Wapack Trail Race

New Ipswich, NH, September 2, 2007

2007 Wapack Trail Race Report

by Paul Funch, Race Director

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. Last year the temps were in the 50s and 60s, the remnants of a hurricane were dropping buckets of water, and the fog made the peaks seem like most any other part of the trail (except you knew you had done some climbing to get there!).

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. (Note from RD: For an extra fee we’ll be providing Magellan GPS units, or pace-matched trail guides, as options for the runners next year.) And 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, but there was definitely something about their downeast accents that just wasn’t right. They were both extremely capable athletes, but were accustomed to the fels running of Great Britain and not the treacherous, rocky, rooty, and certainly non-linear trails of New England. A twisted ankle slowed one down considerably, and the other was lost in the shires of New Ipswich or Barrett for long enough to lose his third place position (to a runner from Leeds, at that!).

This race is sponsored by the Squannacook River 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.