It takes enormouse amounts of people enormous amounts of hours to put on a race of this size. But there has to be someone crazy enough to step to the BIG plate to lead the charge. This year we had 2 people willing to work together to fill those shoes. Â
Brian Donoghue would be one of those daring souls. He is a life long Holyoke resident who’s world is all about running and helping people enjoy running.
Brian covers everything imaginable to do with putting on our race. His cutting edge knowledge of the running world gives us a huge edge over all other races. A great runner himself, he is as humble as they come and always wears a smile no matter what might come his way. It will be the things he brings to the meeting table that will catapolt this race into huge numbers. I am proud to call him “friend”.     Â
And Jim Wildman is the other daring soul. Jim has taken charge of setting up the entire course, and everything to do with it. Each year he makes it better and better, not only the runners, but also the spectators and the city itself.Â
He works with the DPW, the police(local and state), the highway department, the rent a centers, the water people and on and on and on. He has put into existance a system that improves each year. He listens to the runners and acts on good suggestions. An amazing guy and also a great friend.
These two stout hearted souls are the leaders that create a better and better race each and every year.Â
All the entries following this one, with pictures and stories, about the March 21st–40th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Race– happened because of them, the leaders that preceeded them and all the hundreds of hours put in by hundreds of people to present the world with our celebration.
So read on…..