The Backshore Road Race , Friday, May 7, 2004

While Team Gloucester's racing season really started back in March with the Merrimack River Trail Race, there's still something about the Backshore that states that now the serious racing has begun. 

And of course, there was a lot at stake last Friday, with emailed boasts of running prowess arriving in Team Gloucester inboxes at an astounding rate.  Rick Ciolino questioned whether Bob Gillis would appear at all, what with the demands painting has placed on his time in recent years, while Dave Geary kindly offered to hold water at the finish for all the Team Gloucester stragglers (namely, everyone but him). And though he denies it now, it seems every staff member at the Y had been informed of Ciolino's sworn intent to defeat Jenn Brooks Lassen.

So how did it all play out?  Despite training through the race, Curran was able to come in second to Gloucester's AJ Migonis, who was first in 26:59. Curran ran 28:33, a bit off from last year but good enough for a first in his age group and first in Team Gloucester.  Team Gloucester buddy Brian Hamill paced Wes Lassen through the first four miles before pulling away to finish sixth overall and second in his age group, running 29:57.  Lassen came in eighth overall (first in age group) with a time of 31:28, nearly 3 minutes faster than his 2003 run.

Soon-to-be-ironman Steve McCaffrey just managed to hold off Gillis, finishing eleventh in 31:44.  Proving consistency is key, Gillis finished 3 seconds and one spot back in 31:47, once second faster than in 2003.  Brooks was next, finishing first woman and thirteenth overall in 31:53, a 41 second PR.  Rounding out the pack was Rick Ciolino, who came in fifteenth overall in 32:02, a course best by 48 seconds.

Steve Davis was 27th in 33:42, and Geary was 29th in 33:51.  Boston's Amy Stubbendick came in at 34:03, finishing 32nd overall,  second woman, and first in her age group.  Layce Alves proved she's coming back from a string of injuries and a brutal marathon, finishing 45th in 35:53, good enough for fourth woman and third in her age group.  Kathy Burley finished in 37:28 to take an age-group first, and Peter Watson finished in 42:06 for an age-group second.  Beth Lott came in at 42:19, while Sheryl Smith and Pixie Harrington (looking smashing in their Team Gloucester shimmels) finished in 47:18 and 47:21. 

Cape Ann Finishers
(complete race results here)