Run to Liberty 10K - NYC - August 30, 2003. Out of a field of over 2700 finishers, Judson was 6th overall in 32:56, 1st age group 20-29. Evan was 9th overall in 33:15, 3rd age group 20- 29, and Gary was 74th overall in 37:42 6th age group 45-49. Gary writes: 85 degrees with 55% humidity tough conditions, tough birds! We more than held our own. In the open team competition we needed five to have a complete team score but with our 3 we scared a lot of city teams who didn't know us, they do now! Larry Allen (of the NYC chapter of exiled Crows) writes: Judson, Evan and Gary found themselves in a field of 2,700 runners on a VERY hot and humid morning with no air among the tall buildings. The oppressive 80 degree and 80% humidity at the 8:30 start (and the sun came out as the race started) held the top invited runners about two minutes slower than their customary times. The crows were extremely well represented in spite of conditions (maybe because of them!). Judson won the 20-29 age group and Evan was 3rd. Gary was "out of the money" but still 6th in his 45-49 age group. They finished 6th, 8th and 74th overall out of 2,700 and if the team award had been scored with 3 runners (as is customary most places) they would have won a team award too. The race public address announcer (same person that handles announcing duties for the NY Marathon) acknowledged Judson, Evan and Gary as they crossed the finish line as "Crow Athletics.... that is a new team for me!" The race started and ended in Battery Park in sight of the Statue of Liberty and passed by Ground Zero, went along Wall Street, Lower Broadway, through Tribeca, and across the lower Manhattan business and financial district. Also interesting that the boys were about 30th (J, E) and 200th (G) respectively at 1.5 miles and, it was obviously a very flat course but their strength from the hills clearly translated to catching a bunch of people in spite of the weather.

Cadillac 10K Hill Climb - Bar Harbor - August 30, 2003: Peter Keeney writes: 4 of us showed this past Saturday to challenge Cadillac again: Steve Calder, Judy Blake, Jessica Walters, and myself. The day here was mild and clear at the bottom and foggy conditions on the way up. When we reached the summit things began to clear off some and the sun attempted to break through. About halfway up on the Cadillac Auto Rd we encountered a brief passing shower near the North face trail. Jessica turned the fastest female time in the run coming in well under 1 hour in 58:00 flat. She is training for the Rhode Island Marathon where she should be a contender to qualify for the Boston Marathon. Judy ran a solid 1:04 and change after running this mountain on this past Thursday Night's moonlight run. Steve who spent the weekend here with his family and training for the MDI Marathon reached the top in 50:00 minutes and planning to run the MDI course with Brian on Labor day. I picked up my pace on the Cadillac Auto Rd. and reached the top in 47 minutes. Gary's record time survives until some young buck decides to challenge it. If anyone out there wants to attempt this run they can email me a time. I would bet breaking 40 minutes would be a true test.

Evening Mars Run up Cadillac - August 28, 2003. Suggested by Peter Keeney, to mark Mars' nearest proximity to Earth in 60,000 years. Coordinated by Brian, joined by Bori, Peter Palmer, and Judy.

Northeast Harbor 5 mile - NE Harbor - August 23, 2003. Leaving Judson's record from last year intact, Crow-in-law Brendon O'Keefe took first, with Evan second and Judson third. MDIslander: O'Keefe edges Graves, Cake in footrace. Ending 8th overall, Gary had to put up with a little harassment from behind. Re Young bucks tuck in behind the old dude (a strategy with only limited success), Gary responds: the old dude pushed the kids hard on those two little climbs coming up from the sound two of the three suffered, the other was from a familiar island, only I used to race his dad Mike Westphal (and get beat by him too). David Clements, Peter Keeney and Brian each made respectable showings, along with John Murphy, Steve Hudson, Bill Pinkham, Amy Philbrook, Heather Jones, Paul Woodfin, Cathy Lutz, Bori Kiss, Judy Blake, Becky O'Keefe, Craig Murphy, Robin Emery, Baby Crow, Terrie Wysecki, and Sydney Rockefeller.

Savoy Trail Race - Mass. - August 17, 2003: Peter Keeney writes: I raced in the 4.4 mile short trail race then went back out to finish the twenty. I was 4th in the short as I was outsprinted on the paved road by the 2nd and third place finishers. Ist place was a runner from England who was twenty seconds or so ahead of us three. In the long, the course was typical for the time of year in savoy with sections of waist deep mud and enough humidity to make the second ten toast for most out there. The second half of the twenty is uphill and the tendancy is to run too fast on a road section after the turnaround. I got to see the leaders on their way back as they had run a little too fast on the road. I was able to run consistent 7.5 minute miles but the finshing time is on the same starting time with the 15 minute start difference between the start of the long(first) and the short. We had a down pour at the end to slick things up a little bit. I will feel The course some today. Good swimming in the North Pond there helped to clean my mud off. See you on Wednesday.

Machias Blueberry 5 mile - Machias - August 16, 2003. Brian writes: It's been three years since I last ran that course and I'd sort of forgotten about the hills. Went out on the first mile at 6:04 and, as the effort felt about right, I just tried to hold steady for the rest. When my watch showed 7:35 for the second mile I thought its digital hands must have gotten knocked loose. But it all averaged out by the end.

George Schaeffer 5K - Birch Harbor - August 9 ,2003. On a slightly lengthened course, Ryan O'Keefe is fifth. John Murphy, Steve Calder, and Brian make a tight group around 20:00. Judy Blake, Baby Crow, Becky O'Keefe, Craig Murphy, and Bill Pinkham all make strong showings for the Crows.

Marathon by the Sea - Saint John, NB - August 10, 2003: Although it's not what he was hoping for, Kevin makes the best of an overheated summer marathon and pulls down 28th out of a field of 200.

County Open Half Marathon - Houlton - August 9 ,2003. First and second respectively, Evan and Judson both break the course record.

Beach to Beacon 10K - Cape Elizabeth - August 2, 2003. Judson was 33rd with 32:26. Gary ran 36:49 and writes: B2B should be heavily attended by team CROW in 2004. It is as close to a state championship as we have, true state, New England and international competition. Heather Jones, with a chip time of just over 60 minutes, writes: I love this race! I have run it since the first one. I missed 2000 because I had given birth to my son two weeks earlier. This year, I ran slowly ...I am 6 months pregnant. So I really enjoyed the run, the spectators and the surroundings. It is a well designed and organized run. Running B2B has become a tradition for myself and a few friends. Suzanne Sullivan writes: Baby Crow made her 10k debut here. Her time was 55:11. She's 12. :). John Murphy (43:10) writes: Beach to Beacon was a very good experience. Everything was well organized, the volunteers were happy and helpful. The town had a very positive attitude towards the race also. I was a little overwhelmed by the crowd, I was always in it and sometimes I struggled to get around people. At the end the hill was narrow and I told two people blocking the way to make a hole or I would puke on them! It worked.