21st Annual Stu's 30K
Poetry in Motion

March 19, 2000
Barbara McManus, investigative reporter
Story by Glaistig Uaine
Overall Results 
Age Group Results

Of course, all know, Stu's 30K can be tolerated but cannot be tamed. Demons, in the shape of the wind, confronted unsuspecting runners from start to finish. The spring thaw discovered lost runners from the 1999 Stu's 30K, long forgotten and frozen aside the road. The hills are legion and legend with impossibly two hills up for each descent and a headwind for the entire 18.6 mile loop course. Ok, so I've exaggerated, but not by much. Adversity notwithstanding, the 21st  Annual Stu's 30K race began.

Meg Ryan midway to the finish of Stu's 21st Annual 30K.

Perhaps the eloquence of Lord Tennyson should be better replaced by the grit or resolve of Casey at The Bat:

The weather wasn't sunny when the starter fired the gun, The miles loomed long before them from the little town, Clin-ton. And then the wind began to howl; the runners did the same, The race was off, the game's afoot, this course! By God, they'll tame.

The first mile lured the field of about 450 (smaller than years past because of the popular New Bedford 1/2 marathon run same day) runners into a fast pace with the first hill beginning before the two mile mark. The course then rolled to the end of the first 10K from Clinton to Sterling and into West Boylston. Left right, left right. That is NOT the guy from NewsRadio on the right

With hundreds strong, dug in, resolved, on pace They passed mile one. The pack was thin, but just in case, A nervous glance, first left, then to the rear,  Mile two, a hill, clear road ahead, downshift to second gear.

The winner, Eric Levigne of Woburn, Massachusetts seems to have not been affected by the hills, wind or even gravity. He took charge before the first mile in five minutes flat, extended his lead by over two minutes at the five mile split and finished in a 1:45:16. The hills of Stu's, Eric noted, were good training for his upcoming attempt at sub 2:20 in next month's Boston Marathon. Eric Levigne Photo: Dave Camire

Summer Harrington's task was a bit more complicated as she settled into third place behind Caitlyn Ramsey and Jodilyn Couture for three miles before taking the lead for good in Boylston. The Boston University graduate student had never seen the course but regarded it as a last tune-up race before her sub 3 hour attempt at Boston. Summer Harrington Photo: Dave Camire

A few brave spectators cheered for them, up the hill about halfway The veterans were not kidding, the race begins at 15-K. And at the top, a new resolve, through country roads they fled But the engines, they was failing and the tires were losing tread.

At the nine mile point, the course pointed upward through 15 kilometers before a sharp left turned the runners sharply down and into three miles of rolling hills. As a historical reminder, Stu's 30K began in 1979. Stu Thurston and Ray Nelson used the loop as a training run and sought to promote a "Fun Run." Don Drewniack and the Central Mass Striders raised the bar (possibly realizing that "fun" was really an inappropriate adjective to describe the loop) and the Stu's 30K became the New England Championship race in its first year.  Now, this is color coordination.  With the support of the Clinton Middle School, ample parking, changing and shower facilities, and a cafeteria, the race has evolved into a popular, demanding, organized and well attended end of winter CMS outing.

And Dunkin' Donuts beckons, they turned left, a mile to go. And yet another hill reared up, a cruel and final blow. Over twenty thousand foot-falls have truly paid a price, Nothing else can can make them happier; just the finish will suffice.

The final two miles wound into downtown Clinton and a long, scenic downhill past an incredibly enthusiastic group of volunteers at the last water stop. Two final steep climbs followed with the last one beginning at a left turn at Dunkin' Donut and ending just short of the finish line. Joanne Murphy of Lancaster, who finished 50th overall in a time of 2:11:30 as first in women's 40-49 division.  Khamfena Haleudeth of Mansfield placed first in the men's 40-49 age group with a 1:56:25. In the 50-59 division, James Imprescia led the men with a 2:03:28 while Christine Miskinis lead the 50-59 women with a 2:34:43. Leon Chiappini and Sandra Hayes placed first in the 60-69 division with finishes of 2:17:07 and 3:06:36 respectively. Ray Lussier was first in the men's 70-99 category with a 2:48:05. No women participated in the 70-99 age division.  Color coordination is important, as demonstrated by these four. Notice that the trailers have absolutely no fashion sense, thus they fall behind.

Oh, somewhere in New England, the sun is shining bright. A band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light. And, somewhere men are laughing, at winter now benign, But Stu's is done, at winter's end, and Boston's next in line.

The runners retired from the finish to hot showers (Really! I'm not kidding. The showers had hot water!), food (where someone pointed out that the shelf life of a Twinky is dependent on the durability of the particular shelf in question.), and awards. After the race, runners on Sunday, at Stu's, on the brisk and clear New England winter day, squinted east, to the right and a few weeks into the future, and swore they could see the town of Hopkinton.

Sunday, January 07, 2007 01:59 PM