Congratulations to Beth O’Grady, Melissa Jaynes, and Doug Bollen who traveled to lovely Vermont this past weekend to run Sunday in the Covered Bridges’ Half Marathon. This is a very popular “half” which sells out shortly after it is announced each year. This year it closed two hours after it was announced last December. It is a very scenic, hilly course with lots of downhills.
Not ones to let distance deter them, this was the second half for Beth and Doug in four weeks, having recently traveled to the West coast to run in the Eugene, Oregon Half Marathon. New member Melissa Jaynes reaped exactly what she was hoping from joining Wicked. “I thought the race was a prime example of why I joined the running club. I was alone and arrived at the start area 1.5 hours before the race as the bus demanded. However, who did I see (I was wearing my Wicked Frosty T of course) but Doug! He quickly instructed me that he and Beth had an area staked out and to go join her. It was so nice to have familiar faces to prepare with–and to celebrate with!! Now I just wish we’d have snagged a photo together.” For anyone interested in running this next year, Melissa recommends the Comfort Inn in nearby White River Junction. It is dog friendly and allowed a 3:00 PM check out so that she could shower and steal ice from the ice machine for a “soothing” ice bath. It made the 2.5 hour drive home much more pleasant for her and her husband.
Doug, don’t push yourself too much too soon. You know you are injury prone!
1,726 runners finished the Covered Bridges’ Half Marathon.
549 22/126 Beth O’Grady 1:53:19 8:39
646 52/94 Doug Bollen 1:56:15 8:53
1215 147/227 Melissa Jaynes 2:12:40 10:08
Congratulations to Jason Barnes who ran this past Friday night at the Andover Days 5K. He ran a very respectable 18:19, 5:55 pace. He was fourth overall (competing against second and third place finishers, Dan Verrington and Stephen Sergeant) and third in his age group. Well done, Jason.
John Mahoney picked up the pace this past Wednesday night at the Danvers 5K finishing tenth with a time of 22:21. Excellent, John. Tim Short, always in the top three, finished third at 19:22. These two combined work with pleasure (if racing can be called pleasure!). They worked afterwards over a beer with Aaron to put the “final touches” on our new website. Conspicuously absent from his hometown race this week was Billy Prentiss who, upon interrogation, was performing spousal duties, taking his lovely wife, Susan, out to dinner for her birthday at the Salem Willows! He claims that was her choice. Hhhhhmmmm.
And, last but not least, “stealing” a few away from Danvers Wednesday night, a number of Wicked runners started the season at Lynn Woods. Running through the trails were Deb, Liz (and boyfriend, Dan), and Steve Touchette, Tim Clarke, Doug Bollen, Patrick Smith, Steph and Dan Cooper, Jay Curry, Chip Bott (PR), Eileen Dunn (first time), and Billy Shea. A few aches and pains the next day are always expected after this first trail run of the season.
Happy Wicked Running to all this week!
Awesome job everyone!! Looks like there were some great performances.