From Paul Funch, Race Director:
Unlike last year when the races followed 16 inches of rain, this year's weather was some of the finest New England has to offer in the fall. It was a beautiful day to be out in Groton's Town Forest, and 202 runners took advantage of it.
Winner of the 9.5 mile race was 29-year old Greg Hammett of Chesterfield, NH. Greg's time of 57:36 bested his winning time of last year by 2:32, but it still found him 24 seconds shy of the course record set by David Hinga in 1999. Leigh Schmitt of Conway, NH set a new 30-39 age group record with his second place finish of 59:24. Jean Barry of Lynn, MA set a new 60-69 age group record of 1:48:22, taking almost 10 minutes off the previous record.
In the 3.4 mile race, in a sizzling time of 19:38, 44-year old Rich Marion of Templeton, MA was the winner and is the new course record holder, besting John LaChance's 2004 time by 1:21. With a time of 31:43, 7-year old Taryn Manna of Shirley, MA bested her own 5-9 age group record by 3:29.