Hockomock Swamp Rat Journal Preview

ON THE COVER: We are proud to feature Don Burke of Mansfield, MA on the cover of this Rat Issue. Don't be confused by Don's nice-guy image since he is one of the toughest competitors in New England. He may look like a tenured Professor of Ancient Philosophy at Harvard University, but if he comes up to on your shoulder in the last 100 yards of a tough race, he's gonna spit in your eye, put the hammer down and finish you off quicker than a ham-on-rye with kosher pickles. Don is also featured inside in a Ratdossier and it is rare that a Rat gets his or her picture in an issue more than once. Usually I save that for photos of Gwyneth Pultrow or Sharon stone gardening in the nude. Burke is a true rat, though, so I have made an expectoration to the rule. Don is pictured in winter garb at the brutally cold Norfolk, CT 10-miler, but he races in all kind of weather all over New England. He was sixth overall in the 2006-2007 HSR Grand Pricks Series and may have won it had he not missed a race. Read more about Don inside - and don't try to pass him late in a race - ever. You'll lose

1 .RACE REPORTS FROM THROUGHOUT NEW ENGLAND

31st Annual Clarence DeMar Marathon, 26.2 miles, Keene New Hampshire (9/28) (Justin Fyffe Drums Keenan In Keene Campbell, Prescott Hot In Demar 26)
75th Around The Cape Road Race, 15.52 miles, Gloucester, MA (9/1) (Brown, Delaney Tame Gloucester's 1000-Lb Gorilla)
35th MRR Marshfiled Road Race, 12.42 miles, Marshfiled, MA (8/24) (Sawyer Rolls At Tough Marsflield)
28th Acushnet Raod Race, 4.1 miles, Acushnet, MA (9/1) (Old Joe Hot In Acushnet)
Crackerbarrel Classic 5K, 3.1 miles, Wrentham, MA (7/13) (Tumbelton Fastest In Wrentham - Carter Upset By Eddie Fromm)
Maine Coast Women's Half Marathon, 13/11 miles, York, ME (9/21) (Piers Has No Peer In Maine Women's Half Is that You, Harold?)
67th Ollie Road Race, 5.0 miles, South Boston, MA (9/6)(Good Golly!! Kenyan Kitur Takes The Ollie Farrel Foiled Again)
26th Applefest Half-Marathon, 13.1 miles, Hollis, MA n(10/4) (Mayall Wins Applefest 13.1)
And many, many more, with ALL HSR subscribers times listed

2. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:

Complaints. Complaints. Complaints. (The Rat readers return fire). Completely uncensored look at what New England runners are REALLY thinking about.

3. RATDOSSIERS - Don Burke, WRR/GNRC - THIS ISSUE

4. COMPLETE ROAD RACE SCHEDULE:

COLD Fun In The Fall and Winterrrr !! Get out the and RUN!!! - Oct. 26 - January 18, 2009
Yup, we even have the November 9th, Monson Half-Marathon BEWARE Town Hall Monson, MA 413267-5811

. ROAD RACE ENTRY FORMS:

Over a dozen in this issue, delivered to your doorstep in the centerfold of the
November - December 2008 issue of the Hockomock Swamp Rat.

6. AND MUCH MORE:

18 big pages, jam packed with insightful meanderings covering New England road racing news from the only underground running magazine in the Free World and/or beyond.