TARGETRAINING Runners Storm to Personal Bests at 2013 Boston Buildup 10K

Sunday, on a clear but raw winter morning, a handful of TARGETRAINING athletes took to the roads at the first race in the 35th Boston Buildup Winter Series.  The annual competition features 4 races of increasing distance at various locations in Fairfield County throughout the winter months.  The Boston Buildup is renowned in Connecticut running circles for inclement weather, difficult courses, and quality competition of serious runners looking to get strong for April's Boston Marathon.  Starting at Brien McMahon High School in Norwalk, the 10K descends to the shoreline in the first half of the race before rising up a series of hills that culminate with a 600 meter 5% climb during the final mile.

Without a doubt, every runner experiences a measure of despair upon viewing the long slope up Flax Mill Hill so late in the race, including TargeTraining's Aili DiBonaventura who admitted slowing significantly on the hill's final up-tick.  You'd never know it from her result, Aili finished in 49:20 for 3rd in her age group.  When asked later about her result Aili couldn't recall running a faster 10K in about 20 years.

Bracketing Aili's finish was Target's Bruce Turner who dashed to a 49:08, and Kim Driscoll finishing an outstanding 4th of 30 in her age group.

Brad Hardy, returning from injury, improved on his 2012 time over the course by 1:14, and likewise Carolyne Hynes, preparing for the London Marathon in April, knocked 1:13 off her previous year's time.

Stellar race preparation and speed training yielded a 6:58 mile pace for Christine Vincent, which amounted to a 4 minute 10K Personal Best, and 5th place age group finish.

Yet, as often, the stars of the race were TT Coaches Eneas Freyre and Timothy Milenkevich.  Beginning in the first mile, they opened a massive lead over the field of 400 runners and ran stride for stride for six kilometers before Timothy began pushing on alone.  The race proved to be one of Tim's finest, as he crossed the line in 33:10, obliterating 39 seconds from his 10K personal best.  Consequently, winning the Boston Buildup 10K has become a triennial tradition for Timothy, having also won in 2007 and 2010. Following moments later, Eneas cruised in at a smooth 5:28 per mile clip, an astonishing 2:14 over the third place runner.  Eneas' final time marked a 1:19 improvement from his 2011 Buildup time, when he stood on top of the podium for the entire series.

Congratulations to all of TT's runners!  Here's to success in 2013!

Comments

[Bonnie Adler]

Congratulations to all the runners! I am so happy to read about your tremendous wins, even from afar! Bonnie