179th FTC Friday Night Five

Falmouth, MA, November 24, 2000

Post-Thanksgiving Run-Your-Turkey-Off Friday Night Five

by Ken Gartner

The first three finishers of this week's "Post-Thanksgiving Run-Your-Turkey-Off Friday Night Five" were the same as last week's top three; however all three runners ran faster this week. Perhaps it was because they wanted to get out of the cold 30-degree night as quickly as possible, or perhaps they were just well carbo-loaded from the night before. Penny Christo, who just finished a fine cross country season at Sandwich High School, was the woman's winner. Laurie Fife finished second followed by a pack of four fast women.

Matt Plant forgot his running clothes and was about to sit this week's run out until he found a pair of shorts and a sweatshirt in the back of Ken Gartner's car. In the darkness he didn't seem to notice that they weren't all that clean.

The "special guest" of the night was Ron Lafreniere, the former coach of the Falmouth Track Club. Ron moved west to the altitude of Colorado four or five years ago and manages to make a Friday Night Five appearance every couple of years or so. A welcome home party was held afterwards, as the Falmouth Track Club old-timers reminisced about the old days when they were all fast.

The Friday Night Five is held every week at 5:30 from Town Hall Square in Falmouth. There is no entry fee for this self-timed event, and all runners are welcome to participate. Reflective running gear of some sort is required.