2004 Roxbury Race #14

Krebs edges Behling; Merrick over Andrejczyk

    Web Guy is back from the wedding in North Carolina (great trip.  Thanks to all who asked), and the results are ready.

      Summer weather is back, after a long winter.  It was cloudy and muggy, mid 60's, for most of the race, but the sun made an appearance after the race, when most of the pictures were taken.

    Ken Merrick led pretty much wire to wire, but at the end, Mark Andrejczyk, who just doesn't quit improving, was only nine seconds back. Ken made amazing improvements over the last two years, and Mark is following in those footprints.  Keep an eye on this rivalry.

    It was close among the women, as well.  Roxbury's own Theresa Krebs won for her second time in three weeks, edging fellow Roxbury resident Andrea Behling by 15 seconds.

    Last year's points winner, Mike Abraham, finished in fifth place, a little farther back than usual.  He is tapering for next week's Vermont City Marathon, clear up in Burlington.  A number of other Roxbury runners will be running, too, including Theresa Krebs' husband, Eric. We'll be putting their results on the Marathons page.  Keep us informed.

Readers

    Is it true that some people run Roxbury just to help them keep in touch with their families?  It's cheaper than a phone call and takes less time than a postcard, and you get your name on the InterNet just a few hours after the race.  We learned this week that Sinead Blevio's father, back in Ireland, checks faithfully every week to see how she's doing, just before he goes out for Saturday evening Mass (evening comes five hours earlier in Ireland than it does here in the Eastern Time Zone.)  Web Guy's parents check from Texas.  Keyless Bob Derringer and Gravity Mark Chantry still check the web page years after they've moved to other (warmer) states.  Are there other distant readers?  Or is Sinead's father Dermot our most distant Faithful Reader?  Let Web Guy know at esandifer@earthlink.net.

Pictures

    We have some new pictures this week, especially of Sinead, because we know Dermot will be reading.  Up top we have Tom McNulty, who hasn't missed a race yet this year, and Christina Clark, who ran her best race ever this week.  Next we have Charlie Euston and Mario Hasz being passed by five women during the warm-downs after the race.  Note the shadows.  The sun really did come out.

    A little farther down, we have Sinead and somebody Web Guy doesn't know yet picking on Charley Euston about passing him like that.  Way down at the bottom we have a dragon.  We don't often see dragons in Roxbury.

Marathons

    Last season, some people suggested that we have a Roxbury Marathon.  At the end of the season, more people voted for it than voted against it, so we kind of have to talk about what it is we want.  Here are a couple of issues.

1. When?  Second week in December has been suggested.  Someone else suggested just telling people it's 2.4 miles, then surprising everyone.  
2. Where?  We get exactly 26.2 miles if we run the 2.4 mile Chalybes course 5 times (makes 12.0 miles) and the 3.55 mile Hemlock Road course 4 times (for 14.2 miles) That's not very flat, but nowhere in Roxbury is flat. Lots of little loops get a little boring, but it is good for volunteers.  Someone suggested going past Judd's Bridge to Rt 199 and back, about 8 miles each way, as the main part of the course.  Scenic, but unless we get a ton and a half of volunteers, the water stops will be pretty far apart.
3. Certify?  Should we go through the effort of certifying the course and getting the race sanctioned?  Then people could use their Roxbury times to qualify for Boston or Olympic Trials or whatever.
4. Relays?  Some people like to do Marathon Relays.  Would we want to include that, too?  How about a half-marathon at the same time?  
5. Who?  Who wants to take charge of all this?

    The Roxbury Races are now listed on the Internet both on RunningInTheUSA and on HiTekRacing.com

This week's results

Last modified: May 22, 2004