Quintuple Quorum For B.A.A.’s Mish at 31st Jim Kane Sugarbowl 5K

The B.A.A.’s Brad Mish (Photo by FitzFoto/NERunner) raced from quadruple to quintuple as he amassed his 5th straight victory at the 31st Jim Kane Sugarbowl 5K on Thursday evening, July 19.

 

Unlike last year’s epic joust with teammate Eric Ashe that resulted in a finish line sprint and course record of 15:03—conducted in hot (84˚) and humid conditions—the 7:00 pm start by Carson Beach in S. Boston saw a gentle breeze off the water, low humidity and bright sun with temps in the mid-70s.

 

The heat this year would come from Mish’s pre-race goal of breaking 15 minutes, a time that would need a bit better than a 4:50 per mile average.

 

“I knew we (B.A.A.) weren’t bringing anyone so I thought I might get away early and that’s what happened so mentally I was prepared to hold pace,” said the former Holy Cross Crusader who enjoyed a healthy lead as he hit 2-miles right on pace in 9:40.

 

“When I saw the clock at three miles I knew if I could launch a big kick I could get it, but there was some wind and I was pretty maxed as it was.”

 

Victory No. 5 came in 15:05. After a “disappointing” third-place finish at the Boston Run to Remember Half Marathon, Whirlaway’s Derek Noland, 24, arrived second in 16:01 followed by Belmont Hill HS 800 (1:58.01) and 1500 (4:02.25) school record holder Quin McGaugh, 17, in 16:24.

 

Holden’s Ben Coughlin, 28, in 16:33 and Hurtin’ For Certain Strider Andrew Holmes, 33, in 16:40 rounded out the top-5.

 

It was a B.A.A. sweep of the top podium steps as former U. Rochester runner Samantha Kitchen, 23—who just joined the Unicorn pack a month earlier—shrugged off an early challenge from Boston resident and Providence, RI native Ashley Jensen, 30. (Photo: Former PC runner Ashley Jensen leads the B.A.A.’s ‘Sam’ Kitchen early-on, photo by MickFoto/NERunner)

 

“I didn’t know what to expect, I hadn’t raced since May,” said Kitchen. “Ashley, the girl that ran at Providence (College) was right with me almost through the mile and then I got like a 20-meter lead. I slowed but I was able to hold the same gap pretty much throughout.”

 

Kitchen closed the show in 18:20 with Jensen at 18:31 as both runners clocked sub-6 pace.

 

Alyssa Donahue, 27, of The Heartbreakers, ran 6:09 pace to pull in third at 19:06 followed by the B.A.A.’s Kelley Magill, 23, in 19:18 and Cambridge’s Laine Smith, 24, in 19:25.

 

Hats off to 70-79 winner Dave Pember, 75, who ran 25:32 in his 23rd straight appearance – having run the 5-milers and participated in the massive tailgating when the race started and finished at the Bayside Expo Center until 2010. (Photo by FitzFoto/NERunner)

 

Mish now has the record for most wins by an individual at Sugarbowl, surpassing teammate Andreas Heilman, who won two races at the 5M distance and two at 5K.

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