The 26th Annual Mill Cities Relay Runs with Record Field and Fierce Competition
It is a running tradition in the Merrimack River Valley like no other; it is the only surviving club relay in the USA, and the second oldest relay in the country. This year it sped through a New England winter wonderland.

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By Skip Cleaver
Posted Friday, 11 December, 2009

The Mill Cities Relay celebrated 26 years with its annual club competition on Sunday, December 6, 2009. Participants were running through a beautiful winter wonderland in southern New Hampshire and northern Massachusetts, enjoying the first snowfall of the season the night before. But by race time at 8:00 a.m. there was a clear blue sky and a bright sun rising in the southeast, with a beautiful moon still visible, the bright disc setting to the west. There were some icy, slippery spots along the course, but the field was undeterred. Well over 1,000 participants from 217 teams sped their way from Nashua to Lawrence along the storied Merrimack River.

The Gate City Striders outlasted the runner-up Winner’s Circle Running Club 106 points to 99 to capture the Mill Cities Trophy for the second consecutive year. Winner’s Circle won the Marty Cardoza Award as Runner-up for the 15th time. And the third place North Medford Club (second oldest running club in the nation) scored 80 in a close battle with the Somerville (Massachusetts) Road Runners (76 points). It was a very hotly contested battle for third and fourth, undecided until the last. The Greater Derry Track Club (Derry, NH) climbed to fifth place with 63 points for their highest finish since joining the alliance in 1995.

The Gate City Striders showed remarkable balance across all divisions, taking five age division firsts, two runner-up bricks, and five third place finishes along with a fourth place. They also dominated in total numbers, winning the Dave LaBrode Participation Award (27 teams) for the seventh consecutive year. They placed four teams in the top nine in women’s masters, for example, although only the first team scores. Winner’s Circle had three first place teams and four seconds, edging Gate City in four divisions. North Medford won one age group and ran especially strong in the coed age divisions with three second place bricks. The Somerville Road Runners won the men’s masters and women’s open.

Some divisions went right to the wire. Gate City’s women’s masters, for example zipped to first place by only 55 seconds over Winner’s Circle after 27.1 miles and four handoffs. In a turnabout, the Winner’s Circle edged Gate City by 34 seconds in the women’s Senior Division. And WCRC also edged GCS in the Senior Men’s group as they went 1-2, only 47 seconds apart. The clubs were 1-2 again as GCS 70+ men took first place.

Please visit http://www.coolrunning.com/results/09/ma/Dec6_MillCi_set1.shtml for complete 2009 results. The other clubs with points in order of finish:
6. Whirlaway Racing Team (43), Methuen, MA
7. Greater Lowell Road Runners (41), Lowell, MA
8. Shamrock Running Club (41), Woburn, MA
9. New Hampshire Athletic Alliance (30), Manchester, NH
10. Merrimack Valley Striders (30), Andover, MA
11. North Shore Striders (26), Beverly, MA
12. Wicked Running Club (24), Salem, MA
13. Squannacook River Runners (19), Groton, MA
14. Mystic Runners (14), Wakefield, MA
15. Gil’s Athletic Club (11), Topsfield, MA
16. Andover Striders (10), Andover, MA
17. Melrose Running Club (9), Melrose, MA
18. Sandown Rogue Runners (5), Sandown, NH
19. Goon Squad Running Club (New Addition, non-scoring teams), Andover, MA
20. Tri Fury Running Club (New Addition, non-scoring teams), North Andover, MA

The Mill Cites Relay was founded in 1984, one year after the famous Hood to Coast Relay in Oregon. But unlike the legendary Oregon race, it is an invitation-only event where members of 20 member clubs, the Mill Cities Alliance, compete for overall and age group division honors. As always it was an exciting competition and a record number of clubs, twenty, produced the highest number of teams and highest totals of points for the top three clubs. Sixteen of the member clubs are based in Massachusetts, and four from New Hampshire, although 12 essentially straddle the border between the two states.

Gate City, based in Nashua, New Hampshire, set a record with their 106 points, breaking their own scoring mark of 100 set with their victory last year. Prior to Gate City’s back-to-back wins the record was 90 points set by the Merrimack Valley Striders in their 2007 victory. Gate City is one of three founding clubs along with the Greater Lowell Road Runners and Merrimack Valley Striders.

The Winner’s Circle running club continued their amazing run of finishing in the top three clubs 24 years in a row (names of top three clubs are engraved on the Mill Cities Trophy). The Winner’s Circle Running Club, based near the mouth of the Merrimack in Salisbury, joined the Alliance in its second running (1985) and of course missed the first opportunity; however, the only year they did not score top three was their first. This remarkable run includes eight championships and 15 second place finishes. In other words, they have finished first or second 23 times. The Winner’s Circle is one of only four clubs (including the founding three) to win the championship.

The Greater Lowell Road Runners have won the most championships with 12, and have 17 top three finishes; Gate City has 15 top three spots and three championships. The other club to win it all was the Merrimack Valley Striders; they have four championships, including a tie with Greater Lowell, and have made the top three 13 times.

This was a breakthrough year for the North Medford Club, climbing to third place and making the trophy list for the first time since joining in 1997. Somerville has made the trophy three times since entering the Alliance in 1994, a second and two third place finishes. The North Shore Striders have five third place finishes. The only other club to gain a top three slot was the New Hampshire Athletic Alliance with a third in 1985.

The annual running of this legendary event, which winds along the famous and picturesque Merrimack River, begins in Nashua, New Hampshire and ends in Lawrence, Massachusetts. It marks the end of the season for member clubs. These clubs have created a powerful competitive legacy, crowned by this outstanding and unique event in a region nationally recognized for strong runners and high-level racing.

The course heads east across the river from the YMCA in Nashua then parallels the Merrimack through Hudson, New Hampshire; then it continues into the Bay State through Tyngsboro into Lowell, then on through Dracut and Methuen into Lawrence, finishing at the Claddagh Pub on Canal Street, which is known for hosting many running events.

It is a five-leg, 27.1-mile journey along the river with legs of 5.6, 4.75, 2.5, 9.5, and 4.75 miles. The four hand-off zones and various logistics along the course are planned and coordinated by the Mill Cities Executive Board and Committee, made up of representatives from each of the 20 member clubs. For all 26 years the Alliance has been led by Commissioner Dave Camire, one of the three founders. The other two founding fathers are Phil Quinn of the Gate City Striders and Marty Cardoza of the Merrimack Valley Striders; both have awards named after them.

During the post race celebration and ceremony at the Claddagh Pub Marshall McCloskey of the Merrimack Valley Striders was awarded the Phil Quinn Award for extraordinary contributions and service to the running Community of the Merrimack Valley. McCloskey became the 19th winner of this prestigious award given annually since 1991.

This was a terrific post race celebration at the Claddagh Pub with plenty of food provided and beverages for all. Music filled the air before and after the Age Group Awards were handed out, each one a brick with a brass engraved plate symbolizing the Mill Cities and the strength of running in the Merrimack Valley. This is one of the most festive post race parties and was an ideal location to enjoy the 26th annual Mill Cities Relay.
You can visit http://www.millcities.com/ for more information on the background, awards, course, photos and previous results for this truly unique event.

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