USATF New England Mountain running circuit

 

The 19^th annual running of the series wrapped up on October 4 at Bretton Woods (Carroll, NH).  This was the first time the series ended in the fall and the first time the series had 7 events.  This was also the first year that team scoring was included.  All scoring was done on the “best 6 of 7” races.  Individual scoring was calculated based on a percentage of the winner’s time.  Team scoring was done in the open, 40+, and 50+ categories with the first 5 scoring in the open and the first 3 scoring in the masters and seniors.  Runners were allowed to score down in the team categories.

 

Over 300 USATF NE runners ran in at least one of the races.  Over 100 members (102 to be exact) earned “Mountain Goat” status by running 6 of the 7 races.  A hardcore group of 37 completed all 7 events amassing over 16,000 feet of climb over 47.3 miles.

 

The Central Mass Striders (CMS) and Acidotic Racing (aR) ran the table taking home the all categories in the team competition on the men’s and women’s sides respectively.  Individual titles were claimed by Jim Johnson (CMS) and Christin Doneski (WRT).  Johnson took his third title and Doneski her second consecutive crown.  Johnson is now tied with Paul Low with three overall series victories and trails only Eric Morse (CMS) who has 6 titles from 1996-2003.   Doneski also won her second consecutive masters title.

 

In the age groups Peter Orni (NMC) won his second consecutive 70+ title, and his 7^th age group win in the last eleven years.  Elaine Dill (aR) took her fourth consecutive 60+ title while Len Hall (GCS) took home his second consecutive title (60+ this year and 50+ last year).  Jackie Shakar (CSU) was the women’s 50+ winner, winning for the fourth year in a row, she also finished in third place overall trailing only Doneski and Leslie Beckwith (aR).  Dave Dunham (CMS) took the men’s 50+ and became the first man in the history of the series to win the overall (1996 & 1998), 40+(2005-2009), and 50+(2014).  Donna Smyth (CSU) is the only woman to have taken three titles.  Todd Callaghan (CMS) was the men’s masters champion for 3^rd consecutive year, he also finished second overall in the series 13.5 points behind Johnson.

 

In the “all-time standings” Richard Stockdale (GCS) continues to lead all ‘streakers’ with 82 consecutive race finishes from 2000 to 2014.  Stockdale also leads the all-time finishes list with his 82, series founder Dave Dunham (CMS) trail by 1 race.  On the all-time point total the roles are reversed with Dunham leadig with 7422.72 points and Stockdale in second with 5,812.97 points.  On the women’s side Laurel Shortell (WMAC) tops the finishes list with 70, with Emer O’Donoghue (SRR) close behind with 68.  Donna Smyth (CSU) leads in the point total standings with 5,012.77 points with Lisa Doucett (CSU) not far behind in second place with 4,799.63 points.