Stavros Memorial Beach Run 2024

Westerly, RI
Monday, September 9, 2024

My 22nd straight year of running in the Stavros Memorial Beach Run.  Yes, even in 2020 during COVID we hosted the Beach Run, albeit with thermometer forehead checks at check-in and waves of ten per state law at the time.  Hopefully will never encounter another pandemic again in my lifetime.

Fun Run 2020:  masks and temperature checks
Remember these crazy times?

Stavros Beach Run 2020:
multiple waves of ten runners each, with each runner lined
up at a separate cone

But I digress.  As usual.  This is truly one of my favorite races every year.  There are so few races where the entire race is run on the beach, and I believe none at all in our area.  Perhaps similar to small low-key trail races, it holds a similar vibe and it's so much fun.  It's also the easiest logistics as we don't need police as it's not on roads, and we don't need to mark the course as well.  As Race Director, I am typically the first to arrive and the last to leave, and yet those ~2.5 hours in between just fly by so quickly.

Race - outbound:  I went through the usual quick announcements, including the one standard question from Mark Burbelo that has become tradition (Q: "Is there water on the course?"  A:  "Yes, on the way out it's on your right [as I point to the ocean], and on the way back it's on your left").  That one still draws laughs!

Kim started the race with a siren, as Schane timed and started the clock.  As always, much of the Westerly High School cross country team runs in the race, and as always, much of the Westerly High School cross country team blasts out at the start.  After the dust (I guess "sand" is more appropriate in this race) settled about 1/4 mile in, two runners were ahead of me:  top WHS runner Noah already way out in front, and then Nick Alge.

Start of the 2024 Stavros Beach Run

I followed fairly close to Nick until catching up to and passing him about a mile in.  Fast 5:55 first mile, barefoot in the sand.  At that point, I had just Noah ahead of me, but WAY ahead of me, as I gazed ahead to the breachway and turn around.  At the turnaround, Fran was waving people around the cone, and Noah had long since turned and was on his way back, so I was hoping for a 2nd place finish at that point.

Race - return:  It would be a headwind back to the finish, but not a terrible one, just enough to slow us down a bit.  It's fun passing through the oncoming runners on the way back, and they're so supportive and encouraging.  As the onslaught of runners thinned, I hadn't noticed until now that I had gained quite a bit on Noah.  Unfortunately, he knew, because he frequently turned his head and glanced back.

With about a mile to go, I passed Noah for the lead.  But that was short lived, as another couple of minutes later, he easily passed me with a strong surge.  I willed myself to not let him put a big gap on him.  I was just a few feet behind him, when I sensed the surge might have cost him some energy and I noticed the wind coming out of his sails.  I caught him and ran next to him for a bit for passing him again.  My watch showed about 1/2 mile left now.  Knowing that I have endurance but not a kick, while I took solace in that he was breathing even harder than me, I didn't take anything for granted and forged ahead as fast as I could.  

I stayed on the hard-packed sand on the water's edge as long as I could, before heading slightly inland through softer sand to the finishing chute.

Finishing up

Winner!

Final result:  18:22, 1st of 57 finishers.  Full results here.

I had finished 16 seconds ahead of Noah, and I was relishing my win.  This was my second win in 22 starts, interestingly a win at age 50 (17:26) and now a win at age 60.  Obviously you race who shows up, but I'm really happy with this!

Immediately went for my traditional dip in the ocean, as I caught with several similar like minded runners.  Got a few slices of pizza and watermelon before compiling and printing results, and just like that, the night was over as the sun set on yet another fantastic Stavros Memorial Beach Run.

Cooling off post-race:
(left to right:  Dave Goodrich, ???, me, Bob Kerwin, Matt Sweeney)

Nice pic w/ Nick Bottone, John & Jeanne Stavros, and Jana and me
- The Westerly Sun