There are a lot of reasons the Corrib Pub 5K has been a frequent host to the Pub Series. As far as venues go, you can’t beat expansive Billings Field. The acreage allows for kids races, multiple vendors (an HFC tent by the beer line) three bouncy houses, a large barbeque area and lots of open, green space to stretch out and relax.
The Pub Series ripple effect was evident here as numbers swelled from 1,674 finishers last year to 2,125 this June 4. That’s not a record. For that you go back two years to the previous Pub Series expedition to W. Roxbury that drew 2,530 finishers (the previous non Pub year there were 1,951).
(Start photo.FitzFoto/NER)
Whatever the number, it’s a large field in today’s market. The Mayor and Governor were on hand, and it can be noted that in its 24th year the Corrib Charitable Trust has donated 1.7 million dollars, all local, to schools, sports teams and local charities.
The sun was out, spirits were high and sleep deprived Pub Series leader Shawn Wallace moved right to the front with SRR’s Chris Kluczniak and CSU’s Patrick Bugbee.
(Photo: runner-up Chris Kluczniak, MickFoto/NERunner
Chris clocked himself and Pat at 5:12 for the mile with Wallace about 4-seconds ahead, but when the course left the VFW Parkway, Wallace was gone, eventually stopping the clock on LaGrange St. in a swift 16:03. Not bad for a guy who just had his second kid a week ago and needed an urn of coffee and a kitchen pass just to make the race.
“Seventy doesn’t seem that warm these days, but it takes a toll,” commented Chris K. “It seemed like we were running faster than we were.” Kluzniak posted up 2nd in 16:23 with Bugbee 3rd in 16:49.
A close 2nd in the standings entering the race, HFC’s TJ Unger wasn’t feeling good and placed 19th with Kluzniak, Bugbee and recent Martha’s Vineyard Marathon winner Lee Danforth of HFC (an 800m man at NU) jumping ahead of “The People’s Champion” in the standings
Present Pub Queen Hayley Sutter averaged sub-6s to retain her lead with an 18:32 scamper, but surprising HFC starlet Alexandra Walsh was not far behind in 18:43. The 22 year-old didn’t run in college and was talked into running a road race not long ago (there’s some talent here).
The BAA’s Amanda Watters had a solid race to place 4th among women in 19:44 and hold onto the 2nd slot in the Series. Let’s jump ahead here as Amanda won a gift card to the Corrib and accompanied husband Mike McGrane and super senior Greg Picklesimer of SRR (top Senior, 6th overall in 17:05) into the Corrib in search of a veggie burger.
Hello, the Corrib is old school like Doyle’s is old school and NER was intently interested to know if a “veggie burger” was even on the menu. It was, but McGrane emailed to mention there was no Portabello with the Portabello Veggie Burger served tepid out of the freezer. He did report that his haddock sandwich was “delicious.”
It could have been worse if Mike had made the order. “Hey guys, this runner dude says he want a Wedgie!”
Yup, old school and how else can you hold the award ceremony 2-hours after the race and have more than 15 people in attendance? Easy, because 2-hours after the race the kids pony rides were still underway, there was still bounce to the bouncy houses, still smoke billowing from the grills and still beer pouring from the kegs.
Lots of good racing on the women’s side with the BAA’s Kristin Shaw, HFC’s Dana Deingenis, SRR’s Elizabeth Bugbee, and the Whirlaway duo of Katryn Martyn and Heather Spinney in mortal combat for the top 6-places. In 7th is top Master Eileen Cakouris (21:23) of HFC over a resurgent Lisa Williams.
Midway through the Series, CSU’s Kevin Delaney is top Master over the BAA’s McGrane, Pickle Power is top M50 over HFC’s Jason Cakouris, and local resident (living across from Billings Field) John “I own this town!” Barbour ran 17:58 for a dominant M60 win but is just 3-points ahead of Charlie Muse.
Mary “It Girl” McNulty of HFC is tops W50 over Greater Lowell’s Liane Pancoast, while Rhode Island’s Marge Bellisle rules the W60 division along with GBTC pal Claire McManus.
Venerable Pubster Dave Pember moved into the top M70 slot with a divisional win at the Corrib to relegate Rich Paulson to 2nd with NH Wildman Denny LeBlanc of GLRR in 3rd.
(Photo: Elizabeth Bugbee, MickFoto/NERunner)
Great to welcome back All-World W70 participant Jan Holmquist of Whirlaway and Regina Wright of the Marshfield RR (the 1st W70 woman to ever complete the Series.)
And of course, the one & only Larry Cole of the Cape Cod AC stands alone among Octogenarians. Congrats Larry!
We hope everyone had fun at the Corrib (hard not to) and we’ll all reconnect (following our annual Pub Series midsummer intermission) at the Memphis Soul BBQ 5K in Union Square, Somerville on Aug. 13 (Memphis Soul provided by the Shor’ty Billups Band.)
Men’s Standings
Women’s Standings
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