Mt Washington Prep Day, May 15, 2005
Mt. Washington Prep Day runners outdid ourselves on Sunday with more runners repeating ourselves more often on Doctor's Run than ever before, some of us jumping into Steel Derrick quarry from its highest peak and most of us eating more blueberry pancakes than ever.
Thanks to all who came. J.D. Maceachern, who has seen it all in Cape Ann running, said he had his faith restored when he saw the crowd at the top of Doctor's Run. Tristan, the best and brightest of our next generation, took a break from his own pace to run with me for a moment on the hill to say he never saw anything like it on the Cape before. Like you, I'm just happy to be part of it.
Special thanks to Donna Prezzano who did the heavy lifting in the kitchen for us as Pat is still recovering from surgery. And thanks and appreciation from Team Gloucester to runners Dave Dunham, Rich Bolt, Jim Pawlicki, Luc Levensohn and Charlie Kellogg for joining us. Dave, three times a Mt Washington winner, brought a gift for the event, a silver bowl with the Mt. Washington carriage road seal and the words "3rd""1995" engraved on it. Yes, he was 3rd in 1995. Henceforth it will be named the Dave Dunham memorial bowl but be known as the "DD Bowl" to be awarded annually for that person who best combines ahtleticism and giving back to our sport. To set the gold standard for this award the Mt. Washington Prep Day Awards Committee unanimously and enthusiastically names Dave Dunham the firstreceipient of the "DD bowl" And so gives Dave a chance to change his mind and take it back, newly polished. Or not.
The Imp(h)oster cup, which is not a cup, has been won in the past for inspiring perforances on Prep Day such as: an altitude-induced nosebleed (Laurie Fleming), for running downhill very fast (Matt Curran) and for being Wes Holman (Bruce Dern) and for various other inspiring events including breast feeding, vomiting and getting to keep it an extra year simply by not bringing it back. Competition this year was typically intense. Among the honorable mentions: Ryan Dunn, a 12-year-old phenom who was in the running until he passed me once too often, Steve Whittey for plumbing the depths of the mud heading to Steel Derrick --"it's about ankle high!" -- and making the first plunge into Steel, the aforementioned DaveD for following Matt anywhere, especially off a 25-foot high cliff into icy water then screaming not with appreciation at the cold and Matt himself, for telling us all how out of shape he was and then blowing us all off the hill. Again.
However, the award this year goes to.... Elizabeth Adams, George Paganis and Mike Ferrante. Elizabeth who? Elizabeth Adams, the 7 Doctor's Run resident woken out of a sound sleep by 30 runners (Bob Gillis especially) raising a racket on her street early on a Sunday morning. Only to think, "I need to get this damned highboy moved in the house and it's too heavey for me. These guys must be strong enough to move it." So first George and then Mike were recruited for furniture moving before we headed off to Steel Derrick. Next year we've told Mrs. Adams that we'll move the Imp(h)oster Cup reviewing stand to in front of her house in her honor. She promises to post a chore list.
Sorry I didn't get to the lottery that I had promised back at the house. So I still have the framed running poster that I wanted to lottery-ize. Besides you can't believe everything you read here.
LIST OF RUNNERS -- apologies if I missed anyone...please let me know....pw
Bob Gillis
Mark Asaro
Matt Curran
Maureen Collins
George Paganis
Laycee Alves
Jenn Brooks
Dave Geary
Rick Ciolino
Peter Vadala
Steve Whittey
Steve Davis
Mike Ferrante
Tom Paradis
Pat Saloney
Phil Dunn
Ryan Dunn
Carrie Parsi
John Barbour
Tristan Colangelo
Deb Knowlton
Peter Watson
Kim Morgan
Dave Dunham
Richard Bolt
Jim Pawlicki
Luc Levensohn
Charles Kellogg
Ed Wogan
J.D. MacEachern
