Groton Town Forest Trail Races

W. Groton, MA, October 21, 2007

Race Report - 2007

The 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.