by Brian MacQuarrie
NEWBURYPORT-The weather is usually steamy, the course historic, the spectators many and supportive. It's the unique mix of one of the summers long distance highlights - the Yankee Homecoming Road Race.
The 36th annual running of this 10-mile classic, combined with a 5 kilometer event, is expected to attract a record crowd of 3,500 competitors to this scenic seaport city Tuesday evening.
The race is the New England 10 mile championship, and a fast, quality field is the norm. Last year, Simon Karori of Kenya paced the pack to a record time of 48 minutes 1 second over the relatively flat course.
Carol Rouillard, an Olympic. marathoner from Canada, also set a record (55:36) last year as she broke the women's mark previously held by Julie Peterson of Beverly.
But the stars of this event, held as one of the jewels of the festive Yankee Homecoming Week, is the city and its residents.
The races (6:30 p.m. for 5K, 6:40 p.m. for 10 miles) begins on historic High Street in front of the Norman Rockwell-like high school. The course proceeds fast and flat for about a mile past stately ship captains' homes built in Newburyport's golden age of sail.
A sharp left off High Street, and the pack dashes downhill to the city center, where hundreds of townspeople cheer the runners on and lift their hoses to relief in the often-muggy conditions.
The remainder of the, 10-mile route complete a large rectangle that heads west across 1-95 and through shady, pleasant woodland before turning east to recross the highway and provide a quick, level 2 mile approach to the high school.
The finish is on the track the football field, when; large crowd is usually in the bleaches cheering longtime local runners and anyone else who kicks hard to the 50-yard line.
One of those local favorites is Rick Bayko, who has run the race 25 times since he first competed as a 17-year-old fresh out of Newburyport High, since then, Bayko has finished in the top 20 in the Boston Marathon four times (p.r. 2:20:56,17th, 1974) and established a running store here.
He has never won the Newburyport race ("One of my big disappointments," he says), but makes the sentimental return each year to rekindle some running memories and renew acquaintances with hundreds of his neighbors.'
"It gives me a shot of adrenaline every year," Bayko says. "Next to the Boston Marathon, it's the one race I've wanted to do well in."
Race director Jon Pearson is proud of his event, and proud of the volunteers who show up year after year to staff the water stops and direct the runners. He's not sure why this race, held each year on a Tuesday evening, is so popular - but he's grateful.
He was a past president of the local Lions Club, which sponsors the race, the proceeds of the event are used to aid eye research at Boston area hospitals.
For that, and for its boost to civic pride, the organizers are happy. For the runners, it's a feel-good race with an old-time ambiance that doesn't let you leave without an honest effort.
Before the Falmouth Road Race, there was Newburyport. And even in an era in which Falmouth dominates the summer running scene in Massachusetts, Newburyport retains a very special niche.