The crowds were back again this week to show off their speed on the road. In trying to manage the onslaught of runners, there has been mention of corrals and qualifying times for future weekly races. Fortunately, in trying to keep with the authenticity of the amateur racing community, both of those ideas have been tabled for the time being.

With Sarah Fullen sounding the starting gun, the race began traditionally enough with runners jockeying for position of general pecking order. Defending champion Pat McCormick wasted no time leaping out to a 10 yard lead as the group scorched by the Lancaster Golf Center. By the halfway point though, "the" Bob Johnson and "ironman" Mike Thornton had strategically surged ahead of Pat.

After the Lunenburg Road turnaround, Bob and Mike battled on through the rolling hills of Mechanic Street, continuing under the Route 2 bridge and turned the corner and headed up the famous CMS/OHAC "Heartbreak Hill". This is the final hill where many a CMS runner has watched their dreams vanish just as the taste of sweet victory seemed to be at hand. This time though, neither CMS runner blinked as they took the hill.

Cresting the hill and taking the downside for all it was worth, Bob and Mike ended the race in a most unbelievable photo finish. The officials reviewed the tapes from all possible angles but to no avail. (Mike and Bob were seen between the cars in the OHAC parking lot playing Rock-Paper-Scissors in order to put the matter to rest.)

Other race highlights include: Mike Sikorski posting a sub 20 PR in an incredible time of 19:51, Deb Fontaine taking first female honors, Jim Daley reclaiming his 1st veteran title, Pete Erickson hauling in 1st senior by narrowly edging out John Loiselle by a mere 8 seconds, and Pat Wojtas taking 1st female senior for the 4th straight week!

Reminder: next Wednesday we "spring ahead" and start the race at 6:30. We look forward to seeing all of our fellow CMS'ers who will now be able to make the weekly race as a result of the extra half hour.

PLACE   TIME NAME                DIV    CITY             CLUB
    1  18:55 Mike Thornton       M20-39 Harvard          CMS/NMC
    2  18:56 Bob Johnson         M40-49 Leominster       CMS
    3  19:34 Pat McCormick  -1m- M40-49 Rutland          CMS
    4  19:51 Mike Sikorski       M40-49 Sterling         CMS
    5  20:12 Brian Stahl         M20-39 Leominster       OHAC
    6  20:27 Mike Auger          M40-49 Westminster      CMS
    7  20:42 Bill Sicard         M40-49 Fitchburg        CMS
    8  20:45 Jim Daley      -1v- M60-69 New Ipswich, NH  CMS
    9  21:15 Peter Erickson -1s- M50-59 Gardner          CMS
   10  21:23 John Loiselle       M50-59 Leominster       CMS
   11  21:36 Jag Patel           M20-39 Worcester        CMS
   12  21:40 Glenn Richards      M50-59 West Boylston    CMS
   13  22:00 Pete McCarron       M50-59 Lunenburg        CMS
   14  22:33 Richard Victor      M20-39 Mendon           CMS
   15  22:48 John Kleczka        M50-59 Lunenburg        CMS/NMC
   16  23:03 Deb Fontaine   -1f- F40-49 Leominster       NMC
   17  23:23 Darlene Murray      F40-49 Sterling         CMS/NMC
   18  23:31 Bill Haskell        M50-59 Sterling         CMS
   19  23:41 Tobey Sparrow       F20-39 Acton            CMS
   20  24:19 Paul Godin          M50-59 Leominster       CMS
   21  25:15 Lynn Thornton       F20-39 Harvard          CMS
   22  25:52 Stan Vancelette     M60-69 Amherst, NH      CMS
   23  26:19 Tom Munleacsy       M20-39 Lunenburg
   24  26:25 David Tall          M40-49 Leominster       CMS
   25  26:28 Evelyn Dolan        M40-49 Bolton           CMS
   26  28:18 Paul Obara          M50-59 Leominster       CMS
   27  32:53 Pat Wojtas    -1fs- F50-59 Chelmsford       CMS