The Journey Continues-March 21, 2015-St. Patty’s Road Race-Holyoke, Mass.

That’s right, it was time to put on the 40th annual St. Patty’s Day Road Race.  The tent was up.  But it was still early when I took these pictures. And…     

at that time the streets were pretty quiet…   

Barriers were going up, the starting line area was taking shape…  

the staging was being constructed, along with the tremendously important abundance of porta-potties.  And for those that completed the course…. 

the final water for the finshers was starting to get ready.

Less than 5 hours from when I took these photos, there would be almost 7500 runners and walkers,  25,000 spectators and hundreds of volunteers all right in these very areas.  All because of a little race that started 40 years ago (almost to the day), with less than 180 runners.  The roads were not closed back then and the runners took there lives into their own hands as they navigated the course.   Read the next 11 entries and see what has happened since those pioneers started this city on this journey. 

I encourage any comments, thoughts, memories to be sent to me. So, either send them via the “Al’s email” tab or straight to my personal email  tardy4@comcast.net .  I truly look forward to hearing from you.  Now read on…