REGISTRATIONS OPEN ON JAMES JOYCE”S BIRTHDAY, FEBRUARY 2nd
New England Runner has chosen the 2013 Ramble to be the 2nd event in their very popular
New England Runner Magazine Pub Series.
Last year editor Bob Fitzgerald covered the event with the following feature…..
From the sweeping grounds of Dedham’s 15-acre Endicott Estate, former B.A.A. athlete Ruben Sanca could be seen striding by the 19th century mansion prior to the 29th James Joyce Ramble 10K. He was wearing a red GBTC singlet, prompting a query of Greater Boston TC warlord Tom Derderian, who offered: “It’s because of the relationship we have with Puma.” Given that the UMass/Lowell 5,000m standout and 2:18:43 marathoner (Rotterdam, 2011) runs for Team Puma, this seems apropos.
Sanca would also have to be considered the favorite, albeit tempered by the fact that friend and occasional training partner Nate Jenkins (7th, 2:14:56 – 2008 US Olympic Trials Marathon) was also on hand. “Nate’s here, I don’t think he’ll just let Ruben go,” noted Coach Tom.
“I wasn’t even going to run this race,” Jenkins would later reveal, “but Ruben phoned and was ‘C’mon, it’ll be the two of us, we’ll have a hammerfest.’”
That is exactly what transpired over hill and dale, town and country, as the duo hit the first mile in Dedham Square in 4:41. A talented trio had already formed a chase pack, consisting of former UNH ace Dan Hocking, New Balance Boston’s Andrea Sogato and the B.A.A.’s Justin Lutz.
Reaching the entrance to the rolling grounds of the Noble and Greenough School after three miles (14:36), the duo had a comfortable lead. Jenkins had pushed the pace at 1.5 miles on Court St., and now it was Sanca’s turn. Driving uphill, Sanca would gain a few strides; on the ensuing downhills Jenkins would make up the gap. From the lead vehicle it looked like Jenkins would break here but au contraire. “I thought I was going to break there,” said Jenkins, who left the school grounds in tandem with Sanca as they hit four miles in 19:24.
It was in the fifth mile on High Street in Dedham Square that the elastic loosened and Sanca ran free to victory in 30:19 with Jenkins following in 30:33. Sorgato pulled in third at 31:02. The prize purse for the top three was $500-400-300. Hocking placed one tick out of the money in 31:03 with Lutz fifth in 31:20.
“This is a challenging course, it seems you’re either going up or down a lot and that breaks your stride,” said Sanca. On breaking his pal, Sanca was only mildly surprised it didn’t happen at Noble and Greenough. “I pushed the uphills for sure, but as you probably noticed he’s excellent on the downhills.”
“Ruben’s an internationalist, he’s got more experience right now,” joked Jenkins, noting Sanca had recently raced in Portugal and would represent his native Cape Verde in Venezuela in June. “I wish I’d held together better that last mile. I’m not quite there yet. I need to run more races like this.”
Women’s winner Brett Ely of the B.A.A. has an extensive injury dossier over a career that’s had peaks and valleys. She had a hip issue for most of last fall and a back problem kept her from running the B.A.A. 5K on Patriots’ Day weekend but, as she relates, “I think it’s good to get out and race when you’re not 100%.”
With a 5:25 opening mile Ely found herself in the lead and that’s where she stayed right through the finish line tape in 36:10. “This is a gorgeous course so I wanted to run it,” said Ely whose husband, Matt, had placed second overall last year. “I wasn’t thinking about winning, my goal was to put my foot on the gas and just keep going.”
B.A.A. teammate Lyndsay Willard arrived second in 36:34 a week after winning the women’s division at Doyle’s and 13 days after running 2:55:53 at the Boston Broiler. “I love to race, so far so good,” said Willard, who will next low-key it at a race in her hometown of Westford.
Defending champion Caroline Bjune placed third in 36:43 followed by Schenectady, NY-based Willow Street AC’ers Kristina Gracey, 29, of Guilderland, NY in 38:32 and Shelly Binsfield, 32, of Clifton Park, NY in 38:37.
“This was a great race, definitely worth the trip,” said Gracey. “It was very spirited, there were a lot of people out there.”
“It reminds me a lot of our race,” said Stockade-athon 15K race director Vince Juliano, of Schenectady, NY, who also towed the line. “The course is similar, going through different parts of town with some history, out into the country, and it gets about 2,000 people, like we do.”
With the Masters payout at $400-300-200, the 40+ tussle is usually pretty dramatic. This year was no exception as three athletes broke 33-minutes. The upfront battle was between Chelmsford’s Joseph Koech, 43, and New Paltz, NY’s Joseph Ekuom, 42. Koech was the first Joseph across the line in 32:17 with Ekuom arriving in 32:28 as the pair placed 6-7 overall. The top 40+ runner from 2010—N. Kingstown, RI’s Keven O’Neil, 42—ran 32:54 to nail down the 10th position. On the distaff side, Dedham’s Camille Naser, 45, was an easy winner in 41:46.
Beyond the male Masters troika, the only other runner under USATF age-group guidelines was Veteran women’s winner Karen Durante, 61, of Newburyport. Durante sailed along at a 7:04 pace to post up in 43:53; her Veteran counterpart? Why none other than the aforementioned Tom Derderian in 41:46.
Bands played, beer flowed and at some point the awards ceremony took place. But who could see through the smoke off the grills at the Thristy Irish Runners’ RV as Chef Angelo—owner of Tutto Italiano in Hyde Park and Gran Gusto of Cambridge—worked his culinary magic.
Speaking of magic, next year will mark the 30th anniversary of this theme race ‘before there were theme races.’
—Bob Fitzgerald
29th Anniversary Edition James Joyce Ramble 10K, Dedham, April 29
1,926 Finishers – Timing by: Granite State Race Services – USATF Certified: MA01010RN – *Under USATF Age-Group guideline- Event Records: Stephen Kiogora, 28:45, 2001; Martha Komu, 32:54, 2001. Masters: Simon Karori, 29:54, 2001; Judi St. Hilaire, 34:21, 2001. Seniors: Craig Fram, 33:38, 2011; Diane LeGare, 38:25, 2003. Veterans: Michael Sullivan, 37:18, 1990; Jan Holmquist, 42:28, 2006. 70+: Michael Sullivan, 45:22, 2000. 80+: Carlton Mendell, 1:04:05, 2002. Weather: pleasant, high 50s, sunny & windy
Men (Overall): 1. Ruben Sanca, 30:19; 2. Nate Jenkins, 30:33; 3. Andrea Sorgato, 31:02; 4. Daniel Hocking, NH, 31:03; 5. Justin Lutz, 31:20; 6. Joseh Koech (43), 32:17*; 7. Joseph Ekuom (42) NY, 32:28*; 8. Kevin Vega, 32:30; 9. Greg Hammett, NH, 32:45; 10. Keven O’Neil (42) RI, 32:54*; 11. Ed Gardner, 33:35; 12. Dan Lounsbury, 33:51; 13. Chris Hine, 33:56; 14. Kevin Gorman, 34:16; 15. Harry Stants, 34:34; 16. Zach Kudlak, 34:46. (19-under): 1. Dave Pinsonneault, 39:09; 2. Justin Skelly, 41:01;
3. Kevin McNeil, 41:04. Masters: 1. Joseh Koech (43), 32:17*; 7. Joseph Ekuom (42) NY, 32:28*; 3. Keven O’Neil (42) RI, 32:54*; 4. Josh Brown, 34:49; 5. Brad Gates, 37:47. Seniors: 1. John Sullivan, 36:50; 2. Brian Savage, 38:43; 3. Jon Silver, 41:00; 4. Ed Murphy, 41:12; 5. John Hadcock, 41:20. (60-64): 1. Tom Derderian, 41:46; 2. Jim Morris, 44:20; 3. John Pashko, 46:01. (65-69): 1. Dave Pember, 47:06; 2. Jerry Lembecke, 52:00; 3. Terrence Earls, 53:52. (70+): 1. Steven Mullen, 48:50; 2. Larry Cole, 1:02:10; 3. John Courtney, 1:02:37; 4. Joe Weinberger, 1:06:49; 5. Dan Keleher Jr., 1:07:34.
Women (Overall): 1. Brett Ely, 36:10; 2. Lindsay Willard, 36:34; 3. Caroline Bjune, 36:44; 4. Kristina Gracey, NY, 38:34; 5. Shelly Binsfeld, NY, 38:39; 6. Kate Klim, 38:52; 7. Medena Knespl, 39:11;
8. Karina Johnson, 39:51; 9. Alexandra Varanka, NH, 39:54; 10. Katie Famous, 40:03; 11. Emily Nye, 40:54; 12. Katie Passarell, 41:39; 13. Camille Naser, 41:46; 14. Marissa Blume, 41:46; 15. Katie Churchill, 41:50; 16. Elissa Bradley, 41:51. (19-under): 1. Rosamond Carr, 49:25; 2. Amanda Macdonald, 49:30; 3. Christina Sullivan, 49:38.
Masters: 1. Camille Naser, 41:46; 2. Karen Lehr, 43:23; 3. Linda Ingram, 44:20; 4. Judy Stavis, 44:46; 5. Kelly Spring, 44:50. Seniors: 1. Karen Shannon, 47:36; 2. Hollie Harder, 47:43; 3. Cindy Champagne, 50:21; 4. Soroya Rahaman, 52:00; 5. Ginny Hoehlan, 52:45. Veterans: 1. Karen Durante (61) 43:53*; 2. Liz Oates, 53:44; 3. Geraldine Liebert, NH, 56:13; 4. Patricia O’Neil, NH, 58:21; 4. Marj Radin, 1:00:09; 5. Linda Ozier, 1:00:13.