The All-Important Rules of Engagement: Anyone and everyone is encouraged to participate in the Pub Series. For those wishing to be scored, to be eligible for $ and other swag at the Serie’s end party at Doyle’s (must have done at least 5 of the Series’ races), as well as the Pub Series jacket for doing all six Serie’s races, you need to be a subscriber to NER (if you’re married or living in sin, one per household will do) no later than the third race of the Series (July 2 – Pat Polletta), and you need to participate in five of the six races; hence, “Five to Stay Alive.” Hence: “Miss one, have your fun; Miss two, you’re through” – with apologies to Thunderdome.
Publicans: If you’re aware of someone who has yet to be baptized in the redemptive text of NER, please advise them of the Pat Polleta deadline before it hits them like a Mike Tyson rib shot.
Series End $ goes $150-125-100-75-50 for men’s and women’s Open 1-5 (Masters get bumped up to Open if in top 5) with $50 to all age-division winners and 2-3 prizes in all divisions at the Doyle’s wrap-up party (along with food & beverage).
Line-up for NER Pub Series XI
April 13 – 12th Annual Doyle’s Emerald Necklace 5M, Jamaica Plain, MA – 11 am
Run out of world famous Doyle’s Cafe, the creme-dela-creme of Publican purvey and the Cornerstone of the New England Runner Pub Series The certified course is run almost entirely in Franklin Park. Rolling and tres scenic with bagpipers at the mile.
A sesmic partyfollows, inside and out, with DJ’s blaring, Interactive Simon Says, food and free pouring copious libation.
The fun-loving and politically connected Burke’s rule the roost here. The historical confines of Doyle’s feature the aptly named Fitzgerald Room, site of NER’s annual Pub Series award party in December.
There’s an application in the Jan/Feb issue of NER and another will be posted to the Calendar section of this website.
May 10 – 8th Annual Cape Cod Irish Village 5M, Yarmouth, MA, Saturday, May 10, 11:00 am
“Cead mile failte” (A hundred thousand welcomes) from RD Kevin Enright and the mighty men of the South Yarmouth Fire Dept. After two (2) Nor’easters this race is well worth the gamble a third time around. Special $99/person double occupancy package at the Irish Village includes the Pasta Dinner on Friday night, race number, t-shirt, 2 breakfasts and a dinner. Or just stay overnight for a low $59.
The course is flat and fast (when not running into a 60 mph headwind), out to Seagull Beach and back. The race is sponsored by Guinness and co-sponsored by Harp and Smithwicks. There’s plentiful food and music and aqua vitae back at the Irish Village.
Kevin then invites everybody to experience the Hammond-Spinney-LeBrun (as in NER’s Michelle LeBrun) ‘Trail to Ruin’ that departs at 5:00 pm and travels 400 yards to the post-post race party at Molly’s
For more info contact RD Kevin Enright or check out: this link
July 2 – 30th Pat Polletta 5K, Salisbury, MA, Wednesday, 6:30 pm
Kudos to RD Mike Fiene of the host Winner’s Circle Running Club for keeping this perennial favorite alive. The course is flat with one hill with the last mile run on a rail trail, starting and finishing at the Winner’s Circle Sports Bar.
Pat Polletta was well know in the running community and was the former running coach at Amesbury High School. Proceeds from the race help out athletic programs at Amesbury HS. There’s $ for the overall male and female winners and prizes to age-groupers through the 70+ division…and yes, there is fluid replenishment available within the Winner’s Circle Sports Bar.
Mike can be reached at 978-462-1915 or e-mailed at Mike Fiene
For more info and a downloadable application visit: Run the Circle and scroll down the homepage.
July 13 – 17th Annual Khoury’s State Spa 4.13M, Somerville, MA, Sunday, 10:00 am
One of the “Original Six” from the inaugural 1998 NER Pub Series, the malt & hops tour last visited exotic Khoury’s State Spa in the summer of 2003, before (we think) there was a fire and the interior was remodeled. So maybe it’s not the same decor as when the Winter St. Hill gang would gargle a whiskey as they reloaded…but it’s the same location, which means female moxie and male machismo will be needed in the first mile as Broadway climbs to the top of Winter St. Hill under a blazing sun. After that, ‘Piece ‘O Cake’.
There are singular awards for Clydesdale/Filly’s, Wheelchair and 85+ with prizes going three deep in regular age-groups up through 70+. A kid’s race precedes the main event. Will the IT Band play?…we’re not sure. If you like it hoppy, Harpoon is one of the race sponsors. Don’t order a pomegranite martini here unless you want it upside the head.
The magnificent men and women of the Somerville Road Runners host the event and Khoury’s has a storied running/racing/party past (& future). Robin Shor, Jim Sullivan and Jim Sweeney wear the tri-cornered RD’s cap. Robin can be reached at 617-524-1121, info reached at Summer Steamer and the website visited at: Somerville Road Runners
October 12 – 22nd Annual Bobby Bell 5M, Haverhill, MA, Sunday, 11:00
Another of the “Original Six” from a time when people actually realized that the Bobby Bell was a take-off on the all-female Bonne Bell that preceded the Tufts 10K. The solution: You employ gender-graded scoring and put everyone on equal footing. Women’s times are multiplied by .88 and the Open division goes 12 deep and the Masters division goes 10 deep with 80+ going three deep. There’s also an extensive Clydesdale category.
The overall result? Last year, Pub Series queen Christin Doneski won the whole enchilada with the Hurtin’ For Certain Striders Brendan Lynch scoring second. The aforementioned Jim Sullivan (Khoury’s above) won his first prize in the Masters division, and also won a prize for 1st in the Beer Line while his wife later awarded him 1st in the Dog House.
There’s a buffet that takes place on the ground level of the host Lasting Room Pub while the festivities transpire upstairs. The oh-so-cozy Lasting Room Pub is located on the second floor of an old shoe mill (hence the Pub’s name) overlooking the majestic Merrimac River. The Lasting Room locale was the only building to survive the Great Haverhill Fire of 1882. We don’t know what that means, but it means something.
Like hills? Bobby’s got ’em. The course does, however, feature a mile-long downhill screamer in the last 1.5-miles. A great post-race hootenanny overseen by RD Dave “Icky” Labrode and his cohorts. Dave can be e-mailed at: Icky LaBrode
Oct. 19 – 7th Annual Paddy’s Shillelagh Shuffle 3M, Newton, MA – 11:30 am
The Grand Finale of the Pub Series. Shillelagh’s to the winners, music, food and drink for all (And What Food!), raffles and O’Hara Brother’s hospitality have made this a Classic in the making. A record field in 2007 on a flat, lightening fast USATF certified course previously used (when uncertified and short) by the Troubador Trot and Cherry Tree Three.
Bar maidens wait in Karl’s VIP Alley with a galaxy of offerings (we’re talking beverage), there’s a DJ, vendors and a festive, Irish flair to the proceedings. RD Mark Kelly personally oversees the balloon arch by the race start. ChampionChip timing was introduced last year as the race hit a record 1500 entrants.
A bagpiper serenades runners awaiting the start while Division leaders wear the maillot jeune while striding along Newton’s Champs D’Elysee. The race shirts are cult classics, sans advertising beyond the race name and the Guinness Toucan. Prizes goes 3-deep starting with 14-under and extending through 70+. For directions, etc. visit: Paddy’s Road Race Runners