The Perfect Race

Imagine you're at a race in a picturesque New England seaside community. It's a warm summer evening but the cooling breezes off the nearby Atlantic Ocean make the weather more then manageable for a 5-kilometer run. On one side you see the harbor while on the other side is a local carnival where sailors on shore leave test themselves against the carnie games of skill. You, however, have a different challenge in mind - a challenge to conquer three point one miles.

Fun times at the Fiesta photo Richie Blake

As the race director raises the starting pistol the sweet sounds of music surround you and the air is filled with the aroma of fried dough. Your mind begins to drift then suddenly you are jolted back to reality by the BANG of the gun. Immediately you are pulled along for a delightful journey with 355 of your newest friends. Your travels bring you through a seaside community that looks like a set from a Hollywood movie.

Does this sound too good to be true? Well it is not, because if you were at tonight's St. Peter's Fiesta 5K in Gloucester, MA that is exactly what you would have experienced.

Gloucester, which is known for the Man at the Wheel statue and the Andrea Gale of the Perfect Storm, can now add great road races to that list. This Cape Ann community is host to such gems as the Around Cape Ann 25K, a New England mainstay, the Backshore 5-Miler, the Magnolia 5K and now the St. Peter's Fiesta 5K. These are all well organized events run over some of the most beautiful courses anywhere!

Tonight's race, which was expertly organized by Barbara Berry and her group from the Gloucester YMCA, had a distinctive Cape Ann feel to it. Tristen Colangelo, a former Gloucester High School cross-country standout, took top honors with an outstanding 15:41. He was a little over a minute ahead of the next competitor Patrick Rich of South Hamilton. On the women's side, Adrienne Filippazzo of Rockport won comfortably with a time of 18:30.

After the race the Fiesta was in full swing as kids lined-up for stomach turning rides and the older folks enjoyed the ambience of the fiesta on a warm summer evening - life is good!

Next year why not join in on this terrific race? You will find a well organized event that runs through one of the most scenic seaport communities anywhere. If this interests you, then put St. Peter's Fiesta 5K on your calendar. You'll be happy you did.