12th Mill Cities Relay - the Mighty Merrimack Valley

by Don Allison

So I finally got the chance to find out what the Mill Cities relay was all about. After hearing much about the race for years from many of my friends from the Merrimack Valley, this was the year I got a chance to actually run. Race directors Dave Camire and Jack Pierce extended an offer for me to put together a team. This was a real honor, as the race has been traditionally restricted to the eight Merrimack Valley clubs. Even so, these clubs have managed to field over 100 five person relay teams for the race in any one year. The 28.1 mile jaunt runs from Nashua, NH to Lawrence, MA.

I was originally going to run with Dave (a Greater Lowell Road Runner) and three friends, but Dave was recruited away by the GLRR masters team. That being the case, I asked the fastest guy I know to run. That of course being Jim Garcia, 1994 New England Runner Of the Year. We placed Jim on the long 10.2 mile 4th leg. So our co-ed team (3 men, 2 women) was set. BBRR newcomer Karen Cormier leading off, 5.7 miles; me running leg 2, 5.3 miles; Mary Collins on the short 2.3 miler; Garcia; and Jamie Auciello taking the 4.6 mile anchor.

That looked to me to be a very competitive team. I felt we could run with all of the other co-ed teams, as long as Jamie and I put forth big efforts. I had a time goal of under 2:50 for our team, sub six minute pace. That would mean Jamie and I would need to be under six pace for our legs. With Karen and Mary running sub 6:30 and Garcia sub 5:30, we would be all set.

The time and temperature sign outside the Nashua YMCA read a chilly 25 as I left Karen with the baton and headed to the start of leg 2. Boy it gets cold up there! I did a full warmup and felt pretty decent. The lead teams came flying into the transition. There was much excitement and energy from runner and support crews. As the only relay I had done was the Lake Winnepesauke 66 mile, in comparison this was like watching video on fast forward. It all seemed so fast.

Karen turned up on schedule, and I was off and running. My legs were turning over nicely, but hands and ears were freezing cold. I tried to keep my mind off it by focusing on runners ahead. I quickly passed one woman, then nothing happened for a two miles. I was really running though, happy to be under six minute pace. Suddenly I caught a pack of four men, then two women, and one more guy who I had in sight the entire way. I was really maxing out the last mile, but pushed it all the way onto the transition. 31:08 for 5.3 miles, 5:54 pace. Mary took off and we were on our way.

She covered her 2.3 miles in 15 minutes or so and Garcia was waiting to take over make up some of the ground the three of us had given to the leaders. He didn't dissapoint, using his strength and speed to pick up about 15 places or so. He was running well under 5:30 pace, handing off to Jamie who put the finishing touches on our race. As he sped through the finishing chute, the clock read 2:46:57; 15th place overall out of 125 teams. Mission accomplished! Well almost. We finished as the fourth place co-ed team. Winner's Circle, Whirlaway, and Greater Lowell all were ahead of us by less than three minutes. GLRR was only 50 seconds ahead, or 2 seconds per mile. In a relay this "short", seconds really do matter. Greater Lowell's open men won the relay in 2:27.

There was a raucous party afterwards at the Lawrence Elks. The beer was flowing, music blaring, race stories being told. These folks party as hard as they run!

Seriously, it is amazing there are so many clubs that can field so many teams, and have such a great time doing it. A race is what you make it, and the Mill Cities does it right.