You know it’s a challenging hill when expert runners are walking up. I saw that and still can’t believe it.

We had a great year. The best in a long time. We should all be proud of what we have accomplished as a team and as individuals. It’s pretty amazing, actually. Here’s the way the season ended, by the numbers. In the Open Women’s division, it was close. Sofa King close. We knew it was going to be. All of the teams put their best foot forward on this day, making it a true championship race. Initially, Bergen Elite were placed in the PGXC standings. This was an error, as they didn’t have enough eligible runners. That team has since been removed. Unfortunately, their removal did not have a significant impact on the overall standings. Finger Lakes Runners Club took the top title. They were the top team going in, until Buffalo Checkers came from nowhere and beat them in the last race. It was a big surprise that they ran away with it, in a race that wasn’t even close. Buffalo Checkers ended the season with 14 points; one more than us. Pulsars, led by Aubrie Russell (https://www.pronouncenames.com/search?name=aubrie) and Syracuse Track Club tied for third place with 13 points. Series rules dictate that ties are broken on Championship Day, by the winner of the two teams. In this case, they got us by 9 points. They put nine women on the line and some of them displaced us. We had a pretty good day, but they had a slightly better one. Nothing to be ashamed of, as they are all solid runners. There really aren’t any “bad” runners in the series. I think I’ve mentioned this before.Our Open Women finished like this on Championship Day:

11 (Super) Aubrie Russell. . . 12 Karen Simmonds-Brady. . . 19 Sarah Dawson. . . 24 Rachel Stowell. . . 26 Cynthia Malek. . . (33) Amy Hodson. . . (34) Kate Trousdale. . . (35) Sue White

Our Open Men, led by Greg Stowell on this day, tied for fourth place in the series with perennial favorites, GVH. To even be mentioned along with GVH is a tremendous accomplishment. They have a very long history in the series as being a respected team of fine runners. I know this because in one of my best years, I ran for GVH “Purple” which was essentially their third team. Fortunately, we beat the assholes at Roadkill, and the respectable athletes at Greater Buffalo Track Club. It was a great year for us to place so well.This was our Open Men’s team at FLCC:

22 Greg Stowell. . . 26 Eric Stermer. . . 35 Chris Mason. . . 36 Jeffrey Whiting. . . 38 Gregory Haberlau. . . (39) Brian House

Our Masters men did a really good job with the limited resources we had this year. Some of our faster old guys ran on the Open team, making the work for this squad that much harder, in a seriously challenging category. Pulsars were able to defeat Greater Buffalo Track Club in the series standings, by two points. Go Pulsars!!!Here’s how our Masters Men finished Sunday:

… 23 Gary Mason. . . 25 Don Miller. . . 28 Bruce Brown. . . 29 Daniel Townsend. . . 32 Jeff Gasper

Looking back at all of the challenges we’ve faced this year, I’m incredibly proud to be surrounded by such a wonderful group of misfits and eccentric weirdos to lean on for help. Everything we have accomplished this year has made me proud to be a Pulsar! Doin’ it.

– Don Bob