The students won this year, but only because the faculty/staff team was disqualified due to lack of female participants. Technically, the average time for faculty/staff was faster.
What is the Vax to Flax?
Vax to Flax is the annual walk/run from MSRC, (Vax, the name of the old computer network) starting by the boathouse behind Discovery, to Flax Pond. The top runners and walkers (10 from students, 5 from faculty/staff) will have their times entered as a race. The winning group, averaged among the top times per team, gets bragging rights over the other team for an entire year and dibs on the BBQ goodies. It’s a lot of fun, and even if you walk you’ll arrive at Flax Pond in a little over an hour so it’s not too demanding.
This year we had a great BBQ following the race at Flax Pond for all participants.
How long is it, and what is the route?
The race is 4.6 miles (7.4km). From the boathouse, turn R out of MSRC, down the bikepath to the train station. Cross the tracks and proceed straight. After about 1-1.5 miles, bear L at the fork to Mt Grey Rd. After about 1.5 more miles, and past the tennis courts, take a L to Crane Neck (this is at the top of a hill and marked by two stone pillars with a sign that says ‘welcome to Crane Neck’.) After a little under another mile, bear R to Shore Rd. Flax Pond is at the end.
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Participants may either run OR walk….and in order for a team (students or faculty/staff) to be legitimate, it MUST have members from each gender present. These members can either run OR walk.
Of the runners, a BIG congratulations to our overall winner………Ben Twining’s wife, CRICKET TWINING!! With a time of 31:40, an excellent time that ties the record for student (F) set by Jeanne Gulnick, Cricket took 1st place.
Our other winners are:
From MSRC, our department winner was LAURA COTTRELL, student (F), with a time of 32:47–only 7 seconds short of the record for faculty/staff (F) at 32:40, set by Teresa Rotunno.
Student (M) Alex Kolker, 35:25
Faculty/Staff (F) None–no one participated.
Faculty/Staff (M) Bob Aller, 36:38.
Winning Team = STUDENTS!
Since no women participated for faculty/staff, this team had to forfeit.
Sorry.
However, I should point out that time-wise, the faculty averaged 39:12,
whereas the Students’ average time was 41:13.
This year’s overall winner was Cricket Twining, who finished in an amazing 31:10!
Student winner (f) was Laura Cottrell (32:47)
Student winner (m) was Alex Kolker (35:25)
Faculty/staff winner (m) was Bob Aller (36:38)
Overall records are:
Student (m)= Michael Ahrens 28:24
Student (f)= Jeanne Gulnick 31:40
Faculty/staff (m)= Mark Green 28:38
Faculty/staff (f)= Teresa Rotunno 32:40
Can I bike?
Sure. The biking is for fun and does not get tabulated for the race, but we will time you separately.
Anything else?
We need people to help out!! We need timers for all runners–preferably 2: one person to start/finish times and a second person to write down info when people come in. We may need a water station at the mid-point, if someone’s interested in that.
We will leave a sign-up sheet outside the mailroom. Come sign up and join the fun!!!
