Complete Results here

At the entrance to the State park (1.2 miles) Low had pulled ahead slightly and Morse passed Ferenc.  Tilton began to fade from the lead group, and the second pack began to break up.  On the climb I could see 3^rd through 8^th place strung out in front of me.  I was hanging out alone about 10 seconds behind Greg Ward of the Moose Milers.  By two miles (just after the "down" road) I could see Livingston moving up into 4^th and Tilton hanging on to 5^th.  My split at 2 was 12:33, which I thought would get me into the finish around 26:30.  The third mile has some good climb and a long fast drop.  Low and Morse maintained about 10 second gap between them.  Livingston was making up ground on Ferenc, and Nephew smoked the downhill closing on Tilton.  I hit 3 at 18:30 and had Ward and Emerson in sight with each about 15 seconds ahead.

The last 1.3 miles was a return to all up, and a return to some fog and clouds.  Low kept up his steady pace to hold off Morse by 11 seconds.  When asked by Morse how hard he ran Low said "pretty hard....in places".  The finish line placement is about as far as you can go up the mountain without falling off the face.  Unfortunately you can see the clock ticking away for about the last minute of running.  Livingston, a low 4 miler, passed Ferenc in the last .3 miles but was re-passed in the parking lot for third and fourth place.  Tilton and Nephew held positions with only 2 seconds separating them.  Tilton noted "I could hear Ben gaining, he was making a lot of noise".  I couldn't gain any ground on either Emerson or Ward as they lead the Moose Milers to a second place finish behind CMS (by 8 points to 25 with the top 3 places scoring).

I was among the many surprised by how much slower the times were this year.  Ward was the only one in the top who improved over last year(by 1:21).  He said during our warmdown on the trails around the back of the mountain that "I hoped to run faster than last year, I've been training a lot more".    I took top in the 40+ competition with the 7^th fastest time for a master.  My time also put me as the 5^th fastest individual in the 40+.  I'm in pretty good company behind Craig Fram, Geary Daniels, Bob Hodge and Joe Stanley.  Mark Pitts rounded out the top 10 overall with his 2^nd place finish in the 40+.

The 50+ competition had Rob Higley run the 5^th fastest time.  Taking the victory over Len Hall by a little over a minute.  Higley is now the 3^rd fastest individual and Hall moves up to 5^th on the list.

Peter Orni won the 60+ competition by 1:14 over CMS teammate Joseph Drugan.  Orni still remains on the 50+ individuals list with his time from 1993 (6^th fastest).

On the ladies side, the competition looked fierce.  Nikki Kimball showed up a bit late to the race after hitting a deer on the drive over!  She would be challenged by course record holder (and 5 time Olympic trials qualifier) Julie Peterson.  Kelli Lusk would be making her first attempt at Wachusett the day after dueling to a second place finish in the New England 12K championships.  Mountain ace Suzy West was also on hand after dominating the circuit last year and recently winning the Big Sur marathon.

Peterson tucked in behind Kimball with Lusk following for most of the race.  Kimball held on to win with the 10^th fastest time and moved up to 5^th fastest individual with her 8 second win over Peterson.  Peterson's time was the 2^nd fastest for a master, behind only her record of 29:38.  Lusk took third 25 seconds back, which makes her the 7^th fastest individual.

Deidre Bird took the 50+ competition in 31 seconds shy of the course record.  The 60+ went uncontested.