Twenty Years of the Mill Cities Relay History of a Running Tradition
Long in history and tradition, the Mill Cities Relay celebrates its twentieth anniversary.

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By Skip Cleaver
Posted Monday, 17 November, 2003

Merrimack Valley - The Mill Cities Relay celebrates 20 years with the December 7, 2003 running of this legendary event, which winds along the famous and picturesque Merrimack River, Nashua, New Hampshire to Lawrence, Massachusetts. The Mill Cities Relay is a celebration of the sport, the embodiment of running in the Merrimack Valley-strong, tough, powerful, and as lasting as the mill cities it represents. It is a closed, invitation-only event established and administered by the running clubs of the region. The Valley's member clubs have created a powerful competitive legacy, crowned by this outstanding and unique event in a region known for strong runners and high-level racing.

The relay is proof each year that the Merrimack Valley is one of the greatest hotbeds of running in the country. The Mill Cities Relay was founded in 1984 to celebrate the sport, and to provide camaraderie between clubs at the end of a grueling competitive season. It is a celebration of running, and honors the traditions of the venerable mills and lore of the Merrimack Valley.

The Mill Cities Relay began with three clubs and now includes 15 clubs of the Merrimack Valley-New Hampshire and Massachusetts-in a 5-leg, 28.3-mile journey along the river through Nashua and Hudson, New Hampshire, to Tyngsboro, Lowell, Dracut, and Methuen in Massachusetts, finishing in Lawrence at the Knights of Columbus. The 20th annual MCR-as with the first 19--will start at the Nashua YMCA at 8:00 a. m. on Sunday, December 7, 2003.

The Merrimack Valley is steeped in lore, and has a legacy as powerful as the mighty river which became world famous in the 19th century as the hub of the Industrial Revolution. The Merrimack River once powered some of the most advanced and prolific textile mills in the world. Yankee ingenuity harnessed the Merrimack's power, and the valley's mills produced some of the world's best fabrics.

Eventually the Merrimack Valley changed to a corridor for high technology manufacturing, and again became a leader in entrepreneurship and innovation. In the latter part of the 20th century the computer industry replaced the once-dominant mills. Industrial and literary traditions abound, including novelist Jack Kerouac who lived and worked in Lowell. The region has character and tradition, and so does the Mill Cities Relay.

RUNNING ALONG THE RIVER

The Merrimack Valley has a powerful running legacy. One of the mill workers, Henri Renaud of Nashua, New Hampshire, was the winner of the Boston Marathon in the searing heat of 1909. Perhaps the proximity to Boston has kept the running traditions strong, or perhaps it has been Yankee stubbornness. The region embraced the running boom of the 1970's as few others regions could. Many clubs were organized, collegiate and scholastic running soared, and competitive events proliferated. Today there are more runners per capita, more running clubs per square mile, and more running events per year than in any other region in the country, if not the world.

MCR BEGINNINGS

As with many outstanding running events, the concept was hatched in a bar. In this case in Lowell, Massachusetts following a long training run. A combined group of runners from Nashua's Gate City Striders joined with a group of neighboring Greater Lowell Road Runners, along with a sprinkling of Merrimack Valley Striders from nearby Methuen and Lawrence, Massachusetts. It was 1983 and a group of about 60 ran from the Nashua YMCA to the Hynes Tavern in Lowell, a 16.7-mile training trek.

Representatives of the three Clubs were discussing the long run and the recent running season when Dave Camire, then of Greater Lowell, suggested a relay to GCS President Phil Quinn and MVS member Marty Cardoza. He suggested their clubs organize a relay along the route they had just run, and perhaps extend it along the river to Lawrence. The trio had recently experienced the Plymouth to Provincetown relay in Southeastern Massachusetts (later moved to become the Lake Winnipesaukee Relay in New Hampshire), and wanted to organize their own relay as an end-of-season celebration. As usual for this running trio, the talk immediately turned to action. The relay was born.

FIRST OF 20

The first annual Mill Cities Relay was run in December of 1984 along much the same route as their long run. It began at the Nashua YMCA and bridged the Merrimack into Hudson, New Hampshire. The course ran across the border into Tyngsboro, Massachusetts, then on into Lowell on the east bank of the river. The river and the course turn northeast from Lowell into Dracut and Methuen, and the course then enters Lawrence, Massachusetts on the final leg. They began with five legs, and there are still five today, although the leg lengths and handoff points have changed often due to construction and revamped roadways.

The initial legs were 5.7, 6.5, 1.5, 5.5, and 7.7, or 26.9 total, allowing for runners of varying levels of fitness and experience to participate. Quinn developed the 1.5-mile leg to include all club members. The finish in 1984 was at the Lawrence YMCA, followed by a party at the Hibernians Club in Lawrence. Later finishes-all in Lawrence-included the British Club, and the Elks Lodge.

KEEPING SCORE

Of course it is one thing to propose a non-competitive "fun" run as a celebration, a season ending party. But it's quite another thing when runners run. The competition began even prior to the first event. The scoring was simple-total time of the first division teams from each club-men's open, men's masters, and women's open and masters. The Greater Lowell Road Runners won the first contest by a wide margin. Their 10:41:24 easily outdistanced the Gate City total of 12:07:48 and Merrimack Valley's 12:58:12.

The scoring remained essentially the same until 1993 when men's senior divisions were added. Women's seniors and men's veterans were added in 1994 and the "Sunshine Start" was invented-that is, women's seniors and men's veterans ran only the last three legs with a separate start. Scoring was based on time (the combined total of all scoring divisions) through 1997. The closest contests in the years from 1984 to 1997 were 1986 and 1988 when only 6 minutes and 24 seconds separated the champions from the runners-up.

In 1998 the scoring format was changed to points, and remains essentially the same today. The point system is more advantageous to smaller clubs, because points are awarded according to the number of clubs participating in any given division, whereas the clock system required entrants in all divisions. For example, if all 15 clubs enter teams in the men's open division, the first place team in that division will be awarded 15 points, the second team 14, on down to the 15th team, which receives 1 point. If there are four clubs participating in the women's veteran's division, the first place team would receive 4 points, the second place team 3 points, and so on.

The first contest based on points in 1998 was a tie between the Greater Lowell Road Runners and the Merrimack Valley Striders at 51 points each. Winners Circle Running Club was second (48), and Gate City Striders third (44). The next tightest contest in the event was the 2000 race when Gate City edged Greater Lowell by a single point, 45 to 44, with Winner's Circle third with 42.

EXPANSION

The 1984 inaugural was a booming success, and other clubs in the region wanted to join in the excitement. By agreement, each of the three clubs could admit another club of their choice, and could nominate yet another. Six clubs were added to the Alliance in 1985, and a total of 54 teams participated. The class of '85 included the New Hampshire Athletic Alliance, the Winner's Circle Running Club, the Andover Striders, the Sanders Snails (Nashua), the Wang Road Runners (Lowell), and the Middlesex Striders. Of the six, only Winners' Circle and the Andover Striders have continuously remained as MCR Alliance members. Athletic Alliance participated for two years, placing third in 1985, but left the coalition. They were readmitted in 1998. The other three 1985 entrants were disbanded and absorbed into other groups. A maximum of one club per year would be admitted thereafter.

Nine additional clubs have been added to the three original founders and the three surviving additions of 1985, bringing the total to 15. There were no new clubs from 1986 to 1990. The North Shore Striders were admitted in 1990. Gil's Athletic Club of Topsfield, Massachusetts was added in 1992, although they had teams participating under the banner of the Andover Striders in 1989-90-91. The Whirlaway Racing Team of Methuen was admitted in 1993, the eighth competing club. There were 12 clubs by 1997, including the Somerville Road Runners (1994), the Greater Derry Track Club (1995), the Squannacook River Runners of Groton, Mass. (1996), and the North Medford Club (1997).

The readmission of New Hampshire Athletic Alliance (1998), based in the Merrimack mill city of Manchester, and the admission of the Sandown, New Hampshire Rogue Runners (2001), and the Coastal Athletic Association of Portsmouth, NH (2002) brought the total to 15. Five are from the Granite State and 10 from the Bay State. The Monadnock Regional Milers of New Hampshire have applied for membership, and are under consideration by the MCR Executive Board for entry in 2004.

THE PRIZE-THE MILL CITIES TROPHY

The goals of all clubs are participation and celebration, and secondarily to earn the coveted Mill Cities Trophy as the Champions of the Merrimack Valley. The trophy is as unique as the event itself, and is nearly three feet tall. The beautiful hardwood base carries brass plates with the names of the top three clubs engraved each year. The enormous trophy was artfully designed and built by Ken Camire, brother of Dave Camire, founder and long-time Director of the Mill Cities Executive Committee. It was built from salvaged mill machine parts and gears, obtained by Tom Carroll of GLRR when a mill in Lowell was being gutted and remodeled. The trophy was introduced in 1985. The champions hold the trophy for one year. Several years later the base of the trophy was replaced by cabinet maker Ken Whitcomb of the Greater Lowell club.

THE PHIL QUINN AWARD

A very meaningful presentation for all participating clubs and members is the annual Phil Quinn Award. It is given for outstanding, lasting, and meaningful contributions to running in the Merrimack Valley. Quinn helped to found the Gate City Striders, served on the club's executive board for six years, and co-founded the Mill Cities Relay and the Applefest Half Marathon, among other events. He now resides in Montgomery County, Maryland. Quinn will participate in the 20th annual MCR and help to present the 2003 "Phil Quinn" Award at the post race celebration.

Since 1991 the award has been presented annually as determined by the MCR Alliance Committee. Dave Camire, who also co-founded the event and has guided it ever since, was the Phil Quinn Award winner in 1991. Camire is the only person to direct two different clubs to the championship-Greater Lowell, of course (he is a GLRR Hall of Fame runner), and the Gate City Striders. A list of the Phil Quinn Award winners and all results are listed on the MCR Website, www.millcities.com.

OTHER AWARDS

Another long-time unique feature of the Mill Cities Awards has been the presentation of bricks with a small, engraved plate to each member of every team. This was modified in 2000, and bricks are now presented only to teams placing 1-2-3 in their division. All other participants are given a unique MCR award. Attractive MCR clothing memorabilia sales help to fund the celebrations, including vests, caps, shits, and mugs. The committee is determined to keep the event fees low and affordable for all.

The Andover Striders were perennial winners of the Participation Award, based on percentage of members running. Gate City has traditionally sent the most teams-usually 25 to 28. Greater Lowell, however, holds the all-time record of 36 participating teams (1987). Participation awards are no longer given because of the differences in club size.

ALL 20

Two runners, and only two, are set to participate in their twentieth relay-both are veteran division runners, and both are from Gate City. Warren Church of the Striders, a long time Steering Committee member and executive board member, and Jane Levesque, one of the few remaining charter members (1979) of the Gate City club will receive special awards for this remarkable achievement.

CHAMPIONS

The Greater Lowell Road Runners were the dominant force in the Mill Cities Relay through the 1980's and 1990's. They finished in the top three 17 times with 12 championships (one a tie with Merrimack Valley in 1998). Seven of those were consecutive (1987-1993). They were shut out only in 1999 and 2003, finishing seventh both times. In addition to the 12 championships, GLRR has captured four runner-up slots and a third place.

The Winners Circle Running Club has won the championship five times-including the last two--and finished in the top three 16 times. They had one amazing streak of seven consecutive second-place finishes, the same streak won by Greater Lowell (1987 - 1993). Merrimack Valley has two championships including the tie, with 8 top-three finishes. Gate City has often been in the top four, but has won only once (2000). Gate City has nine top-three engravings. Three other clubs have third place finishes--the North Shore Striders (four), the Somerville Road Runners (2002), and Athletic Alliance (1985).

CHANGE OVER TIME

The one constant in the 20-year history of this event is change. There have been adjustments in the route as traffic patterns and finishing locations have changed; distance has been added, then subtracted; handoff points changed (all are now off-road). Divisions have evolved and expanded as many of the participants have aged. As noted, the scoring system has changed, and 15 clubs have been added-one twice-and four dropped out. There are between 120 and 140 individual teams expected for 2003, or quadruple the original contingent.

Divisions have been expanded to include 12 categories, double the original number. They include women's and men's open, mixed open, women's and men's masters (40-49), and mixed masters, women's and men's seniors (50-59), and mixed seniors, and women's and men's veterans (60 and over) and mixed veterans. All divisions require 5 person teams except female seniors, female veterans, and mixed veterans. Women's seniors, veterans, and mixed veterans are 3-person teams with sunshine start (last three legs). Mixed teams must have a minimum of 2 females (one female, mixed vets).

THE COURSE

The start of the race is traditionally signaled when the ceremonial brick is dropped. The 2003 edition is a five-leg, 28.3-mile journey that begins at the Nashua YMCA, and bridges the Merrimack into Hudson. The course parallels the Merrimack south along Route 3A, with the first of four exchange points at the Sears Warehouse (just beyond the BAE facility near the Hudson, New Hampshire/Tyngsboro, Mass. border). The second leg runs south to the Greater Lowell Technical High School, exchange point number two. The U-Mass Lowell Boathouse on Pawtucket Boulevard is the third point of exchange, followed by the Griffith Industrial Park on Route 110 in Methuen. The Relay finishes at the Lawrence Knights of Columbus, 1 Market Street. Legs are 5.6, 4.9, 2.5, 9.4, and 5.9 miles. The Merrimack River is in sight during most of the event, some of which is along bike paths immediately adjacent to the river's banks.

The course was extended from 26.9 in 1984 to 28.0 in 1985. The first three legs remained unchanged, but the last two were adjusted considerably. The 4th leg expanded to 9.8, with a final stretch of 4.5. The course was adjusted again-to its longest-in 1986 (through 1989) when the finish was at the British Club in Lawrence. The course was then 28.9 with the final leg extended to 5.4. The size of the relay outgrew the British Club.

Since 1990 the course has remained much the same. The famous Brick Wall finish line, where runners finished by running through a brick wall, was one of many unique innovations; the wall was built courtesy of Gil's Athletic Club and used from 1993 to 1999.

SNOW IN 1996

For nineteen of its 20 years the Mill Cities Relay has been held on the first or second Sunday in December. However, in 1996 the relay was postponed for two months by a blizzard. The thirteenth edition was actually run on February 9, 1997 instead of on December 8, 1996. With snow still abundant, the 13th annual relay was run as a series of loops in Lawrence, the only time the traditional route from Nashua was not used. The Fourteenth annual was then run on December 7, 1997, using the traditional route.

THE FINISH AND BEYOND

How can organizers offer a low-key relay, and then award points and trophies, and division prizes? Low key? Not really! Runners are just naturally competitive. However, most runners also like to talk about running and party, and at Mill Cities it doesn't take long for the competitive edge to cool, depending on the temperature and availability of the refreshments.

The running of the Mill Cities Relay is always followed by a terrific party that usually includes chili, pasta, salad, liquids, and music with a DJ. Camaraderie is evident among and between all clubs in the end-of-season bash. The food -fest and music are only interrupted briefly for the presentation of awards when all attendees are respectful and attentive.

There are many excellent running events in and around the Merrimack Valley of New England. There are strong traditions and many reasons why road racing is intriguing for so many in the valley region, and Mill Cities is a highlight. With phenomenal advances of technology-waterpower to computer power--there remains the pure athleticism of running. There are no mechanical or electronic aids. It's the runner, the road, the distance, the competition, and the clock. No excuses, no help. In this event team members watch and cheer their teammates every step of the way. Five-person teams have one runner on the road and four in support at any given time.

Manchester, Nashua, Lowell, Lawrence and the other cities and towns of the Merrimack Valley share much more than locale. They share seasons, history, technology, lore-and running. The running clubs of the Merrimack Valley share the love of the sport, and they are good at it. They share the philosophy, expertise, dedication, persistence, ingenuity, and enthusiasm that are long-held traditions of the Valley. And those attributes are evident in the creation and maintenance of a unique and wonderful event, the Mill Cities Relay, one of the outstanding events in New England racing.

Related info:
Mill Cities Relay

2002 Results

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