Jennings top local finisher at Lowell 5K road race

By LAUREN SPENCER
Sports Correspondent

Published: Monday, April 5, 2010 1:10 PM EDT

When most people in their 50’s take up a new hobby, long-distance running isn’t usually the first thing that comes to mind.

Not only did 57-year-old Linda Jennings of Tewksbury start running just eight years ago, she has taken part in many competitive road races, and she’s not just jogging to the finish line.

In last Sunday’s Irish Feet are Running five mile race in Lowell, Jennings finished first in her age group and first from the local area with an impressive 34:08 time.

 

A graduate of Fairhaven High School and Northeastern University, Jennings never ran track or cross country in school. When she began running eight years ago, she joined Going the Distance, a coaching program for runners looking to improve their performances.

“I was trying to get in shape,” she said. “First I started walking, and then running just for exercise.”

With the help of her personal coach, Fernando Braz, she began training on a weekly running program, and competing in road races.

“Braz has been great,” Jennings said. “ He’s tailored all my workouts and I’ve made great improvements.”

Although she said it was hard starting out, Jennings has certainly come a long way. This past fall, she placed first in her age group in a half marathon race in Philadelphia. With another impressive time, one hour and 32 minutes, she finished 47th of the thousands of women who competed.

Braz recommended Jennings race in Lowell’s Irish Feet are Running race to prepare for the Cherry Blossom 10-mile race she plans to run this spring in Washington D.C. Jennings said she had heard the Lowell course was challenging in some parts, but she was ready for it.

“I felt really good and I ran well,” she said.

She continues to improve in every race, as she broke her personal record for a five miler in last Sunday’s race. Jennings doesn’t plan on stopping anytime soon either. This summer, she plans on running in the Falmouth Road Race, and hopes to run a marathon sometime; possibly this fall.

With her many impressive performances and her continued improvements, Jennings isn’t just breaking tradition, she’s making tremendous accomplishments.

 

…Instead it is about the feeling of running again.  In March of 2008, I was in the midst of training for my second marathon in San Diego to be held on June 1.  One March morning, I stepped out of bed to realize I had a slight pain in my heel and instantaneously freaked out, since I had a plan to aggressively beat my 1^st marathon time of 4:13 by a large margin and qualify for Boston.  This was the feeling of plantar fasciitis, and I knew it having dealt with it before.  I was in a physical therapy office the next day and began a plan to beat the PF whilst still training aggressively to make my goal.  The goal in June was missed by 17 minutes and the PF never went away.  It stayed with me straight through that training and marathon plus two more marathons.

Come November 2009, I was on a roll.  I ran two 5ks in just two weeks.  With the advice of the PRofessor, I was able to PR in the first race and then PR by 49 seconds just one week later running 19:00 flat.  In December 2009, I had the unique opportunity to have shockwave therapy done on my heel and made the conscious decision to pull away from the incredible endurance I had built to finally do away with this ailment.

After 3.5 months of shockwave therapy, stretching, rolling my foot on a golf ball, laser treatments, pool running, massage, stim, ice, ibuprofen, and the dreaded “sock” I was cleared to try a run outside.

On Thursday, 4/1 as I was driving home from work it was 60 degrees out and sunny.  It couldn’t have been a nicer day.  It was like the running gods knew Brewski was back and needed a good welcome run. I got home, got suited up, put my Phiten necklace back on after 3.5 months, and headed out the door.

The first few strides felt weird but welcomed.  After abut 100 yards, I looked at my watch thinking that I was probably running about an 8:30 pace and realized I was at a 6:58.  Okay not good.  It was sunny, I had the right music, and I was running again.  It was so amazing that I pushed ahead because I needed a “check” as to where my fitness level was in regards to running.  As I pressed on at my 7:15 – 6:40 pace I realized what I was doing was so totally stupid, but there was something about it that I couldn’t control.  It was pent up energy, and the need to know that I wasn’t too far behind. 

I finished my 30 minute run at an average pace of 7:14.  If PRofessor reads this he will scold me for it, but I already know what I did was not wise.  What I do know that it’s one of the best feelings in the world to come back to something that you love doing so much and to feel good doing it.  Since that run, I have completed 2 others with no sign of heel or arch pain.  Needless to say I kept the pace much slower for those two runs.

I’m signed up for spring track, and I cannot wait to be suited up with my fellow Goons for a race. 

Cheers,

Brewski

In December, I got an email from OCG asking if I was signing up for Boston, since it was closing soon.  I was nursing a heel injury and cross training, but it wasn’t that bad…

A few of week ago, I got another email from OCG asking if I wanted a ride to Eastern States.  Last 20+ run?  Already?  Of course I would love a ride! So, Sunday morning I found myself in a parking lot waiting for Brewski, my driver, to pick me up.  When he got there, I grabbed my bag and my post race goodies and we were off. 

We had a lot of laughs, since it was me, Spanky, Brewski and OCG.  You always learn a lot about runners on rides to races.  I’ll tell you the gossip on our next long run.   The ride went by fast as it always does when you are talking with great friends.

When we got there, it was like a Goon reunion.  With the weather, injuries, and busy schedules, we hadn’t been together in a long time.  I had talked to the PRofessor and got my orders.  I want to make it to Boston feeling good, so the first half would be easy and in the second half I would pick it up.  I guess Spanky and OCG liked that strategy.  Gumby’s marathon is a ways off, so she was just going along for the ride with us to see how she felt (It was good).

We all know the PRof likes to torture us, so we had to do 2 miles before the race.  Nice and easy.  Well, we were all jibber jabbering, so we had to hustle to get to the start on time.  Mamacita and Cougar were going to run together, but somehow got separated.  Cougar was yelling for Mamacita and finally they were reunited.  Us Goons like to stick together.

We did the first mile on pace and then – well, I had to put the hammer down.  Slow down!!!  Depending on the topic, we would start to accelerate.  My eyes were always glancing at my watch.  We finally “locked in” at a comfortable pace.  A little faster than planned, but we were comfortable and felt good.  What’s nice about starting off a little slower, is you pass all the runners who start off too fast.  We were reeling them in!

The 10th mile was a little too fast, but we were ready to pick it up anyway.  Mile 11 – hello, this is not a 10K!!!  Keeping OCG at pace was like trying to keep a pony to a gallop.  Finally after mile 15, Gumby said to let her go.  She looked great!  I loved watching her pick people off.

Speaking of Gumby, she is a big, fat liar!!!  When we let OCG go, she said to slow it down to our planned pace.  Yeah, right.  Every time I slowed down, she sped up.  That’s what happens when you pass so many people.  You want to pick it up to catch the next person.  I yelled out our pace (it’s the Enforcer's job), which was 15 seconds under our planned pace. At 17, Gumby and I said, what the heck, let’s just get this over with. 

Did I tell you there was a head wind?  The whole way.  We found Judge in mile 18.  We tried to pull him along, but Hillman wore him out!  Is Judge even doing a marathon?  So, when God did the Job thing with the wind when we hit last 2 miles, Gumby and I said, “Bring it on!”  Well, may that’s not what I said, but I can’t print that.  Spanky wasn’t far behind, but I think Gumby and I couldn’t get it done fast enough.

We tucked in as close to the beach wall as possible.  Then we drafted each other.  I’m 5’1”, so she got the short end of the stick.  We could physically feel each other lose steam, so the other one would take over.  The one thing that really picked us up was passing so many runners.  And getting it over as fast as possible.  We looked at our watches and kept wondering where the end was!  And we finally saw it.  That beautiful clock.  We gave it one last kick and we finished together.  I was so excited (to be done), that I hugged Gumby!  We got yelled at to “Stay in line!!” 

We walked to cool down and saw all our Goon friends.  We changed our clothes in the car and brought the “Thins” into the hotel.  Thank goodness.  My Italian aunts would have been horrified at the meager, tasteless spread.  OK, the bread was good.  After 20 miles, a $.25 pound of pasta and some jarred sauce would have been good.  My cookies were great (thanks, Honey) and so was the coffee from Dunkin’ Donuts!

22 and done, with the wind in my hair….

As long as I’ve been running in marathons, the Eastern States 20 mile road race has been a part of my training. For the last 4 years, the last weekend in March has brought on a pilgrimage of sorts from Kittery ME to Salisbury MA. Due to the closing of the Seabrook Bridge walkways by the live free or die state, this year’s race was limited to only 2 state crossings and finished in Hampton Beach NH.

I was picked up by OCG and Brewski at 8:30a on Sunday. We made a quick pit stop at a random Lawrence ATM parking lot to pick up The Enforcer and hit the highway for Kittery ME. Brewski was kind enough to drive us all the way north to the point-to-point race start and meet us at the finish less than 3 hours later. Quickly after arriving at the Tripp Academy for number pickup we met the rest of the Goon contingent. In the gym was Hillman, Judge, Cougar, Mamacita, Aqua Lung, Silent Assassin, Bones, Cod Father, Taz, Gumby and Goons in Training Thor Kirleis and Deb Johnson. Everyone was in good spirits as the weather gods appeared to have cooperated with our running schedule and this was to be our last 20+ mile long run before Boston.

Back to the car OCG, Enforcer and I went to suit up and discuss race strategy. We came to a group decision to follow the direction PRof handed down from above – take the first 10 miles out easy pace and fall into marathon rhythm from the 10^th mile into the finish. Our warm up miles put promising thoughts into my head as the sun was poking through the slightly overcast sky and the wind didn’t seem to be much of a factor, in terms of temperature, but definitely present.

The gun went off and we were off – the first 8 miles clicked off like we weren’t in a race. Good conversation, great comradery, interacting with spectators commenting on the “Big G”, etc… OCG, Enforcer, Gumby and I fell into a groove sharing the lead to break the biting 15-20 mph head wind we were fighting all day. Mile 10 was quickly upon us and it was time to “go”! Led by The Enforcer we started a progression acceleration of 5-10 seconds per mile from our base pace through the finish. At or near mile 16 I fell off the Goon lady pack pace as they kept accelerating well beyond my “comfort” level and settled into my Prof assigned marathon pace for the final 4 miles. At mile 18ish we took a hard right turn back onto Rt 1A and headed down the home stretch along the Hampton Beach seawall - directly into the teeth of the wind. Mentally digging deep I started to use the trailing half marathoners as bait for my push to the finish line. First it was the woman in yellow – PASSED, then the dude in blue - PASSED, next was a couple from the Wicked Running Club - PASSED, etc… I pulled out any and all means necessary to distract myself from the 20+ mph wind baring dead into our faces. Apparently I was mentally distracting myself so well, I started talking to random people in the race (if you know me well enough, you’ll know I talk a lot, but as we get into the latter miles I get very quiet and internalize almost everything to concentrate on getting to the finish). I said to some random guy walking to the finish, holding his hamstring, “dude, only 1.25 miles to the Graceland”. Less than 30 seconds later that same guy was off my left shoulder squawking my ear off. Asking all about the “Big G”; who we are and what we’re all about… I gave him the 5 second description and kicked it up another gear (in part to lose this guy and in part to get to the finish). Before I knew it the Hampton Beach flag poles were insight and one last push got me to the finish. I closed out the race to a 20 mile PR of 2:48:51 (a PR by over 8 minutes)…it was a good day!

A huge thank you to The Enforcer’s husband Steve for the out of this world chocolate chip thins (cookies) we enjoyed post race…they blew the doors off any banquet food served at the post race party.