Lexington Captures Both Middlesex League XC Titles via Bay State Running

The setting is the Woburn Country Club. The weather is perfect for cross country racing, and the course features its own unique intricacies: rolling hills, tight turns, and deceiving straightaways. If an athlete is going to make a decisive move, it better be a tactical one.

This was my first time attending the Middlesex League Championship, and I was looking forward to seeing some of my peers, who just happen to be a collection of some of the best coaches in the state. New Hall of Famer Matt Carr of Burlington, the legend Bill Babcock of Lexington and my Foss Family of Coach Perry Pappas of Wakefield and Meet Director/Head Woburn Coach James Fletcher.

As I approach the starting line, I start to see some familiar faces: Rick Kates (the man of many hats) - Executive Director of the MSTCA, Coach of Notre Dame Academy (Hingham) and member of the Foss Running Camp Family. Head Coach of Boston Latin, Michael Meagher, served as the head referee of the meet, and never fails to start his conversation with me, "What's up big guy?" I feel this is a common phrase heard by many coaches in Massachusetts. However, I also think Coach Meagher wanted to get another look at the Lexington Girls as his BLS girls will battle against them on November 9th for the Emass Divisional 1 Title. We are officially in the postseason! Coaches and runners are waiting for results and gearing up for their respective Divisional meets, almost like its Christmas.

The girls race had many storylines that I was eager to see. How does the Winchester duo of Lizzy Reynolds and Ella Aldrich compare to the Lexington pack of Dana Ofek, Mirra Payson, and Pauline Steines. Melrose's senior duo of Alex Cotugno and Katie Duffy, and the talented freshman from Arlington Simone Harrison all seem to be in the mix for individuals. And, despite a fairly down year, don’t count out any of the hometown Tanners.

Working my way to the starting line, I was enjoying the meanest chocolate chip cookie I’ve had in a long time, complemented by a small hot chocolate. Salute to arguably the best concession stand this Championship Weekend, as the Woburn Boosters/Families had the spread to die for. I am content, and now looking at the athletes getting in their last strides. The official’s voice echoes, "2 more minutes" across the first fairway. At this stage different teams are having group huddles, and I’m seeing several packs of girls leaning in a circle, quiet and composed. I believe the team component will be the theme of today’s race.

As the gun goes off, Winchester’s Lizzy Reynolds established the lead from the start, Lexington’s top 5 immediately tuck in to a tight pack, and mixed in with them were the Melrose and Woburn girls. It is truly commendable to see a runner take it from the gun, pace a race for well over two miles, but Reynolds could only hold on for 4,995 meters. Lexington’s Danna Ofek closed hard in the last 1000m, and caught Reynolds at the line, defending her Middlesex League Championship with a photo finish ending. Ofek registered a time of 19:25, Reynolds finished in 19:26.57, and the stellar frosh Payson from Lexington finished third with a 19:26.98. The Lexington girls team cruised easily to win the The Bill O’Connor Girl's Race, and are set up well for the Divisional Meet November 9th.

Before the John DiComandrea Boy's Varsity Race, I made another stop at the concession stand, this time for some delicious white chocolate chip macadamia cookies. However, I knew the real treat was coming up next. Many of the student athletes competing in the Boy's Varsity race are athlete's that I have developed a rapport with over the last four years, whether it be from Foss Running Camp or Bay State Running. As much as I wanted to enjoy a good competitive race, I had some unanswered questions. One of the biggest was figuring out just how healthy Lexington junior Nick Porter is. We have a lot of kids that could win today, starting with Lexington's seniors Micah Benson and Adam Bernstein, Junior James Johnson from Burlington, the senior duo from Wakefield Matt Roberto and Tanner Jellison, and Woburn's own Alex Cravens. There were a lot of athletes in the mix for the individual title.

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With last years featured talents like Ryan Oosting and Rishab Parkash gone, this left the door open for a potential upset, and Coach Babcock even opined, "Any kid could win today". From the start of the race Matt Roberto from Wakefield dictated the pace with Micah Benson from Lexington and Alex Cravens from Woburn, bringing the crowded group through the mile in about 4:58. The golf course had it's twist and turns, and fittingly, so did the race. After the mile, the lead pack started paying a little for the early pace, and new faces emerged from the crowd. Stephen Carvalho from Belmont, followed by Bernstein from Lexington and Johnson from Burlington. In the end, Carvalho held on to win the individual title in close with a time of 16:09, ahead of Adam Bernstein with a time of 16:10 and James Johnson with a time of 16:11. Wakefield's Tanner Jellison had the kick of the day, as he was sitting in ninth or tenth but blasted the last 200 meters to earn fourth overall in 16:25. The Lexington Boys easily won the team title scoring 36 points and placing 2-6-8-9-11.

In conclusion, thanks to Coach Fletcher for the invite. I believe the late, great Coach O'Connor would be proud of how he conducts the meet year in and year out. Nerveless, The Lexington program looked solid in all races and will be competing respectively for a Division I title in both genders. I especially loved the story of Stephen Carvalho, the underdog, who beat the favorites and who will make his bid as an All-State qualifier along with Alex Cravens and the rest of the Woburn team in the Division 2 meet. The talented team from Wilmington measured their efforts today and feel they match up well against Newburyport in the Division 5 meet. Lastly, Wakefield’s Roberto and Jellison will be amongst the top runners in Division 3.

Personally, I cannot wait for November 9th!

Dreams Are Tangible Goals

Coach H

Foss Running Camp 2017 (Year 2) Best week of Mileage in 20 Years

New Hampshire is a beautiful state in the United States of America. I am fortunate enough to be born in the Northeast (Boston), Massachusetts to be exact, so the NH(New Hampshire) border was forty-five to an hour drive away. When I was younger the memories that I remember was visiting the amusement park Canobie Lake, my Aunts use to take me and my cousins there when we were younger. Memories don't live like people do - In my Beenie Man voice

Now that I am older and the sport of running has brought me full circle, I am happy to share that the State of New Hampshire is providing me new memories and friendships that will last a lifetime. Foss Running Camp is located in Strafford, New Hampshire on the YMCA Camp Ground. I was fortunate that my colleague my brother from Another Boston English's Finest, Massachusetts Track and Field Hall of Famer, Arkansas Razorback Said Ahmed, introduced me to some amazing individuals that changed my life  Coach Kevin Maloney over 40 years of Coaching experience, Coach Rich Kates, Coach Dennis Sheppard opened their arms and embraced me into the #FossFamily FRC (Foss Running Camp is one of the oldest running XC(Cross Country Camps) In New England. 

The first year I attend Foss I went for half a day check out the piece from the Boston Public Schools XC team blog, Thank you Coach Kevin Maloney , I fell in love with the scenery, the peace of the wilderness, mother's natured awe and most important the energy. Student Athlete's travel from all over the New England Area, to kick start their XC season. I joined the Foss Staff and the first year I served as the Cabin Coach for the wildcat Cabin which hosted the students from Hingham High Schools, For a week there wasn't an issue of race, class, didn't matter the car your parents drive or the school you attended, for this one or two weeks in August it was about synergy. The common goal was to become a better runner. 

As I entered Year 2, I was a seasoned Cabin Coach, I was advised by my other peers to come up a day early between the transition weeks between week 1 and 2 where some of the counselors rent a boat, and enjoy a beautiful saturday afternoon on Lake Winnipesaukee, this set tone to be for me an amazing week. I was assigned to the Zelander Cabin where I shared the cabin with the boys XC team from North Attleboro. Addressing the campers by the last name was easy for me to remember, the names (Flood, Prem, Joey Bags, Liam, Skye, Dylan, Mac Daddy, Cam, Bradley, Clarke). The goal and rules of the cabin was simple do the morning runs chill for the remainder of the day, keep the cabin clean and when it's time for chores we take care of business. 

Foss is such a great experience I get to pick the brains of some of the best Coaches in the area, from New Balance's own Head Coach of h Mark Coogan from Newton's South Great Coach McChesney, Coach George Rose, Coach Fletcher from Woburn, Artie Demers just to name a few, plus get to meet some of the talented runners and teams in the New England Area. This year was a real treat because the week started off with a guest speaker Ryan Wagner who was an amazing competitor in High School who is now the Assistant Coach at Colby College, this was a real treat. Most importantly I was impressed and even more proud of my student athelet's behavior for the week and that Douglas Alvarado & Sarah Lawton were voted Camper of the week in their respective cabins. 

Marrying my Life partner on April 23, 2017, I had the attitude and the mindset that 2017 would be the Year that I would always remember. A new memory established a new milestone my best week of running in over twenty plus years where done this year at FRC. 

Below is a breakdown of my week at FRC

Sunday August 20, 2017: Easy 40 Minutes 4.29 Miles at 9:22 mi/pace for 40:11 Minutes   

Monday August 21, 2017: 3 Mile Fartlek (1:00/1:00) at 8:43 mi/pace  

Tuesday August 22, 2017: 8 Mile Run: Longest Run in 22 years  

Wednesday August 23, 2017: 5 Miles x 6(100 Meter) Hill Strides 

Thursday August 24, 2017: Warm Up: 6 x 1k (60) sec recovery: Cool Down 

Friday August 25, 2017: 9 Miles  

Saturday August 26, 2017: Rest

Sunday August 27, 2017: 5 Miles Easy  

This body work is the best to what I have done in a long time, I am looking forward to superseded the mileage, the time, the pace because Dreams Are Tangible Goals.