Around the Cape, September 6, 2004
Around the Cape was truly a weekend event this year, kicked off by a pre-race pasta feed organized by Matt and Donna and held at Peter and Pat Watson's house. It was a wonderful opportunity to connect with new acquaintances and our injured compadres, not to mention a chance to stuff ourselves with delicious homemade meatballs, sauce, ice cream, and apple crisp. Thanks to all who contributed to this new tradition!
Monday morning it was down to business, with runners greeted by near-perfect racing conditions: unseasonably cool temperatures (no real surprise given the summer we've had) and sunny with a few welcome clouds. The race started off smoothly with no major problems; it was right on time and registration lines were noticeably shorter than last year despite a larger field.
Wes Lassen led the Team Gloucester pack, coasting few the first couple of miles at 7:00 pace before picking it up to 6:35's through the hills. Jenn Brooks was running comfortably at 7:00-7:15 pace through the early miles, with Rick Ciolino, Bob Gillis, Phil Dunn, Layce Alves, and Danielle Baker running in a relative pack around 7:30 pace. Ciolino, Gillis, and Dave Geary might have been easier to find had they not started all the way in the back of the field.
After working through the hills over the first part of the course, it was time to begin picking it up and racing in earnest. (Wait—you mean we were just cruising through Lanesville?) Although Wes Lassen was technically the first Team Gloucester finisher, Brian Hamill was the honorary first, finishing 17th overall in 1:37:15. Word on the street has it that Hamill's even interested in a shirt….
Lassen was 42nd overall, running a PR 1:26 half marathon en route to his 1:44:13 finish, a 5 minute improvement over last year's time. Ciolino was the next Team Gloucester up, finishing 80th in 1:49:12, also a half marathon and Cape PR— looks the five meatballs he ate at the Watson's Sunday didn't have any ill effects. Greg Lowe was right behind, running 1:49:32 for 83rd, followed by Bob Lindberg in 1:50:44 and 96th.
Phil Dunn returned from his exploits in France to run a 1:52:40, good enough for 114th. Danielle Baker was the first Team Gloucester woman, running 1:53:21 for 119th. Gillis ran 1:54:16 for 128th, and Peter Vadala returned from his recent Quebec City Marathon to run an "easy" 1:56:18. Dave Geary and Steve Davis both made it under the two hour mark, with Geary finishing 163rd in 1:58:47 and Davis finishing 166th in 1:59:19. Tom Paradis finished in 2:13:35, Team Gloucester buddy Hillary Holloway finished in 2:18:49, and Michele Harrison finished in 2:30:55. Pixie Harrington ran a strong race with a 2:31:55, and Sheryl Smith finished in 2:42:48.
Not all had great races, with Brooks DNF-ing with asthma trouble at mile 10, and Layce Alves running into IT band trouble en route to a 2:01 finish.
In the race within a race, Janda Ricci-Munn was the 1st Cape Ann Finisher, running 1:31:39 and "Patrick Hamper" was 2nd in 1:34:18. Manchester runners Thomas Conlon and Frank Nitkiewicz took 3rd and 4th, with Lassen claiming 5th and Ciolino 6th. Baker and Alves went 1-2 on the women's side, followed by Gloucester's Laura Jones in 2:05. Somerville's Marzuki Stevens was the overall men's winner in 1:23:14, and Newuryport's Susanna Landreth took the women's race in 1:41:11.
Special thanks to all the local spectators who were so vocal in their support of Team Gloucester, as well as the Team Gloucester members (and others) who were out on the course reading splits, handing out water and Gatorade, and encouraging competitors up the hills.
In the 8k race, Mike McGrane won the men's race in 25:56, and Christina Robeson kicked off her move to Gloucester with a 31:08 win on the women's side. Carrie Parsi was 1st in her age group and 29th overall running 37:08, and Peter Watson returned from injury to run 43"01.
The weekend was concluded with a pancake breakfast at Jenn's, before most went off for a productive day of napping and laying on the couch.
Pictures by Peter Watson coming soon.
