34th Annual Mill Cities Relays

Written by Linda Desjardins and anonymously edited and researched by Mike Pelletier.

Mill Cities – one of the best races of the year. Always. How can you find fault with an event that is a collaboration of 19 invited clubs who collectively fielded 159 running teams in a variety of categories and drew 841 runners to trek a portion of the 27 miles from Nashua NH to Lawrence MA. Perhaps the only gripe is the race has grown so much over the years, we need a bigger post-race gathering spot, though the Claddagh Pub is really part of the tradition. There’s competition and there’s camaraderie. A perfect blend. Even Mother Nature decided to throw her best running weather into the mix, omitting extremes and wind. What a feel-good race this was!

Each year the Phil Quinn award is presented to a member of the running community for his/her contributions to running. The recipient can be a coach, a race director, a newsletter editor, a webmaster, a race official, a club officer, or a writer. This year’s recipient, and well-earned, was the North Shore Striders’ own Roger Perham who is not only a runner, a race director, an organizer, a race sponsor and a coach, he’s the “unofficial” photographer for far too many events to count, volunteering his photography skills at a bazillion races and capturing some very dramatic moments. And he’s one of the nicest people you’ll ever have the opportunity to meet.

The North Shore Striders were able to assemble five teams today, Male Seniors and Female Seniors, both 5 member teams, and Female Veterans, a 3-member team and Coed Veterans, again having 3 members. The five-member teams ran the full 27 miles; the three-member teams ran 16.75. But there was some behind-the-scenes action as well. Last-minute changes were needed when two runners could not run: Cheryl Welsh suddenly took ill and Tara Murphy had a family emergency. We have some real troopers here: Jenny Reynolds and Maureen Kelly, showing their team spirit, agreed to add the designation “runner” to their former “Sunshine Start Staffer” Mill City Relays biographies.

Your team results courtesy of Chart Designer Extraordinaire Mike Pelletier.

Division	Feet of Clay		2:48:32
Sunshine Open	24 of 32 teams in Sunshine Open
2.5	Jenny Reynolds
9.5	Art Clay		Captain
4.75	Betsy O’Brine

 

Division	Cheetahs		3:58:05
Women Seniors	7 of 12 teams in Division	6 points
5.6	Jill Page
4.75	Sally Fowler
2.5	Maureen Kelly
9.5	Lauren Hamilton
4.75	Mary Stevens		Captain

 

Division	Snails & Hares		3:47:23
Men Seniors	14 of 15 teams in Division	2 points
5.6	Neil Bernstein
4.75	Dave Jefska
2.5	Tom Maloney
9.5	Gary Freedman
4.75	Bill Kobus		Captain

 

Division	Baby Boomer Chicks		2:44:10
Women Veterans	5 of 6 teams in Division	2 points
2.5	Bonnie Hallinan
9.5	Annajean McMahon		Captain
4.75	Linda Desjardins

 

Division	WTF!! Where’s The Finish?		2:41:07
Coed Super Veterans	2 of 2 teams in Division	2 points
2.5	Adrienne Gordon
9.5	Mike Pelletier
4.75	Dave Newhall		Captain

 

	Exchange at Gr Lowell Technical School
Coordinator	Anne Pelletier	Sunshine Start & Exchange
	George Geis	Sunshine Start & Exchange
	Jenny Reynolds	Sunshine Start & Exchange
	Roger Perham	Sunshine Start & Exchange
	Maureen Kelly	Sunshine Start & Exchange

Next Grand Prix Race is Sunday, 12/11 – The Festivus 5K in Salem.