You Need To Save This Picture

I know you are probably on my site looking for the write up for the recent Holyoke St. Patty’s Day Road Race, which was March 21st. And I know you’re hoping to see yourself or someone you know in the pictures.  BUT… I have something to share with you first.  And if you can pull the picture I have off this site, then you should and you should save it. 

I was fortunate enough, while helping to put on this year’s race, to get to hang out with some amazing people.  All of us came up when running was not, then, what it is today.  A lot of people had amazing accomplishments and then went back to a kinda normal life.  The flare and glitter wrapped around elite athletes now was not what was experienced 40 years ago.  We did it because we loved the challenge, the feel of accomplishment and the tight knit comorodery.  We all were humble despite the accomplishments.  I was at a house locally when our guest runner, that we had invited to run the St. Patty’s Race, arrived.  I am a bit new into this group of wonderful people, but, felt like I  had known them for years.  However, at one point I felt a picture of the group was waiting to be taken.  I would like to share it with you.  

From left to right let me introduce you: Brent (Hawk) Hawkins, Bill Rodgers, Billy Harbilas, Steve Jones, Tommy Leonard, and myself. 

Hawk and  Billy were great marathoners, running in the 2 hour and 40 minute range. They are still vital people in the running community. Putting on and taken part in races everywhere.

Tommy was not only a great marathon runner but  created many of the most well known, still running, events in the country, including Holyoke’s St. Patty’s Race (in it’s 40th year) and Falmouth Races that have flourished for years. 

Bill Rodgers won 4 Boston Marathons, 4 New York Marathons, was an olypian in 1976 and won our first 3 races here.  And I’m sure there is a long list of his other accomplisments.

Steve Jones set new WORLD marathon records, not once but twice.  And, again I know there are many more great things he did in the running world.

As for me, I have one of the trans-continental world records that still stands 36 years later.  Running an average of 58 miles a day for 62 days with a knapsack on my back. 

Am I bragging on this group–no–well maybe a little.  Myself, being a writer, I sometimes suddenly observe things and want to write about them.  This is such a laid back, fun loving, humble group of people that it just suddenly felt like such an honor to be part of it.  AND IT WAS.

Now you can look at the 12 entries about the St. Patty’s race that I’ve put on my site.  I just wanted to share a little something diffierent with you.  So move on to the entries.  

******in order to access all the entries, here’s what to do.  There is a list of the last 6 or so entries I’ve just put in.  Click on each different title to read them.  After that you need to click the “March archives” and that will bring up the rest.  Thanks*********