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Running

Dunedin man among tales of Boston success

By DAVE THEALL
Published April 23, 2006

"Know your limitations" was a film quotation of Hollywood's Clint Eastwood, also known as detective Dirty Harry Callahan of the San Francisco Police Department.

At Monday's Boston Marathon, Dunedin's Bruce Rosenbaum carefully calculated what pace he could maintain over 26.2 miles to finish sub-three hours in only his second marathon.

Considering that the first half of the course is slightly downhill, he figured if he reached Wellesley College - the mid point - in 1 hour, 27 minutes, he could tough it out over the more difficult second half in time to dip under the challenging three-hour barrier for the first time.

He qualified for Boston at Chicago in 2004, running 3:04:30, his first marathon. And that's essentially how the 110th Boston Marathon played out for Rosenbaum, 36, as he ran conservatively through 5K in 20:18, 10K in 40:47 and 1:01:28 for 15K en route to a final time of 2:57:54, the fastest time from the five-county bay area. He averaged 6:47 per mile.

The course is basically a straight line west to east that drops from 463 feet above sea level in Hopkinton to 15 feet at the finish.

Rosenbaum, 5-9 and 160 pounds, finished 855th overall, 818 among men in the field of 22,000 to place in the upper 5 percent.

"I figured the first 13 miles would enable me to build up some time and enable me to break three hours," said Rosenbaum, a 1988 graduate of Dunedin High who later became an amateur boxer.

"I was figuring on trying to accelerate the second half but that downhill portion chews up your quads and calves. I was sore running the second half but didn't slow down much.

"I did the right training, including speed work, the weather was perfect and it was great overall."

Coach Joe Burgasser of the Forerunners Club ran his 24th Boston in 3:17:35, his realistic target this year considering he has had injury problems.

A consistent age-group award winner at Boston, Burgasser won his 60-69 age group in 2001, running 2:56:45 and finished third, 50-59, in '89, clocking 2:42:51. His best there is 2:31:58 at age 42. Over a 27-year period, he ran sub 2:50 marathons every year.

NOTABLE ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Mike Coyne of the Forerunners, a winter/spring resident from Newfoundland, ran the Boston eight minutes faster than last year, clocking 2:51:51 for sixth place in the 50-59 bracket.

n Christina Noordstar, 29, of Tierra Verde, was the first woman from the area in 3:21:52, good for 413th in the women's field. Noordstar is one of the top triathletes in the area as a member of the St. Pete Mad Dogs.

n St. Petersburg's John andJill Voorhis made a family affair of Boston, easily requalifying with times of 3:29:05 and 3:51:45, respectively.

BACK IN TAMPA BAY: Jacki Wachtel of Tarpon Springs accomplished a rare feat for the second time in a month when she finished first overall at the Hare Racing Experience 5K on the Courtney Campbell Parkway on April 8.

Her time of 18:43 enabled her to edge ahead of Oakie Osborne (19:01) of Winter Haven.

In the accompanying 10K event, Christa Benton won her sixth consecutive race in 37:23, not far behind men's winner Jose Martinez (36:53) of Riverview.

Carol Bancroft of Safety Harbor won the women's masters title in 46:05, while St. Petersburg's Annette Frisch (56:15) was finishing first, 60-plus, while winning the 65-69 age-group award.

SUNTRUST MILES FOR MOFFIT: Beth Old, 31, of St. Petersburg reeled in Christa Benton at the halfway point of the 5-mile race on April 8 in Tampa and went on to win in 28:31. Old finished third overall in the field of 719. Another combined 491 ran in a mile event and kids races. Old's next big race is the USATF 25K National Championship in Grand Rapids, Mich., on May 13. She placed second American in the 2002 championship at 15.5 miles.

NATIONAL INK: The May Running Times has a feature on St. Petersburg's Mary Ann Protz.

The article outlines her progress from a 4:43 marathoner nine years ago in Scranton, Pa., to a 2:48 second place last year in St. George, Utah.

[Last modified April 23, 2006, 10:42:18]