Race four of the Grand Pricks Series, #6
"Traditional textile-free scoring allows three points for males and four for females. If a female wears a jog bra during a nude race, she covers the extra naughty-bit area that authorized the additional point. Therefore, women in jog bras in a textile free race receive 3 points. A male wearing a jog bra would not receive any points. What’s the point?" - The RAT Philosophical Advisor.
This is the fourth race installment in the twenty one race series. Most running mags who report on these races center around who won and quick times. This blog revolves around the seamy underbelly in each race; the also-rans: the has-beens: the crippled: the infirm: the insane.
These are my people. Read on.
That being said it was a beautiful day, perfect for racing. Partly sunny, temps in mid seventies, no humidity to speak of.
Just 21 killer hills among some of the best New England scenery.
This really is a no frills race. For example, with just shy of 700 running, there were only four port-a-potties. parking is limited, you had to walk uphill just to get the registration table!
All kidding aside the Cape Ann YMCA puts on a well organized event and the community really comes out to support the runners along the whole course.
I can't say enough about what a great job they do. They don't get enough credit, but then neither does my washing machine, or my dishwasher, or the gas station with the free air.
I ride up with Dave Malliaros and the early Labor Day traffic offers no resistance and we fly through Boston and the northern suburbs marveling at how developers are wedging in housing in every nook and cranny. The new developments are so isolated from mass transportation and shopping, a resident would have to drive miles just for an ice cream. Kind a takes out the spontaneity of having one.
Anyway, we're over an hour early and the parking lot is already half full. With plenty of time we check out who's here and hang around the GPS #6 scoring to get everyone's reaction to the series so far.
There's a bit of a controversy but I'm sure it'll all work out.
The first person I spy is Dominick D'Amico out to upset the point scoring for this race.
The whole idea of each race in the series is to beat the RAT ahead of you, for example, this race is a 15.5 mile race so 0.155 is subtracted from the points given for this race from each successive rat crossing the finish line.
Dom is one fast RAT. He could win the championship.
Grandpa J.G. is there and together we lament the fact that "Dripper" Foley isn't running anymore.
Duke Hutchinson is there. Dukey is a CSU runner from way back. He's still got it at 59, too bad none of his other Fresh Pond cronies can make the series. Larry, Mike, Gordy.
Ken Jacobson is missing, Gediman, Paulson, Casaletto, and Winkley too. Miss a race as big as this, gonna be tough to have a chance to get the coveted Butt Patch.
A correction: Caroline Ceailles, was here (2:02:30), thanks to the eagle eye of Mike Quinn from the Somerville Road Runners, he set the record straight.
The race starts promptly at nine and it takes me 40 seconds to get to the start line. No hurry, it's going to take hours to get this one done. A leisurely 10 minute mile pace for the first mile and I pick things up, unfortunately so is the first of many, many hills in this croaker.
The course winds through picturesque cove after cove. all suitable for painting. Essential New England scenery. Close your eyes and think of a New England coastal scene and it'll come from this road. Its pretty much 1 and a half hills to one mile. Up, down, up, down it never stops.
Grind through the half marathon mark just shy of two hours and DIE. Have to wait for a train even. Coast into the finish at 2:27,neatly folded, nice n' clean, and topped of with air.
Good to go.