2007 NER Pub Series X

NER 2007 Pub Series X - The Decade Dance

April 22 - 11th Annual Doyle's Emerald Necklace 5M - Jamaica Plain, MA.
To avoid Easter and a conflict with the James Joyce Ramble and USATF-NE 10K, the venerable classic has moved from a week before Boston to this year's date. Star of the movie Mystic River, Sam Adams' commercials and the choice of champions, almost the entire course runs through traffic-free Franklin Park. Words don't do justice to post-race activities. The cornerstone of the Pub Series.

June 3 - 14th Annual Corrib Pub Classic 5K - W. Roxbury, MA.
Finally, after a six-year conflict with the USATF-NE 5K, the date opened and we're back for a third go-round. One of the earliest and more popular Pub entries, the Corrib course offers a bit of everything followed by a barbeque on Billings Field. We don't know how they work it, but there's never a line for either domestic or imported aqua vitae. Vendors and clubs pitch pop-up tents for this extravaganza.

August 11 - 29th Annual Brew Run 5M - Brewster, MA
RD Tommy Meagher promises a few wrinkles. A huge American Flag is brought out for the national anthem. A race website will go up in June. We'll give the URL as soon as we know it. When the Falmouth Road Race moved to the same weekend, the Brew Run stayed put. With very little fanfare, this Cape race draws 1,000+ runners every year with a huge crowd at the finish line. Eat at the Woodshed by the starting line the day of; stay at the unoffical motel in W. Harwich the night before, diagonally across from the Irish Pub-the perfect place to plot race strategy.

September 16 - 8th Annual Portland Trails "Trail to Ale"10K, Portland, ME .A very popular first-time entry in 2006. Held in one of the country's most popular destination cities. The host Portland Trails, a non-profit, maintains over 30 miles of trails around the greater Portland area. We'll settle for the same 2006 offering - a flat and very scenic 6.2-mile route along the water in Portland's Back Cove. Great post-race affair. With construction at the Shipyard Brewery, the post-race party has been moved a stone's throw away to the Portland Company Complex at 58 Fore St., where Shipyard will be distributing its fine product. A free ride on the Narrow Gauge Railroad is offered to those who don't want to hoof the 1/4-mile from registration to the start line. Last year's Nov/Dec NER cover shot was Pub Queen Christin Doneski racing by the Narrow Gauge.

October 7 - 21st Annual Bobby Bell 5M, Haverhill, MA . Originated over two decades ago as a tongue-in-cheek companion race to the all-female Bonne Bell 10K (Now Tufts 10K) where women ran in direct competition with men. In an ingenious twist, gender graded scoring was introduced last year. Multiplying a woman's time by .88 levels the playing field and provides a very interesting format. RD Dave "Icky" LaBrode oversees a great race, over a challenging but fair course, and awards prizes 10 deep in divisions. Post-race festivities are held in the charming Lasting Rooom Pub by the finish line.
Ad in Sept/Oct NER. Phone 978-373-3408
e-mail Dave LaBrode at Bobby Bell

October 21 - 6th Annual Paddy's Shillelagh Shuffle 3M, October 21 . Music, mucho food and beverage, vendors, a balloon arch. A winner (ala Doyle's) we were lucky to establish early on as our grand finale. The USATF certified course is flat and fast, the O'Hara brothers (proprieters) are generous to a fault and RD Mark Kelly is always adding somethong unique - this year it's ChampionChip timing. A tour of the Irish artifacts in Paddy's is worth the trip alone (but do try the Guinness).
1,012 finishers in 2006. Won by Paul Ryan in 14:35 and Christin Doneski in 17:44.
Ad in Sept/Oct NER. Phone 617-212-0703.

The awards party for those who've done at least five of the six Pub Series races to be announced for early Dec. in the world famous Fitzgerald Room at Doyle's.