From Cat Beck of Cross Country
Fall XC action kicked off on Saturday with CPTC representation at the Paul Short invitational 6k. This race gave the team the chance to preview the course in advance of club xc nationals which will be held there in December this year. Braving an early wake up, inexplicable PA traffic jams, and an epic downpour on the warm up, the team took off across to cornfields of Lehigh, albeit about a half second after the rest of the field due to a collective response to the starting gun that resembled molasses moving downhill of a cold day! Luckily, things only improved from there.
Ever consistent, Cat Beck ran the exact same time as last year (20:54) to finish once again in third place. Ivette Ramirez made a triumphant return to XC action with her 21:55 top 15 finish. Newly minted lawyer, Christina Argueta, proved that sleep is for the weak by notching a tenacious 22:13 performance after working until 10:30 the night before her race. Lauren Carter came on strong in the second half of the race, passing people left and right on her way to a massive 42 second course PR (23:15)! Ambreleah Dusseau made her CPTC XC debut cranking out 25:50 and Sue Pearsall was right with her, winning kick of the day with her courageous charge down the home stretch to nip under 26 minutes (25:59).
From Lauren Carter of the Open
Cool, crisp and comfortable accurately describes the race conditions for Sunday’s Half Marathon, also known as Grete’s Great Gallop. It was perfect conditions for the Women’s Open to bring home a first place finish. They were lead by Kate Pallardy who finished 2nd overall in the race with a time of 1:18:47. Jacy Kruzel looked very calm and collected as she over came the the conditions created by over lap to finish in a very speedy 1:22:06. Katie Casto and Alysia Dusseau were all smiles, enjoying the great weather and getting in a good run as they rounded Central Park in times of 1:26:43 and 1:26:57. Katherine Carrington completed the scoring with a strong finish of 1:28:29.
Jacy Kruzel
Photo: Nigel Francis
We did have one PR on the day with Melanie Broder posting a time of 1:34:19! In addition, Meggie Sullivan ran the 1.7 prior to the half marathon. Meggie got out in a hard, fast mile to bring home a “W” in blazing time of 10:02.
Melanie Broder
Photo: Nigel Francis
Congrats to all our racers this weekend! You are looking in great shape for your fall marathons. We’d also like to wish good luck to our Chicago Marathoners this weekend! Be sure to pack for all the weather conditions.
Alyssia Dusseau
Photo: Nigel Francis
From Ani Go of the 40+
Grete’s:
Finally fall is here, with perfect conditions for a half marathon! The great Yumi Ogita is back, and has thrown her hat into the ring for a marathon–NYC of course! Yumi’s back from various hamstring issues, and is ready for battle, starting with her 1:29:25 half and 2nd place age group win! There were no 40+ women for this race, so Yumi bathes in the fountain of youth and is the leader for the scoring team. She has company with Barbara Byrne who scores 2nd (1st in age) followed closely by Captain Sylvie (1st in age as well!).
These ladies scored for 40’s, 50’s (3rd place!), and Barbara and Sylvie’s 1st place for 60+. Way to multitask!
Congrats to our 1st place men’s 40+, 2nd place women’s open and men’s 60+, and 3rd place men’s open!
Harry Murphy 5k (Vanny C!)
Oh glorious sun and beautiful fall foliage at Vanny C! As the road crew relaxed from their race, another one started up at Van Cortland. The trees blazed red and gold beckoning all to come and play in the woods, to please run wild on the hills and dirt trails. We had the Lady Colleen McGurk in her debut heed the call of the trees running 21:32 and winning 1st in her age group! Nice way to start her XC career! Bertie (Roberta Little) ran a huge 50 second faster than her first race this season, finishing 2nd in her age group in 24:45! Says Bertie “I went out a little more conservative in the first mile this time , the back hills didn’t feel as brutal and I had a lot left at the end of the race which felt good I was picking off a lot of men actually on the back hills…
Most importantly I’m happy to be healthy and racing again . My goal is to drop more time at my next race!”
Fantastic performances, all!
GO ORANGE!!!
Ani
Ps–last points race is the Ted Corbitt 15k! http://www.nyrr.org/races-and-events/2014/nyrr-ted-corbitt-15k
ALSO, if you haven’t already, tickets for the benefit are available and its next Friday! Please let me know if you are available to help, have anything to donate to the auction, or would like to take part in a page dedication to George! Take a look below for details (previous email).
From Sylvie Kimche of the 50+ and 60+
On a brisk and sunny Sunday morning, the W60+ team of Barbara, Judith and Sylvie galloped to victory in the Grete’s Great Gallop Half Marathon and crushed the competition. Their combined time of 05:39:34 was more than an hour ahead of the 2nd place team VCTC (by 1hr 03mns 40seconds to be exact!….).
Barbara, fresh off the plane from London (where she visited her brand new grand-daughter 🙂 was first for the team – as usual – in 1:47:24. First in her age group by 6mns with an 81.52% AG%. She was using the race as a long run for the upcoming NYCM.
Sylvie was 2nd for the team and first in her age group in 1:49:39, an 86.08% AG%. (I was very happy with this result on a tough course and in a distance that is way too far for me!!!…).
Judith followed, 3rd for the team and 2nd in her age group in 2:02:31, a 77.05% AG%. Now Judith IS a real long distance runner as she would have liked to go up to Vanny after the Half to do the 5k X-C….if NYRR had given enough time in between….!!! Kudos Judith… just for the thought of it 🙂
Barbara & Sylvie double dipped to score 2nd and 3rd for the W50+ team, giving support to Yumi who was first for the CPTC W50+ team in 1:29:25 (2nd in her age group & an 86.62% AG%!)
In the absence of any W40+ CPTC runners, Yumi, Barbara and Sylvie also scored for the W40+ team…..
Regarding the NYRR team point competition for 2014, the W60+ team is now in 2nd place behind VCTC. Due to injuries and absences, our team has not been able to score in 2 races already and will not score in the NYCM either. So there is no way we can catch VCTC with only one point race remaining for us (the NYRR Ted Corbitt 15k on December 14). But with a good showing in the 15k, we should keep our 2nd place ahead of Mercury Masters.
Congrats to all our CPTC teams for our (great) results & thanks to our teammates for all the cheering along the way!
Happy Autumn to all and good luck in the NYCM to all the hardy souls planning to run!
GO Orange!
Sylvie
