Last Saturday was a beautiful day for a run through the streets of Holyoke, and apparently I wasn't the only one who thought so, because there were a lot of runners. As I stood in the middle of them waiting for the start of the race, a helicopter flew overhead and there was an announcement (I think it came from the helicopter) that said 4,000 runners had registered for the 2009 Holyoke St. Patrick's Day Road Race. (You can see the results here.)A crowd of that size makes for a lively run but not necessarily a fast one, unless you're an elite runner (which I most surely am not) and get to start at the front of the pack. I spent the first mile weaving around people, trying to find a rhythm. In the second mile, the hills start and I didn't really feel comfortable until after the third mile. Ultimately, I finished with a faster time than I ran last year but I found the race to be frustrating, mostly because I didn't run as well as I felt I could.
Anyway, some of the highlights for me were:
- The guy running with the baby stroller that had no baby in it, but a cooler full of beer that he was hadning out to anyone who wanted one.
- They spectator handing out green jell-o shots in honor of the day.
- The guy I passed in the first mile of the race--the easiest and flattest part of the course--who said to his running partner, "Man, this course is so easy--it's great."
- Hanging out in front of Francie's with a well-earned, cold Guinness in my hand and enjoying a fine early-spring day.
I'll definitely give it a try again next year.
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