Rob Ashby

Thanksgiving race roundup across Portland, Greely, and MTC.

Dirigo's Thanksgiving week races were packed at the front. Veronica Graziano won the Portland Thanksgiving Day 4-Miler in 22:51, with Michelle Lilienthal second, Erica Jesseman fourth, Marah Borgman seventh, and Gretchen Speed eighth; Rob Ashby, Crow Norlander, Jon McGonagle, and Tim Stickney led the men's side. At the Greely Turkey Trot, Sheri Piers was second overall female and first 50+ in 18:16, while Will Spaulding, Dan Bannon, and Sam Chick were all inside the top 15 men. At the Maine Track Club Turkey Trot, Jonathan Clement returned in Dirigo colors with second in 17:08, Eric Sofen was fourth in 17:24, Christie Tebbetts was second woman in 21:23, and Hollie Corbett placed eighth.

Dirigo's 2020 archive.

At the Maine Marathon COVID-19 Edition, Ryan Collins, Joe Satterfield, and Rob Ashby ran 2:37:22, 2:37:25, and 2:39:45. At the Mid-Winter 10-Mile Classic, Gretchen Speed won the women's race in 1:04:02, while Sam Seekins was second overall, Michael Gordon third overall and first M40-44, Ryan Jara fourth overall, Nick Denari sixth, James Boeding ninth, and Chris Harmon, Ken Akiha, Joe Satterfield, Rob Gomez, Rob Spaulding, Judson Cake, Peter Burke, Mary Pardi, Sarah Baker, Kalie Dunn, and others filled the age-group results.

Maine Running Hall of Fame Results Project Mid-Winter Classic results Maine Track Club article

Dirigo's 2019 archive.

Michael Gordon won the Mid-Winter 10 Mile Classic, Jesse Orach, Stan Berkow, Jeff Jones, Andy Spaulding, Nate Priest, Christina Berkow, Marah Borgman, Peter Burke, Scott Brown, and Michael Gordon led Dirigo's Irish Road Rover team win, and the Boston Marathon included masters team results plus Shiloh Schulte as first Maine finisher and Rob Ashby third M50-54. Summer was just as full: Michael Gordon, Ryan Jara, and Chris Dunn went 1-2-3 at the L.L.Bean 10K, Mary Pardi won Bridgton, Justin Freeman led a winning men's team at Loon Mountain, and Beach to Beacon included Jesse Orach and Ben Decker as top Maine finishers, Michael Gordon as Maine master, Sheri Piers as Maine female master, and age-group wins or podiums from Rob Gomez, Rob Ashby, Erica Jesseman, Kristin Barry, Tracey Guerrette, Kelly Brown, and Carol Weeks.

Maine Running Hall of Fame Results Project

Dirigo's 2017 archive.

Rob Ashby won the Millinocket Marathon, Ben Decker won the Portland Thanksgiving Day 4-Miler, and Erica Jesseman led the women's results there with Christina Berkow second. Tracey Guerrette won the Maine Marathon, Christine Hein was second, and Sheri Piers and Erica Jesseman went 1-2 in the half; Guerrette also set a Bangor Labor Day course record and won the Brewer Turkey Trot. At Beach to Beacon, Rob Gomez was second Maine finisher and was widely noted for helping Jesse Orach to the finish, while Michelle Lilienthal, Tracy Guerrette, Sheri Piers, Christine Hein, Gina Pardi, Gretchen Speed, Carry Buterbaugh, Mary Pardi, Kelly Brown, Denise Curry, Spencer McElwain, Chris Harmon, Sam Seekins, Connor Piers, Adam Goode, and Joe Satterfield all appear in the Maine and age-group results.

Bangor Daily News: Rob Gomez at Beach to Beacon

Dirigo's 2016 archive.

Rob Gomez won the Portland Brewers Holiday Dash with Chris Harmon second and Christine Hein third woman; Pete Bottomley placed third M55-59 at USATF National Club Cross Country. At the Maine Marathon, Spencer McElwain won, Chris Harmon was third, Rob Ashby was sixth and first master, Hollie Corbett was third woman, and Sheri Piers, Erica Jesseman, and Mary Pardi led Dirigo half-marathon results. Trail to Ale was a team win with Chris Harmon, Patrick Hoagland, and Nate Buck going 1-2-3, and the Beach to Beacon, Lone Gull, L-A Bridge Run, Pound the Pavement, and USATF New England Cross Country results show the same pattern: Dirigo men, women, masters, and seniors scoring throughout the year.

Bangor Daily News: Bangor, Hermon runners repeat as Hunt Memorial 3K winners

Dirigo's 2015 archive.

Rob Ashby won the Ghost Train 100 Mile in 15:49:04, a new course record, and finished second overall at the Maine Marathon. Beach to Beacon was loaded with Dirigo results: Ben Decker was first Maine male, Erica Jesseman was first Maine female, Jeff Jones was Maine male master, Sheri Piers was female master and third Maine woman, and Mary Pardi, Bill Mariski, Todd Coffin, Rob Ashby, Kristin Barry, and Erin Chalat all landed notable Maine or age-group places. Dirigo also fielded USATF New England cross country teams, with Sam Seekins and Mike Burleson near the front at the Cape Elizabeth Turkey Trot, Greg Tapley and Christine Hein winning Trail to Ale, and Chris Harmon, Spencer McElwain, Nate Priest, Ryan Jara, Andy Spaulding, and Erica Jesseman repeatedly showing up at the front of local races.

Dirigo's 2013 archive.

Dirigo women won the Boston Marathon team title and Dirigo men placed third, with Sheri Piers running 2:39:25, Mary Pardi 2:48:42, Erica Jesseman 2:44:35, Rob Gomez 2:22:53, Josh Zolla 2:29:12, and Rob Ashby 2:43:19. New Bedford brought a women's team win behind Erica Jesseman, Sheri Piers, Eliza Tibbits, and Meredith Anderson, while Rob Gomez was third overall and Dirigo's open team placed fifth. Later in the year, Erica Jesseman won Hartford in 2:38:08, Sheri Piers won the Twin Cities masters title in 2:38:35, Christine Irish won Smuttynose in 2:56:29, Rob Gomez won the Maine Marathon, Mary Pardi won F40-44 at Philadelphia in 2:53:34, and the Beach to Beacon list includes Erica Jesseman as first Maine female, Sheri Piers as Maine female master, Rob Gomez fourth Maine male, Todd Coffin as Maine master and senior, and Erin Chalat as Maine female senior.

MileSplit: Erica Jesseman wins Hartford in 2:38:08

Dirigo's 2012 archive.

Sheri Piers, Kristin Barry, and Erica Jesseman represented Dirigo at the U.S. Olympic Trials. Boston brought another major marker, with Sheri Piers listed as first American woman and 10th overall female, while Rob Ashby ran 2:51:09. New Bedford had a Dirigo women's team win behind Erica Jesseman, Sheri Piers, Eliza Tibbits, and Meredith Anderson, and Beach to Beacon put Sheri Piers first Maine woman and female master, Erica Jesseman second Maine woman, Rob Gomez third Maine man, Josh Zolla fifth Maine man, Pete Bottomley first Maine master, Andy Spaulding second, and Byrne Decker third. Sheri Piers was also the female masters winner at Grandma's Half and second masters woman at Twin Cities in 2:36:59, Rob Gomez and Rob Ashby placed 2-4 at the Maine Marathon, Andrew Van Hoogenstyn was fourth at Cape Cod in 2:31:09, and Dirigo masters placed second at USATF New England XC and seventh at USATF National Club Cross Country.

Dirigo's 2011 archive.

Erica Jesseman won Hartford in 2:45:00 and Sheri Piers won F40-44 at Twin Cities in 2:37:42, giving Dirigo two marathon Olympic Trials qualifiers. Dirigo's 40-49 masters and 50-59 veterans both won USATF New England Cross Country titles, and the masters team placed sixth at USATF National Club Cross Country. Beach to Beacon had Sheri Piers and Erica Jesseman as the top two Maine women, Kristin Barry fifth Maine woman, Josh Zolla fourth Maine man, and Mike Payson, Mark Goettel, and Pete Bottomley sweeping the Maine masters podium. Rob Ashby won Bar Harbor and Komen Race for the Cure, Chris Harmon won Dan Cardillo and Great Pumpkin, Mary Pardi won Great Pumpkin and the Hartford half master title, Josh Zolla won L.L.Bean and St. Peter's, and Erica Jesseman, Sheri Piers, Kristin Barry, Rob Gomez, Mike Payson, Jorma Kurry, and Pete Bottomley repeatedly appeared at the front of summer and fall results.

Dirigo's 2010 archive.

Dirigo's masters group was at a high point: the team was third at USA National Club Cross Country and won the USATF New England masters title, with the open team also third. Beach to Beacon lists Patrick Tarpy as first Maine finisher, Rob Gomez third Maine finisher, Mike Bunker fifth, Kristin Barry and Sheri Piers as the top two Maine women, Carry Buterbaugh fifth Maine woman, Christine Reaser as female master winner, and age-group results from Josh Zolla, Blaine Moore, Andy Spaulding, Ethan Hemphill, Byrne Decker, Keelyn Wu, Rob Ashby, Mike Payson, Bill Mariski, Pete Bottomley, Marc Dugas, and Tom Ryan. Sheri Piers set a Mid-Winter Classic course record in 1:00:45, Rob Gomez, Josh Zolla, Kristin Barry, Sheri Piers, and Christine Reaser won the Run for Cash team title, Michael Bunker set a Breakaway 5K course record in 15:01, alongside wins from Josh Zolla, Todd Coffin, Rob Ashby, Byrne Decker, Patrick Fournier, Matt Lunt, Michael Bunker, Patrick Tarpy, Blaine Moore, Andrea Newton, and Kristin Barry.