By Martin Sullivan, RD
Ipswich, Mass
Saturday November 8, 2014
A cool crisp clear New England fall morning greeted the runners who showed up for the fourteenth annual Stone Cat. The race was created in 2001 by Jeff (The Washman) Washburn. Wash did not show up this year to add another loop towards his quest for a finisher’s jacket. Maybe next year he will grace us with his presence.
We had a couple previous winners returning on the men’s side – Sam Jurek (2012 winner) and Sebastien Roulier (2013 winner), plus a couple of fast Cat newbies Michael Daiguean of Philadelphia and Steve Baglole from Prince Edward Island as well as “always-a-contender” Dave Herr. The finish line oddsmakers were expecting a great race – betting was, like the weather, brisk.
After the bagpipes and the droning pre-race announcement the runners were off into the early morning chill. The course is four 12.5 mile loops and the first two runners completed the first loop in under 90 minutes less than 2 minutes apart. Two loops in under three hours for Sam Jurek who had opened up a five minute lead. Sam extended his lead through three loops and was running well and held on to win in 6:13:42. Michael Daiguean was second in 6:28 and Michael Arsenault of Middletown NH was third in 6:48. Stacia Broderick of Chilmark MA won the women’s in 7:39, Lynn Poyant of New Bedford MA was second in 8:51 and Rebecca Burke of Portland CT was third in 9:01.
Ken Gulliver and Barbara Sorrell kept their Stone Cat streak alive as the only two runners to start every year and finish at least marathon distance.
133 runners finished the fifty miles this year. Many thanks to our dozens of great volunteers who make this race what it is.