Don Allison's Preview to Baystate

Hi folks,
With the Baystate marathon coming up Sunday, I thought I would give a bit 
of information and history of the event.
I started the race in 1990 with a friend, Dave Camire of the Greater 
Lowell Road Runners. My original goal was to stage a marathon after the 
new year but before Boston. All that existed in New England at the time 
was Hyannis, an iffy propostion at best for those of you who have ever 
been to Cape Cod in March.
I secured a sponsor, Lifetime Corp (A home health care company, since taken 
over by Kimberly). I originally planned for the race go around the 
Charles River in Boston, but dealing with the MDC got sticky, so we moved it to Lowell 
and the Merrimac River route, a remarkably similar course. The date was 
February 19. Two days before the race the mecury reached 70 degrees.  
The next day - ten inches of snow. It abated late in the afternoon on the 
18th, but more was predicted for Sunday. We decided to go ahead and have 
the run anyway, expecting maybe 20 people to show up. I stayed awake all 
night, periodically checking to make sure the snow hadn't begun again.
Sunday was 18 degrees and whipping wind. It started to snow at about 
eight, the race set for 10. Although driving was treacherous, 150 runners 
actually made it to Lowell U. We did indeed have a race; the winning 
times were 2:43 and 3:06, a testimony to the fast nature of the course.
The weather was too much for Lifetime. They said have it in the fall or 
count us out. So it was moved to the fall (and held twice in 1990!) 
where it now stays in mid-October, although Lifetime is gone as a sponsor.
I have abdicated race directorship to the GLRR, but am still involved. For 
those of you running, I'll be the one doing the finish line announcing on 
Sunday.
The course is a two looper around the Merrimac river, one loop for the 
halfers. It is quite flat, but scenic. The back side of the course runs 
from mile 4 to 10 and can be windy if there is a typical fall northwest 
wind. Last year was picture perfect - sunny and cool. Don't go out too 
fast! Those early miles come pretty easily. The first loop should be very 
comfortable. When you get near the start/finish it will seem hard to keep 
going when the halfers are completing their run. Once back out on the 
route though, you will feel good to know there is less to do than you 
have already done. 
Baystate has always featured runners attempting to reach the much sought 
after Boston qualifying times. Of course with the 100th Boston Marathon 
set for next April, the interest in Baystate is greater than ever this 
year. That's why the field of 3000 will be triple last year's and be the 
biggest East Coast marathon outside of Boston.
I've run it twice, a painful 2:51 in 1991 and a great 2:55 in 1992, the 
only negative split marathon I've ever run (1:28/1:27). I still think 
there  is room for a post new year 26 miler in the Boston area, but 
that's another story. Good luck to all running.
Don Allison  

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