181st FTC Friday Night Five

Falmouth, MA, December 8, 2000

Icy Conditions Greet Friday Night Five Runners

by Ken Gartner

It was 27 degrees, and there were two inches of fresh snow on the ground for the Friday Night Five Miler. The first problem the runners encountered was trying to find the start/finish line under the snow somewhere in the parking lot in Town Hall Square. The second problem of the night proved to be trying to make the sharp 90-degree turn at the 3-mile mark on Quonset Road. The turn happens to be on a slight down hill and, the road was very slick and icy. Bill O'Mara and Ken Gartner found this out the hard way as they careened off the road and ended up dangling like Christmas ornaments from a big bush in some person's front yard. They pulled each other off and continued on their way. Roger Francois who was running in third place came by several minutes later and amazingly ended up the same way. He to escaped unscathed. Perhaps if the three runners were more conscientious and less concerned about getting to the finish line as fast as possible, they would have stayed to warn the other approaching runners of the dangerous turn.

Stace Beaulieu managed to negotiate the treacherous turn without a mishap, and she garnered her first Friday Night Five win. Friday Night Five regulars, Fred Keller and Jurek Blusztajn, took 4th and 5th as both finished in the top five for the first time after three hard years of competing in the event.

Afterwards some of the runners warmed up in the Quarterdeck to be served by the hobbled bartender, Jeff Fumarola. The highlight of the night was undoubtedly the entertainment provided by the wandering Christmas carolers that came in and sang to the bar. Tommy Leonard refused to let the carolers leave until they performed an encore.

The Friday Night Five is held every week at 5:30 from Town Hall Square in Falmouth. There is no charge for this self timed event and in the event of snow, runners are advised to slow down on Quonset Road.