Wicked Running Club

A special report from Karen Giroux, roving reporter for WRC, on her and fellow Wicked

runners’ experience at today’s Applefest Half Marathon in Hollis, New Hampshire.

Results:

Fred Bollen 1:56:45  8:55 pace, # 3 in age group!! (he won an apple pie that
he didn’t claim–I woulda claimed it….)
Karen Giroux 2:01:17  9:16 pace (a PR on this course by 4+ minutes!) Damn I
couldn’t break 2 hours…grrrr! This is the 5th year I’ve run it.
Eileen Dunn 2:04:34  9:31 pace (and the farthest she’s ever run!)
Melissa Jaynes 2:06:38  9:40 pace (awesome job! I think it’s a half marathon
PR, but you’d need to check)

This race is hilly! It’s also “sneaky” since the first half of the race the
hills are “rollers” that go down more than up. Then that all changes…. The
second half of the race goes more up than down, with an evil hill that just
keeps on going from mile 9 to mile 10! Then you run past where the finish
line is about a mile and a half before you get there (you can hear it, you
can see it, but it’s not where you think it is!) Oh yeah, and there is
another good hill on the way back to the finish line, too.
The weather was perfect for a fall race, cool, crisp, sunny and a little
breezy. The foliage was beautiful on the really scenic course this year.
There was the usual bagpiper at the start of the hills. The high school kids
man the water stops. This year we were treated to themes of “Grease”,
Christmas, and “cowboys and Indians”.
Then of course there is the post-race spread with all sorts of homemade
apple treats, especially the applecrisp made by the “townies”. This race is
very well organized. There are even showers available to use after the race.
This was the 26th year. (and the shirts are nice this year! Grannysmith
apple green half-zip tech shirts!)
By the way, Fred’s wife gets the “best cheerleader ever” award! She is the
nicest, most sincere person!