Carlos
Rivera and Kelli Lusk Outrun Field, Alter Record Books
Peter Gagarin and Lyn Walker Also Lower Records
Mild
weather brought out the speedsters and record hopefulls, as well as
the marathon trainers and pack runners, as the snowless Snowstorm
Classics season continued.
With the temperature pushing towards 50 degrees and the road
clear of any frozen forms of liquid, the times were guaranteed to be
fast…and they were.
Men’s
prerace favorites Tom Bousquet, Peter Maksimow and Carlos Rivera
kept the race honest from the get go, with the race outcome in doubt
until the finish line.
Harriers Tom and Carlos forged ahead of CMSer Peter midway
through the race but couldn’t convincingly outrun each other until
the final 1K when Carlos opened up a small advantage.
The advantage held as both sprinted across the finish line,
Carlos in 35:06 and Tom in 35:18 with Peter a dozen clicks back in
35:30.
Carlos’ gritty effort earned him his fourth victory of the
season and list leading 35th career Snowstorm Classic
win.
Two
masters were next across the finish line, both with impressive
times. Fellow GSHer Ron Lombardi captured master honors in 36:43
over worthy newcomer George Kominos (37:48).
Both
traveled north from the Nutmeg state.
Meanwhile two more club members were in a neck and neck race
in the Harriers talent laden senior (over 50) division, with Celio
Hernandez (39:20) just edging Steve O’Neil (39:22).
Sixteen year old Brian Krusell ran between the masters and
seniors to finish first junior in a quick 38:12.
Central
Mass standout Kelli Lusk’s debut Snowstorm Classic race resulted
not only in a Hall of Fame entering win but a new age record for 35
year old women.
Clocking 39:27 over the USATF certified 10 kilometers she
broke the 40:25 standard set by Harrier Betsy Duquette 15 years ago.
Sarah Kasabian-Larson (41:55) and Abby Woods (42:07) chased
Kelli around the Forest Park roads to place 2nd and 3rd
for the home team while teammate Abby Kingman took masters honors
with a 4th place 43:03 over SMACer Sue Dean’s 43:10.
A
pair of veterans returned to improve upon their previous Snowstorm
Classic heroics.
Sixty-five
year old Lyn Walker shaved 26 more seconds off the age record which
she set just two weeks ago as the Hartford Track Club ace ran a
stellar 48:22.
While sixty-one year old SMACer
Peter
Gagarin, with a whole month’s worth of training in between, was
able to slice an additional 34 seconds off the record with a 41:57
performance.
An
even 100 runners finished the race.
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