CMS masters place 4th at Cross Country Nationals in Lexington, KY

The Central Mass Striders, CMS, men’s masters team placed 4^th overall at the 2017 USATF Club Cross Country Championships at Masterson Station Park in Lexington, KY. The winds picked up during the morning providing a wind chill on top of the sub-freezing temperatures that began the day for the rolling courses set up for all races.

David Principe Sr, Derrick Jones, Joe Shairs, Josh Perks, Dave Dunham, Chris Mahoney

Chris Mahoney (Westford, MA), made his masters debut for CMS with a 16^th place overall finish with a time of 33:52. He was followed by Greg Putnam (Stoneham, MA) and Derrick Jones (Henrietta, NY) both breaking 35 minutes. Joshua Perks (Windham, NH) and Joe Shairs (Peabody, MA) followed, separated by 7 seconds, running 35:22 and 35:29 respectively to give CMS a combined 160 points, 10 points ahead of Club Northwest. David Principe (Johnston, RI) and Dave Dunham (Bradford, MA), both Seniors  (50+) running for the masters team would round out the seven CMS finishers with times of 37:13 and 37:34.

Full Results

USATF on demand video

2017 USATF Club Cross Country Championships

December 9, 2017

Lexington, KY

Place Team

1 West Valley Track Club                               53

2 Boston Athletic Association                         62  

3 Bowerman Track Club                                 69

4 Central Mass Striders                                 160

5 Club Northwest                                          170

6 Bull City Track Club                                   208

7 Atlanta Track Club                                     221  

8 Asheville Running Collective                    223     

9 HOKA Aggie Running Club                      243   

10 Run MN                                                    261     

Men’s Masters 40+ 10K

Place     Name    Team     Age        Time

1 Neville Davey West Valley Track Club 42             32:43.0

2 John Howell Bowerman Track Club 44                 33:02.0

3 Jorge Maravilla West Valley Track Club 40          33:07.0

4 David Angell Roanoke Valley Elite 41                 33:11.0

5 Jef Scott Unattached 45                                         33:14.0

6 Gregory Mitchell Bowerman Track Club 44        33:19.0

7 John Gardiner Cal Coast Track Club 45               33:22.0

8 David Bedoya Boston Athletic Association 40     33:33.0

9 Frankie Adkins Asheville Running Collective 44  33:35.0

10 Peter Hammer Boston Athletic Association 51      33:37.0

11 Joshua Gordon Bowerman Track Club 43              33:41.0

12 Todd Rose West Valley Track Club 44                   33:44.0

13 Philippe Rolly Capital Area Runners 45                33:49.0

14 Aaron Price Boston Athletic Association 41          33:49.0

15 Jason Holroyd Big River Racing 41                       33:50.0

16 Chris Mahoney Central Mass Striders 40               33:52.0

39 Greg Putnam Central Mass Striders 48                   34:40.0

42 Derrick Jones Central Mass Striders 46                  34:55.0

66 Joshua Perks Central Mass Striders 43                   35:22.0

73 Joe Shairs Central Mass Striders 49                        35:29.0

129 David Principe Central Mass Striders 50              37:13.0

136 Dave Dunham Central Mass Striders 53               37:34.0

USATF 2016 National Club Cross Country Championships Tallahassee, FL

The Central Mass Striders traveled to Tallahassee Florida for the USATF 2016 National Club Cross Country Championships. A rolling course, home to FSU, within Apalachee Regional awaited teams from all over the country. It felt like home for CMS. Several teams from the USATF New England Association were in attendance: Greater Springfield Harriers, Liberty Athletic Club, Greater Lowell Road Runners, Boston Athletic Association, Greater Boston Track Club, HFC Striders, Battle Road Track Club, NE Distance, SISU Project, The Heartbreakers. 

Also from the North came freezing temperatures on the morning of the race. Temperatures warmed up to the 50’s by the late morning. The Central Mass Striders men’s masters team, led by Tim Van Orden, finished 7^th out of 16 40+ teams.  Tim ran 34:23. He was followed by Gregory Putnam who paced the course in 34:56. Todd Callaghan ran 35:11. Joe Shairs clocked the course in 35:23 while Arthur Besse capped the scoring with a time of 35:50. James Pawlicki ran 36:28. 

Nate Jenkins ran a solid race, passing runners throughout the five loop course, placing 119^th in a field of 307 starting runners in the Men’s Open 10K race. He ran a time of 32:10, 5:11 pace per mile. Nate’s wife, Melissa Donais, ran 24:24 to place 165^th out of 188 runners. 

Place TmPl Name                  Age  Club                                    Time  Pace

26   24 Tim Van Orden         48   Central Mass Striders   34:23  5:32

34   32 Greg Putnam           47   Central Mass Striders    34:56  5:38

38   35 Todd Callaghan        47   Central Mass Striders   35:11  5:40

41   38 Joe Shairs                 48   Central Mass Striders    35:23  5:42

45   41 Arthur Besse          44   Central Mass Striders      35:50  5:46

53   49 James Pawlicki        42   Central Mass Striders     36:28  5:53

OPEN MEN'S 10K OVERALL

119      Nathaniel Jenkins     36   Central Mass Striders     32:10  5:11

OPEN WOMEN'S 6K OVERALL

165      Melissa Donais        32   Central Mass Striders       24:24  6:33

USATF 2016 National Club Cross Country Championships Tallahassee, FL results

CMS 40+ team: Todd, Jim, Tim, Joe, Arthur, & Greg

Todd, Greg, Joe waiting for open 10K results

Nate Jenkins on his way to a 32:10 in the Men's Open 10K

USATF Club Cross Country Nationals Bethlehem, PA

Greg Putnam finished 34th
Photo by Michael Scott

The Central Mass Striders traveled to Bethlehem, PA with five masters (40+) and six seniors (50+). The athletic fields of Lehigh University held the stage for the 2014 USATF Club Cross Country Nationals race. The men covered 10 kilometers on a cloudy day with a 6 mph breeze and temps in the low 40’s. The masters team placed 9^th out of 40 teams. CMS was the 2^nd team from New England as BAA finished third. One minute and thirty seven seconds stood between the first CMS runner, Greg Putnam (34:06), and the fifth and last to score, James Pawlicki (35:43). Todd Callaghan (34:58), Alan Bernier (35:12), and Joe Shairs (35:19) filled spots two through four.

The CMS Seniors team placed 8^th out of 25 teams and was the first team from New England, ahead of the Greater Lowell Road Runners who finished 10^th. CMS was lead by Dave Dunham (36:37). He was followed by Dan Verrington (37:04), Martin Tighe (37:38), John Gillis (39:14), Paul Bazanchuk (40:23), and Dave Lapierre (44:19). Paul Bazanchuk placed 4^th overall in the 60-64 age category.

2014 USATF Club Cross Country Nationals results

Photos by Michael Scott

2014 USATF National Club XC Championships

Goodman Campus XC Course, Bethlehem, PA

December 13, 2014

Overall Masters Men

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

PLACE NAME     AGEGROUP   TEAM                             TIME   PACE

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

34 Greg Putnam      M40-49  9  Central Mass Striders      34:06  5:30          

66 Todd Callaghan   M40-49 18  Central Mass Striders      34:58  5:38          

74 Alan Bernier     M40-44 45  Central Mass Striders      35:12  5:40      

78 Joe Shairs       M40-49 23  Central Mass Striders      35:19  5:41          

95 James Pawlicki   M40-44 51  Central Mass Striders      35:43  5:45          

127 Dave Dunham     M50-54 22  Central Mass Striders      36:37  5:54          

148 Daniel Verrington M50-54 32  Central Mass Striders    37:04  5:58          

176 Martin Tighe    M50-59  8  Central Mass Striders      37:38  6:04          

250 John Gillis     M50-54 66  Central Mass Striders      39:14  6:19     

289 Paul Bazanchuk  M60-64  4  Central Mass Striders      40:23  6:30          

409 David Lapierre  M50-54 108 Central Mass Striders      44:19  7:08          

9.   277  Central Mass Striders (A)   (35:04  2:55:18   1:37)

=================================================================

  1     28  Greg Putnam            45   34:06

  2     54  Todd Callaghan         45   34:58

  3     59  Alan Bernier           40   35:12

  4     63  Joe Shairs             46   35:19

  5     73  James Pawlicki         40   35:43

8.   235  Central Mass Striders (A)   (38:12  3:10:56   3:46)

=================================================================

  1     20  Dave Dunham            50   36:37

  2     28  Daniel Verrington      52   37:04

  3     38  Martin Tighe           56   37:38

  4     67  John Gillis            50   39:14

  5     82  Paul Bazanchuk         60   40:23

  6   (120) David Lapierre         50   44:19