Paul Fratini, Roland Cormier, Charlie Towse 
and Mary Ryczek All Set Records as 
              Peter Maksimow and Kelly Heroux Win  

            Peter Maksimow joined the Snowstorm Classic Hall of Fame in his debut race on the Forest Park 5K course while Kelly Heroux notched her third triumph in the women's division. Four new age records were set as the crowd chased the speedy winners on a picture perfect December morning.
            At the sound of the Sacramento cowbell a large group of speedsters bolted up the first hill and the race officials quickly predicted fast times were in the making. Harriers Carlos Rivera and Paul Fratini soon locked horns with CMSer Peter Maksimow, with GSH teammates Tom Bousquet and Tom Michaud close behind. All around the infield and then the outskirts of the park the leaders took turns forcing the pace with no one able to gain a decisive advantage until the final sprint up the path to the finish line. The newcomer crossed first in 16:19 closely followed by Carlos in 16:30, Paul in 16:39 and Tom Bousquet in 16:51 as all four cracked seventeen minutes thus validating the race official's predictions. Joe Pike was the first junior in 18:03.
            For his efforts Paul earned an elusive Snowstorm Classic age record as the 39 year old clipped five seconds off the 16:44 standard established by fellow Harrier Burt Prokop five years earlier. Two members of the club's star filled veterans team, fresh off the USATF National Masters Cross Country circuit (Saratoga Springs, NY; Boston, MA; and Portland, OR) demonstrated why the Greater Springfield Harriers are developing a national reputation in the older divisions. The amazing Roland Cormier toppled yet another age record with a workmanlike 20:43 outing, erasing the 21:13 standard for 64 year old men set by Charlie Towse not quite three years ago. So Charlie proceeded to do likewise, running 21:41 to easily break the 22:29 standard for 67 year old men set by Harrier legend Doug Blanchard eleven years ago.
            In fact the race was chuck full of GSH medalists from the Nationals including Tim Brown who was first master and senior in 18:51 and Art Roberts who was first veteran in 20:15, plus seniors Rich Clark (19:25) and Ramon Alicia (20:43). Rumor has it that the medals will be on display at the upcoming Harrier banquet on February 5th.
            Kelly dominated the women's race as the gazelle like Harrier sped around the five thousand meters in a quick 20:05. Teammate Meghan Lynch won the junior title with a 2nd place 21:25 followed by Laura Fontaine in 21:53. Mary Ryczek notched her second age record in as many weeks by running 22:58 to erase the 23:19 standard for 58 year old women established by Hartford Track Club's Zofia Turosz in 1997. Mary now owns thirteen age records on the 5K course alone, the most among the women.      

 1  16:19	Peter Maksimow	   26M	CMS
 2  16:30	Carlos Rivera	   30M	GSH
 3  16:39	Paul Fratini	   39M	GSH
 4  16:51	Tom Bousquet	   23M	GSH
 5  17:43	Tom Michaud	   23M	GSH
 6  18:03	Joe Pike	   17M	---
 7  18:06	Nathan Olin	   35M	---
 8  18:13	Brian Walsh	   29M	GSH
 9  18:19	Mike Gauvin	   29M	GSH
10  18:26	Nick Soule	   18M	---
11  18:48	Pete Gillen	   22M	---
12  18:51	Tim Brown	   51M	GSH
13  18:57	Kevin Somers	   26M	---
14  19:23	Frank Rucki	   55M	CMS
15  19:25	Rich Clark	   50M	GSH
16  19:29	Eric Brown	   25M	GSH
17  19:33	Tim Dannay	   18M	---
18  19:36	Seth Roberts	   53M	GSH
19  19:51	Doug Guertin	   41M	GSH
20  19:59	Rick Scott	   50M	SMAC
21  20:05	Kelly Heroux	   37F	GSH
22  20:14	Corey Mott	   19M	---
23  20:15	Art Roberts	   60M	GSH
24  20:16	Chris Conz	   28M	---
25  20:32	Steven Lombardo	   36M	GSH
26  20:43	Mike Butler	   32M	EORC
27  20:43	Roland Cormier	   64M	GSH
28  20:43	Ramon Alicea	   53M	GSH
29  20:46	Noiel Fontaine	   40M	---
30  20:50	Jay Kolodzynski	   25M	EORC
31  20:54	John Dent	   50M	EORC
32  20:57	George Maston	   49M	GSH
33  21:25	Meghan Lynch	   18F	GSH
34  21:25	Jim Sullivan	   39M	GSH
35  21:33	Wayne Stocker	   50M	GSH
36  21:41	Charlie Towse	   67M	GSH
37  21:49	Mike Gay	   40M	GSH
38  21:53	Laura Fontaine	   38F	---
39  22:07	Matt Dufresne	   38M	GSH
40  22:09	Jonathan Tetherly  60M	GSH
41  22:15	Lauren Stocker	   15F	GSH
42 22:17	Charlie Contant	   50M	GSH
43  22:18	Josh Brookman	   21M	---
44  22:19	John Vaughan	   17M	---
45  22:22	Nick Thibault	   16M	---
46  22:23	Elaine Skawski	   38F	---
47  22:46	Mark Chatel	   35M	EORC
48  22:55	Steve Sheffield	   54M	GSH
49  22:58	Mary Ryczek	   58F	CMS
50  23:00	Brian Goddu	   55M	GSH
51  23:15	Trish Walker	   19F	---
52  23:15	Mary Misiaszek	   38F	GSH
53  23:16	Mark Monganaro	   41M	GSH
54  23:19	Neal Lamberton	   56M	GSH
55  23:39	Patrick Gaughan	   30M	---
56  23:42	Matt Law	   30M	---
57  23:50	Mike Harrowfield   32M	---
58  23:51	Bruce Rockwell	   61M	GSH
59  23:54	Winston Nunes	   55M	GSH
60  24:02	Dave Mengel	   41M	---
61  24:04	Rachel Chmura	   36F	---
62  24:28	Sean Docherty	   14M	---
63  24:48	Kathy Lynch	   42F	GSH
64  24:57	Daryl Mallory	   50M	EORC
65  25:03	Bob Massaro	   61M	EORC
66  25:15	Curt Wohlers	   48M	---
67  25:18	Jessica DeFoe	   22F	---
68  25:43	Don Grant	   62M	SMAC
69  25:47	Ellen Bellicchi	   54F	GSH
70  25:51	Jennifer Stefaniak 33F	---
71  26:37	Patty Scholtz	   29F	GSH
72  26:43	Erv Landry	   65M	GSH
73  26:44	Sue Grant	   60F	SMAC
74  27:47	Ed Dwyer	   38M	GSH
76  27:54	Amy Veres	   28M	GSH
77  27:54	Mark Frederick	   37M	---
78  28:16	Tony Lucia	   58M	EORC
79  29:09	Janet Romayko	   59F	HTC
80  29:18	Brian Gibbons	   35M	GSH
81  29:38	Kevin Young	   52M	GSH
82  30:52	Mary Malinski	   44F	GSH	 
83  31:46	Roberta Carlon	   40F	GSH
84  32:57	Ken Croteau	   43M	---
85  32:59	Jeff Burgess	   58M	GSH
86  34:14	Diane Mazejka	   48F	---
87  34:30	Cheryl Longo	   40F	EORC
88  40:30	Jan Komaiszko	   48M	GSH
89  40:31	Bruce Kurtz	   68M	SMAC