Cool Running :: Race Results

Reebok Boston Mayor's Cup, Franklin Park, Boston MA

Sunday, October 27, 1996 Reebok USA GP Series race #4
USATF Eastern Regional Championships

Team Results
Male Results
Female Results

An ideal day led to record fields in the 1996 edition of the Boston Mayor's Cup. Whereas last year's meet had 340 entrants, well over 500 were on the entry lists by the end of the day this year. The course had recovered nicely from the 8" of rain the previous Sunday, leaving only a few soft spots requiring careful footing. The women's race broke down to a battle between course record holder Kate Fonshell and local talent Kristin Beaney. The 1996 Olympian had her hands full all the way through the tape, as her 16:37 was just 2 ticks ahead of the Princeton alum who ran a bre akthrough race. Lesley Lehane returned to the fields to outrun Cathy O'Brien for the bronze.

The men's race found a continuous mass of runners passing one mile but over the second of four loops, Silah Misoi of Life College in Georgia established himself as the frontrunner. The Kenyan very gradually moved ahead of the chase pack to stop the clock at 23:12, the number two performance ever over the course. Spirited racing persued Misoi, as a Olympians and World Cross team runners gave chase and achieved more fast times.

Jeff Campbell finished second, earning the Reebok GP top points 10 seconds back of the victor. Rob Cook was a strong third, and Robert Gary improved his placing to fourth in the last loop, just holding off Jon Hume and Todd Lopeman. 15 harriers bettered 2 4:00.

The high school boys 5K division ran concurrently with the men's 8K, as the men's course simply adds another loop to the 5K. The event gave Brookline MA flash Jonathan Riley a chance to mix it up with the big boys (maybe a bit faster than he usually goes through the first mile!) and he responded with a 15:12, the fastest prep time ever over the course by more than 20 seconds. Chasing him in were a pair from the Boston city high school program, which was only resurrected a year ago. Abdirizak Mohammed of Boston English HS, a recent emigree from Somalia, was also under the old HS best with a 15:26, while Ben Wessenyeleh of Boston's O'Bryant HS, frosh race winner at the NY Footlocker race last year while at Tilton NH Academy, ran third in 16:11, a time that fewer than 10 other Mass. runners have bettered this year.

It was cross country racing at its finest in Franklin Park as spectators had many chances to see what should be one of this year's most competitive open races; the men's race had a finish chute density equaling that of the national championships as over 300 crossed the line.

All are welcome on November 10 for the USATF-NE Championships (10K m, 6K w) Women 5017 meters. Steve Vaitones usatfne@ix.netcom.com