GFRC Home | Rich Busa's PRs | Rich's Race Stats | Bushwhack Race History


Dear GFRC runners and volunteers,

With everyone’s support and participation I think we really pulled it off this year; 115 finishers, a picture perfect day plus a big financial success.  Of course it doesn’t hurt to have the grand master of New England trail running allowing us to use his name to promote this wonderful race and race course.  All of Rich’s buddies were there as well as Ben Nephew who won the race. According to Rich, Ben has won The Escarpment Mountain Trail Race for the 7th year in a row.  The race is ranked the toughest in New England and Ben holds the course record.

We had 30 people pre-registered for the event plus 10 who emailed and said they intended to run. Based on this and attendance at other local trail races I was hoping for a total of 75 runners on race day. I guess people came out of the woodwork once they saw what a beautiful day it was; the weather forecast all week predicted Sunday to be rain with and possible T-storms. I knew we hit it big when registration started to back up with three people working registration, the Brophy parking lot was full, there was a long line at the men’s room, I ran out of race tags for the men’s 40 – 59 age group and we ran out of Gatorade at the food table. The race started at 9:08 with 118 runners and all except 3 finished. From there everything proceeded right on time.

I am still on the upward portion of the race director learning curve and have received great suggestions for improvement as well as what I have determined needs tweaking.   I can assure you once I come down from the high of this year’s event the planning for next year will start. Next year I will need an assistant, especially on race day. The questions and problems that need to be resolved come in quickly from all directions and must be addressed on the spot. So if you are someone who is confident he/she can make correct race decisions quickly and would like to volunteer let me know.

 I will also be thanking the following donors for their wonderful support in separate letters: Dick’s Sporting Goods, 12/$25 gift cards, Jewish Cemetery Assoc. 10 Dozen bagels, case of apples and T-shirts for Rich to autograph, Thunder, a $25 Gift certificate, the Framingham Firefighters Union for providing an EMT on a volunteer basis, Kevin Fallon and CMS for providing race supplies and guidance free of charge. Dunkin Donut and Honey Dew Donut shops in Ashland for providing over 20 dozen donuts.

Additional thank yous for the two large pots of great soup from Ken Power, ? dozen homemade cookies from Charlotte and Walter Garland for the wonderful hand crafted (made in New England) lifetime achievement award for Rich Busa. I also want to thank the many others who donated to the food table. 

Below is a list of all the volunteers and their jobs. I want to thank all of them so very much for giving of their time and effort in helping me and the club make this race such a great success. I love doing it and I’m sure they must to. If I missed anyone please forgive me and let me know.

Last Name

First Name

Assignment

 

Barrett

Ken

Registration/Results

 

Busa

Rich

Sweep Runner.mark trails

Carey

John

Measure Course

 

Crawford

Stephanie

Runner/check markers pre race

Fields

Jen

Photographer

 

Gannon

Mike

Water Stop

 

Garland

Paula

Check markers pre race

Garland

Lucy

Mark trails

 

Greene

Kevin

Trail Marshall - Beebe Pond

Kulacz

Mark

Mark Trails

 

Laing

Michael

Water Stop and pictures

 

Laird

Cynthia

Water Stop

 

Meister

Glen

Trail Marshall - 9.3 Turnaround

Moore

Kathy

Runner/check markers pre race

Oleski

Karin

Mark trails

 

Ostrow

Barry

Director,mark trails

 

Ostrow

Irene

Food Table, Mark Trails

Ostrow

Meara

Food Table

 

Person

Richard

Sweep Runner

 

Plaggenborg

Marlies

Registration/Results

 

Pollinger

Arnie

Reporter/Runner

 

Rakovic

Ann Marie

Awards/Raffle

 

Shane

John

Timimg,mark trails

 

Shane

Charlotte

Food Table

 

Tibbetts

Patrick

Trail Marshall - Gibbs Mtn.

Townley

Lonny

Timing

 

 

Wall

Winiona

Registration,Results, mark trails

 

 

 

 

 

Happy trails and thank you all again!!!!  
Barry