23rd (or so) Christmas Eve 7.9M

Sterling to Worcester, MA

December 24, 1997

Results courtesy of the Central Mass Striders. Photos

Maybe, just maybe, this is the way it should be. A race with no entry fee, no entry forms and (gasp) no T-shirts. However, all runners and volunteers were treated to a free post-race buffet at O'Connor's Restaurant in Worcester and were eligible for random draw prizes of gift certificates to O'Connors - the best Irish restaurant in the central part of Massachusetts.

The history of the run extends back to the mid-70's when the Coggins and Sands families of the Burncoat Street area of Worcester began a family run when members would return home for the holidays. Those whose running "career" extends back into time for at least two decades may remember the course as being originally closer to ten miles in length, finishing at the former Slattery's Spa on Burncoat Street in Worcester.

Due to the lack of any kind of facilities at the old finish, Stu Thurston (yes, the Stu of Stu's 30K fame) got involved in 1988 and moved the finish line to its current location at O'Connor's.

Several of those who ran this year's race actually started at O'Connor's about an hour before the race, ran the course in reverse to the start of the Town Common in Sterling, and then ran back to O'Connor's. While the temperature was in the upper 30's and the skies clear for the 12 Noon start, the course was treacherous in parts thanks to the 14 inches of snow which were were deposited the day previous.


1	46:22	Rich Ovian		40-49M	Worcester, MA		CMS

2	46:58	Peter Blomquist		40-49M	Worcester, MA		CMS

3	47:34	Rich Craigen		30-39M	Fitchburg, MA		NMC

4	51:52	Peter Orni		50-59M	Fitchburg, MA		CMS/NMC

5	51:58	Jeff Gould		30-39M	Westminster, MA		CMS/NMC

6	52:34	Neal Leibowitz		20-29M	Vernon, CT

7	53:09	Kevin Moroz		40-49M	Southbridge, MA		CMS

8	53:25	Deb Spencer		30-39F	Fitchburg, MA		NMC/CMS

9	55:56	Barbara McManus		20-29F	Worcester, MA		CMS

10	55:57	Joanne Lachapelle	40-49F	Worcester, MA		CMS

11	57:23	Ray Boutotte		50-59M	Pepperell, MA		CMS/NMC

12	57:46	Gavin Reardon		30-39M	Shrewsbury, MA		CMS

13	57:47	Ken Lemerise		40-49M	Charlton, MA		CMS

14	57:48	Bob Tanski		30-39M	Worcester, MA		CMS

15	57:57	Vin Ricciardi		40-49M	Bolton, MA		CMS

16	59:18	Kim Dooley		20-29F	Irvine, CA		Snail's Pace

17	59:23	Bill Ferrara		50-59M	Milford, MA		CMS

18	60:53	Jerry DeZutter		30-39M	Worcester, MA		CMS

19	61:09	Deb Fontaine		30-39F	Leominster, MA		NMC

20	61:10	Karma Tousignant	20-29F	Fitchburg, MA		NMC/CMS

21	61:11	Marc Pilon		30-39M	Lunenburg, MA		CMS/NMC

22	61:12	Mark Fontaine		40-49M	Leominster, MA		NMC

23	61:48	Dick Hunt		50-59M	Auburn, MA		CMS

24	61:59	Lisa Mentzer		20-29F	Millbury, MA		CMS

25	62:53	Diana Kershaw		20-29F	W. Boylston, MA	

26	62:59	Russell Carroll		30-39M	Wayland, MA		

27	64:16	David Colburn		30-39M	Worcester, MA		CMS

28	65:09	Linda Usher		40-49F	Upton, MA		CMS

29	65:56	Bill Haskell		40-49M	Sterling, MA		CMS

30	66:05	Patrick Carroll		40-49M	Worcester, MA

31	66:06	Jerry Creen		40-49M	Worcester, MA

32	67:48	Bruce Gobi		40-49M	Charlton, MA

33	70:49	Diane Von Voorhis	50-59F	Ashby, MA		CMS

34	70:53	Sam Fitzwater		30-39F	Oxford, MA		CMS

35	70:55	Dolores Drewniak	50-59F	Princeton, MA		CMS

36	74:47	Sarah Leonard		20-29F	Ashby, MA		

37	79:37	Pam Rossetti		40-49F	Worcester, MA		CMS

38	79:48	Carol Goodrow		40-49F	Fiskdale, MA		CMS

39	80:48	Alice Eriksen		40-49F	Shrewsbury, MA		CMS

40	82:32	Megan Manktelow		30-39F	Gardner, MA

41	87:55	Dale Ames		50-59M	Worcester, MA		CMS

42	88:00	Ed Sato			60-69M	Worcester, MA		CMS