BU Meets Wrap Up

While NETT did not get a chance to run a 4x 1 mile relay this week at the final BU Mini-Meet this weekend, Dave Mingori was a one-man NETT squad on the track, running both the 3000 and the mile. Dave blasted through the 3K in sub-10 and then bounced back for a 5:06 in the mile.

Due to an overwhelming turnout at the meet, the relay got pushed back to 3 pm, too late for a couple of our team members to make. But Kudos to Big Ben and family for coming all the way down from NH to run, as well as Drs. Miller and Goode and soon-to-be-lost-to-Texas Peter G. Would have made a great relay team. Maybe next year.

Some light reading for the Holidays.

Just a quick roundup of some recent stories on trail running that have appeared in various newspapers around the country:

San Francisco Chronicle’s HEALTHY OBSESSION column

SanLouisObispo.com’s profile of ultrarunner Thomas Reiss.

Summit Daily News (CO) profile of Elliot Henry.

Elmira, NY Star-Gazette’s profile of Dave Weiss

Seattle Post Intelligencer story on trail and ultra running

Rutland Herald profile of Newton Baker

NETT women win the "Mt. Hood Massacre" XC Race

Okay, boys, get your spatulas ready!

The NETT women overcame a couple last minute calls in sick to win the women's division at the Assault on Mt. Hood 3.2(?) mile XC Race today, while the men put in a valiant effort--wearing aprons in the race no less--to finish second in their division.

The result is that the men's team has to cook the women's team breakfast after an upcoming run (details to come later).

The womens' team of Adrienne Cyrulik, Jennifer Shultis and Karen Miller-Medzon finshed 65, 88, 107 overall. (The results on coolrunning don't show their team score--we'll fix that). (UPDATE as of Monday AM): The Somerville Road Runners did in fact have a women's team that NETT beat by a very narrow margin, according to my scores--260 to 264!

The men's team pulled out every available member they could find to avoid losing the bet and put their three scoring members in the top 12 in the race, but couldn't overcome the CMS team putting up a 1,8,9 score. Running for the men's team were Paul Miller, Dave Hannon, Dave Mingori, Jerry De Zutter, Ryan Hunt, Bruce Goode and Anthony Chamberas.

The race itself was a hit with all the NETTers and extended family in attendance (Special thanks to Jerry's wife Jennifer handling extra babysitting). Course was very hilly and a mix of snow-covered golf courses and some paved roads. Post-race event was excellent--great food (pasta and meatballs piping hot), great drink (all runners get a nice beer glass filled up with cold beer) and good prizes (age-group winners get a bottle of homebrew!). The Melrose Running Club puts on a great event here.

Melrose Mt Hood SmackTalk Gets Downright Scary

The bad blood between the NETT men’s and women’s teams leading into the Assault on Mt. Hood XC race this weekend has resulted in a nasty war of words.

It all started at the Andover XC race, where the two teams had a bet. Whichever team finished higher in the standings for their respective division would have a nice breakfast prepared for them by the other team after an upcoming run. Unfortunately, the bet resulted in a tie as both teams won their respective divisions at Andover. That pushed the bet over to the Mt. Hood race this weekend.

Jennifer Shultis has been leading the women’s smack talk. “We want to see these men in the kitchen with aprons on where they BELONG” she said recently in a very spiteful and nasty email exchange with men’s team captain DaveH.

Dave responded by saying “Men wearing aprons and cooking. Aprons? PUhhhh-leeeaase. As we say around here in Boston ‘Nevaah gunnah haahhpenn.”"

Jennifer shot back to Dave and the women’s team with, “Apparently, the comment about seeing the guys in the kitchen wearing aprons got a reaction, or so Dave says. Claims they have quite a line-up. Blahblahblah...yeah, whatever. Dave, you better tell those little piggies of yours to giddy-up. I can almost hear them squealing, Clarice.”

The Hannibal Lecter/Silence of the Lambs reference left Dave utterly speechless.

I guess it will all be decided Sunday morning in Melrose.

Fleece Banana Hammock Rides Again!

For the third year in a row, the Fleece Banana Hammock team put in a very strong result in the Mill Cities Relay, finsihing 6th overall this year in 2:35.

Entered under the Somerville Road Runners banner, the Banana this year consisted of Jim Rhoades, Paul Young, Jean Dany Joachim, Dave Hannon and newcomer to the crowd, Peter Gallimore. The first leg went off very fast with some of the top runners in New England laying down fast times and putting the always fit Rhoades back a bit in the pack despite running his usual solid time. Young took the baton in around eighth place and began the process of chipping away, running down a couple runners. JD put in a PR time on his usual "baby leg" of 2.5 miles and gave the stick to Hannon, who was taking the 9.5 mile leg in the absence of our usual Russian Rocket, Dmitry Drozdov who's handled the long leg the past two years.
Hannon did his best to keep the team in competition, passing three teams along the way and handing off to speed demon turned marathoner Gallimore. Peter did a great job of holding onto our sixth place spot by holding off a pack of teams behind him including the Whirlaway masters team, always a daunting force to have behind you.


Honestly, have you ever seen a guy wearing purple tights look SOOO masculine? I don't know how he does it!


As always, the post-race party at the Claddagh Pub in Lawrence was better than most, with cold beer and warm soup.

Overall, it was another successful run for the Fleece Banana Hammock. Nice work boys.

(All Photos Courtesy JimRhoades.com).