Records by Athletic East, Mark Bell, Highlight Around the Lake 24 Hour
The Somerville Road Runners Around the Lake 24 Hour had a tough act to follow this year, given the drama of last year's desperate sprint to the finish that decided the outcome in the relay division. It was unreasonable to expect such drama two years in a row, and indeed, the conclusion of the race at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday evening was somewhat anticlimactic this time around, as all of the races had been decided as time expired.

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By Don Allison
Posted Monday, 5 August, 2002

The Somerville Road Runners Around the Lake 24 Hour had a tough act to follow this year, given the drama of last year's desperate sprint to the finish that decided the outcome in the relay division. It was unreasonable to expect such drama two years in a row, and indeed, the conclusion of the race at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday evening was somewhat anticlimactic this time around, as all of the races had been decided as time expired.

What the event lacked in last-minute excitement was more than made up for in the speed, athleticism, and competitiveness of the top-tiered relay teams. From the outset of the race at 7:00 p.m. on Friday evening, it was evident that this would not be the kind of relay race seen in years past. The Greater Boston Track Club, paced by Ben Nephew's 5:30 per mile (four-mile) leadoff leg, seized the early lead over Athletics East. AE moved ahead briefly, only to relinquish the lead a few hours into the race, but gained it back in the overnight hours, thanks in large part to the yeoman work of Matt Sullivan, who logged several laps of the five-km route before departing for work on Saturday. With a well-coached, well-measured approach, AE was able to hold pace through the heat of the day, establishing a solid lead and holding it to the end. The eight-runner squad totaled 231.6 miles in the 24 hours, obliterating the previous record held by host Somerville Road Runners. SRR was forced to settle for third place this year with 225.28 miles, behind GBTC' second-place 228.44 miles. No team had ever remotely approached the mileage of the top three teams in previous years; it appears only matter of time before a club reaches the 240-mile barrier, which represents six-minute-per-mile pace for 24 hours.

Another course record was set in the marathon, as Mark Bell became the first runner to eclipse the three-hour mark in race history, clocking 2:55:48. Bell, who finished second in the 24-hour last year and has a sub 2:40 personal best to his credit, made an early move to the front and held on for the sub-three. Such a time is not as easy as it may seem, as marathoners must contend with darkness that envelopes the winding loop during the course of the race, as well as a 75-yard stretch on a root-filled trail connecting two roads at the start of the loop. Twenty-year-old Laura Hutchinson won the women's' race in 3:45:25, placing sixth among the 36 finishers in the 26-miler.

The 24-hour individual race turned into a real suffer-fest, as after a pleasantly cool and damp evening start on Friday evening, Saturday's daytime temperatures soared into the 90s, the hot sun relentlessly beating down on the runners-turned-walkers, attempting to rack up as much mileage as possible for the 1,440-minute duration of the event. 2001 U.S.A 24-hour champion Rudy Afanador blitzed to an early lead, reaching the marathon in 3:18. Rudy's record-setting pace was not to last however, as he encountered a myriad of physical problems even before the halfway mark. Such is the nature of the 24-hour, that hope springs eternal for those not blessed with blazing speed. Endurance and mental toughness count for just as much in the 24-hour, two qualities Alicja Barahona and Ray Zirblis posses in large amounts. The pair passed by a sidelined Afendor and dueled for the lead during remainder of the race in the heat of the day. Both ended with the same total mileage, 111.52, but Barahona got there several minutes before Zirblis, thus ensuring the overall victory. A previous two-time winner of the women's race, Barahona finally snagged the overall title, ironically with her lowest mileage total at Around the Lake. Jim Gawle finished third with 98.28 miles, just missing the century mark, despite the fact that he walked the entire distance. Afanador took fourth place with 95.72 miles.

Thus, another Around the Lake is in the books. Each year seems to being something different; with several events 24 hours, anything can happen-and probably will.

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Results

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