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| apple pies for "pie time" runners |
1982: I was 16 years old when I decided to attend Northfield Mount Hermon School (NMH) in western Massachusetts. I had been running since I was 12... not very fast or competitively, but winning a "men's pie" my first semester at the NMH Pie Race by going under 33 minutes (31:30) gave me confidence, identity and direction.
1997: 15 years later, I returned to NMH to run the Pie Race again and finished first female alumni, running 33:56. After receiving my pie, there was a ceremony in the gym and I was awarded a medal and school sweatshirt. As I drove home from campus that night, I felt nostalgic about my run and the continuing role running still wove through my life.
2010: 13 years later, I've notched up my training and scored in the top 10 for masters at 4 of the USATF New England Championships in distances from 5k to marathon... and 6 PRs so far this year! The rental car I drove to campus (I had hit a telephone pole, car was being repaired) had Sirius radio with 1st Wave tunes we had listened to in 80's. Intending to run under 33 minutes for a "men's open" pie time, I also would try for a personal best... but no certainties with the tough x-c mud, rocks, puddles, soaked wood chips.
CMSer Sidney Letendre and I warmed-up for 2.5 miles then lined up on the soaking wet football field. First mile was 6:23 and I keyed off a female student target, passed her and had to hold strong with second mile at 6:17. I wasn't sure if she was going to challenge me and did not know how far she was behind me... just kept pushing through the x-c course. It wasn't until we came out of the x-c course and at about 4 miles I heard someone yell "go Anna!!" that I knew she was still on me... dig deep, don't let her pass me. The last part of the course comes down Overtoun hill and in front of the gym... flash back 28 years, 16 year old me would have been so impressed with the drive, strength and guts I have found I have inside... kick it out to the finish, my watch read 29:14... a Pie Race PR, 1st female master, 3rd female overall! Wooo!!! It turned out "Anna" was the first female student finisher and a x-c runner... she finished 2 seconds behind me... we smiled and shook hands in the finish chute.
Sidney and I scooped up our pies and did a 2.5 mile warm-down... so cool to hang out with and an incredible runner. An exceptional day... living the dream!!
Here are some links regarding the Pie Race this year and previous years
Time: 29:14.574, 3rd female, 1st female master, set female master course record
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