NETT Braves the Mud, Hills, and...Snow? At the Rivah

Five hearty Mini Ponies made the trip to Andover this weekend to run the Merrimack River Trail Race (aka the Rivvvah) with some impressive results.

The first mile of the race featured a couple major snowpiles (from where the snow gets dumped off route 93) which made that section a unique challenge. There was some good mud and of course, the hills don't get any smaller on this course.

But it didn't deter our hearty crew. We'll start with Adrienne, who finished fifth woman overall and second in her (new) age group with a very strong run finishing the course in 1:22. "It really was a picture perfect day," she said. "We had to scale an iceberg or be careful not to fall into the river. I did manage to beat the gaggle of high school girls who were running."

Bob also managed to capture second place in his age group in the very competitive race field, finishing in 1:31. "Adrienne breezed by me about mile 2 and I never saw her again until she was coming back in," he said. "I love how the race director, Stephen, entertains us before during (he even pops up in the middle of the course), and after the race, and how he talks about how much his late friend Tom loved running so much."

Chris managed to grab fourth in the very competitive 40-49 age group cranking through the course in a very speedy 1:08.

And lastly heterolifemates Crazy Dave and Big Ben ran the first half of the race together and then picked it up in the second half to finish 1:15 and 1:17 respectively. For Crazy Dave, it was 19 years since he first ran the Rivah. "My log book shows I ran a 'tempo run' at 1:05 that year....Father Time is no friend of mine!"

As always, it was a well organized event that raised a lot of money for the Thomas Chamberas Scholarship Fund. Petey was everywhere on the course, making Monty Python references on the top of the biggest hill and turning the post-race awards into some kind of runners' game show. He puts everything he has into this race, with his trusty cohort Dave Dunham, NETT pal Tom Hildreth and many others working behind the scenes on this race.

Congrats to these folks for successfully putting this race into its third decade.

Patrick and Bob put the "T" back in NETT

When NETT was founded more than 10 years ago, we the four founders were still active in track racing. So we included "track" in the club name (post-Banana, of course).

Fast forward a decade or so and very few of us step foot on the track. But two Mini Ponies recently not only took to the track, but did so at the national level.

Patrick and Bob both ran in the USATF National Masters Indoor Track and Field Championships. Bob busted out a 12:31 in the 3000.

Not only did Patrick win his heat in the mile in 5:41, he set a new NETT benchmark and became the first member ever to get drug tested (at least in an athletic setting, heh heh). And he ran an 11:16 in the 3000 meters to boot.

Congrats to both! Nothing like setting a good example.

NETT's Second Annual Hannah Randolph Volunteer Day at Cradles to Crayons

For the second year in a row, NETT honored Hannah's spirit by spending a day volunteering at a local charity. Last year we painted some rooms at the Home for Little Wanderers. This year, we spent the day at Cradles to Crayons in Brighton. And what a great organization. We sorted donations, made outfits for needy kids in the Boston area and got a feel for what great work these folks are doing every day.

Special thanks to Amanda for organizing the event this year and for all those Mini  Ponies who came out for the day. To see more photos from the day and a special thank you from Hannah's mom, visit our Facebook page.

Congrats to Bob who started the new year right in a local 5K. Here's his report:

"Spur of the moment I decided to run a 5K race New Year's Day in my new Newton running shoes that I had tested on the treadmill and indoor track and loved right away. It was called the First Day 5K and was in the little town of Whitinsville, MA, which is south of Worcester. The reason I chose that race is because my old college roommate lives there and he was running the race too.

The course was either downhill or flat the whole way so was very fast. I ran 22:04, which was just off a PR for me, and was good for first. I bet many of my NETT teammates would have all run PRs on this course.

The only downside was that my appearance bumped by friend down to 4th and out of medal consideration. Although he bought me a beer afterward, I may not be invited back.:)"

Congrats Bob and Happy New Year Everyone!

Bob Tears it Up this Weekend..and All Year

Congrats to Bob who won his age group in a race this weekend and also collected his winnings for the age group win in the North Shore Trail Series. Here's his double-feature report:

"On a whim, I decided to run the 5K Festivus road race today (Sunday) in Salem. Walter's Run was the first road race I had done in about a year I think and my legs did not act up so I thought I'd give another go at a road race just to build on that success. Wearing my Red Sox santa hat, I came in first in my age group!

This time, I waited patiently without any expectations (they didn't post the results anywhere), to avoid another premature, ill-fated trip to the awards table.

Also, this weekend, because the official awards ceremony was canceled because of a recent snowstorm, those of us who participated in the North Shore Trail Series stopped by the New England Running Company in Beverly, MA to pick up our awards individually. The results are here: http://www.nerunningco.com/racing-series/trail-series/2013-series-scoring/#M60 

It's probably my best athletic achievement to date, and it only took 60 years! The series ran from May to November, beginning with a 5K and ending with the Stone Cat trail marathon, with trail races of 4, 5, 6, 7, and 9 miles in between. Of the 8 trail races in the series, I came in first place in my age group in 6 of them, with a second (to Marshall!) and a third in the other two. As a result, I took first place in my age group for the series overall and received a spiffy Salomon "North Shore Trail Series" jacket and a gift certificate for a new pair of Salomon trail running shoes! It was great fun all season long, running with nice folks and enjoying the outdoors. And all those training runs and races with my NETT teammates during the season helped my fitness immensely, so a big thanks to all of you as well."

Congrats Bob. While we at NETT are always quick to claim victory this one is really your hard work all year. Thanks for representing NETT so well. 

Mount Hood 2013: A Frosty Fury of Fun

This year's Assault on Mount Hood XC didn't disappoint-- a cold, hilly, sloppy course, good competition, great post-race fare and a pile of nutcrackers to take home.

The course this year had its surprises--all of which went uphill! NETT put three teams into the race: men's "open", men's masters and women's masters.

The women's masters team finished first overall and was led by Kristin, sick as a dog, digs deep to be the first female master. A real gutsy race. Newbie Mairead fit in really well charging through the snow and ice, and Scott's wife Donna rounded out the set.

Zack led the charge for the men finishing 2nd overall, with Crazy Dave and  Fluffy Chris rounding out the Men's open team which finished 2nd overall.

Despite his only training being swinging a hammer the last six months Andy led  the men's masters team to third place with Patrick, Scott, and Jack in tow.

Nutcracker count: 11 by my count! Congrats to all who braved the cold. As always, the Melrose Running Club did a great job in putting this race on. It's an NETT favorite for a reason.
More pictures to come soon.

NETT Rips it Up at Walter's Run

NETT runners have been busy racing and eating the past couple weekends, so here's an update.

Last weekend, it was the NETT favorite Walter's Run 5K road race in West Roxbury. As in years past, NETT runners ran away with age group awards. On the women's side, Mary led the charge finishing 3rd overall. Amanda and AC took 1-2 in the 30-39 age group. NETT newbie Mairead won the 40-49 age group with Tina taking third.

On the men's side, Frank and Crazy Dave ran stride for stride and came in together a few clicks over 18 minutes finishing 2nd and 3rd in their age group. Noah Eminem won his age group in 20:15 and NETT pal Matt Moore ran away with the 20-29 age group. Bob was only one spot out of a bronze in the 60-69 age group.

To see more pictures, take a look at the NETT Facebook page here.

After the race Dave and Doris hosted their usual brunch giving everyone a chance to catch up and enjoy some great company.

As always, Keith Shields and the Parkway Running Club put on a fantastic event. Extremely well organized, friendly and knowledgeable volunteers and a great kids event as well. All of the money raised goes to charity, including the Walter Burgess Scholarship Fund

L'Chaim and Gobble! NETT Performs Thanksgivukkah Miracles at Warrior Run

It's a true Thanksgivukkah miracle!

In honor of Thanksgivukkah, several NETT members headed over to Brookline, Mass. (where else?) to run the Warrior Run XC race and the results were nothing short of a miracle. 

The event was full of NETT friends and faces. The moment we pulled into the parking lot we heard the familiar and soothing voice of Michael Mahon, who was closing up his XC grand tour for 2013. From the Thomas Chamberas 6K in August to the Warrior Run in December, Michael rode his bike to a pile of XC races. That on its own is truly miraculous. 

Toeing the line for NETT at Larz Anderson Park were Chris, Eric V, Crazy Dave, Illya, and Doris. The course follows the Brookline High XC course, a two-loop (plus) course that includes two steady climbs on each lap. Doris ran steady and strong over the bumpy ground and finished up in about 27 minutes. But HER miracle move came after the race at the raffle, where she won a gift card to the Real Deal deli in West Roxbury. Winning a gift certificate to a deli at a race in Brookline on Thanksgivukkah? The only question is do you get a turkey sandwich or brisket?? 

Doris even had a semi-miraculous (okay, more coincidental) reunion with another familiar face--Bumble Bee Lady who she met on Thursday at the Franklin Park 5K was at the Warrior Run too.  

But perhaps the most impressive Thanksgivukkah Miracle came when the race organizers announced the top 3 finishers in the Masters division at the awards ceremony. Apparently the trio of NETT elders Eric (17:06) , Chris  (17:23), and Dave (cough cough) found a bit of extra oil, mixed it up with some tryptophan and finished 1-2-3 in the Masters division. A with Ilya running a great race finishing up in 21:25, good for sixth master in the race, NETT went 1,2,3 and 6 in the Masters race. Mazel-tov and Gobble Gobble! 

Overall this was a great race for a lot of reasons. All money goes to Brookline HS XC, which has its own NETT connection because Eric's daughter Gabby is on the team and won the HS girls race!). There's an extensive raffle (all the HS kids recruit the sponsors which is a great tradition). The course is challenging, but not insane (Doris said she'll do it again--that's a good sign). Special thanks to Allison for cheering and moral support. And as always, racing with fellow NETTers made it the best Thanksgivukkah ever!  

Zack Celebrates Thanksgivukkah The FAST Way in Newtown

It's not exactly a surprise, but Zack Schwartz blasted through his hometown Thanksgivukkah race to win it easily. Zack ran the Newtown, Conn. 5K in 15:50 sporting his hometown shirt proudly. Congrats Zack! Happy Thanksgivukkah!

NETT Runs Turkeyiffically on Thanksgiving!

As has become the tradition. Thanksgivingukkah saw a broad full stable of Mini Ponies out galloping around the streets and trails of the Boston area in local turkey trots for some great causes.

The biggest team of Ponies showed up at the Strides for Stroke 5K in Lexington. This race has become an NETT favorite for several reasons. First of all, it's for a great cause--money raised goes to the Steven T. Hill Stroke Foundation. Read more about the cause here. Two years ago, Frank KJ started the tradition by winning the race and being crowned Turkey King!  Last year an NETT father/daughter duo won the crown.

And this year.....drum roll please......Slava wins the Turkey King Crown! As detailed on the NETT The Facebook page Slava earned the title by braving howling winds and very cold temperatures to win the Strides for Stroke 5K in Lexington today. Other intrepid runners who braved the cold (and whined about it!) were Patrick, Frank KJ (who ran an impressive race pushing Emma all the way), Eminem, CP, and Amanda, who, in their new tradition, chatted, made weekend plans, and gossiped their way through 3.1 miles (one of them huffing and puffing more than the others).

Great work out there folks!

There were some other Mini Ponies out there on a cold and windy Turkey Day. Captain Fluff took his usual stroll around Somerville in the Gobble x3 and finished top 20 in a race with more than 2,500 people!

Crazy Dave and Doris made some new friends over in Franklin Park at the Franking Park Turkey Trot to support the Franklin Park Coalition. This was a first-year event that brought in around 500 runners on a cold and windy day. The course wound around the park and had a fun costume contest. As you can see, the folks in costume were quite outgoing. Results aren't posted yet, but Doris had a great run and Crazy Dave was 6th overall in a comeback-to-semi-real-running effort.

I'm sure there were some other NETTers out of the stable on Thanksgiving morning, so we'll update as more reports come into the NETT news room.

And members should check the Meetup page for more upcoming events--it's the Most Wonderful Time of the NETT year!

Congrats to Bob on Winning his Division in the North Shore Trail Series

BIG congrats to NETT's Bob Segal for winning the 60+ age class in the North Shore Trail Series this year. What a feat! Here's Bob's report:

The series started in May with a 5K trail race and ended in November with the Stone Cat marathon, with a total of 8 races. You score points based on your percentage of the winning time. They take your best 7 races of the 8 to determine the top three in each age/gender division.

 

Last year I was fourth in the M50-59 division, so this year my goal was to try to be first in my new 60-69 division. I was able to accomplish that by winning 6 of the 8 races in my age group, while coming in second (to Marshall — always an honor) in one race and third in the other (the marathon, where I was pretty

banged up and undertrained so was just glad to finish).

 

As you can see by viewing the results in the graphic, half of life is just showing up. :) Complete results are here:

 

http://www.nerunningco.com/trail-series/2013-series-scoring/

 

(Note that Chris Smith ran some of the races too, in spectacular fashion.)

 

That said, what I'm even more proud of is that in only my second full season of competitive trail racing, my point total not only won my age group but would have put me a respectable 5th in the very, very tough and competitive M50-59  division.

 

Thanks to all my NETT teammates for all the training runs and support during the season — that was a great help toward achieving my goal, plus you guys are fun to hang out with!

Favorite Hometown Runs: Duxbury, Mass.

Editor’s Note: This is a follow-up to Frank’s post from March 2012, where he reviewed his favorite run in Kolding, Denmark. Check it out here.

While Duxbury, Mass. isn’t technically my hometown, I do consider it something of my “adopted” hometown. My parents have lived there for almost 20 years and I actually lived there for a year while a struggling (in more ways than one) newspaper reporter. In that year and a few times in the years following, I did a fair bit of running in and around Duxbury and one of my favorite runs is a trail loop through the North Hill Marsh area. So while I was spending a few days this week in Duxbury, I decided to run the loop again after a roughly 10 year absence. Here’s how it played out.

Here’s a link to a map of North Hill Marsh trails and another one of the Round Pond trails, in case you want to follow along. I sure wish I had the map with me during my run (I was sure my memory would serve me better, but alas Father Time had a couple tricks up his sleeve…) The trails are well marked with colors and letters, but of course, I learned these trails before there were markers, so the little buggers only served to confuse an already confused old man further.  

I usually park at the two small dirt lots on Mayflower Street. On one side of Mayflower Street is the Round Pond section of trails. While there’s not a lot of distance here, it’s a great way to start your run and get a couple really nice views across some cranberry bogs (that will be a view you get plenty of on this run!).  After meandering along the Yellow and White trails for a bit more than a mile, you can get the Red trail to cross Mayflower Street and start on the North Hill Marsh trails.

This is where the confused old man got downright befuddled. After starting out the way I had a hundred times on the Pond Loop, I somehow completely missed the Kettle Hole Loop which skirts the Mayflower Cemetery.  Instead, I cut straight over to the Green Harbor Trail and then caught the Connector Trail back to the Pond Loop.  Boy, it’s amazing what a decade will do to a guy’s memory.

The Pond Loop from there is a joy to run. It runs a complete circle around the pond, which is a Mass Audobon property. There are some nice views of the pond, bird watching stands, some running across cranberry bogs, and virtually no hills.  

Here’s a short video clip from the run.

Despite a couple wrong turns and dead ends (“I’m sure this trail used to connect to that bog!”) I enjoyed my first trip back to these trails quite a bit. It was fun to test not only my fitness, but also my memory (I think I failed on both counts but had a lot of fun in the process).

Some Well Deserved Kudos for Frank KJ

When you really think about it, we at NETT are a bit spoiled. Oh, another 1:30 half marathon from a 65-year old? Our team won the Vermont City Relay? A Mini Pony ran a 10K at 6:30 pace....pushing a jog stroller? Yup. 

Frank KJ did just that last weekend at the Genesis Battlegreen 10K, clocking a 40:18 for 10K while pushing Emma in the jog stroller. And while most of us thought it was impressive, this blogger from RunWithKen.com who was just in front of Frank put it in perspective when he said, " This amazing runner maintained a 6:30 pace at the 10K race--while pushing that stroller!He was just behind me when I took this photo.  (A moment later he was far ahead. :) Despite that stroller, he finished 10th out of more than 200 runners!"

Congrats Frank! Well deserved Kudos. 

Boys Rule Girls also rule but for the sake of this blog post we wanted to make it more male-focused

The NETT men spent Saturday morning running the hell out of Great Brook Farm State Park, covering nearly every square foot of the forest.

Frank KJ planned a varied and intriguing loop for us all. Fluffy, Crazy, Big Ben, the Russian Rocket, Flippy McNastics and Keith (okay, we need a nickname for Keith) rambled up and down some of the lesser-known trails while chattering away about everything from spiked Gatorade to the favorite past times of high school boys in Chelmsford (get your mind out of the gutter). We talked psychic owl dreams and came up with a great new product to market--trail running underwear!

And before we called it a day we came up with a great new promo video for NETT. Take a look:

I for one can't think of a better way to spend a chilly Saturday morning.

Go Mini Ponies!

NETT has a "Medals" Weekend

Massachusetts. Connecticut. New York. Vermont. NETT scored top finishes in races in several states across the Northeast this Columbus Day weekend.

On Saturday in Hartford, Connecticut native beet juice Zack blasted through to a 1:10 half marathon in Hartford to finish 12th overall, while Eminem churned out a 1:51 of her own in the Nutmeg state. 

Speaking of Connecticut natives, Bob spent the day locally, picking up some hardware at Lynn Woods. Here's his report: "After some spotty training the past few weeks dealing with various nagging injuries and a transition to a new gluten- and dairy-free diet (no oats, beets, or cranberries either!), I managed to eke out first place in my age group at the Stone Tower 15K Trail Race at Lynn Woods. Very nice medals this year, so I attached a photo." Nice work Bob! 

Meanwhile up in Vermont, Doris, Dave and Rick Cleary tackled gale force winds at the Green Mountain Marathon and Half Marathon. Despite the winds, Doris danced through her third half marathon. Rick finished in 1:45:52, 8:05 per mile, good for 70th place in a field of 384; sixth of 27 in M 50-59. Rick said, "It was a fabulously beautiful day in Vermont, except for the wind.  The course is out and back, mostly north followed by mostly south.  When it’s unseasonably warm (about 50 at the start at 8:30, up to mid-60s for a high) the wind is from the south.  Uh-oh … I noticed on the way out to the turnaround that I could feel the wind at my back.  Not a good sign.  I kept my splits fairly constant (51:30/54:22 is my best guess) but the way back really had some ‘hang on to your hat’ moments when the course was right next to the water.  It made me really glad I wasn’t running the marathon, as 13 miles of that wind would have done me in."

Unfortunately, there was one Mini Pony who did, in fact, have to go the full way in those winds. Despite going out conservatively in the first half, Crazy Dave still lost time in the second half but managed to move up the rankings to finish fourth overall, second master in 3:00. The highlight of the day for him? "When the person giving out the awards said 'hey these masters runners don't look old enough!'" Worth 13 miles of pure headwind right there.

Meanwhile out in New York at the Hudson River Mohawk Marathon, Youngstah ran a marathon on a completely different course in a completely different state than Crazy Dave and finished within a minute of Dave's time in 3:01. Odd, right? Well it's NOT the first time this has happened. The NETT research department is looking into the exact date and time as we speak. 

And lastly on Monday, AC Soggy Shoes Galbraith blasted through the Tufts 10K. "I had a good race today. Felt good, perfect day, and I took some time (not much) off last year. I ate beets last night and drank a cup this morning! I'm not a fan of beets.  I'm not sure 35 seconds is worth the beets."

Great work all around! 

NETT takes two age groups, puts four in the top 40 at Cape Ann 25K

Last weekend it was the Ponyettes running wild in the streets of Quebec, this weekend it was the boys’ turn to run wild, this time on the streets of Gloucester and Rockport at the Cape Ann 25K.

NETT won two age divisions and put four guys in the top 40 runners at the Around Cape Ann 25K road race on Labor Day. Of course, Marshall the Machine won the 60-69 age group in 1:54 and Crazy Dave took the 40-49 age group in 1:41. Youngstah cracked the top 20 with a very solid 1:47 and Patrick finished 34^th overall in 1:52.   

The awards were very nice (engraved leather photo frames) and the race and post-race event was very well organized. Races don’t stick around this long without doing something right. 

Mini Ponies Take to the Streets of Quebec City

While most of the herd of Mini Ponies was volunteering and ensuring a successful Chamberas Race, a vanful headed to Quebec City to take on the "Circuit Courir a Quebec". CP Pizarro represented NETT in the full marathon, Eminem & Amanda muscled through the 1/2, & Little Skittles (not so little anymore) took on the Canadians in the 10k. As usual NETT
also traveled with its chief photographer, doctor, and electronics wiz...aka Dustin, Dr. Ron, & Daniel.

The runners headed out at 6am to catch the ferry & respective buses. Amanda, Eminem, and Noah were able to walk together to their buses, while CP had to split from the group and hop on the ferry to Levis and then a bus to the starting line. Little Skittles was up 1st for his first EVER 10K! He ran like a seasoned veteran, running conservatively for the first 5K and then speeding through the second 5K. He ran an impressive race, finishing in 44 minutes!! The kid pulled out a 20 minute 5K for the 2nd half of the race when he realized tht 10k isn't that long afterall! Hope the Belmont XC team & their competitors are ready to be smoked!

Next up were Karyn & Amanda in the 1/2 marathon. Both went into the race with a strategy and stuck to it. Amanda made the 13.1 miles (21.1K) look easy. She covered the course in 1:33, which earned her the honors of being 9th out of 656 in her age group -- and 14th woman! Karyn, sped over the course in just under 1:50, one of her best races of the year, giving her a 15th place out of the 211 old ladies in her age group! They worked the crowd as they flew over the Quebec streets (drinking beer and eating poutine on the way) and made NETT a household name. (Okay...the beer and poutine are a bit of an exaggeration)

Finally, it was time for CP to tackle the marathon (and the men).  She ran the first 1/2 in just under 8's - using the bulkier men as wind blocks to alleviate the headwind off the St. Lawrence River. She barreled up the hills, running steady, but passing people all the way. After the 1/2, as the race headed toward the Quebec Bridge, she started to quicken her pace and really got cranking...clicking off some sub 7:30 miles. During the last 10K the weather started to heat up, and there was no shade to be found. Rather than be bothered by the heat, CP decided to start noticing her surroundings - which was beautiful scenery and gaining ground on many other marathoners. At 7K to go, she started counting the number runners she flew by...at the end the number ended up being around 93 people (99% men...sorry guys). She flew to the finish, watching every kilometer pass by (Canadians love their metric system). There was a cohort of NETT supporters awaiting her finish. She finished in a time of 3:24:06, good enough for 3rd in her age group & 11th woman overall!

Thanks to the help of Dustin, Ron, & Daniel, the race was well documented and all of the logistics were perfectly planned out. It was a successful trip for all, so successful that Dr. Ron found the need to breakout into the 'Gangnam Style' dance...believe it - it all happened!

GMP

Chamberas Race A Record Success

New England Track and Trail hosted another successful Thomas Chamberas XC Race this weekend, providing a fun and challenging event for more than 200 runners.

We had runners from a number of clubs near and far. As always, Greater Boston Track Club and Greater Framingham Running Club brought a swarm of runners. US Navy Prep made the long haul up from Newport again this year and the Western Mass Distance Project came out in force as well. HFC Striders, Greater Lowell Road Runners, Central Mass Striders and Cambridge Running Club were also out there.

But the race isn't just a club race. We strive to create an event that welcomes runners of all abilities and we did that again this year. I talked with people who had never done a trail race and one girl who had never done a race of any kind! This was her first race and she completed it!

The runners all loved the water bottles they got and as always, Michael P. Mahon provided a moving tribute and rousing rendition of the national anthem to get things moving.

Full results are posted here. 

After the race we were all treated to a free pizza party at the British Beer Co. in Westford! Free pizza for dozens of sweaty runners--that was really really nice of those folks. In fact we had a LOT of very very generous sponsors. I am always amazed by the generosity of these companies--not every company will support a small event like ours no matter the cause, so please pay it forward by supporting all the companies that donated to our race.

A huge thank you to everyone who came out. A special thanks to our huge crew of volunteers. It takes a lot of bodies to pull this kind of race off and I am continually amazed by these people willing to give up their Saturday (and a good chunk of Friday for some) for this event.

But the biggest highlight of the day came when Thomas came across the finish line. He ran the entire race on his own! He's a fit and healthy kid, thanks to the knowledge and therapy available for CF patients today and your running this race helps move that forward.

On behalf of myself and the Chamberas family (and really all CF patients that will benefit from your donation) thank you thank you thank you!

See you next year.

-Dave Hannon

Taking NETT to the top of the world!

Marshall took his NETT shirt all the way up near the angels on top of Mt Whitney in California this week! 14,505 feet! 

This was the second high-altitude NETT shirt ascent of the summer. Earlier in the summer, Little Skittles (allegedly) took an NETT shirt to the top of Peru at more than 15,000 feet!

Great stuff guys!

NETT preparing for XC season, Chamberas XC race

The NETT gang is lining up the supplies, the time, and the promotion for the 11th Annual Thomas Chamberas XC Race.

We've had a great response already. The race will again be the kick off for the USATF-NE XC series. USATF-NE and GBTC coach Tom Dederian has committed men's and women's teams to the race (thanks as always) and our sponsors are coming through again.

The always supportive Michael Mahon has been counting down the days to the race on his Twitter feed--literally: https://twitter.com/michaelpmahon

One quick note about the race--the start/finish is in a different parking lot. See the web site for more details:
www.thomasxc.org