BostonBound59

The Pack Monadnock 10 miler organized by the Gate City Striders has been a popular race for many years in southern New Hampshire but one that I had always successfully found excuses to avoid. Pack (2300 ft) is located within Miller State Park in Temple, N.H. and is the highest point in Hillsborough County. It is surrounded by Temple Mountain directly to the south , North Pack Monadnock (2276 ft.) two miles to the north and its big brother Mt. Monadnock (3165 ft.) eleven miles to the west.

I have served as a race volunteer on several occasions but the thought of running eight very hilly miles through the back roads of Wilton and Temple with the last two miles straight up a 2300 ft. mountain didn’t seem overly appealing. However, my perspective has changed over the last year (aided by the loss of 35 lbs) and since I have Mt. Washington on the horizon in three weeks (“Just One Hill”) http://www.mountwashingtonroadrace.com/ it seemed time to grow up and finally step to the line and run Pack. Cathy decided to take this week off after two difficult races. This would also be my first post Boston race.

I enjoyed the race much more than I expected as the first 8 miles were mostly beautiful rolling back roads lined by old stone walls as the point to point course progressed from Wilton-Lyndborough Cooperative High School westerly toward Pack Monadnock.

Due to my recent left knee troubles I ran the first few miles conservatively but felt strong and picked up the pace after the half way mark. I ran several miles with fellow Strider Trevor Ward and joined up with ultra-marathoner Jim Robinson from Derry (one of our former Flash coaches) at the 7 mile mark. Jim’s son Mike was a Flash All-American in 2005 and was a major contributor to our National Championship victory. He easily pulled away from us long before we reached the last sections of the course. After meandering along back roads the course takes a left back onto a long gradual uphill stretch of Rt. 101 then after a ½ mile climb swings 90 degrees into Miller State Park. From this point its straight uphill. Fortunately I didn’t need to walk as I thought I would but kept plowing along and finished in 1:21:24 for 58th overall. It was beautiful and sunny at the top and one of the shots above is taken from the fire tower (I’m petrified of heights so it wasn’t an easy shot as you can see in the picture my left hand clinging to the railing while snapping the picture). Next stop, Mt. Washington June 20.