WRR October 2011

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The Wicked Running Register October 2011 • Priceless

EST. JAN 2010

20th Portland Maine Marathon 2011 – Denise Murphy’s Stormy Day Patrick Smith

A marathon that could have been a picturesque run, there were no sights to be seen on a day that rivaled the 2009 Baystate and Newport rain/snow/wind marathon weekend. Denise joined fellow WRC runners Kathey Moskal in the marathon and Amber Woolfenden in the half. It rained from getting out the door at 6am, through the waiting start, all during the race and well past the finish with a little wind thrown in for good measure. But all were troopers finishing the task at hand, although very cold and wet, they survived. As I saw Denise’s race, she is my super-trooper, suffering quad cramps by mile 2 and throughout, she could be found at a number of country mail boxes stretching out. Which had one guy calling her the energizer bunny as she passed him time and time again only to be found re-charging at another mail box. Sounds

like she beat this guy a dozen times in one race. And fortunately for Denise, Tula’s (WRC backup mascot) bark “is” very high and distinctive. After the start I quickly drove to mile 2, but was unable to spot Denise as I stood in the road, until she came from behind me yelling to my brother Mike who was holding a barking Tula (barking at me since I wasn’t standing 6 inches from her). If it weren’t for Tula, Denise would not have know we were there and I wouldn’t have been able to help her, and her fuel belt that was down around her ankles. I thought I quickly fixed it for her, until when on her 5th step away from me the whole belt exploded to the wet ground. So much for my MacGyver skills. I didn’t fail on the second fix as it lasted to the end of the race. Even an umbrella was no help for spectators as Tula and I were almost as wet as the runners by the time Denise came to the finish with her typical strong finishing stride. Her half split was great (2:06 and change), if it weren’t for several dozen ballet moves at the mail boxes (“honey, why are there tread marks on our mail box”) she would’ve had her 4:15, but still had a great race at 4:24 considering the conditions. Kathey Moskal also had an impressive day under tough conditions (including many wardrobe changes on the fly) finishing in 4:38 with Amber cheering her in following a quick change from her completion of the half marathon. Congrats to all 3 WRC runners. What a day.

Portland was a wet race for Kathey Moskal (left), Denise Murphy (center), and Amber Woolfenden.

8th Annual Wild Turkey 5 Mile Run 11/24/2011 • 8:00 AM 13 Hawthorne Blvd. Salem, Massachusetts 01970

Proceeds from the 8th Annual Wild Turkey 5 Mile Run on Thanksgiving morning benefit youth programs for the City of Salem Park and Recreation Department and the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Salem. This is the largest race on the North Shore, with 2,000 anticipated participants. Contact Doug Bollen: Dougbollen12@yahoo.com


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