Merry Mayhem as Pre-Game 5K Boasts Record Field

Kick-Off to the 2023 Pub Series Malt & Hops Race Tour

(Formatted results at bottom of page, Full Results Here)

Sorry for the delay in posting as we came off production of the Annual Calendar, went right into the race and then on the back end rushed to get out the March/April issue so our new graphic artist, hubby and their two kids could beat feet to Disney during school vacation.

Photo by Scott Mason

 

 

 

So, an unprecedented field for Pre-Game with 652 entrants and NER quickly learned that parking duties are best done in tandem if not in packs like raptors. Participation was a bit surprising given that the past four renditions of this Super Sunday collaboration between NER and the Barrel House Z Brewery in Weymouth has seen a USATF-NE GP race on the same day and this Feb. 12 was no exception.

The race: In dry conditions and 38˚ temperatures at the 9:30 am start, the reigning, defending and undisputed 2022 NER Pub Series champions—Patrick Bugbee of CSU and Nicole Nelson of HFC—threw themselves headfirst into the Mash and once again Hopped onto the top step of the Series podium.

Strength prevailed here as Bugbee arrived back at the Brewery first in 16:26 with primary challenger TJ Unger of HFC 8-seconds back on the USATF certified course. Unger, 44, demolished the previous Masters record of 17:53. Warwick, RI’s Mike Daniels—the 2022 Eversource Hartford Marathon Masters champion, arrived next in 17:18.

Paul “Corky” Corcoran, top Master in the inaugural 1998 Pub Series and Christina Geagan, one half of the winning Parent/Child team, the Galloping Reagan’s. Photo by Scott Mason.

 

 

 

 

National class 13 year-old sprite Patrick Geagan placed 5th in 17:38 (5:40 pace). Along with mother Christina, the Galloping Geagans won the top trophy in the Parent/Child division.

Macdara Nash, Terry McNatt, Frank Nelson and Chris Smith at the Holly Hill turnaround. Photo by FitzFoto/NERunner

 

 

 

 

HFC’s Nelson, 28, was women’s runner-up at the start of a banner year in 2022 and continued that trajectory with an easy win here in 19:07. The real battle was for second as Quincy’s Meredith Parmalee, 29, fashioned a 4-second decision over Nelson’s HFC teammate, Emily Larson, in 19:46. (Erratica: Parmalee, when 22, finger knitted the entire way in the 2015 NYC Marathon and finished just under 5-hrs.)

Up the age-group ladder, Pub stalwart Marge Bellisle, 67, of Warren, RI, set a W60 record of 23:34 to carve over 2-minutes from the previous best. Another record was recorded by HFC’s Chris Kelly, 60, of Westwood, who sliced 6-seconds from TIR ace Dave Wessman’s previous M60 best of 20:03 (Wessman, 68, place 3rd M60 in 21:28).

 

 

 

In the M70 division, Portsmouth, RI’s Kevin McCarthy, 75, ran a superb 27:44 but the M70 record of 25:08 (2018) is owned by Pub Series loyalist Dave Pember of Millis. Now 80, Pember hasn’t slowed, poleaxing the M80 record by over 6-minutes in 30:19 (9:46 pace).

Race Participants were able to carry BHZ’s magical elixir outside as temperatures approached 50˚ for the awards ceremony. The next Malt & Hops tour visit will be to Owen & Ollie’s Irish Pub and Restaurant in dashing Dracut on March 12 for the Irish Clover 5M. See you there, or somewhere.

 

 

Men’s Standings

Women’s Standings

5th Annual Pre-Game 5K/1st race in the 2023 NER Malt & Hops Race Tour, Barrel House Z Brewery, Weymouth, February 12

650 Entrants, 589 Finishers – Timing by: Bay State Race Services- USATF Certified: MA18011JK. Course Records:Andy Gardiner, 16:07, 2019; Caitlin Fahey, 18:08, 2019. Masters: TJ Unger, 16:34, 2023; Leslie O’Dell, 19:35, 2018. Seniors: Andy Gardiner, 16:07, 2019; Mimi Fallon, 19:40, 2019. Veterans: Chris Kelley, 20:03, 2023; Marge Bellisle, 23:34, 2023. 70-79: Dave Pember, 25:08, 2018; Joanne Morris, 31:48, 2020. 80+: Dave Pember, 30:19, 2023; Ann Marie McDonald, 49:52, 2020

 

 

 

Men (Overall): 1. Patrick Bugbee, 16:26; 2. TJ Unger, 16:34; 3. Mike Daniels, RI, 17:18; 4. Dave Dugan, 17:22; 5. Patrick Geagan, 17:38; 6. Byron Gartrell, 17:43; 7. Jason Goldschmidt, 17:46; 8. Jack Harkins, 17:48; 9. Dan Biales, 17:56; 10. Brian McCarthy, 18:04; 11. Michael McGrane, 18:17; 12. Mike Grasela, 18:19; 13. Kevin Delaney, 18:21; 14. Connor Burbine, 18:33; 15. Adam Bedingfield, 18:36; 16. Mike Russo, 18:42; 17. Steve Neri, 18:46; 18. Bobby Bligh, 18:51; 19. Mike Sweeney, 18:57; 20. Joe Warren, 19:04. Masters: 1. TJ Unger, 16:34 (CR: old record 17:53, Mike Sweeney, 20:19); 2. Mike Daniels, RI, 17:18; 3. Byron Gartrell, 17:43; 4. Jason Goldschmidt, 17:46; 5. Brian McCarthy, 18:04. Seniors: 1. Dave Dugan, 17:22; 2. Michael McGrane, 18:17; 3. Kevin Delaney, 18:21; 4. Steve Neri, 18:46; 5. Bobby Bligh, 18:51. Veterans: 1. Chris Kelley, 19:57 (CR: old record 20:03, Dave Wessman, 2019); 2. Ted Coyle, 21:06; 3. Dave Wessman, 21:28; 4. George Itz, 21:40; 5. Jimmy Fallon, 21:48. (70-79): 1. Kevin McCarthy, RI, 27:44; 2. Charles Bradley, 29:08; 3. Bill Mayer, 29:10; 4. Bill Mayer, 29:10; 5. Stephen Schlicting, 29:21. (80+): 1. Dave Pember, 30:19 (CR: old record 36:24, Charles Lynch, 2019); 2. Phil Pierce, ME, 33:41; 3. Mike Lozan, 38:51.

Women (Overall): 1. Nicole Nelson, 19:07; 2. Meredith Parmalee, 19:46; 3. Emily Larson, 19:50; 4. Beth Glavin, 20:12; 5. Tracy Schultz, 20:18; 6. Lily Corcoran, 21:02; 7. Kelsey Kurr, 21:28; 8. Christina Sweeney, 21:31; 9. Elizabeth Lennox, 21:31; 10. Jumana Whelon, 21:35; 11. Jane Mellors, 21:55; 12. Rita Spitz, 22:21; 13. Fallon McGovern, 22:37; 14. Elizabeth Higgins, 22:39; 15. Jacqueline Sousa, 22:39; 16. Eileen Cakouros, 22:40; 17. Larissa Brewster, 22:43; 18. Stacy Cooper, 22:49; 19. Caitlin Fahey, 22:51; 20. Christina Geagan, 22:51. Masters: 1. Tracy Schultz, 20:18; 2. Elizabeth Lennox, 21:31; 3. Jacqueline Sousa, 22:39;4. Stacy Cooper, 22:49; 5. Christina Geagan, 22:51. Seniors: 1. Eileen Cakouros, 22:40; 2. Sue McNatt, 23:13; 3. Amy Solomon, 24:41; 4. Kathleen Sweeney, 26:49; 5. Joanne Jack, 27:21. Veterans: 1. Marge Bellisle, RI, 23:34 (CR: old record 25:57, Jodi McDonough, 2019);2. Mary McNulty, 24:40; 3. Laurie Buttker, 26:51; 4. Cassandra Clancy, 27:53; 5. Daphne Boswell, 28:41. (70-79): 1. Nancy Nolan, 41:29; 2. Sally Glora, 42:47. (80+): 1. Joan Johnson, RI, 48:49; 2. Ann-Marie McDonald, 1:07:54.