At long last, we have put a wrap on the 2007 Road Races. This was a great year and a great race. The 2007 Grand Prix race was an enormous event and an enormous success.  We all felt exhausted by the extra effort and the challenge of the USATF Grand Prix event, and were very happy that it went so smoothly.  

Bills have been paid, gear has been returned, and a few feathers have been smoothed.  Since race day I have continued to enjoy a stream of thank-yous and compliments from the running community, which has been very gratifying.   

Thanks one last time to those of you who pitched in:  I hope you enjoyed a long, sweltering summer of running and racing. I have found that public awareness of Groton has risen even more - we are now officially in the roster of Great New England Races.   

You should all feel proud.  

 After the dust settled, we were not surprised to find our war chest full with the proceeds. We have been able to continue and expand our support of local running programs and other organizations, and to shore up our operations.  We are in fine shape for the future. 

1. Huge post race party at the Claddagh Pub in Lawrence .  This year we will be shutting down the entire complex for our party (both floors!)  This will minimize the lines.
2. Everyone can run this race.  The legs are 5.6, 4.8, 2.5, 9.5, and 4.8 miles (total 27.1 miles.)   You can take any leg from 2.5 m (short) to 9.5m (long.) or something in between.  Course is flat and scenic as it runs along the river.
3. Runners get a free swag give away item this year.  I'll keep you in suspense but it is apparel-related, and not a T-Shirt
4. The race is our major year end major event.  All the area running clubs are there in force.  800 runners expected this year!
5. SQRR pays all of your team entry fees.  This is a cheap event.
6. Free food. There will be a buffet at the post race party.   
7. Did I mention the Claddagh Pub has 12 kinds of beer on tap and 24 more brands in bottles?   

For those of you who may not have joined us for this race in the past, this is really a great event.  The race is a 5 person team baton relay which originates in Nashua and runs along the Merrimack River to Lawrence, ending at the Claddagh Pub.  The event is open to area running clubs by invitation only.  SQRR was invited into the event in 1996 and has been running this ever since - This year we will be running against a total of 18 regional clubs. 

The idea is that this is a championship for club bragging rights, celebration of the end of the annual competitive running season, and an excuse for great some camaraderie and celebration.

A highlight of our 6 participating SQRR teams last year was the 2nd place finish of Chris Funch, Brendan McCarthy, Steve O'Brien Jr, JR Roberts & Chris Shaffer in the highly competitive Men's Open Division.  This was the best finish and time ever recorded by one of our teams! 

Please note that this is a participation event; we want everyone possible to join us for this race.  Last year we were able to enter 6 teams and this year we would like to have more.  Speed and condition is not a factor. The course is flat and there are very short legs available.  We normally have each team ride together in a chase vehicle and cheer each other on. 

- Howard Hersey 

http://www.millcities.com

Send an email to Howard to join: hhersey@charter.net

(Note: The November social event for the SQRR's will be at Julie and Richard Chiriboga's house Sunday Nov 19th)

Host a breakfast run! We had good start. Our first breakfast party was a success.  Good turn out of walkers, runners and the pleasure of having Mr. and Mrs. Macy join us for a delicious breakfast, provided by all the people that made this event possible.

I have also heard from a lot of people that wished they could come, but couldn't make it this time. With this, I believe we have revived the tradition of the club, people are exited, enthusiast about getting together, becoming more active and participating in different social activities.  The great news is that I had a few members already volunteering to host a breakfast party and even offering to resuscitate the Snowbird run.

That is great, thank you! I would like to encourage members to once in a while volunteer to host a very casual, informal, low-key, Sunday breakfast party for the club members. If you have not done this before, there is no need to be intimidated by it because you won't be doing this alone; you will be surprised with the different and delicious goodies that most of us will bring, What are the benefits of hosting a party for the club?

-          First and most importantly socialize with a great group of people. No need to be a runner or a walker

-          Get to see old friends that otherwise you don't see because of very hectic and busy lives.

-          Make new friends.

-         It gives members a chance to break the routine and run/walk in different parts of town.

-          It motivates a lot of people to get out there, especially now as the weather deteriorates and gets colder.

-         It may encourage you to start exercising and getting healthier.

-          And most importantly, just for the heck of it and to have fun and  a good time.

If at some point anyone would like to host a party, please drop me a quick note or keep me posted, I will make sure to let the rest of the people know 

Thanking you in advance,

- Maria Noya

The 120 amazing kids that participated in the 2007 summer T&F program had a wonderful time despite the rain and heat. This year we had a new location at the new Groton-Dunstable High School Track, with 11 enthusiastic coaches returning. 

The location worked well (beautiful track) and the coaches were energetic and knowledgeable. I look forward to doing it all again next year.  Please join us next summer for our 14th Summer Track and Field Program.

If you have any further questions or suggestions, feel free to call or email Kerri Strauss at llrunner@verizon.net

In mid-April our scholarship committee (Aiyana Currie, Tracy Shea-Christianson, Steve Legge, Steve O'Brien Sr., Chris Shaffer and Kerri Strauss) had a meeting to review this year's scholarship applications (seven girls and eight boys). It was a challenging decision and we feel this year's recipients have proved their commitment and dedication to the sport of running.

Chris Shaffer presented the scholarships on Class Day, Wednesday, May 30, to four well-deserved applicants:

• Robert Fredrickson, Providence College
• Christopher Funch, St. Lawrence University
• Holly Perrin, St. Anselms College
• Meredith Roberts, University of Connecticut

Congratulations and best wishes to all the applicants from the Class of 2007!

This race is sponsored by the Squannacook Trail Runners to support the sport of trail running in New England and to support the outstanding work of the Friends of the Wapack in preserving and maintaining the Wapack Trail for public use.  This is a 17.5 mile trail out and back that runs 4 mountains on the Wapack Trail. 

The weather for the Wapack Trail Race was a pleasure this year, as temperatures rose from the 60s to the 70s during the race, along with 100% sunshine for the day, and dry air allowed distant views of the Mondanocks and beyond from the peaks of Barrett, New Ipswich, Pratt, and Watatic Mtns.   This year saw another excellent winning time of 2:29:23 from the course record (2:21:16, in 2002) holder, Dave Herr of Canaan , VT.   At 42 years old, Dave is making the Masters division no place to seek relief from top competition!  

In the Senior division, Bob Sharkey took first spot in 3:03:15, despite taking too much of the scenery in the Windblown XC Ski Area in on the way back.  In the Veteran division, Bob Worsham edged out long-time Wapack runner Peter Orni (and oldest finisher) in a time of 3:49:26.

The female side of the race had a small field of only six finishers, but Cheryl Hoffman of Shrewsbury, MA put in a nice time of 3:46:53 to clinch the title for this year.

Runners came this year from all New England states, plus NY, MD, and there were even two English gents present who tried to disguise themselves as being from Maine.

Another Successful "Winnie"

One of the benefits of being a member of SQRR is that we field and finance a team each year in the Lake Winnipesaukee Fred Brown Relay.   Eight members of the Squannacook River Runners formed a team and ran the Lake Winnipesaukee Relay on September 22nd. 

This is a 65-mile relay race around New Hampshire 's largest (and arguably its most scenic) lake.  The race starts in Weir's Beach, and consists of eight legs that wind around the lake in a counterclockwise direction.  The legs vary in length from 4 miles to 11 miles; they are invariably hilly and challenging.  The race also requires logistical planning to make sure runners are at their start locations with ample time to warm up.  And, of course, while out on their long, lonely legs, they need support, encouragement and hydration.  It's a true team effort.

We completed the race in 8 hours, 36 minutes and 7 seconds, which placed us 34th out of 85 teams.  Not bad!  Our team this year consisted of...

Leg 1     Brian Irwin (10.8 miles)

Leg 2     Mark Odell (11.0 miles)

Leg 3     Charlie Thaxter (9.3 miles)

Leg 4     Laura Brown (4.0 miles)

Leg 5     Chris Russell (10.8 miles)

Leg 6     Howard Hersey (6.4 miles)

Leg 7     Mark Graf (8.5 miles)

Leg 8     Kelly Wilson (4.4 miles)

The Club has fielded a team in each of the past several years.  Maybe next year we can field two teams?

- Mark Graf

I successfully carried the SQRR banner to the summits of six peaks.  The Wachussett 4.3 Miler, Pack Monadnock 10 Miler and Northfield Mountain 6.3 Miler, Mount Cranmore Hill Climb 13K, the Loon Mountain 13.2K and the Mount Ascutney Run to the Summit .   

Three of the races were road races and three were trail races. Four of them are point-to-point, starting at the bottom and finishing on the summit.  Northfield was up and down. Cranmore was three laps of up and down (hardest race I've EVER run). 

I have discovered that mountain running is not easy and takes a considerable amount of pain management. I have also found great satisfaction in the view from the top after all is said and done. It was fun for me to be learning something new. I hadn't been that sore in years!  The payoff is you get to bypass the 2008 Mt. Washington lottery if you complete all six races.

The (club sponsored) 10th Annual Groton Town Forest Trail Races were held on October 21, 2007 amid peak fall foliage, cloudless skies, and temperatures in the low 70s.  A record field of 229 runners came from all six New England States, Arkansas, and the UK to run in the 3.4-mile race and the 9.5-mile race.

The overall winner of the 9.5-mile race was Greg Hammett of Chesterfield, NH in a time of 58:44.  Greg established a new record for the 30-39 age group with his time.  The first female over the line was Vanessa Wood of Cambridge, MA , in a time of 1:13:53.  Becky Glennie, 14, of Groton, MA became the first female in the 10-14 age group to complete the course and she did so in a very fine time of 1:31:32, placing her 96th overall out of 136 runners.   

Perhaps the performance of the day belongs to Stanley Dutton of Antrim, NH who smashed the men's 60-69 age group record by over 5 minutes, finishing in an impressive time of 1:13:24.

In the 3.4-mile race, Paul Young of Andover, MA led the field of 93 finishers in an excellent time of 22:09.  Paul's time would have set an age group record if he had been 10 (30-39) or even 20 (20-29) years younger.  Unfortunately for Paul, Richard Marion of Templeton, MA set an astonishing course record last year of 19:38 and he, too, was in the 40-49 age group! 

Emily Todd of Chesterfield, NH (what's with Chesterfield, NH and all their fast runners?) was the first female finisher in a time of 25:08.  The only record to fall in the 3.4 mile race was in the female 50-59 age group and that was accomplished by Diane McElvery of Westborough, MA who took 51 seconds off the record with her time of 28:27.