LYNN — Lynn Woods Running, now in its 51st season, completed its third session of the 2020 season via a new series of virtual races that have been set up to abide by the new social distancing rules brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. The session consisted of four races, ranging in distance from 2.89 miles to 5.62 miles.
The first race, which ran in a 3.89-mile loop around Great Woods Road, was won by Woburn’s Chris Smith with a time of 30:33. Nakri Dao of Lynn was right behind in second place with a time of 30:38, while North Andover’s Michael McKie finished in third place with a time of 33:11. Jeff Hixon of Boxford finished in fourth place (35:12), while Lynn’s Sara Bishop rounded out the top five with a time of 39:15. Beverly’s Erich O’Neill (41:30), Melrose’s David Penn (41:46), Lynn’s Peter Gwilliam (42:01), Lynn’s Danielle Desilets (42:37) and Swampscott’s Julie Haynes (42:46) completed the top 10.
The next race ran from Pennybrook Lane to the Horse Stable Pillars and back, clocking in at a distance of 2.39 miles. Lynners were the stars of this race, with four of the top five finishers hailing from the host city. Eric Bowden placed first with a time of 15:50. Nakri Dao finished in second (16:49), Rachel Brennan placed third (17:08) and Gwilliam finished in a tie for fourth place (17:15). The lone non-Lynner in the top five, Salem’s Michael Homan, placed tied for fourth with a time of 17:15. Rounding out the top 10 were Lynn’s Jim Pawlicki (18:17), O’Neill (18:53), Peabody’s Lai-Sahn Hackett (18:58), Revere’s Alycia Kennedy (21:26) and Lynn’s Amy Amirault (21:46).
Another race ran 3.55 miles from the Horse Stable Pillars to Pennybrook Lane, which was won by Dao with a time of 24:46. Bowden (27:36) and Gwilliam (28:14) finished in second and third place, respectively, while Marblehead’s Sal Genovese (29:05 and O’Neill (29:12) rounded out the top five. Also placing in the top 10 were Pawlicki in sixth place (31:21), Hackett in seventh place (31:43), Kennedy in eighth place (32:50), Haynes and Lynn’s Mike Fitzgerald tied for ninth place (35:05) and Winthrop’s Cynthia Hastings in 10th place (36:32).
The longest race of the session was a 5.62-mile loop down Great Woods Road and back.Dao was once again victorious in this one, winning with a time of 41:09. Gwilliam came in second place (41:19), while Cambridge’s Andrew Kernytsky finished third (42:24), Boxford’s Jeff Hixon finished fourth (42:27) and McKie finished fifth (43:11). Rounding out the top 10 were Salem’s Matt Lamothe in sixth place (43:45), Bowden in seventh place (43:47), O’Neill in eighth place (47:58), Salem’s Abbie Bent McKie in ninth place (49:15) and Lynn’s Steve Martin in 10th place (50:10).
The fourth virtual session of the season will run from June 15 to June 28, with races ranging in distance from 1.67 miles to 4.43 miles.