Tag Archives: Eric Ashe

August 2, 2023 · 5:35 pm

Ruben Sanca and Jackie Solimine-Fazioli top 63rd Yankee Homecoming 10-mile road race

Ruben Sanca and Eric Ashe together at one mile

(Newburyport MA) Sometimes it’s your parents who set the boundaries: “Leave your sister alone!”

For runners the boundary-setter comes from their bodies.

Eric Ashe finished second to Ruben Sanca in the 63^rd annual Yankee Homecoming 10-mile road race.

“My legs didn’t have it today, I knew right off the bat,” said Eric afterwards.

“I took a couple of easy days after working hard training thinking it would be enough (for this race) but it wasn’t,” he added.

It was hard to tell that anything was wrong with Eric’s legs in the early going.

Eric and Ruben Sanca were flying together at the first-mile marker seeming destined for a close, fast matchup.

But that togetherness ended over the next two miles.

“I wasn’t aware of what kind of pace we were running at,” recalled Ruben after winning the race for the fourth time. “I was just trying to stay relaxed and maintain my effort.”

Ruben said that he thought that he gained separation from Eric “on the other side of Hanover Street.”

“Ruben pulled away in Miles 3-5 and put a big gap on me,” said Eric. “After that I was trying to not give up.”

Ruben came in at 51:48 while Eric settled for 53:24.

Jackie Solimine-Fazioli was pleased with her win: “I’ve come in second and third. It was nice to get a win.”

Like Ruben, Jackie’s competition didn’t last too long.

I was surprised when Jackie told me the specifics of how her breaking away from her nearest competitor happened.

“There was another woman nearby for a mile or two,” said Jackie. “We were chatting, and I looked at my watch and said that ‘I should probably pick it up.’”

And pick it up she did.

You know that conversations go on among the casual runners. Who knew that the top runners do it too during a race!

Jackie (1:00:19) won the race and Beth Dollas (1:04) finished second.

“I was trying to break an hour,” said Jackie. “Maybe next time.”

Maybe if Jackie could cut down her chatting time…….?

Beautiful weather, close to seventy degrees.

Over 600 runners finished the 10-mile race. There were 114 runners from Newburyport who completed the course.

The course was changed a bit this year because going over Route 95 and blocking the exits and entrances to the highway were no longer allowed. The major adjustment to compensate was continuing down High Street/High Road to Rolfe’s Landing instead of Federal Street before taking the left toward the Merrimack River.

“The crowd was great and there was plenty of support,” said Jackie.

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Filed under Ruben Sanca, Yankee Homecoming

Tagged as 63rd Yankee Homecoming, Cam Leonard, Eric Ashe, jackie solimine-fazioli, Mac Sloan Anderson, Newburyport, Ruben Sanca, Rusty Shackleford

July 4, 2023 · 4:51 pm

Eric Ashe/Taylor Bickford win 47th annual Bridgton 4 on the Fourth

(Bridgton ME) It didn’t rain but was it humid.

Today’s repeat winner (Eric Ashe) complained about the humidity as did every runner I talked to.

“It was a tough day to run fast,” said Eric afterwards.

If it was tough for him, imagine how it was for the rest of the field trailing him!

“One fellow took the first half mile a little quick,” recalled Eric. “I caught him around a half mile and tried to stay strong up and down the hills the rest of the way.”

Eric finished the course in 20:45. Scott Mindel was second (21:19) and Tim Poitras third (21:32).

The most excited post-race runner may well have been female-division winner Taylor Bickford of Portland.

Why?

Let Taylor explain it: “This was my first time breaking the tape ever. I’ve run a lot of races in Maine and some marathons, but this was the first time I’ve ever won a race.”

Taylor admitted afterwards that she didn’t know the course very well but that she had heard about it.

Taylor Bickford and Abby Bennett (1029 – 2nd place)

“I started the race a little conservative because everyone had me worried about the hills,” she said. “Then I realized that I could pass a lot of people on the downhills so I kind of let it go.”

“I kept the first female in front of me for the first two miles,” she added, “after I passed her, I knew I was the first one.”

Scott Mindel finished second for the second straight year.

“Some kid took it out really fast and it was faster than I wanted,” said Scott. “I didn’t have as much left as I had the year before because of that start and the humidity. I soon realized that I needed to compete for the place rather than the time.”

Tim Poitras entered the race hoping to improve on his 4^th place finish two years ago.

“I knew that Eric and Scott would be running the race,” said Tim.

“After Eric pulled away, I stuck with Scott,” added Tim. “I was pushing the uphills and he was pushing the downhills.”

The humidity eventually got to Tim. “It was such that I felt as if I was swimming,” he said. “I started to look behind me a few times to make sure I got third.”

Good crowd with plenty of enthusiasm.

Dave Albert of Fryeburg is the master of the National Anthem.

Sasha Mindel came in second last year but didn’t race this year. “She has been sick the last few nights,” explained her husband Scott. “My son did run the kid’s race. It’s always a fun weekend up here.”

Both Scott and Eric ran in Grandma’s Marathon on June 17^th in Duluth, Minnesota. “Eric was shooting for Olympic Trials time but didn’t finish,” recalled Scott.

Taylor Bickford: “I grew up in Limington and now live in Portland. I am a strategy project manager at New Balance in Boston, so I commute to work. I am planning to do the Beach-to-Beacon.”

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Filed under Bridgton, Bridgton 4 on the Fourth

Tagged as 2012 Bridgton 4 on the 4th, Bridgton 4 on the Fourth, Eric Ashe, Scott Mindel, Taylor Bickford, Tim Poitras

July 4, 2022 · 3:18 pm

Eric Ashe and Heather Gallant win 46th annual Bridgton 4 on the Fourth

46th annual Bridgton 4 on the Fourth gets underway

(Bridgton) Eric Ashe of Natick (MA) was the top finisher in the 46^th annual Bridgton 4 on the Fourth road race.

Eric Ashe (Natick) wins the Bridgon 4 on the Fourth

Heather Gallant of Wayne (ME) was the repeat winner among the women.

Nearly 1500 runners participated under sunny skies departing from in front of Food City at 8AM.

Eric Ashe was visiting his mother in Greenwood during the holiday weekend.

“I talked myself into driving over and running the race,” said Eric afterwards. “The cash price covers the gas expenses.”

Sasha/Scott Mindel (Burlington) have family on Moose Pond but hadn’t run the race before.

The two of them ran today, and both came in second.

“Our A goal was for both of us to come in first,” said Scott afterwards.

“I had seen the recent results, so I thought that I had a chance to win,” Scott added.

Eric Ashe (885) and Scott Mindel (766) at the start of the race

That optimism suffered a bit of a jolt before the race started.

“At the warmups, I saw Eric (Ashe),” said Scott. “He generally beats me, but I’ve beaten him a couple of times.”

For a mile the talented twosome stayed together. Then came the hills.

“The uphill started, and I tried to maintain the same effort,” recalled Eric. “Luckily, I was able to open a gap and keep it. I think the gap got bigger.”

“He’s much better on the uphills than I am,” said Scott. “When the uphill started today, I was hoping to keep him within close enough distance because I’m better on the downhills.”

“But Eric got too much on me and I couldn’t make a move until the downhill in the last mile,” said Scott. “It was too late by then.”

“At least it was a fun last mile,” he added with a smile.

Eric finished at 20:06 and had a thirteen-second lead over Scott.

Heather Gallant (Wayne) won last year.

“I was happy with last year’s weather and this years’ time (23:26),” she said.

2021 was rainy with temperatures in the fifties.

Heather was 15^th overall today.

Heather didn’t face any serious challengers from today’s runners. Her closing time was 23:26. The next woman to finish (Sasha Mindel) closed at 24:58.

“I hung out with a couple of guys during the race,” said Heather afterwards. “I pace off them. They’re good about doing that.”

Heather said she felt better prepared this time. “I had a couple more races coming into this one compared to last year. The hills here are still memorable.”

Sasha Mindel, who had a daughter last year, was glad just to be out there running. “This is only my second race since having her,” she said. “It was the first time it felt as if everything clicked.”

All four runners I talked with enjoyed the Bridgton race and would return if they could.

Scott Mindel told me that he had run at the University of Cincinnati. “I now run for the Central Mass Striders. I do a lot of races including marathons.”

Eric Ashe attended Boston University. “I saw online that guys were doing twenty-flat here,” he said, “so I knew it would be competitive. I am focusing on marathons. I did one in Minnesota two weeks ago.”

Joseph Reynolds (3^rd), Andrew Mongiat (4^th), and Chris Harmon (5^th) were in the top five.

Race Director Bill Graham again ran things smoothly.

The object is to have the male and female winners run through a banner at the finish line. It’s always easy with the male. The female…not always. Today was an example. Female leader Heather Gallant was close behind another runner near the finish and when the banner went up that runner (Thomad Lyons) got wrapped in it.

(The pictures should enlarge if you click on them.)

Ruben Sanca and Karen Roa capture Yankee Homecoming 10-miler titles

Ruben Sanca

Karen Roa

Jeffrey Seelaus (2539) in the lead for good in the 5K

Yvonne Bungei wins the 5K

Ruben Sanca in the crowd with Eric Ashe nearby

(Newburyport MA) “Three miles in I was in a world of hurt”

“At five miles, in this weather, you start doubting yourself and your pace gets slower and slower. You try to hang on as best you can.”

Sounds unpleasant. And those were the words of the two top finishers (Ruben Sanca & Eric Ashe) in last night’s Yankee Homecoming 10-miler!

Margaret Njuguna (1581) leads but Karen Roa (1828) is nearby at the Cushing Museum

Imagine what the rest of the folks, running in heat in the mid-to-upper 80’s through the streets of Newburyport, must have felt like.

The women’s winner, Karen Roa, said that a key to handling the conditions was keeping hydrated. “It was a mental thing,” she said afterwards. “I wanted to go out conservative because of the weather.”

Mission accomplished for Karen. Cleveland Marathon winner Margaret Njuguna was also in the field and she started fast. Karen kept Margaret in her sights and eventually the conditions changed the positioning at the top.

“The young lady at the top kept looking back,” explained Karen, “so I thought that she was weakening. I kept after her and passed her at the seven-mile mark and didn’t look back.”

Enjoying the ride

Karen Roa won by nearly a minute (59:12).

Ruben Sanca captured the 10-mile event for the second straight year.

“I tried to take it out hard from the beginning,” said the UMass Lowell graduate. “My plan was to get away from everyone else. Unfortunately, because of how hot and humid it was I couldn’t maintain the fast pace.”

Enter Simmons University cross-country coach Eric Ashe.

“I tried to be a little conservative with the start and it almost worked,” he said. “I caught Ruben at about seven miles. I tried to make a final move to win.”

Ruben remembered it: “I knew someone was coming up on me. Eventually Eric caught me at eight miles. We ran together for about a mile. I knew the last mile pretty well and I started my kick and got the win.”

Justin Freeman shadows Brandon Newbould

Justin Freeman, the winner in 2011, came across third. “Last year I was in fifth coming up the last hill into the schoolyard and ended seventh. I tried to save a little more this time and take it easy. I settled behind Brandon Newbould (5^th) for about 4 ½ miles then moved ahead. I came up on Mark Hegarty (4^th) and created a little gap of about 30-35 yards. He (Mark) reeled about half of it back but I had something left at the end.”

One of the unique features of the 10-miler is that a 5K starts on the same route ten minutes earlier. That makes for some interacting of the two races about a mile in as well as at the finish. There are serious runners and there are those wanted to try it.

“There was a nice crowd,” said Eric Ashe. “It does get a little hectic at times trying to weave through the runners from the first race.”

Bryan Popp (1748) and Nicholas Denari (513)

I have always positioned myself one mile from the start near the Cushing Museum. The top finishers always show themselves by that point. Case in point was today’s 5K. UMass Amherst graduate Jeffrey Seelaus was in front there. Same for Williams grad Yvonne Bungei among the women.

St. John’s Prep math teacher Nicholas Denari was poised behind Triton grad Bryan Popp at Cushing but moved on to take second at the finish.

A little more from the top finishers from my interviews:

Eric Ashe: “All the hoses along the way were really helpful. I’ll probably do the New England Grand Prix and the Cape Cod Marathon. Besides coaching at Simmons, I also work for Tracksmith (running company in Boston).”

Justin Freeman: “It was a lot cooler the time I won this race. I’ve been coming here for more than ten years. It’s fun to do an evening race. It’s nice to do the same race over and over and be able to make comparisons. I teach math at the American School in The Hague (Netherlands). I have a condo in New Hampshire and my family comes over here for seven weeks in the summer.”

Ruben Sanca

Ruben Sanca: “It was great to win for a second time. I was lucky this time because my strategy of going out fast wasn’t the best. I am training for the Chicago Marathon in October.”

Karen Roa: “Running is a mental thing for me. Very busy. I am a doctorate candidate taking classes. I had labs this morning. I stuck to one guy in this race from Whirlaway who helped me a lot.”

My curiosity is why area high school running standouts weren’t in this year’s race. Where were John Lucey, Peter Lopata, and Dreese Fadil?

Race results

(All of the pictures above and below will enlarge considerably if you click on them.)

Ziggy (800) 9th & Will (799) 3rd attend Midland High School in California

Ben Pare – 7th – 10-mile

Betsy Suda – 2nd – 5K

Brandon Newbould – 5th – 10-mile

Katherine Newberry (2492) 40th overall

David Metzger – 9th – 10-mile

Derek Walsh – 13th – Newburyport

Eric Ashe – 2nd – 10-mile

James Bailey – 8th – 10-mile

Jeffrey Seelaus leads

Justin Freeman – 3rd – 10-mile

Shane Whalen 6th – 10-mle

Wheeling along

Karen Roa 2nd at Cushing Museum

Kathryn White – Georgetown – 5K

Margaret Njuguma finished 14th overall

Mark Hegarty 4th – 10-mile

Robert Hollinger 4th – 5K

Abu Kebede Diriba wins 2017 Yankee Homecoming 10-miler in Newburyport

Abu Kebede Diriba

Apryl Sabadosa won the women’s 10-mile title. Notice the lack of footwear.

I know, it’s been days since the races, but I was there and have some commentary and pictures to share.

The races? The Newburyport Yankee Homecoming 5K and 10 mile.

Those races started ten minutes apart on Tuesday night.

I think I have given coverage five times. I did not do last year’s

My strategy is to set myself up at the one-mile mark (Cushing Museum) and get a good look at both races there. I have learned that the leaders lead early and late-run surges don’t happen. The good runners have a fast pace that they maintain for the whole race.

So, I see both races into one mile of their race. Then I get to Newburyport High School to catch the end of the 10-mile race. Can’t get back fast enough for the end of the 5K but I’m quite sure that within my pictures from the one-mile location I will have most of the top finishers in the 5K.

Speaking of pictures, I was happy with the ones at the one-mile mark but those at the finish were disappointing. The sun at NHS was right in my face so I tried to adjust the speed and ended up way too slow. Runners and slow camera speed are a bad combo.

If I were titling this story I might try: “While the Pat’s away the mice will play.” I thought it would apply nicely to the 5K race.

5K lead pack at one mile. Sam Coppola (2659) will win. Sam Acquaviva (6) will be second. Will Coogan (2555) will finish 3rd.

Why? “Pat” Fullerton has won that race four straight years with impressive times. No sign of him this year so the race wasn’t for second place this time around. Somebody different would get the win.

Pentucket graduate Sam Coppola took advantage of the situation. Sam finished a distant 8^th in 2016 but this time he chopped forty-six seconds off his time. With all of those ahead of him in the 2016 race missing, Sam got himself a nice win.

Abu Kebede Diriba, like Sam, was the only returnee from the top eight in the 10-mile race. Abu wasted little time taking this race over. He had a 20-yard lead at the one-mile mark and gave back some of that spread by race’s end but he could well have been coasting in the late stages. Abu (connected to the West Side Running Club in NYC) was second in 2016. He was over a minute slower this time around but the competition probably had a play in it.

The best closing race was for second among the 10-mile women. Salome Kosgei held off Liz Ryan but just barely.

Apryl Sabodosa at one mile

Speaking of “barely,” you couldn’t help but notice the footwear of 10-mile winner April Sabadosa……it didn’t exist. The 33-year old from Westfield (MA) ran the race WITHOUT footwear! She claimed, according to the Newburyport Daily News, that running shoeless feels comfortable and natural. Maybe on the beach but ten miles? However, it worked for Apryl as she finished 25^th overall.

Jaclyn Solimine killed the women’s field in the 5K winning that relatively short race by 1:25. Jaclyn is from Haverhill and recently graduated from UMass Lowell. Jaclyn was 15^th overall in the 5K.

Jason Ayr was 2^nd in the 10-mile and Eric Ashe 3^rd. Jason is a UMass grad who finished 29^th in the last Boston Marathon. Eric is a BU graduate.

Ryan Place was 4^th in the 10-mile. He graduated from Allegheny College and was an All-American there. He was 26^th in the 2017 Boston Marathon.

Race for 2nd in the 10-miler. Jason Ayr (70) will get second. Eric Ashe (56) gets 3rd. Ryan Place 1544) 4th and AJ Ernst (2448) 5th

AJ Ernst (5^th in 10-mile) is the North Shore running phenom from Marblehead (MA) who just finished his sophomore year at Virginia. He led the Magicians to state track titles his senior year.

The next three ten-mile finishers (Robert Espinoza, Dan Smith, Nicolai Naranjo) all run for the Western Mass Distance Project. WMDP placed five in the top ten finishers. Jason Ayr (2^nd) and Kevin Quadrozzi (10^th) are part of the same organization.

Alexander Arslan (9^th) is a Running Brand specialist at Mizuno USA in Syracuse.

The 2^nd place finisher in the women’s 5K was Salome Kosgei. Salome came to the US from Kenya in 2004 thanks to a scholarship from Iona College in New York.

Liz Ryan who finished 3^rd for the second straight year graduated from Brown in 2013. She trained for six months in Panama.

Newburyporter Sam Acquaviva got second in the 5K. The Clipper senior-to-be can easily be expected to dominate the 2017-18 Cape Ann League in cross country, as well as indoor and outdoor track.

I hope I have this right: The 3^rd place 5K finisher was Will Coogan of Exeter. Will was on the Phillips Exeter JV squad this year. The 15-year-old may have had the race of his young life.

Bekah Broe was second to Apryl Sabadosa in the 10-mile. Bekah, from Newton (MA), is an assistant product manager with New Balance.

Sarah Hjelmstad of Wilmington (MA) followed Bekah. Sarah runs with the Wilmington Sole Sisters.

Complete race results

(All of the pictures above and below will enlarge considerably if you click on them.)