Runners enjoy muddy fun in the sun , Sunday, April 25, 2004
WOLFEBORO – The sun was shining, but there was still plenty of mud for Sunday’s Fifth Annual Muddy Moose Trail Races. The Muddy Moose consists of two races, one that is four miles long and another that is 14 miles long. The runners started together at Kingswood High at just after 10 a.m. Sunday and headed out on a course that took them through the woods, across Pleasant Valley Road and for the 14-milers, out into New Durham and Brookfield before returning to Kingswood for the finish.
When all was said and done, Kevin Tilton of Conway was the winner of the 14-mile event as he crossed the line in 1:30:20, more than two minutes ahead of his closest competition. David Herr of Canaan, Vermont was the second place finisher in 1:32:22. Matthew Schomburg of Milan was third in 1:36:15 and Keith Schmitt of Durham was fourth in 1:36:47. The top female runner in the 14-mile race was Jenn Brooks Lassen of Gloucester, Mass. with a time of 1:51:07.
In the four-mile race, Forrest Horton of Concord came home in a time of 26:30 for the win. Rob Ricard of Berwick, Maine took second in 27:08, Matthew Barnard of Hebron was third in 28:09 and Justin St. James of Moultonborough finished fourth in 28:38. The female winner was Elizabeth Pope of Lancaster in 35:43.
All told, 258 runners registered for the event, an increase of about 40 percent over last year, according to race director Fergus Cullen. Many local runners took to the trails to test their trail racing skills and came away with solid results.
In the four-mile race, the top local finisher was 15-year-old Dylan Summers of Wolfeboro in 17th with a time of 33:32. Karen Hayman of Center Tuftonboro finished 28th in 37:14, followed closely by Bill Gibney and Alison Paquette, both of Wolfeboro. Gibney finished 29th in 37:51 and Paquette was 30th in 37:54. Amy Kiley Hubbard of Wolfeboro Falls finished 34th overall with a time of 38:09. Haley Heinrich of Wolfeboro was 41st overall in 41:29. Wolfeboro’s Libby Hill was 44th in 41:56. Maryann Gavin of Wolfeboro finished 52nd in 43:04. Wolfeboro’s Karen Smithwood (59th, 43:56) and Jill Duffield (60th, 43:57) finished close behind Clark. Laura Maroon of Wolfeboro was 65th in 45:12, with Wolfeboro’s Tom Roseen finishing 67th in 45:57. His sister, Mary Roseen, was 72nd overall in 47:22. Stephanie Harris of Brookfield finished 79th in 48:00. Wolfeboro’s Alane Bigelow was 84th in 50:31. The Moose’s youngest competitor, nine-year-old Hanne Heinrich, finished 85th in 51:12. Tracy Ernst of Wakefield was 86th in 52:27. Wolfeboro’s Laura Baker was 96th place in 54:59. Mary Saliba (the new editor of the Granite State News) was 102nd in 1:02:26.
After Tilton, the top local finisher in the 14-mile race was Brad Beueridge of Tuftonboro in 20th place with a time of 1:54:20. Bob Mathes of Wolfeboro was 24th in a time of 1:56:18. Ed Cooper of Wolfeboro was 95th in 2:41:08. Wolfeboro’s Erwin Gabler and Marvin Hill also competed in the race, but their times weren’t available.
The top finishers for the day received a choice of either a beanie baby moose or locally produced maple syrup. "We try to be unique,” said Cullen of his prize choices.
The event was well-organized and Cullen said that it couldn’t have been pulled off without lots of help. “We couldn’t have done it without parents and without volunteers and without the cooperation of private landowners,” he said. “We had some happy customers.”
The proceeds from the race go to help the Kingswood track and cross country programs and the parents of the kids in the programs donated food for the racers to enjoy at the finish line.
All in all, it was a successful day, as the sun shined down and there was more than enough mud for the race to live up to its name.
“Events like these live and die by word of mouth,” said Cullen. With the success of this year’s event, look for an even bigger crowd at the sixth annual Muddy Moose Trail Races next spring.
Full results from the races can be found at www.metricmarathon.com or www.coolrunning.com.
