2006 Roxbury Race #30

Mark and Eunice

    After a week of rain, Dr. Mel forecast yet more rain  for Saturday's 3.52 mile Roxbury Road Race.  For once, Mel was wrong.  People who believed him and stayed home missed a beautiful, blue morning, a bit humid, but otherwise glorious.  And they missed a pretty good race, too.

    Both of last week's winners missed this week, leaving the race wide open. It quickly boiled down to Mark LoSacco vs the determined duo of Chris Deming and Mike "Torpedo" Ruospo, and that's how things sorted themselves out at the finish.  It was Mark's third win of the season.

    At the starting line, a couple of the women noticed that 13-time winner Pam Quist was missing this week and were speculating on their own chances of winning.  Then the race started, and one of them noticed "Eunice is here!"  The other answered, "And she's already up there!"  Indeed, Eunice Bussom had gone out with the leaders, and cruised to a 13th place finish and her 5th win of the season, with a two minute margin over her closest competition. 

    Farther back, Jeff Tindell was hobbled by a hamstring ailment, and the Fossil was himself hobbled by the burden of years.  They were separated by zero points in the Prestigious Roxbury Points Competition.  They fell into step after about 50 yards and ran side-by-side through the first two and a half miles, cruising past less experienced runners who had started faster.  As they came past the Monument, the Fossil pulled away a bit, and went on to win by a few seconds, good for one second, and a one-point margin.

    Now four runners, Tindell, Sandifer and Sheldon, stand poised within ten points of the Thousand Point milestone.   

Safety

    Safety is important to us, as we don't run on closed roads and generally like each other.  

    It is safest if we face traffic as much as safe and possible. (on the other hand, avoid the inside of sharp, blind curves.)  Also, it is much safer if we are all  on the same side of the road, instead of making traffic drive between runners. 

    Fossil has three rules of running:

1. Be safe

2. Have fun

3. It's sometimes more fun if you win.  Set goals you can realistically achieve.

    Be nice to the drivers.  For the most part, they like us, and they are proud to have us running in Roxbury.  Smile, and, if you wave, be sure you use all five fingers.

This week's pictures

     Eunice Bussom, this week's winner among the winner.  Then we have winner Mark LoSacco, with work-mate John "Botzi" Boccuzzi. 

    Then we have three out of four Demings, Chris, his brother Larry, and Larry's daughter Amanda.  Amanda ran the stopwatch for today's race, while her brother Collin (not pictured) was the Stick Wizzard.

   Along the side of the results we have a couple of people trying to straighten the posts in the parking lot.  Next is a shot of two Mark's one's a LoSacco and the other's a Zerbe.

    Third in that column are the three Neils ladies, Lili, April and Katie.  Then at the bottom a new sign that recently appeared on a tree near the start-finish line.

    Way at the bottom, notice the Dragon is back.  There are sea slugs in Santa Cruz, but no dragons.

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

Current points leaders

Created September 16, 2006.