) and #2 (sort of, but not really, either) that brought me to this point.
Without going into much detail here about my most recent issues, let it be known that I COULD HAVE RUN today. Should have? Most certainly not. But again, such criteria never stopped me before.
Today, for the first time in a long while, I was smart. The decision was made earlier in the week. I knew the potential circumstances, and I made peace with the end of the streak. Yes, there is some sadness – even a touch of depression. But mostly, this streak comes to a natural end, and I can remain proud of it.
For the record, I do not recommend streak running. I have long preached the value of recovery. And never taking a day off does not equate to full recovery. Ever. So for many years, it was a “do as I say and not as I do” proposition.
Also, for the record: Mine was by no means a monumental streak, such as the ones you can see and read about at www.runeveryday.com.
My good friend and running partner Eric had a longer streak – by more than a year. Dick Vincent, a local running acquaintance who has done so much for the sport through the years, had a streak that lasted more than 30 years.
So my 13.25-year streak was not that big a deal, in the overall scheme of these things. But it was to me. It was a part of me; it was a part of who I am, and I will miss it.
The last time I could accurately type or say that sentence was on June 27, 1998. For those keeping score at home, that was 4,837 days ago.
The streak ends today – Saturday, September 24, 2011. Mostly on my own terms. But a consecutive days’ running streak rarely ends on one’s own terms. The streak takes on a life of its own. After 13.25 years, the life of this streak has ended. This streak has died of natural causes.
During the past few years, I have been very ambivalent about my streak. I was equal parts proud and ashamed of the streak. I was certainly proud to have plundered through all those days, months and years – through terrible weather and terrible illness, heavy rain and root canal pain, post-marathon haze and mid-summer days. I trudged through knee pains and ankle sprains, plantar fascia throbbing and calf/Achilles hobbling; bruised ribs from a nasty fall, and bruised ego from less-than-stellar racing.
But I was also slightly embarrassed to discuss the times I would jog up and down my street at 1 a.m., in the wee hours after an endless indoor track meet, just to “get the next day out of the way” so I could sleep in for a few hours before an early CYO basketball game.
Or the time I jogged around my basement for 15 minutes (in our pre-treadmill days at home) instead of dealing with the ravages of a severe thunderstorm.
Or the time I was half-asleep and jogged around the parking lot of the Poughkeepsie Train Station for 15 minutes in street clothes, waiting for Greg Salamone to arrive from Syracuse on an extremely delayed train after finals were over, to run in the IC4A 10,000-meter race the next day.
Or when my wife Heidi was going into labor with our first child, and she implored me to “go out and get my run in” at 6:30 a.m., not knowing how long the labor would last. Our other two children were born early in the morning, leaving plenty of time to get a run in later in the day.
Yes, that’s right. The streak was longer and older than my three children.
The streak pre-dates 9/11.
The streak went through three leap years.
When I started the streak, the Marist Running Class of 2002 was just graduating high school. They are now married, with children, and coaching high school athletes all over the Northeast. I’m proud of all of them.
When I started the streak, the current freshmen on our team had not yet entered kindergarten.
When I started the streak, gas prices were under $1.00 (I think; I didn’t look it up, but it was pretty darn close).
I have a long history with streak running. My first streak started the day after Memorial Day in 1983. It lasted for a little less than 2 years, including a “streak within a streak” in which I doubled 5 days per week for the first 6 months of it. A nasty flu bug forced me to call it quits on that first streak. Silly me. The older streak-runner in me surely would have coughed and wheezed through such trivialities.
After four days off to recuperate, I immediately started another streak, which lasted more than 9 months. Again, a flu curtailed that one. And that was that for my streak running days. Until 1998.
Why I started this beast of a streak has become hazy through these nearly 5,000 days. I remember running a disappointing (for me) marathon in San Diego back in June 1998. After a few post-marathon days of hanging out with Marist Running Alum Todd “Lurch” Coulson in the San Diego area, I decided to get going on a streak upon arriving home.
If I recall properly, I was thinking about going for a year. One year came, and I figured I’d keep going. And going. And going. And going.
As I said, the past few years have gotten more complicated, and the streak became as much of a burden as a point of pride. But the longer it went, the more I realized there was no way I would just stop it … “just because.”
I often joked that the only things that would stop me were: 1. A broken bone; 2. Hospitalization; 3. Death.
Since I’m typing this, #3 clearly didn’t end this; but it was a bizarre combination of #1 (sort of, but not really) and #2 (sort of, but not really, either) that brought me to this point.
Without going into much detail here about my most recent issues, let it be known that I COULD HAVE RUN today. Should have? Most certainly not. But again, such criteria never stopped me before.
Today, for the first time in a long while, I was smart. The decision was made earlier in the week. I knew the potential circumstances, and I made peace with the end of the streak. Yes, there is some sadness – even a touch of depression. But mostly, this streak comes to a natural end, and I can remain proud of it.
For the record, I do not recommend streak running. I have long preached the value of recovery. And never taking a day off does not equate to full recovery. Ever. So for many years, it was a “do as I say and not as I do” proposition.
Also, for the record: Mine was by no means a monumental streak, such as the ones you can see and read about at www.runeveryday.com.
My good friend and running partner Eric had a longer streak – by more than a year. Dick Vincent, a local running acquaintance who has done so much for the sport through the years, had a streak that lasted more than 30 years.
So my 13.25-year streak was not that big a deal, in the overall scheme of these things. But it was to me. It was a part of me; it was a part of who I am, and I will miss it.
CCSU updated results, with links
Here are updated and complete results of today’s meet, including all finishers and more accurate overall placements (the original post had scoring placements).
It cannot be stated enough how well the women’s team ran. An individual victory, a narrow team victory, and just top to bottom solid to great performances. Good stuff all around!
I was bummed out about having to miss this meet, but it really bums me out to have missed such a thrilling victory. The last time I missed a cross country meet was Mets in October of 2005 (when our son James was born), and David Raucci was the overall winner. So I guess when I miss meets, I am destined to miss pretty good things!
On the men’s side, I would say it was an overall flat day. However, from what I heard, conditions weren’t great and the course is possibly a little longer than advertised. I actually remember years ago thinking the same thing; when I brought it to the attention of the then-CCSU coach, his reply was a sly smile and an index finger to his lips as if to say, “Shhh, it’s our little secret.”
Rest assured that Paul Short/Lehigh is an accurate course, and we are looking forward to a big bounce-back effort there.
CCSU Ted Owens Invitational
Women
Team standings: 1-Marist 55, 2-Rhode Island 56, 3-UConn 99, 4-Wagner 115, 5-CCSU 119, 6-Northeastern 160, 7-Bryant 165, 8-Hartford 179, 9-AIC 237, 10-FDU 275
Marist varsity finishers, 5-kilometer course
1-Michelle Gaye 18:04
5-Erin Thompson 18:30
12-Katie Messina 18:53
18-Briana Crowe 19:12
22-Brianna Freestone 19:24
24-Erin O’Reilly 19:32
25-Becca Denise 19:35
26-Megan Brady 19:38
30-Kara Lightowler 19:47
33-Elizabeth O’Brien 19:55
35-Kathryn Sheehan 19:58
38-Colleen Smith 20:04
40-Alex Davis 20:07
43-Jackie Gamboli 20:13
46-Dayna McLaughlin 20:35
53-Tara Nuccitelli 20:47
62-Laura Lindsley 21:09
63-Kelley Hanifin 21:13
70-Rachel Lichtenwalner 21:22
71-Miy Mahran 21:26
81-Kim Bartlett 22:50
90 finishers
Men
Team standings: 1-Northeastern 33, 2-AIC 99, 3-UConn 102, 4-CCSU and Hartford 126, 6-Wagner 131, 7-Rhode Island 138, 8-Marist and Bryant 192, 10-FDU 282
Marist varsity finishers, 5-mile course
20-Tommy Lipari 27:27
41-Mohamed Eid 28:08
49-Nick Salek 28:28
50-Will Schanz 28:31
56-Rob Gorski 28:44
59-Ryan Scrudato 28:50
64-Ryan Brown 29:01
68-Nick Hughes 29:22
70-Kyle Havard 29:34
72-Doug Ainscow 29:44
77-Ben Windisch 30:07
84-Luke Shane 30:49
92-Adam Osowski 31:37
95-Brendan Green 32:24
99 finishers
Link to complete women's results ...
Link to complete men's results ...
It cannot be stated enough how well the women’s team ran. An individual victory, a narrow team victory, and just top to bottom solid to great performances. Good stuff all around!
I was bummed out about having to miss this meet, but it really bums me out to have missed such a thrilling victory. The last time I missed a cross country meet was Mets in October of 2005 (when our son James was born), and David Raucci was the overall winner. So I guess when I miss meets, I am destined to miss pretty good things!
On the men’s side, I would say it was an overall flat day. However, from what I heard, conditions weren’t great and the course is possibly a little longer than advertised. I actually remember years ago thinking the same thing; when I brought it to the attention of the then-CCSU coach, his reply was a sly smile and an index finger to his lips as if to say, “Shhh, it’s our little secret.”
Rest assured that Paul Short/Lehigh is an accurate course, and we are looking forward to a big bounce-back effort there.
CCSU Ted Owens Invitational
Women
Team standings: 1-Marist 55, 2-Rhode Island 56, 3-UConn 99, 4-Wagner 115, 5-CCSU 119, 6-Northeastern 160, 7-Bryant 165, 8-Hartford 179, 9-AIC 237, 10-FDU 275
Marist varsity finishers, 5-kilometer course
1-Michelle Gaye 18:04
5-Erin Thompson 18:30
12-Katie Messina 18:53
18-Briana Crowe 19:12
22-Brianna Freestone 19:24
24-Erin O’Reilly 19:32
25-Becca Denise 19:35
26-Megan Brady 19:38
30-Kara Lightowler 19:47
33-Elizabeth O’Brien 19:55
35-Kathryn Sheehan 19:58
38-Colleen Smith 20:04
40-Alex Davis 20:07
43-Jackie Gamboli 20:13
46-Dayna McLaughlin 20:35
53-Tara Nuccitelli 20:47
62-Laura Lindsley 21:09
63-Kelley Hanifin 21:13
70-Rachel Lichtenwalner 21:22
71-Miy Mahran 21:26
81-Kim Bartlett 22:50
90 finishers
Men
Team standings: 1-Northeastern 33, 2-AIC 99, 3-UConn 102, 4-CCSU and Hartford 126, 6-Wagner 131, 7-Rhode Island 138, 8-Marist and Bryant 192, 10-FDU 282
Marist varsity finishers, 5-mile course
20-Tommy Lipari 27:27
41-Mohamed Eid 28:08
49-Nick Salek 28:28
50-Will Schanz 28:31
56-Rob Gorski 28:44
59-Ryan Scrudato 28:50
64-Ryan Brown 29:01
68-Nick Hughes 29:22
70-Kyle Havard 29:34
72-Doug Ainscow 29:44
77-Ben Windisch 30:07
84-Luke Shane 30:49
92-Adam Osowski 31:37
95-Brendan Green 32:24
99 finishers
Link to complete women's results ...
Link to complete men's results ...
CCSU preliminary results
Here are some quick results that were just posted online. They do not include complete individual results.
Once again: GREAT JOB BY OUR WOMEN'S TEAM!
More results and splits when they are available ...
CCSU Ted Owens Invitational
Women
Team standings: 1-Marist 55, 2-Rhode Island 56, 3-UConn 99, 4-Wagner 115, 5-CCSU 119, 6-Northeastern 160, 7-Bryant 165, 8-Hartford 179, 9-AIC 237, 10-FDU 275
Marist varsity finishers, 5-kilometer course
1-Michelle Gaye 18:04
5-Erin Thompson 18:30
11-Katie Messina 18:53
17-Briana Crowe 19:12
21-Brianna Freestone 19:24
23-Erin O’Reilly 19:32
24-Becca Denise 19:35
Men
Team standings: 1-Northeastern 33, 2-AIC 99, 3-UConn 102, 4-CCSU and Hartford 126, 6-Wagner 131, 7-Rhode Island 138, 8-Marist and Bryant 192, 10-FDU 282
Marist varsity finishers, 5-mile course
19-Tommy Lipari 27:27
37-Mohamed Eid 28:08
43-Nick Salek 28:28
44-Will Schanz 28:31
49-Rob Gorski 28:44
51-Ryan Scrudato 28:50
56-Ryan Brown 29:01
Once again: GREAT JOB BY OUR WOMEN'S TEAM!
More results and splits when they are available ...
CCSU Ted Owens Invitational
Women
Team standings: 1-Marist 55, 2-Rhode Island 56, 3-UConn 99, 4-Wagner 115, 5-CCSU 119, 6-Northeastern 160, 7-Bryant 165, 8-Hartford 179, 9-AIC 237, 10-FDU 275
Marist varsity finishers, 5-kilometer course
1-Michelle Gaye 18:04
5-Erin Thompson 18:30
11-Katie Messina 18:53
17-Briana Crowe 19:12
21-Brianna Freestone 19:24
23-Erin O’Reilly 19:32
24-Becca Denise 19:35
Men
Team standings: 1-Northeastern 33, 2-AIC 99, 3-UConn 102, 4-CCSU and Hartford 126, 6-Wagner 131, 7-Rhode Island 138, 8-Marist and Bryant 192, 10-FDU 282
Marist varsity finishers, 5-mile course
19-Tommy Lipari 27:27
37-Mohamed Eid 28:08
43-Nick Salek 28:28
44-Will Schanz 28:31
49-Rob Gorski 28:44
51-Ryan Scrudato 28:50
56-Ryan Brown 29:01
Women win at CCSU!
This just in via text: Our women's team captured the CCSU/Ted Owens Invitational this afternoon in a thrilling, 1-point victory over URI (55 to 56). Freshman Michelle Gaye was the overall race winner.
This is GREAT NEWS and we are VERY EXCITED.
I was not able to attend this meet today as I am recovering from a medical procedure. No worries, all is well, and I should be back to normal soon.
It was tough not being there, but I was getting frequent updates from team captain Brian Townsend and sophomore Billy Hild. Many thanks to them for that. Our men's team (we ran a partial squad) placed eighth overall.
More details and results when I can get them.
This is GREAT NEWS and we are VERY EXCITED.
I was not able to attend this meet today as I am recovering from a medical procedure. No worries, all is well, and I should be back to normal soon.
It was tough not being there, but I was getting frequent updates from team captain Brian Townsend and sophomore Billy Hild. Many thanks to them for that. Our men's team (we ran a partial squad) placed eighth overall.
More details and results when I can get them.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Begin again, at Mills
Thanks to junior Will Schanz for pointing out to me today the symmetry of my son Joey's first modified cross country meet.
Their home course is the Mills Mansion in Staatsburg. Schanz pointed out that generations of Marist runners got their start in collegiate running with the first workout at Mills. Similarly, Joey got his start in scholastic running at the exact same place -- with the hill we use for the workout being part of his 1.5-mile course!
Pretty cool stuff.
Their home course is the Mills Mansion in Staatsburg. Schanz pointed out that generations of Marist runners got their start in collegiate running with the first workout at Mills. Similarly, Joey got his start in scholastic running at the exact same place -- with the hill we use for the workout being part of his 1.5-mile course!
Pretty cool stuff.
You know you're old when ...
At the risk of sounding like Jeff Foxworthy:
You know you have been doing this for a long time when: Local XC recruits are the CHILDREN of your friends and acquaintances, and you remember when their babies were born.
Well, now those "babies" are 16 and 17 years old, and filling out Marist XC/Track questionnaires.
Wow.
You know you have been doing this for a long time when: Local XC recruits are the CHILDREN of your friends and acquaintances, and you remember when their babies were born.
Well, now those "babies" are 16 and 17 years old, and filling out Marist XC/Track questionnaires.
Wow.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
CCSU meet information
Meet start times for Saturday are confirmed as ...
Men: 11 a.m.
Women: 11:45 a.m.
Course map can be viewed by clicking on this link. It is basically a two-loop course, done multiple times (as you will see).
Men: 11 a.m.
Women: 11:45 a.m.
Course map can be viewed by clicking on this link. It is basically a two-loop course, done multiple times (as you will see).
Monday, September 19, 2011
Alumni Racing News: Conor’s half marathon debut
Congrats to Marist Running alum Conor Shelley, who placed 64th at the highly competitive Rock ‘n Roll Half Marathon in Philadelphia on Sunday. It was Conor’s 13.1-mile race debut and he clocked in at 1:09:00. That’s an average of just under 5:16 per mile – nicely done!
Of course, his time brings back the memory of his 5,000-meter run indoors at Boston University several winters ago, when he ran 15:00.00 in his quest for a sub-15:00. Yikes! Fortunately, Conor did eventually break 15:00 for the 5k, just as we hope that he will break 1:09 (and beyond) in the half marathon.
Of course, his time brings back the memory of his 5,000-meter run indoors at Boston University several winters ago, when he ran 15:00.00 in his quest for a sub-15:00. Yikes! Fortunately, Conor did eventually break 15:00 for the 5k, just as we hope that he will break 1:09 (and beyond) in the half marathon.
Alumni Racing News: Web cashes in
Congrats to Marist Alumni Racing Team member Nick Webster for placing “in the money” with his seventh-place finish at Sunday’s Dunkin Donuts 5K in Albany. Web ran 15:45.4 and got a cash prize. Keep running strong!
Conference conundrum
A few years ago, when my nephew Doug was running track for New Jersey Institute of Technology in Newark, N.J., he texted me from a track meet he was at in South Dakota.
South Dakota? What the heck was he doing out there, I wondered?
Well, he was out there competing in his conference championship. NJIT is in the Great West Conference. Take a moment for that to sink in. A school in Newark, about as east as you can get in these United States, is in a conference called the Great West – which has member schools scattered all over the lower 48 states.
This thought comes to mind with the news of Syracuse and Pittsburgh bolting the Big East for the ACC. The idea of Syracuse no longer being in the Big East, in particular, is mind boggling. I'm not a big college hoop or football fan, but when I think of the "Big East," I think of a droopy-eyed Jim Boeheim at the Garden in March.
Now SU, where is sometimes snows in May, is taking a ride down Tobacco road? But such is the nature of big-time college athletics these days, where money rules all.
Being a literal type of guy, I say these leagues should change names to eliminate the geographical references. The PAC 10 is looking to add schools from Texas? Makes no sense. Where's the PAC or the 10 in that equation? The ACC adding Northeast snow-belt schools? Gimme a break. I have no problem with the musical chairs these schools are playing. Just get the names more accurate, already.
I'm just glad we're in the MAAC, which is an incredibly stable league and where the name truly reflects the geography of most of the members schools.
South Dakota? What the heck was he doing out there, I wondered?
Well, he was out there competing in his conference championship. NJIT is in the Great West Conference. Take a moment for that to sink in. A school in Newark, about as east as you can get in these United States, is in a conference called the Great West – which has member schools scattered all over the lower 48 states.
This thought comes to mind with the news of Syracuse and Pittsburgh bolting the Big East for the ACC. The idea of Syracuse no longer being in the Big East, in particular, is mind boggling. I'm not a big college hoop or football fan, but when I think of the "Big East," I think of a droopy-eyed Jim Boeheim at the Garden in March.
Now SU, where is sometimes snows in May, is taking a ride down Tobacco road? But such is the nature of big-time college athletics these days, where money rules all.
Being a literal type of guy, I say these leagues should change names to eliminate the geographical references. The PAC 10 is looking to add schools from Texas? Makes no sense. Where's the PAC or the 10 in that equation? The ACC adding Northeast snow-belt schools? Gimme a break. I have no problem with the musical chairs these schools are playing. Just get the names more accurate, already.
I'm just glad we're in the MAAC, which is an incredibly stable league and where the name truly reflects the geography of most of the members schools.
Cold whine
With the first chilly weather of the fall having arrived a few days ago, allow me to do my first boy-it’s-cold-out complaining post of the season. Actually, this should be a boy-it’s-cold-in complaining post.
Here’s why: My beautiful wife has a rather irrational (from my layered perspective) rule in our house. The heat does not get turned on until October 1. No matter that the overnight temperatures have been in the low-40s and the house thermostat is reading 58 degrees. No heat!
And so it was that this old coach went to bed the other night with a hooded sweatshirt, sweatpants and winter hat. Heidi loves the meat locker temperature of the house, and even turned on the ceiling fan in the middle of the night to create more of a breeze. Lovely!
Upon boarding our pre-dawn chilly bus on Saturday, I asked Bus Driver Bob to “crank the heat.” He was ready to oblige, before I told him not to. While I like it very warm, we do not need to be dehydrating our athletes before competition.
The van temperature for practice shuttles? I’m in charge there, and that’s a different story …
Here’s why: My beautiful wife has a rather irrational (from my layered perspective) rule in our house. The heat does not get turned on until October 1. No matter that the overnight temperatures have been in the low-40s and the house thermostat is reading 58 degrees. No heat!
And so it was that this old coach went to bed the other night with a hooded sweatshirt, sweatpants and winter hat. Heidi loves the meat locker temperature of the house, and even turned on the ceiling fan in the middle of the night to create more of a breeze. Lovely!
Upon boarding our pre-dawn chilly bus on Saturday, I asked Bus Driver Bob to “crank the heat.” He was ready to oblige, before I told him not to. While I like it very warm, we do not need to be dehydrating our athletes before competition.
The van temperature for practice shuttles? I’m in charge there, and that’s a different story …
Saturday, September 17, 2011
CT sighting!
When you get to my age and this stage of my coaching career, surprises are few and far between. And so it was that I nearly jumped out of my Asics this morning at a chilly, pre-meet Van Cortlandt Park when I saw none other than 2007 Marist Running Alum Matt Syzmaszek (wild guess, but I bet I misspelled his name again, like I did for the four years he was here!).
Anyway, CT – as he was known back then and remains known to this day by his Marist Running brethren – was in town with his girlfriend and they stopped by to cheer on the current Running Red Foxes … none of whom CT knew personally nor ran with.
My, how time flies. There was Duggan, the newest member of the Marist Alumni Racing Team, ready to race Vanny for the first time as a 2011 alum. I pointed Duggan out to CT … you knew him, right? Uh, sorry, Pete. Duggan entered Marist in the fall of 2007, mere months after CT left Poughkeepsie and embarked on his long and noble post-Marist path.
CT is more than halfway through his medical school journey. I was not aware that he is no longer based in Erie, PA. Rather, he is a med student nomad, doing different stints in different places. Alas, what comes around goes around. CT is back in, well … CT! His nickname from back in the day was derived from the fact that he was, at the time, the only team member from Connecticut. I know. Very original of us.
Anyway, it was so great to see him – like a long-lost family member. He remains fit and trim and running strong, despite the rigors of his studies. We remain very proud of him and we are glad he was able to see at least part of the current Running Red Fox brigade. Hope to see you again soon.
Anyway, CT – as he was known back then and remains known to this day by his Marist Running brethren – was in town with his girlfriend and they stopped by to cheer on the current Running Red Foxes … none of whom CT knew personally nor ran with.
My, how time flies. There was Duggan, the newest member of the Marist Alumni Racing Team, ready to race Vanny for the first time as a 2011 alum. I pointed Duggan out to CT … you knew him, right? Uh, sorry, Pete. Duggan entered Marist in the fall of 2007, mere months after CT left Poughkeepsie and embarked on his long and noble post-Marist path.
CT is more than halfway through his medical school journey. I was not aware that he is no longer based in Erie, PA. Rather, he is a med student nomad, doing different stints in different places. Alas, what comes around goes around. CT is back in, well … CT! His nickname from back in the day was derived from the fact that he was, at the time, the only team member from Connecticut. I know. Very original of us.
Anyway, it was so great to see him – like a long-lost family member. He remains fit and trim and running strong, despite the rigors of his studies. We remain very proud of him and we are glad he was able to see at least part of the current Running Red Fox brigade. Hope to see you again soon.
More MOC thoughts …
Women’s meet: I really like the way our women’s team is shaping up. I know it’s early, but the potential for serious, breakthrough-type stuff is there. It is a huge credit to Coach Chuck for putting together this team and keeping the training smart and controlled early in the season.
I think it was good for us to get on this 6km course (actually, 6,100 meters, for those keeping score at home!) before MAACs. I had advised some ladies to be conservative early on in this race, but as it turns out the race did not go out too hard. Live and learn. Next time, we will be ready to attack this course appropriately and run even faster when the leaves start turning. For now, good stuff. And it should only get better …
Men’s meet: This was obviously a partial squad, as our Senior Leaders – Will Griffin and Matt Flint – sat this one out as they did last year. Speaking of Senior Leaders, Tommy Lipari returns to the course next week as well. And while we're on the subject of Senior Leaders ... solid efforts by Brian Townsend and Fitz today!
For the men that did race, it was a mixed bag. Quimes ran a strong early-season time. A breakthrough effort for Nicoletti, to be sure. Freshman Justin Tampellini continues to impress the heck out of me and everyone else. Nicely done! Illness bogged down a few freshmen, and Joel (Big Man Moss) needs to sort out some bizarre breathing issues, which I am confident he will. Fitz and Hild proved they belonged in a big way, great efforts.
Moving forward, we start to slowly steer the ship toward faster training. Slowly. We remain in a strength mode. It’s getting chilly out, but it is still summer mode in that regard. Strength, strength, strength.
Next up: CCSU meet. We haven’t been there in a while. Looking forward to a return to Stanley Quarter Park, a nice course and a nice meet. Women will run full squad again; men will run partial squad again.
I think it was good for us to get on this 6km course (actually, 6,100 meters, for those keeping score at home!) before MAACs. I had advised some ladies to be conservative early on in this race, but as it turns out the race did not go out too hard. Live and learn. Next time, we will be ready to attack this course appropriately and run even faster when the leaves start turning. For now, good stuff. And it should only get better …
Men’s meet: This was obviously a partial squad, as our Senior Leaders – Will Griffin and Matt Flint – sat this one out as they did last year. Speaking of Senior Leaders, Tommy Lipari returns to the course next week as well. And while we're on the subject of Senior Leaders ... solid efforts by Brian Townsend and Fitz today!
For the men that did race, it was a mixed bag. Quimes ran a strong early-season time. A breakthrough effort for Nicoletti, to be sure. Freshman Justin Tampellini continues to impress the heck out of me and everyone else. Nicely done! Illness bogged down a few freshmen, and Joel (Big Man Moss) needs to sort out some bizarre breathing issues, which I am confident he will. Fitz and Hild proved they belonged in a big way, great efforts.
Moving forward, we start to slowly steer the ship toward faster training. Slowly. We remain in a strength mode. It’s getting chilly out, but it is still summer mode in that regard. Strength, strength, strength.
Next up: CCSU meet. We haven’t been there in a while. Looking forward to a return to Stanley Quarter Park, a nice course and a nice meet. Women will run full squad again; men will run partial squad again.
Iona Meet of Champions, women's results
Iona College Meet of Champions
Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx, NY
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Team standings: 1-Iona 84, 2-Penn 86, 3-Brown 89, 4-Albany 105, 5. Lehigh 125, 6. Army 144, 7. Marist 173, 8. Columbia 174, 9. Edinboro 190, 10. St. John’s 238, 11. Fairfield 334, 12. Shawnee State 350, 13. Findlay 407, 14. Temple 410, 15. Manhattan 453, 16. Millersville 486, 17. Hofstra 510, 18. West Florida 516, 19. Siena 549
Marist individual results
6,100 meters
11. Michelle Gaye 22:58.74 (6:10 pace)
29. Addie DiFrancesco 23:32.50 (6:19 pace)
30. Erin Thompson 23:30.70 (6:20 pace)
50. Briana Crowe 24:01.90 (6:27 pace)
54. Brianna Freestone 24:07.30 (6:29 pace)
59. Katie Messina 24:13.47 (6:30 pace)
76. Jackie Gamboli 24:40.24 (6:38 pace)
92. Tara Nuccitelli 25:00.82 (6:43 pace)
94. Kathryn Sheehan 25:04.64 (6:44 pace)
100. Rebecca Denise 25:08.84 (6:45 pace)
106. Erin O’Reilly 25:13.12 (6:46 pace)
109. Dayna McLaughlin 25:14.98 (6:47 pace)
113. Colleen Smith 25:17.29 (6:47 pace)
117. Kara Lightowler 25:19.75 (6:48 pace)
129. Elizabeth O’Brien 25:29.74 (6:51 pace)
134. Alex Davis 25:32.58 (6:52 pace)
155. Laura Lindsley 26:00.83 (6:59 pace)
160. Kelley Gould 26:08.11 (7:01 pace)
Quick analysis: Huge improvement overall as a team and individually from 2010! Great to see. Nice varsity spread from 2 to 6.
More comments later ...
Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx, NY
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Team standings: 1-Iona 84, 2-Penn 86, 3-Brown 89, 4-Albany 105, 5. Lehigh 125, 6. Army 144, 7. Marist 173, 8. Columbia 174, 9. Edinboro 190, 10. St. John’s 238, 11. Fairfield 334, 12. Shawnee State 350, 13. Findlay 407, 14. Temple 410, 15. Manhattan 453, 16. Millersville 486, 17. Hofstra 510, 18. West Florida 516, 19. Siena 549
Marist individual results
6,100 meters
11. Michelle Gaye 22:58.74 (6:10 pace)
29. Addie DiFrancesco 23:32.50 (6:19 pace)
30. Erin Thompson 23:30.70 (6:20 pace)
50. Briana Crowe 24:01.90 (6:27 pace)
54. Brianna Freestone 24:07.30 (6:29 pace)
59. Katie Messina 24:13.47 (6:30 pace)
76. Jackie Gamboli 24:40.24 (6:38 pace)
92. Tara Nuccitelli 25:00.82 (6:43 pace)
94. Kathryn Sheehan 25:04.64 (6:44 pace)
100. Rebecca Denise 25:08.84 (6:45 pace)
106. Erin O’Reilly 25:13.12 (6:46 pace)
109. Dayna McLaughlin 25:14.98 (6:47 pace)
113. Colleen Smith 25:17.29 (6:47 pace)
117. Kara Lightowler 25:19.75 (6:48 pace)
129. Elizabeth O’Brien 25:29.74 (6:51 pace)
134. Alex Davis 25:32.58 (6:52 pace)
155. Laura Lindsley 26:00.83 (6:59 pace)
160. Kelley Gould 26:08.11 (7:01 pace)
Quick analysis: Huge improvement overall as a team and individually from 2010! Great to see. Nice varsity spread from 2 to 6.
More comments later ...
Iona Meet of Champions, men's results
Iona College Meet of Champions
Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx, NY
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Men’s results
Team standings:
1-Iona 19, 2. Brown 64, 3. Albany 71, 4. Army 120, 5. Columbia and Edinboro 180, 7. Penn 193, 8. Boston College 206, 9. Marist 244, 10. Shawnee State 285, 11. Fairfield 287, 12. Conn College 337, 13. Temple 383, 14. Findlay 420, 15. Millersville 466, 16. Manhattan 475, 17. West Florida 503, 18. Siena 508, 19. Hofstra 517
Marist men’s results
5-mile course
16. Arquimedes DelaCruz 25:38.72 (5:10 pace)
37. Ken Walshak 26:25.64 (5:19 pace)
65. Mike Nicoletti 26:43.11 (5:23 pace)
73. Brian Townsend 26:51.48 (5:25 pace)
74. Justin Tampellini 26:53.68 (5:25 pace)
113. Tommy Lappas 27:30.42 (5:33 pace)
114. Kevin O’Sullivan 27:31.26 (5:33 pace)
119. Joel Moss 27:34.36 (5:33 pace)
132. Mike Keegan 27:53.88 (5:37 pace)
143. Mohamed Eid 28:01.26 (5:39 pace)
149. Mark Valentino 28:07.86 (5:40 pace)
151. Ryan Fitzsimons 28:09.48 (5:40 pace)
156. Billy Hild 28:19.01 (5:42 pace)
192. Ian Dorset 29:10.27 (5:53 pace)
Also ...
182. Pat Duggan (Marist Alumni Racing Team) 28:47.40 (5:48 pace)
183. Pat Rynkowski (unattached) 28:48.12 (5:48 pace)
Comparisions to 2010 Vanny results (for those that ran there last year)
Quimes: 25:26 at ICAAAA
Walshak: 26:25.28 at Iona MOC (almost identical to today!); 25:47 at ICs
Nicoletti: 27:14 at ICs, major breakthrough effort
O'Sullivan: 27:41 at ICs, a PR!
Big Man Moss: 27:37 at Iona; 26:58 at ICs
Meegan: 27:42 at ICs
Fitz: 27:56 at ICs
Hild: 28:36 at ICs, a nice PR
More discussion and analysis later ...
Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx, NY
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Men’s results
Team standings:
1-Iona 19, 2. Brown 64, 3. Albany 71, 4. Army 120, 5. Columbia and Edinboro 180, 7. Penn 193, 8. Boston College 206, 9. Marist 244, 10. Shawnee State 285, 11. Fairfield 287, 12. Conn College 337, 13. Temple 383, 14. Findlay 420, 15. Millersville 466, 16. Manhattan 475, 17. West Florida 503, 18. Siena 508, 19. Hofstra 517
Marist men’s results
5-mile course
16. Arquimedes DelaCruz 25:38.72 (5:10 pace)
37. Ken Walshak 26:25.64 (5:19 pace)
65. Mike Nicoletti 26:43.11 (5:23 pace)
73. Brian Townsend 26:51.48 (5:25 pace)
74. Justin Tampellini 26:53.68 (5:25 pace)
113. Tommy Lappas 27:30.42 (5:33 pace)
114. Kevin O’Sullivan 27:31.26 (5:33 pace)
119. Joel Moss 27:34.36 (5:33 pace)
132. Mike Keegan 27:53.88 (5:37 pace)
143. Mohamed Eid 28:01.26 (5:39 pace)
149. Mark Valentino 28:07.86 (5:40 pace)
151. Ryan Fitzsimons 28:09.48 (5:40 pace)
156. Billy Hild 28:19.01 (5:42 pace)
192. Ian Dorset 29:10.27 (5:53 pace)
Also ...
182. Pat Duggan (Marist Alumni Racing Team) 28:47.40 (5:48 pace)
183. Pat Rynkowski (unattached) 28:48.12 (5:48 pace)
Comparisions to 2010 Vanny results (for those that ran there last year)
Quimes: 25:26 at ICAAAA
Walshak: 26:25.28 at Iona MOC (almost identical to today!); 25:47 at ICs
Nicoletti: 27:14 at ICs, major breakthrough effort
O'Sullivan: 27:41 at ICs, a PR!
Big Man Moss: 27:37 at Iona; 26:58 at ICs
Meegan: 27:42 at ICs
Fitz: 27:56 at ICs
Hild: 28:36 at ICs, a nice PR
More discussion and analysis later ...
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Iona Meet of Champions information
Women's race: 9:30 a.m.
Men's race: 10:15 a.m.
Bus departure from Marist: 5:45 a.m.
Course information: Looks like it will be the same adjusted Van Cortlandt Park course as last year.
Click here to view the map posted online by Iona College Cross Country.
Hope to see you there.
Men's race: 10:15 a.m.
Bus departure from Marist: 5:45 a.m.
Course information: Looks like it will be the same adjusted Van Cortlandt Park course as last year.
Click here to view the map posted online by Iona College Cross Country.
Hope to see you there.
Hard, hot hills
Sorry I haven't posted in a few days. Trying to get back into the normal semester routine.
Yesterday's hill workout at Bowdoin Park was very difficult and very hot for our men's and women's teams. It was one of the first times this year that I can remember our workout schedules coinciding, so it was great to be working out together at the same venue.
The workout was difficult, but most everyone got through it very well. Was it too hard? On Sept. 13 in a long season, too hard is OK at this point. We'll just have to monitor everyone and make sure everyone recovers before the next workout (Friday, for those not racing at VCP) or the next race (Iona Meet of Champions on Saturday).
For those of you waiting for cooler autumn weather to arrive ... you are in luck. It will rain on Thursday, which will usher in some much cooler weather. Just in time for the next workout and race!
Yesterday's hill workout at Bowdoin Park was very difficult and very hot for our men's and women's teams. It was one of the first times this year that I can remember our workout schedules coinciding, so it was great to be working out together at the same venue.
The workout was difficult, but most everyone got through it very well. Was it too hard? On Sept. 13 in a long season, too hard is OK at this point. We'll just have to monitor everyone and make sure everyone recovers before the next workout (Friday, for those not racing at VCP) or the next race (Iona Meet of Champions on Saturday).
For those of you waiting for cooler autumn weather to arrive ... you are in luck. It will rain on Thursday, which will usher in some much cooler weather. Just in time for the next workout and race!
Sunday, September 11, 2011
More thoughts on the Fox Trot …
A few more random comments on yesterday’s road race:
--Marist Athletics is truly blessed with a skilled and professional Event Planning Team. These administrators put on countless events with great efficiency and calmness. It is not an easy task, and they are always up for it. Our home cross country meet and the Red Fox Trot are the two home events that we either organize or help organize each school year. The home XC meet at Bowdoin is one of the rare times when the Athletic Administration is on hand for a home event but are free of the stresses of running the event – thanks in large part to Coach Horton. But at yesterday’s road race, they were back in full force. As part of the planning team for the race, I get to see them in action up close and personal. Putting on a race like this can be a stressful thing for the organizing committee, but it’s nice knowing we have such a great team of administrators who know what they are doing, and they do it very, very well.
--This year’s course was revamped, and it was tougher. Basically, the first half was all uphill. At the urging of Athletic Director Tim Murray, we ran the race through the new pedestrian underpass. This was a nice touch, but it added a huge amount of uphill running to the turnaround point. The great thing about the new course from my perspective: For runners who liked the course, I could take the credit for mapping out the route; for runners who were not enamored with the extra hilliness, I could cite Mr. Murray’s request to go under Route 9 as the reason. Ha! The best of both worlds. In all seriousness, the course worked well. We will tweak it a bit for 2012 to make the turnaround a bit smoother and with fewer turns. Otherwise, I think we are set moving forward with a tough but fair course – what I would consider the road racing equivalent to the Bowdoin Park 5km cross country course.
--Having the Marist Band there before and after the race was really awesome. It’s a great touch. I’m sure Conor Shelley appreciated it.
--Credit must be given to the Red Fox Club, the official booster club of Marist Athletics. This is their race. It was their idea, and the race committee has been planning this event since January. Their dedication and commitment to securing sponsors, working with the Mid-Hudson Road Runners Club and working with Marist Athletics is to be applauded. It is an honor to play a small role on their committee and to be work with such a loyal and hard-working group of volunteers. Nicely done!
--We know the men’s Marist Running Alumni connections are strong. We are slowly trying to foster the same cohesiveness on the women’s side. On that note, it was great to see women alums Brittany Burns and Caitlin Garrity taking part in the race – with Britt winning and Caitlin taking fourth. Good stuff.
--Speaking of good stuff, how about sprinting alums Mike Cocca and John Kristie running fast and strong in the race? They were joined by current sprinter Christian Coscio, a 400-meter man who stepped way up in distance to run the 5k. Hope you guys liked the hills!
--I mentioned the Marist Running Alumni connection in a previous post. The alumni running presence was strong. But what was especially cool was the several “generations” of Marist Running that were present. From Mr. Bucket (“David Swift”) from the early 1990s, to Ned Kenyon from the late 1990s, to Pat Driscoll, from the late 1990s/early 2000s, to Charlie “Junior” Williams from the early/mid 2000s, to the many recent alums from the past five or so years … the bond remains strong and it makes me smile.
--Speaking of making me smile … right before the race, many alums gathered together for a pre-race huddle. How cool was that? Several Red Fox Club members noticed and thought it was extremely neat.
--Marist Athletics is truly blessed with a skilled and professional Event Planning Team. These administrators put on countless events with great efficiency and calmness. It is not an easy task, and they are always up for it. Our home cross country meet and the Red Fox Trot are the two home events that we either organize or help organize each school year. The home XC meet at Bowdoin is one of the rare times when the Athletic Administration is on hand for a home event but are free of the stresses of running the event – thanks in large part to Coach Horton. But at yesterday’s road race, they were back in full force. As part of the planning team for the race, I get to see them in action up close and personal. Putting on a race like this can be a stressful thing for the organizing committee, but it’s nice knowing we have such a great team of administrators who know what they are doing, and they do it very, very well.
--This year’s course was revamped, and it was tougher. Basically, the first half was all uphill. At the urging of Athletic Director Tim Murray, we ran the race through the new pedestrian underpass. This was a nice touch, but it added a huge amount of uphill running to the turnaround point. The great thing about the new course from my perspective: For runners who liked the course, I could take the credit for mapping out the route; for runners who were not enamored with the extra hilliness, I could cite Mr. Murray’s request to go under Route 9 as the reason. Ha! The best of both worlds. In all seriousness, the course worked well. We will tweak it a bit for 2012 to make the turnaround a bit smoother and with fewer turns. Otherwise, I think we are set moving forward with a tough but fair course – what I would consider the road racing equivalent to the Bowdoin Park 5km cross country course.
--Having the Marist Band there before and after the race was really awesome. It’s a great touch. I’m sure Conor Shelley appreciated it.
--Credit must be given to the Red Fox Club, the official booster club of Marist Athletics. This is their race. It was their idea, and the race committee has been planning this event since January. Their dedication and commitment to securing sponsors, working with the Mid-Hudson Road Runners Club and working with Marist Athletics is to be applauded. It is an honor to play a small role on their committee and to be work with such a loyal and hard-working group of volunteers. Nicely done!
--We know the men’s Marist Running Alumni connections are strong. We are slowly trying to foster the same cohesiveness on the women’s side. On that note, it was great to see women alums Brittany Burns and Caitlin Garrity taking part in the race – with Britt winning and Caitlin taking fourth. Good stuff.
--Speaking of good stuff, how about sprinting alums Mike Cocca and John Kristie running fast and strong in the race? They were joined by current sprinter Christian Coscio, a 400-meter man who stepped way up in distance to run the 5k. Hope you guys liked the hills!
--I mentioned the Marist Running Alumni connection in a previous post. The alumni running presence was strong. But what was especially cool was the several “generations” of Marist Running that were present. From Mr. Bucket (“David Swift”) from the early 1990s, to Ned Kenyon from the late 1990s, to Pat Driscoll, from the late 1990s/early 2000s, to Charlie “Junior” Williams from the early/mid 2000s, to the many recent alums from the past five or so years … the bond remains strong and it makes me smile.
--Speaking of making me smile … right before the race, many alums gathered together for a pre-race huddle. How cool was that? Several Red Fox Club members noticed and thought it was extremely neat.
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Home of the Red Foxes
Assistant Coach Terry Horton relayed a pretty neat story. While dropping something off at the McCann Center the other night after another endless day at Bowdoin Park, Terry got in his trusty old truck and headed home. I’ll let his email tell you the rest of the story:
“As I started up the hill toward the South Entrance, I looked to my left toward the football field. Much to my surprise and amazement I witnessed an animal walking along the south end of the field no more than 20 yards from me. Maybe this is a common occurrence at Marist, but, the animal was a RED FOX. Maybe I am making too much of this, especially as a Cortland graduate, I obviously never saw a RED DRAGON on the football field. I can't say I even saw a red salamander. Anyway I thought this was pretty neat.”
Note to Terry: I’ve never seen a Red Fox on our campus, but I have seen many of them in Vanderbilt and alongside the roads in Hyde Park. They are quite common to the area.
Can’t say I’ve ever seen a Red Dragon, though. In Hyde Park, Cortland or anywhere else ...
“As I started up the hill toward the South Entrance, I looked to my left toward the football field. Much to my surprise and amazement I witnessed an animal walking along the south end of the field no more than 20 yards from me. Maybe this is a common occurrence at Marist, but, the animal was a RED FOX. Maybe I am making too much of this, especially as a Cortland graduate, I obviously never saw a RED DRAGON on the football field. I can't say I even saw a red salamander. Anyway I thought this was pretty neat.”
Note to Terry: I’ve never seen a Red Fox on our campus, but I have seen many of them in Vanderbilt and alongside the roads in Hyde Park. They are quite common to the area.
Can’t say I’ve ever seen a Red Dragon, though. In Hyde Park, Cortland or anywhere else ...
Alumni runner racing for a cause
Got an email from Red Fox Club member Wayne Ennist. Wayne is a regular at Marist basketball games. He also happens to be the dad of Marist Running Alum Corey Ennist.
Corey was primarily an 800-meter runner in high school (locally, at John Jay, for Coach Steve Perks) and here at Marist. So it was surprising and exciting to see Corey has decided to move up and run a half marathon as a benefit for Crohns Disease.
Here is the link to the information on Corey’s run.
Corey was primarily an 800-meter runner in high school (locally, at John Jay, for Coach Steve Perks) and here at Marist. So it was surprising and exciting to see Corey has decided to move up and run a half marathon as a benefit for Crohns Disease.
Here is the link to the information on Corey’s run.
Noah's Ark
Just got back from a marvelous alumni gathering at Poughkeepsie watering hole Noah's Ark in the Mt. Carmel section of the city. Brought back some memories of my younger bar days -- heck, that is going back more than 20 years ago!
The men and women of Marist Running reserved an open bar from 5 to 8 p.m. Since the only time I will have an occasional Barley Pop is on Lake George vacation and at Yankee Stadium, I limited my bar consumption to a few glasses of Coca-Cola.
Thanks to Rolek, who I believe was the brains behind this. This was a truly wonderful idea to get everyone together in a low-key setting for some socializing. There was darts, billiards and mostly questionable music on the jukebox (exception: Walsh chose some good tunes).
This old guy fired some darts with Bamberger. We will not discuss the results here. You can guess who won.
The early evening hours were perfect for me, as I was able to get home just as the sun was setting.
It is a safe hunch that, as this is being typed, the night remains quite young for our recent graduates. But it is also a safe hunch that many of those men will be with the current Running Red Foxes for our 10 a.m. long run on Sunday.
In all, it was a great ending to a long but fun day.
The men and women of Marist Running reserved an open bar from 5 to 8 p.m. Since the only time I will have an occasional Barley Pop is on Lake George vacation and at Yankee Stadium, I limited my bar consumption to a few glasses of Coca-Cola.
Thanks to Rolek, who I believe was the brains behind this. This was a truly wonderful idea to get everyone together in a low-key setting for some socializing. There was darts, billiards and mostly questionable music on the jukebox (exception: Walsh chose some good tunes).
This old guy fired some darts with Bamberger. We will not discuss the results here. You can guess who won.
The early evening hours were perfect for me, as I was able to get home just as the sun was setting.
It is a safe hunch that, as this is being typed, the night remains quite young for our recent graduates. But it is also a safe hunch that many of those men will be with the current Running Red Foxes for our 10 a.m. long run on Sunday.
In all, it was a great ending to a long but fun day.
Today's Red Fox Trot
The second annual Red Fox Trot 5K was a success today. There were 241 finishers this year, almost exactly the same number as finished in 2010 (246). Pretty cool.
Even better: The Marist Alumni Running participation was phenomenal. Check out the link to the results here, and you will see that race champions Mike Rolek (defending his title) and Brittany Burns are Marist Running Alums.
In addition, you will see that 11 of the first 12 runners are Marist Running Alums. The only non-Marist Running Alum was my training partner Anthony Ferreri, and Tony pointed out that he earned both his undergrad and masters degrees from Marist.
Pretty cool stuff!
I will post some more post-race thoughts here in a bit. Thanks to all team members who willing gave of their Saturday morning to line the course. Trust me: My Mid-Hudson Road Runners Club brethren really appreciate your support.
Even better: The Marist Alumni Running participation was phenomenal. Check out the link to the results here, and you will see that race champions Mike Rolek (defending his title) and Brittany Burns are Marist Running Alums.
In addition, you will see that 11 of the first 12 runners are Marist Running Alums. The only non-Marist Running Alum was my training partner Anthony Ferreri, and Tony pointed out that he earned both his undergrad and masters degrees from Marist.
Pretty cool stuff!
I will post some more post-race thoughts here in a bit. Thanks to all team members who willing gave of their Saturday morning to line the course. Trust me: My Mid-Hudson Road Runners Club brethren really appreciate your support.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Red Fox Trot update
Tonight was the final planning meeting for the Red Fox Trot 5K. It is full steam ahead for Saturday, where the weather thankfully will be good after all this rain.
The new course is ready to go and will be marked and lined with enthusiastic current Running Red Foxes. Pre-pregistration numbers are approaching 200. That's pretty darn good!
We look forward to seeing all the alumni back in Poughkeepsie in a few days.
The new course is ready to go and will be marked and lined with enthusiastic current Running Red Foxes. Pre-pregistration numbers are approaching 200. That's pretty darn good!
We look forward to seeing all the alumni back in Poughkeepsie in a few days.
A new practice home
For many years, the lobby of the McCann Center has been the de facto launching point for our team’s practices. Those days are over.
With the renovation of the McCann Center nearly complete, having our large program meet in the lobby no longer makes sense. It is also a safety issue for all involved, as well as a security issue in terms of leaving our belongings out in the open for all to see.
So now, we have a new home. We will be safe and secure in … the racquetball court in the back end of the McCann Center. That may seem odd, but we think it’s an excellent solution. We will have ample room to store our gear and to stretch, and it will be secured with a combination lock.
During the warm-weather nice days, many men will simply use the plaza in front of the McCann Center outside as our launching point. But those days will become fewer and fewer as the calendar goes deeper into the fall. At that point, we will move our operations into the court. I like it!
So alumni and friends looking for our athletes during practice time, that’s where we’ll be. See you there!
With the renovation of the McCann Center nearly complete, having our large program meet in the lobby no longer makes sense. It is also a safety issue for all involved, as well as a security issue in terms of leaving our belongings out in the open for all to see.
So now, we have a new home. We will be safe and secure in … the racquetball court in the back end of the McCann Center. That may seem odd, but we think it’s an excellent solution. We will have ample room to store our gear and to stretch, and it will be secured with a combination lock.
During the warm-weather nice days, many men will simply use the plaza in front of the McCann Center outside as our launching point. But those days will become fewer and fewer as the calendar goes deeper into the fall. At that point, we will move our operations into the court. I like it!
So alumni and friends looking for our athletes during practice time, that’s where we’ll be. See you there!
Who’ll stop the rain?
The morning began with an unplanned trip to the Home Depot for yet another sump pump. That makes 5 sump pumps in the basement, and still a foot of water!
But hey. Many have it much much worse.
The Marist riverfront area was again a deluge this morning, as this area can simply handle no more moisture.
Fortunately, the weather forecast is turning nicer for the next few days.
But hey. Many have it much much worse.
The Marist riverfront area was again a deluge this morning, as this area can simply handle no more moisture.
Fortunately, the weather forecast is turning nicer for the next few days.
Monday, September 5, 2011
Transcontinental project
Junior Arquimedes DelaCruz has a very loyal group of friends from back home on Wantagh, Long Island. I have gotten to know these guys, many of whom Q has been tight with since pre-kindergarten. It’s pretty cool that they remain close after all these years. Most of them have grown up to be pretty darn good runners, too!
Many of Q’s boys stayed close to home and attended and ran/run for Adelphi University. As luck would have it, especially during the track season, we see Adelphi on an almost weekly basis at various meets around the Northeast circuit. So it’s kind of cool to have gotten to know these guys – good people, great runners, fierce competitors.
Check out this link to an amazing endeavor a couple of these Adelphi guys are embarking upon. They are running across the country as part of the “Transcontinental Project.” Along the way, they are doing excellent charity work and seeing the country one mile at a time. It is very, very neat stuff.
Here is the description of their journey, taken right from their Web site. Please consider following their journey and maybe contributing to their causes. Good luck men, and keep on keeping on …
“This August, two Adelphi University graduates will take on a feat of immense difficulty and gravity: a journey from New York to California by foot.
“The duo, made up of Adam Clark of Wantagh, NY and Jeffrey Perez of East Elmhurst, NY, will run 7 days a week to raise money for their respective charities, as well as to experience firsthand the limits of the human spirit under extreme stress.
“The runners will be accompanied by friend and life support James William Eastman, of Massapequa, NY, who will document the journey as well as man the transport vehicle, as well as Ian Leavitt of Troy, NY who due to an injury will no longer be running with the group, but still will be offering all the aid that he can. They plan for an adventure of unparalleled quality; they aspire to help as many as they can along the way...”
Many of Q’s boys stayed close to home and attended and ran/run for Adelphi University. As luck would have it, especially during the track season, we see Adelphi on an almost weekly basis at various meets around the Northeast circuit. So it’s kind of cool to have gotten to know these guys – good people, great runners, fierce competitors.
Check out this link to an amazing endeavor a couple of these Adelphi guys are embarking upon. They are running across the country as part of the “Transcontinental Project.” Along the way, they are doing excellent charity work and seeing the country one mile at a time. It is very, very neat stuff.
Here is the description of their journey, taken right from their Web site. Please consider following their journey and maybe contributing to their causes. Good luck men, and keep on keeping on …
“This August, two Adelphi University graduates will take on a feat of immense difficulty and gravity: a journey from New York to California by foot.
“The duo, made up of Adam Clark of Wantagh, NY and Jeffrey Perez of East Elmhurst, NY, will run 7 days a week to raise money for their respective charities, as well as to experience firsthand the limits of the human spirit under extreme stress.
“The runners will be accompanied by friend and life support James William Eastman, of Massapequa, NY, who will document the journey as well as man the transport vehicle, as well as Ian Leavitt of Troy, NY who due to an injury will no longer be running with the group, but still will be offering all the aid that he can. They plan for an adventure of unparalleled quality; they aspire to help as many as they can along the way...”
A little help from an old friend
This morning, I ran in the Mad Dash 10km road race in Rhinebeck. It was the first time in many years that I had run in the 10km up there; it’s a great race – although, I must ask: What’s with the shocking pink race T-shirts?
It was a warm and humid morning and I ran as hard as I could. Along the way, I received special support from our old pal David Raucci (class of 2010). David was up there jogging around and cheering for the Red Hook High School team. David went to Red Hook and remains close to his old school.
He caught up to this old guy at around 2 miles. He was a true sweetheart out there on the roads. He attempted to block the wind for me – a nice gesture, but his running in front of me made my already red-line pace creep up that much faster! He fetched water for me to dump on my head. He quietly encouraged me to keep going, and even tried to push me uphill – literally – with a hand to my back.
Holy heck! Good thing I’m not fast. David was inadvertently breaking all sorts of racing rules out there, huh? No worries. I was not quite in contention for age-group awards. It was great to see him, and great to have him share strides with me for a little more than 40 minutes. He is planning his fall marathon racing schedule, and it is our hope he will be sporting the red-and-white of the Marist Alumni Racing Team.
If you are interested in today’s races, results can be found at www.coolrunning.com.
It was a warm and humid morning and I ran as hard as I could. Along the way, I received special support from our old pal David Raucci (class of 2010). David was up there jogging around and cheering for the Red Hook High School team. David went to Red Hook and remains close to his old school.
He caught up to this old guy at around 2 miles. He was a true sweetheart out there on the roads. He attempted to block the wind for me – a nice gesture, but his running in front of me made my already red-line pace creep up that much faster! He fetched water for me to dump on my head. He quietly encouraged me to keep going, and even tried to push me uphill – literally – with a hand to my back.
Holy heck! Good thing I’m not fast. David was inadvertently breaking all sorts of racing rules out there, huh? No worries. I was not quite in contention for age-group awards. It was great to see him, and great to have him share strides with me for a little more than 40 minutes. He is planning his fall marathon racing schedule, and it is our hope he will be sporting the red-and-white of the Marist Alumni Racing Team.
If you are interested in today’s races, results can be found at www.coolrunning.com.
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Men’s meet history, 2008 to present
Here are the numbers for the men. In most cases, the trends are very promising.
In the case of the freshmen, while there is no "trend" per se, overall our newcomers had a fantastic collegiate debut. Nicely done.
Doug Ainscow: 2010: 18:06; 2011: 18:07.73*
Ryan Brown: 2008: 18:30; 2009: 17:56; 2010: 17:30; 2011: 17:37.54*
Bryan Buttigieg: 2011: 18:08.68*
Mike Clausen: 2010: DNF; 2011: DNS
Pat Deedy: 2010: DNF; 2011: DNS
Arquimedes DelaCruz: 2009: 16:49; 2010: 16:28; 2011: 15:58.76*
Ian Dorset: 2011: 16:29.62*
Mohamed Eid: 2011: 16:42.83*
Ryan Fitzsimons 2009: 17:52; 2010: 17:48; 2011: 17:25.28*
Matt Flint: 2008: 16:49; 2009: 16:17; 2010: 15:59; 2011: 15:58.98*
Brian Gordon: 17:39.43*
Rob Gorski: 2011: 16:49.43*
Brendan Green: 2009: 19:28; 2010: 19:26; 2011: 18:51.13*
Will Griffin: 2008: 16:39; 2009: DNR; 2010: DNR; 2011: 16:04.15*
Kyle Hannafin: 2011: DNR
Kyle Havard: 2008: 18:40; 2009: DNR; 2010: 17:39; 2011: 17:52.26*
Billy Hild: 2010: 18:03; 2011: 17:06.41*
Nick Hughes 2010: 16:41; 2011: 17:07.36*
Andrew James: 2010: DNS; 2011: DNF
Mike Keegan: 2009: 17:50; 2010: 18:27; 2011: 17:00.75*
Tommy Lappas: 2011: 16:43.77*
Tom Lipari: 2008: 17:09; 2009: 17:06; 2010: 16:42; 2011: DNS
Danny Mendoza: 2010: DNS; 2011: 19:09.05*
Isaiah Miller: 2010: 18:18; 2011: DNS
Joel Moss: 2009: 17:30; 2010: 17:11; 2011: 16:44.71*
Mike Nicoletti: 2009: 17:31; 2010: 17:12; 2011: 16:45.66*
Adam Osowski: 2011: 19:16.60*
Kevin O’Sullivan: 2010: 17:01; 2011: 16:59.81*
Matt Panebianco: 2009: 17:37; 2010: 17:17; 2011: 17:48.49*
Billy Posch: 2009: 17:07; 2010: 16:59; 2011: 17:13.96*
Chris Reynolds: 2010: 17:21; 2011: DNF
Patrick Rynkowski: 2011: 16:12.64*
Nick Salek: 2010: 17:34; 2011: 17:23.39*
Will Schanz: 2009: DNS; 2010: 18:37; 2011: 17:40.37*
Ryan Scrudato: 2010: DNS; 2011: 17:02.64*
Luke Shane: 2009: 20:01; 2010: 18:30; 2011: 18:08.68*
Justin Tampellini: 2011: 16:24.90*
Brian Townsend: 2008: 16:56; 2009: DNR; 2010: 17:35; 2011: 16:39.05*
Mark Valentino: 2011: 16:56.98*
Ken Walshak: 2010: 16:39; 2011: 16:06.04*
Ben Windisch: 2010: 16:58; 2011: DNS
DNS = Did Not Start
*=converted 5km time from 5,300-meter course this year
In the case of the freshmen, while there is no "trend" per se, overall our newcomers had a fantastic collegiate debut. Nicely done.
Doug Ainscow: 2010: 18:06; 2011: 18:07.73*
Ryan Brown: 2008: 18:30; 2009: 17:56; 2010: 17:30; 2011: 17:37.54*
Bryan Buttigieg: 2011: 18:08.68*
Mike Clausen: 2010: DNF; 2011: DNS
Pat Deedy: 2010: DNF; 2011: DNS
Arquimedes DelaCruz: 2009: 16:49; 2010: 16:28; 2011: 15:58.76*
Ian Dorset: 2011: 16:29.62*
Mohamed Eid: 2011: 16:42.83*
Ryan Fitzsimons 2009: 17:52; 2010: 17:48; 2011: 17:25.28*
Matt Flint: 2008: 16:49; 2009: 16:17; 2010: 15:59; 2011: 15:58.98*
Brian Gordon: 17:39.43*
Rob Gorski: 2011: 16:49.43*
Brendan Green: 2009: 19:28; 2010: 19:26; 2011: 18:51.13*
Will Griffin: 2008: 16:39; 2009: DNR; 2010: DNR; 2011: 16:04.15*
Kyle Hannafin: 2011: DNR
Kyle Havard: 2008: 18:40; 2009: DNR; 2010: 17:39; 2011: 17:52.26*
Billy Hild: 2010: 18:03; 2011: 17:06.41*
Nick Hughes 2010: 16:41; 2011: 17:07.36*
Andrew James: 2010: DNS; 2011: DNF
Mike Keegan: 2009: 17:50; 2010: 18:27; 2011: 17:00.75*
Tommy Lappas: 2011: 16:43.77*
Tom Lipari: 2008: 17:09; 2009: 17:06; 2010: 16:42; 2011: DNS
Danny Mendoza: 2010: DNS; 2011: 19:09.05*
Isaiah Miller: 2010: 18:18; 2011: DNS
Joel Moss: 2009: 17:30; 2010: 17:11; 2011: 16:44.71*
Mike Nicoletti: 2009: 17:31; 2010: 17:12; 2011: 16:45.66*
Adam Osowski: 2011: 19:16.60*
Kevin O’Sullivan: 2010: 17:01; 2011: 16:59.81*
Matt Panebianco: 2009: 17:37; 2010: 17:17; 2011: 17:48.49*
Billy Posch: 2009: 17:07; 2010: 16:59; 2011: 17:13.96*
Chris Reynolds: 2010: 17:21; 2011: DNF
Patrick Rynkowski: 2011: 16:12.64*
Nick Salek: 2010: 17:34; 2011: 17:23.39*
Will Schanz: 2009: DNS; 2010: 18:37; 2011: 17:40.37*
Ryan Scrudato: 2010: DNS; 2011: 17:02.64*
Luke Shane: 2009: 20:01; 2010: 18:30; 2011: 18:08.68*
Justin Tampellini: 2011: 16:24.90*
Brian Townsend: 2008: 16:56; 2009: DNR; 2010: 17:35; 2011: 16:39.05*
Mark Valentino: 2011: 16:56.98*
Ken Walshak: 2010: 16:39; 2011: 16:06.04*
Ben Windisch: 2010: 16:58; 2011: DNS
DNS = Did Not Start
*=converted 5km time from 5,300-meter course this year
Women’s meet history, 2008 to present
Check out this number-crunching I have been doing this afternoon. You will see that the majority of the women's team improved -- and improved dramatically -- at Saturday's meet.
As coaches, we are in agreement that the amended 5,300-meter course was not much easier than the original Bowdoin course, because the ground was very spongy due to high grass and moisture. And the replacement Hilltop Loop was still uphill, while losing most of the downhill advantage to the original Hilltop.
So in all, a very positive start to the season for our extremely promising women's program. The future looks very, very bright.
Here is our entire women's roster, with complete results for the past four years. If there are errors or omissions on my part, please point it out to me. Thank you.
Kiersten Anderson: 2010: 19:13; 2011: DNR
Kim Bartlett: 2008: DNR; 2009: DNR; 2010: 22:56; 2011: DNR
Megan Brady: 2011: 20:56.60*
Briana Crowe: 2008: 21:38; 2009: DNR; 2010: 20:35; 2011: 19:41.13*
Alex Davis: 2011: 21:02.26*
Becca Denise: 2009: 22:58; 2010: 22:15; 2011: 21:40.94*
Addie DiFrancesco: 2008: 20:27; 2009: DNR; 2010: DNR; 2011: DNR
Brianna Freestone: 2011: 20:15.09*
Jackie Gamboli: 2009: 20:41; 2010: DNR; 2011: DNR
Michelle Gaye: 2011: 19:12.83*
Kelley Gould: 2009: 23:08; 2010: 22:05; 2011: 22:04.53*
Kelley Hanifin: 2008: 22:12; 2009: DNR; 2010: 22:03; 2011: DNR
Rachel Lichtenwalner: 2009: 24:12; 2010: 23:25; 2011: 22:24.15*
Kara Lightowler: 2008: DNR; 2009: 21:19; 2010: 21:16; 2011: 21:08.87*
Laura Lindsley: 2009: DNR; 2010: 22:42; 2011: 21:43.77*
Miy Mahran: 2010: 22:21; 2011: DNR
Dayna McLaughlin: 2008: 21:44; 2009: 21:53; 2010: 21:08; 2011: 21:29.62*
Katie Messina: 2009: 20:04; 2010: 20:27; 2011: 19:53.39*
Tara Nuccitelli: 2010: 21:31; 2011: 20:55.66*
Allyson O’Brien: 2008: 23:33; 2009: 22:05; 2010: 22:11; 2011: 22:05.47*
Elizabeth O’Brien: 2008: DNR; 2009: 23:53; 2010: 22:56; 2011: 21:05.09*
Erin O’Reilly: 2009: 21:45; 2010: 21:01; 2011: 21:13.58*
Kathryn Sheehan: 2008: 20:11; 2009: 20:02; 2010: DNR; 2011: 20:30.19*
Colleen Smith: 2009: 22:41; 2010: 23:09; 2011: 21:30.56*
Erin Thompson: 2011: 19:34.53*
DNR = Did Not Race
*=converted 5km time from 5,300-meter course this year
As coaches, we are in agreement that the amended 5,300-meter course was not much easier than the original Bowdoin course, because the ground was very spongy due to high grass and moisture. And the replacement Hilltop Loop was still uphill, while losing most of the downhill advantage to the original Hilltop.
So in all, a very positive start to the season for our extremely promising women's program. The future looks very, very bright.
Here is our entire women's roster, with complete results for the past four years. If there are errors or omissions on my part, please point it out to me. Thank you.
Kiersten Anderson: 2010: 19:13; 2011: DNR
Kim Bartlett: 2008: DNR; 2009: DNR; 2010: 22:56; 2011: DNR
Megan Brady: 2011: 20:56.60*
Briana Crowe: 2008: 21:38; 2009: DNR; 2010: 20:35; 2011: 19:41.13*
Alex Davis: 2011: 21:02.26*
Becca Denise: 2009: 22:58; 2010: 22:15; 2011: 21:40.94*
Addie DiFrancesco: 2008: 20:27; 2009: DNR; 2010: DNR; 2011: DNR
Brianna Freestone: 2011: 20:15.09*
Jackie Gamboli: 2009: 20:41; 2010: DNR; 2011: DNR
Michelle Gaye: 2011: 19:12.83*
Kelley Gould: 2009: 23:08; 2010: 22:05; 2011: 22:04.53*
Kelley Hanifin: 2008: 22:12; 2009: DNR; 2010: 22:03; 2011: DNR
Rachel Lichtenwalner: 2009: 24:12; 2010: 23:25; 2011: 22:24.15*
Kara Lightowler: 2008: DNR; 2009: 21:19; 2010: 21:16; 2011: 21:08.87*
Laura Lindsley: 2009: DNR; 2010: 22:42; 2011: 21:43.77*
Miy Mahran: 2010: 22:21; 2011: DNR
Dayna McLaughlin: 2008: 21:44; 2009: 21:53; 2010: 21:08; 2011: 21:29.62*
Katie Messina: 2009: 20:04; 2010: 20:27; 2011: 19:53.39*
Tara Nuccitelli: 2010: 21:31; 2011: 20:55.66*
Allyson O’Brien: 2008: 23:33; 2009: 22:05; 2010: 22:11; 2011: 22:05.47*
Elizabeth O’Brien: 2008: DNR; 2009: 23:53; 2010: 22:56; 2011: 21:05.09*
Erin O’Reilly: 2009: 21:45; 2010: 21:01; 2011: 21:13.58*
Kathryn Sheehan: 2008: 20:11; 2009: 20:02; 2010: DNR; 2011: 20:30.19*
Colleen Smith: 2009: 22:41; 2010: 23:09; 2011: 21:30.56*
Erin Thompson: 2011: 19:34.53*
DNR = Did Not Race
*=converted 5km time from 5,300-meter course this year
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Home meet, men's results
Men's team scores
1-Marist, 19; 2-Fairfield, 36; 3-Saint Peter's, 89, 4-Manhattanville, 107
Individual Results, 5,300 meters (converted 5,000-meter times in parenthesis)
Note on time conversions: Here’s how I did it. I took the 5,300-meter finishing time, converted it to seconds, and divided it by 5,300. This gives you the “pace per meter” for that runner Then, I multiplied that “pace per meter” by 5,000. This gives you the converted 5km time. Right? Right.
1-Arquimedes DelaCruz, Marist, 16:56.29 (15:58.76)
2-Matthew Flint, Marist, 16:56.52 (15:58.98)
3-William Griffin, Marist, 17:02 (16:04.15)
4-Ken Walshak, Marist, 17:04 (16:06.04)
5-Pat Rynkowski, unattached, 17:11
6-Connor Kelley, Fairfield, 17:15
7-Jake Ruskan, Fairfield, 17:19
8-Brian Cleary, Fairfield, 17:20
9-Matthew Brunelle, Fairfield, 17:22
10-Justin Tampellini, Marist, 17:24 (16:24.90)
11-Kyle Short, Fairfield, 17:27
12-Howard Rosas, Fairfield, 17:28
13-Ian Dorset, Marist, 17:29 (16:29.62)
14-Jon Lobo, Fairfield, 17:34
15-Brian Townsend, Marist, 17:39 (16:39.05)
16-Mohamed Eid, Marist 17:43 (16:42.83)
17-Tommy Lappas, Marist, 17:44 (16:43.77)
18-Joel Moss, Marist, 17:45 (16:44.71)
19-Mike Nicoletti, Marist, 17:46 (16:45.66)
20-Kyle Wegner, Fairfield, 17:49
21-Rob Gorski, Marist, 17:50 (16:49.43)
22-Mark Valentino, Marist, 17:58 (16:56.98)
23-Kevin O'Sullivan, Marist, 18:01 (16:59.81)
24-Mike Keegan, Marist, 18:02 (17:00.75)
25-Gregory Chase, Fairfield, 18:03
26-Ryan Scrudato, Marist, 18:04 (17:02.64)
27-Billy Hild, Marist, 18:08 (17:06.41)
28-Nick Hughes, Marist, 18:09 (17:07.36)
29-Billy Posch, Marist, 18:16 (17:13.96)
30-Vincent Ferrer, Fairfield, 18:19
31-Dylan Fisher, Fairfield, 18:24
32-Nick Salek, Marist, 18:26 (17:23.39)
33-Ryan Fitzsimons, Marist, 18:28 (17:25.28)
34-Sam Tooley, Fairfield, 18:36
35-Edwin Young, Saint Peter's, 18:39
36-Ryan Brown, Marist, 18:41 (17:37.54)
37-Brian Gordon, Marist, 18:43 (17:39.43)
38-Will Schanz, Marist, 18:44 (17:40.37)
39-Matt Panebianco, Marist, 18:49 (17:48.49)
40-Kyle Havard, Marist, 18:53 (17:52.26)
41-Sylvester Insa, Saint Peter's, 18:57
42-Mohamed Merdan, Saint Peter's, 18:58
43-Doug Ainscow, Marist, 19:13 (18:07.73)
44-Luke Shane, Marist, 19:14 (18:08.68)
45-Bryan Buttigieg, Marist, 19:14 (18:08.68)
46-Mike Szarkowitcz, Manhattanville, 19:17
47-Mike Sacca, Saint Peter's, 19:31
48-Daniel Caggiano, Manhattanville, 19:47
49-Brendan Green, Marist, 19:59 (18:51.13)
50-Ernest Lustenring, Fairfield, 20:12
51-Danny Mendoza, Marist, 20:18 (19:09.05)
52-Adam Osowski, Marist, 20:26 (19:16.60)
53-Ben Smith, Manhattanville, 21:29
54-John Paul Herrera, Saint Peter's, 22:31
55-Josh Marrero, Manhattanville, 23:12
56-Karl Desil, Saint Peter's, 24:30
57-Chris Rose, Manhattanville, 25:58
1-Marist, 19; 2-Fairfield, 36; 3-Saint Peter's, 89, 4-Manhattanville, 107
Individual Results, 5,300 meters (converted 5,000-meter times in parenthesis)
Note on time conversions: Here’s how I did it. I took the 5,300-meter finishing time, converted it to seconds, and divided it by 5,300. This gives you the “pace per meter” for that runner Then, I multiplied that “pace per meter” by 5,000. This gives you the converted 5km time. Right? Right.
1-Arquimedes DelaCruz, Marist, 16:56.29 (15:58.76)
2-Matthew Flint, Marist, 16:56.52 (15:58.98)
3-William Griffin, Marist, 17:02 (16:04.15)
4-Ken Walshak, Marist, 17:04 (16:06.04)
5-Pat Rynkowski, unattached, 17:11
6-Connor Kelley, Fairfield, 17:15
7-Jake Ruskan, Fairfield, 17:19
8-Brian Cleary, Fairfield, 17:20
9-Matthew Brunelle, Fairfield, 17:22
10-Justin Tampellini, Marist, 17:24 (16:24.90)
11-Kyle Short, Fairfield, 17:27
12-Howard Rosas, Fairfield, 17:28
13-Ian Dorset, Marist, 17:29 (16:29.62)
14-Jon Lobo, Fairfield, 17:34
15-Brian Townsend, Marist, 17:39 (16:39.05)
16-Mohamed Eid, Marist 17:43 (16:42.83)
17-Tommy Lappas, Marist, 17:44 (16:43.77)
18-Joel Moss, Marist, 17:45 (16:44.71)
19-Mike Nicoletti, Marist, 17:46 (16:45.66)
20-Kyle Wegner, Fairfield, 17:49
21-Rob Gorski, Marist, 17:50 (16:49.43)
22-Mark Valentino, Marist, 17:58 (16:56.98)
23-Kevin O'Sullivan, Marist, 18:01 (16:59.81)
24-Mike Keegan, Marist, 18:02 (17:00.75)
25-Gregory Chase, Fairfield, 18:03
26-Ryan Scrudato, Marist, 18:04 (17:02.64)
27-Billy Hild, Marist, 18:08 (17:06.41)
28-Nick Hughes, Marist, 18:09 (17:07.36)
29-Billy Posch, Marist, 18:16 (17:13.96)
30-Vincent Ferrer, Fairfield, 18:19
31-Dylan Fisher, Fairfield, 18:24
32-Nick Salek, Marist, 18:26 (17:23.39)
33-Ryan Fitzsimons, Marist, 18:28 (17:25.28)
34-Sam Tooley, Fairfield, 18:36
35-Edwin Young, Saint Peter's, 18:39
36-Ryan Brown, Marist, 18:41 (17:37.54)
37-Brian Gordon, Marist, 18:43 (17:39.43)
38-Will Schanz, Marist, 18:44 (17:40.37)
39-Matt Panebianco, Marist, 18:49 (17:48.49)
40-Kyle Havard, Marist, 18:53 (17:52.26)
41-Sylvester Insa, Saint Peter's, 18:57
42-Mohamed Merdan, Saint Peter's, 18:58
43-Doug Ainscow, Marist, 19:13 (18:07.73)
44-Luke Shane, Marist, 19:14 (18:08.68)
45-Bryan Buttigieg, Marist, 19:14 (18:08.68)
46-Mike Szarkowitcz, Manhattanville, 19:17
47-Mike Sacca, Saint Peter's, 19:31
48-Daniel Caggiano, Manhattanville, 19:47
49-Brendan Green, Marist, 19:59 (18:51.13)
50-Ernest Lustenring, Fairfield, 20:12
51-Danny Mendoza, Marist, 20:18 (19:09.05)
52-Adam Osowski, Marist, 20:26 (19:16.60)
53-Ben Smith, Manhattanville, 21:29
54-John Paul Herrera, Saint Peter's, 22:31
55-Josh Marrero, Manhattanville, 23:12
56-Karl Desil, Saint Peter's, 24:30
57-Chris Rose, Manhattanville, 25:58
Home meet, women’s results
Team scores
1-Marist, 15; 2-Fairfield, 45; 3-Saint Peter's, 92; 4-Manhattanville, 103
Individual results, 5,300 meters (converted 5,000-meter times in parenthesis)
Note on time conversions: Here’s how I did it. I took the 5,300-meter finishing time, converted it to seconds, and divided it by 5,300. This gives you the “pace per meter” for that runner in that race. Then, I multiplied that “pace per meter” by 5,000. This gives you the converted 5km time. Right? Right.
1-Michelle Gaye, Marist, 20:22 (19:12.83)
2-Erin Thompson, Marist, 20:45 (19:34.53)
3-Briana Crowe, Marist, 20:52 (19:41.13)
4-Katie Messina, Marist, 21:05 (19:53.39)
5-Brianna Freestone, Marist, 21:28 (20:15.09)
6-Kathryn Sheehan, Marist, 21:44 (20:30.19)
7-Danielle Renzi, Fairfield, 21:47
8-Samantha Goodnow, Fairfield, 22:00
9-Maureen Crimmins, Fairfield, 22:02
10-Kristen Golen, Fairfield, 22:05
11-Molly Leidig, Fairfield, 22:09
12-Tara Nuccitelli, Marist, 22:11 (20:55.66)
13-Megan Brady, Marist, 22:12 (20:56.60)
14-Alex Davis, Marist, 22:18 (21:02.26)
15-Elizabeth O'Brien, Marist, 22:21 (21:05.09)
16-Kelly Kramer, Fairfield, 22:23
17-Kara Lightowler, Marist, 22:25 (21:08.87)
18-Erin O'Reilly, Marist, 22:30 (21:13.58)
19-Emily Davis, Fairfield, 22:32
20-Caroline Riley, Fairfield, 22:32
21-Megan Sullivan, Fairfield, 22:37
22-Lauren Londregan, Fairfield, 22:39
23-Danica Ceballos, Fairfield, 22:44
24-Dayna McLaughlin, Marist, 22:47 (21:29.62)
25-Colleen Smith, Marist, 22:48 (21:30.56)
26-Caitlyn Forte, Fairfield, 22:56
27-Becca Denise, Marist, 22:59 (21:40.94)
28-Shona Potrzuski, Saint Peter's, 23:00
29-Laura Lindsley, Marist, 23:02 (21:43.77)
30-Sarah Gustavsson, Manhattanville, 23:08
31-Juliana Bassett, Fairfield, 23:18
32-Kelley Gould, Marist, 23:24 (22:04.53)
33-Allyson O'Brien, Marist, 23:25 (22:05.47)
34-Rachel Lichtenwalner, Marist, 24:06 (22:24.15)
35-Tellisia Williams, Saint Peter's, 24:09
36-Jaleesa Dunlap, Saint Peter's, 26:24
37-Melody Lopez-Bernstein, Saint Peter's, 26:39
38-Alexis Lanzillotti, Manhattanville, 26:43
39-Pilar Mahady, Manhattanville, 27:46
40-Arame Mbodj, Manhattanville, 30:05
41-Shontel Clarke, Saint Peter's, 30:25
42-Nicole Muschio, Manhattanville, 31:56
43-Sunita Kumar, Saint Peter's, 32:18
44-Phoebe Azario, Manhattanville, 34:08
1-Marist, 15; 2-Fairfield, 45; 3-Saint Peter's, 92; 4-Manhattanville, 103
Individual results, 5,300 meters (converted 5,000-meter times in parenthesis)
Note on time conversions: Here’s how I did it. I took the 5,300-meter finishing time, converted it to seconds, and divided it by 5,300. This gives you the “pace per meter” for that runner in that race. Then, I multiplied that “pace per meter” by 5,000. This gives you the converted 5km time. Right? Right.
1-Michelle Gaye, Marist, 20:22 (19:12.83)
2-Erin Thompson, Marist, 20:45 (19:34.53)
3-Briana Crowe, Marist, 20:52 (19:41.13)
4-Katie Messina, Marist, 21:05 (19:53.39)
5-Brianna Freestone, Marist, 21:28 (20:15.09)
6-Kathryn Sheehan, Marist, 21:44 (20:30.19)
7-Danielle Renzi, Fairfield, 21:47
8-Samantha Goodnow, Fairfield, 22:00
9-Maureen Crimmins, Fairfield, 22:02
10-Kristen Golen, Fairfield, 22:05
11-Molly Leidig, Fairfield, 22:09
12-Tara Nuccitelli, Marist, 22:11 (20:55.66)
13-Megan Brady, Marist, 22:12 (20:56.60)
14-Alex Davis, Marist, 22:18 (21:02.26)
15-Elizabeth O'Brien, Marist, 22:21 (21:05.09)
16-Kelly Kramer, Fairfield, 22:23
17-Kara Lightowler, Marist, 22:25 (21:08.87)
18-Erin O'Reilly, Marist, 22:30 (21:13.58)
19-Emily Davis, Fairfield, 22:32
20-Caroline Riley, Fairfield, 22:32
21-Megan Sullivan, Fairfield, 22:37
22-Lauren Londregan, Fairfield, 22:39
23-Danica Ceballos, Fairfield, 22:44
24-Dayna McLaughlin, Marist, 22:47 (21:29.62)
25-Colleen Smith, Marist, 22:48 (21:30.56)
26-Caitlyn Forte, Fairfield, 22:56
27-Becca Denise, Marist, 22:59 (21:40.94)
28-Shona Potrzuski, Saint Peter's, 23:00
29-Laura Lindsley, Marist, 23:02 (21:43.77)
30-Sarah Gustavsson, Manhattanville, 23:08
31-Juliana Bassett, Fairfield, 23:18
32-Kelley Gould, Marist, 23:24 (22:04.53)
33-Allyson O'Brien, Marist, 23:25 (22:05.47)
34-Rachel Lichtenwalner, Marist, 24:06 (22:24.15)
35-Tellisia Williams, Saint Peter's, 24:09
36-Jaleesa Dunlap, Saint Peter's, 26:24
37-Melody Lopez-Bernstein, Saint Peter's, 26:39
38-Alexis Lanzillotti, Manhattanville, 26:43
39-Pilar Mahady, Manhattanville, 27:46
40-Arame Mbodj, Manhattanville, 30:05
41-Shontel Clarke, Saint Peter's, 30:25
42-Nicole Muschio, Manhattanville, 31:56
43-Sunita Kumar, Saint Peter's, 32:18
44-Phoebe Azario, Manhattanville, 34:08
Home cookin’
Random thoughts on another successful home meet today at Bowdoin Park:
--Enough praise cannot be heaped on assistant coach Terry Horton for putting this meet together so quickly and so well, after Irene did her damage at Bowdoin. The course was well-marked and very runnable, just six days after a tropical storm. Nicely done.
--I was more involved in the last-minute meet planning and execution this year than in the past, as Terry has pretty much done everything soup to nuts most years. But since he had to basically reinvent the wheel in five days, I got more involved. Let me tell you: It’s a lot of work! So again, thanks to Terry for his incredibly smooth meet management.
--Bathrooms! Terry has keys to everything at Bowdoin … except the bathrooms, which were not opened until after 8 a.m. This caused some inconveniences, but we all managed just fine. We’ll have to make sure we have bathroom access earlier next year.
--Bib numbers! I was so wrapped up in the final stages of marking the course and shuttling nervous bladdered athletes to other Bowdoin bathrooms that … I forgot to hand out the race numbers to the men’s team. Ooops. They got them in time.
--Speaking of bathrooms: Our boy Quimes DelaCruz – the race winner, by the way – nearly missed the start because of a late bathroom visit. It wasn’t all Q’s fault. We had said we were starting the men’s race at 10:05 a.m. But official starter Ken Kraft – I dare you to find a better and more knowledgeable track official ANYWHERE – gathered the men to the line a little before 10 a.m. There was a reason for this: Ken had to dart across town to start the Vassar XC Invitational at 10:30 a.m.; our original start time was 9:45 a.m. So he wanted to move things along. Q made it to the line on time, and obviously made it to the finish line on time as well.
--Food! We sure had plenty, didn’t we? At one point in the morning, I wondered to myself what would happen to all this food. Magically, it disappeared quickly. No worries about leftover food with this team. Thanks to the parents who took it upon themselves to clean up the pavilion area. And to the voracious athletes who brought the rest of the food home with them.
--Parents, family and friends. This is always a highlight for me at meets, but never more than at our home meet, when the support and encouragement is at its peak. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
--A special thanks to 2002 Marist Running Alum Mike Nehr for driving up from his Long Island home to support our team. Mike is now a successful teacher and coach on Long Island, and he has bridged the Marist Running Generation Gap by getting to know our current Long Island-based Running Red Foxes. Thank you!
--Administrative support was excellent. All of our athletic administrators were there, and I think they truly enjoyed their stay at Bowdoin. It was great to have them on board. It may be one of the few home athletic events in which they are not that stressed out about the organization and running of the competition – again, because our guy Terry had it all under lock-down control.
--Senior Day: Thanks to Sports Information Director Mike Ferraro and Assistant AD Frank Lombardy for coordinating this very nice tribute to our seniors. While it is a bit unorthodox to start the year with a senior day, it is our only opportunity to honor our seniors. Several parents commented how difficult it is for them to fathom that their children are months away from graduation. After 21 years of this, I will chime in that is does fly by. Even still, we have all senior year to enjoy each other’s company and hopefully make some Marist Running history together.
OK! Results and analysis of results to come in the next posts …
--Enough praise cannot be heaped on assistant coach Terry Horton for putting this meet together so quickly and so well, after Irene did her damage at Bowdoin. The course was well-marked and very runnable, just six days after a tropical storm. Nicely done.
--I was more involved in the last-minute meet planning and execution this year than in the past, as Terry has pretty much done everything soup to nuts most years. But since he had to basically reinvent the wheel in five days, I got more involved. Let me tell you: It’s a lot of work! So again, thanks to Terry for his incredibly smooth meet management.
--Bathrooms! Terry has keys to everything at Bowdoin … except the bathrooms, which were not opened until after 8 a.m. This caused some inconveniences, but we all managed just fine. We’ll have to make sure we have bathroom access earlier next year.
--Bib numbers! I was so wrapped up in the final stages of marking the course and shuttling nervous bladdered athletes to other Bowdoin bathrooms that … I forgot to hand out the race numbers to the men’s team. Ooops. They got them in time.
--Speaking of bathrooms: Our boy Quimes DelaCruz – the race winner, by the way – nearly missed the start because of a late bathroom visit. It wasn’t all Q’s fault. We had said we were starting the men’s race at 10:05 a.m. But official starter Ken Kraft – I dare you to find a better and more knowledgeable track official ANYWHERE – gathered the men to the line a little before 10 a.m. There was a reason for this: Ken had to dart across town to start the Vassar XC Invitational at 10:30 a.m.; our original start time was 9:45 a.m. So he wanted to move things along. Q made it to the line on time, and obviously made it to the finish line on time as well.
--Food! We sure had plenty, didn’t we? At one point in the morning, I wondered to myself what would happen to all this food. Magically, it disappeared quickly. No worries about leftover food with this team. Thanks to the parents who took it upon themselves to clean up the pavilion area. And to the voracious athletes who brought the rest of the food home with them.
--Parents, family and friends. This is always a highlight for me at meets, but never more than at our home meet, when the support and encouragement is at its peak. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
--A special thanks to 2002 Marist Running Alum Mike Nehr for driving up from his Long Island home to support our team. Mike is now a successful teacher and coach on Long Island, and he has bridged the Marist Running Generation Gap by getting to know our current Long Island-based Running Red Foxes. Thank you!
--Administrative support was excellent. All of our athletic administrators were there, and I think they truly enjoyed their stay at Bowdoin. It was great to have them on board. It may be one of the few home athletic events in which they are not that stressed out about the organization and running of the competition – again, because our guy Terry had it all under lock-down control.
--Senior Day: Thanks to Sports Information Director Mike Ferraro and Assistant AD Frank Lombardy for coordinating this very nice tribute to our seniors. While it is a bit unorthodox to start the year with a senior day, it is our only opportunity to honor our seniors. Several parents commented how difficult it is for them to fathom that their children are months away from graduation. After 21 years of this, I will chime in that is does fly by. Even still, we have all senior year to enjoy each other’s company and hopefully make some Marist Running history together.
OK! Results and analysis of results to come in the next posts …
Friday, September 2, 2011
Bear on campus
The following email was sent out to everyone at Marist yesterday:
About 12 Noon today, September 1, 2011, a large Black Bear was observed on the North End of the Campus in the woods at St. Anne's. The Office of Safety and Security and the Town of Poughkeepsie Police were notified.
It is not unusual for black bears to find there way into the area as they forage for food.
All members of the community are urged to be alert as they walk or jog through the paths of the North end of campus. If the bear is seen move away immediately and call Security right away.
Thank you for your continued commitment to campus safety.
Usually, these security emails end with "If you see something, say something."
This one should have ended with "If you see something like this (a bear), run like hell!"
As the email stated, bear sightings around here are not uncommon. I have encountered them on early-morning jogs in Hyde Park neighborhoods. Many times, they swim across the Hudson River (no joke! bears are excellent swimmers) from their home in the Catskill Mountains.
One last serious point: Running from a bear is generally not a good idea. Bears can run upwards of 25-30 miles per hour. And no matter how fast you think you are ... you are not that fast.
About 12 Noon today, September 1, 2011, a large Black Bear was observed on the North End of the Campus in the woods at St. Anne's. The Office of Safety and Security and the Town of Poughkeepsie Police were notified.
It is not unusual for black bears to find there way into the area as they forage for food.
All members of the community are urged to be alert as they walk or jog through the paths of the North end of campus. If the bear is seen move away immediately and call Security right away.
Thank you for your continued commitment to campus safety.
Usually, these security emails end with "If you see something, say something."
This one should have ended with "If you see something like this (a bear), run like hell!"
As the email stated, bear sightings around here are not uncommon. I have encountered them on early-morning jogs in Hyde Park neighborhoods. Many times, they swim across the Hudson River (no joke! bears are excellent swimmers) from their home in the Catskill Mountains.
One last serious point: Running from a bear is generally not a good idea. Bears can run upwards of 25-30 miles per hour. And no matter how fast you think you are ... you are not that fast.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Bowdoin Park course update
Coach Terry Horton has been hard at work during pretty much all daylight hours, getting the Bowdoin Park course marked and ready to go for Saturday's meet.
But Terry's focus extends far beyond our humble little season-opening meet.
He is getting the park and the course(s) prepared for new college 6k and 8k courses, as SUNY New Paltz is hosting SUNYACs in late October. And, of course, he's the main course shepherd for the many high school meets that call Bowdoin Park home.
So yeah. His old green pickup truck is getting a lot of face time at Bowdoin Park. He's out there mowing, marking and measuring. As usual.
It looks like our course on Saturday will be roughly 5,300 meters in length. We will get an exact distance hammered out in the next 48 hours, and we will attempt to have every mile and perhaps every kilometer marked for our athletes and for our visiting athletes.
Friends and family: We look forward to seeing you and having you at the park. Let's hope for decent weather ...
But Terry's focus extends far beyond our humble little season-opening meet.
He is getting the park and the course(s) prepared for new college 6k and 8k courses, as SUNY New Paltz is hosting SUNYACs in late October. And, of course, he's the main course shepherd for the many high school meets that call Bowdoin Park home.
So yeah. His old green pickup truck is getting a lot of face time at Bowdoin Park. He's out there mowing, marking and measuring. As usual.
It looks like our course on Saturday will be roughly 5,300 meters in length. We will get an exact distance hammered out in the next 48 hours, and we will attempt to have every mile and perhaps every kilometer marked for our athletes and for our visiting athletes.
Friends and family: We look forward to seeing you and having you at the park. Let's hope for decent weather ...