Big Dogs

Tuesday night at the Tower - the MCC Tower, that is - so it's time for a MCC Running Club run, this time, heading into Belvidere.

And for THIS run, we had some special guest stars - Big AND Little Dogs - Tom Hildreth, Andrew Cook, and Mary-Jo's dog, Ollie.  You figure out which of those are the big dogs.

Rebecca, and Cherie, fresh off their Tufts 10K outing, proudly showing off their race swag 

On a normal night, these speedsters would be the front runners.  Not so, tonight. 

The rest of the crew 

And the pace setter.  Mary-Jo can barely rein him in.  She got an extra speed burst from Ollie's stamina tonight. 

The Wolf Pack

These streets are ours.  At least until a car comes. 

Still all smiles, at the one-mile mark 

Princesses at their Castle 

The hidden gems in Belvidere.  I'm talking about the runners, not the real estate. 

Ready to Run for the Roses 

Garden variety 

Pramod of the Road 

Pitcher Perfect

Running into the Sun 

Finally, ready to wrap things back up back at the college.

Some runners get sponsorships from companies like Adidas, Nike, Saucony, Powerbar.  Andrew?  He goes for the restaurants.  Gotta go to Moe's.  What can I say, the boy likes his meals.

See you all next Tuesday, where we hit a street with the same name as one of tonight's runners!

We Be JAM Plannin'

Another Tuesday night, where will it take the Middlesex Community College Running Club?  We be jammin' that's where, as we head to the brick canyons of the Jackson Appleton Middlesex (JAM Plan) area to explore the historic canalways and walkways that snake through downtown Lowell

This time, we took the back way out of the college, crossing our quad to take the footbridge out back to Prescott Street.  Sadly, by this point, Jonathan and Richard were off like bolts so you won't be seeing pics of them running through the urban landscape that is Lowell. 

A fine looking edifice, indeed 

Up to the brick canyons of the Jackson Street mills along the Hamilton Canal.

Donna waves off her paparazzi. 

Let's cut through to head over to Dutton Street 

At the gatehouse by the Pawtucket Canal 

Anybody remember the Giant Store?  Used to love their lunch snack bar.  That's it off to the right on the side of the canal 

Sadly, the empty parking lot behind our intrepid runners is one of the local casualties of the federal government shutdown.  The Market Street parking area at the Visitor Center has been one of the unfortunate victims in the shutdown, which doesn't appear to be ending any time soon. 

Beating the traffic on Dutton Street

Our runners have serious loco-motion

Continuing our mill and canal tour, we head on over to Wannalancit

Running off into the sunset behind the dormitories at UMass Lowell

Pramod is a vision silhouetted against the sunset 

The smokestacks at the Lawrence Mills 

Now Pramod's literally walking on air 

And one more on our mill tour - give these folks a Boott!

Back at headquarters, we stop for a promo picture for the Department of Higher Ed, helping to promote the Commonwealth's Vision Project.  We look quite the vision ourselves. 

Next week, time to head back into the neighborhoods!  Watch out Lowell, we're coming to a neighborhood near you!

Get Down with MCC

First Saturday of October, so it's time for the Fitness Trail 5K at Middlesex Community College in Bedford, and the E Streeters and the Lowell Police Academy were there in full force, blazing trails and blazing times.

Pre-race, with the fleet-footed member of the Kenny clan, Finnegan.  Looks like an orange juice commercial to me.

Do. Not. Mess. With. Rebecca.

Working buds, biking buds, now RUNNING buds!

Sean getting sick on the pre-run trail making.  Actually, he's just marking his territory.  Clearly, Tommy is worried about him.

Sean, trying to throw all the other runners off his tracks

And finally, we're off to the races!

Thanks to the horde of Lowell Police Academy runners who packed the field today!

Wouldn't be a Middlesex event without a Public Affairs team picture!

False advertising

I may be wearing number 1, but I still can't anyone to listen to me.

And like a bolt of lightning, we're off!  Tom Hildreth making his strategic move from the outside lane

Which brings us all around to the finish line.  Jackie and Anne were the first to come in.  Don't ask.

Alice, the glue that holds our events together, was close behind them.

Finally, it's time for the official finishers.  First up: Jon Noone!

Followed by Barry, who appears to be howling in pain

Who's number 1?

Tommy, trying desperately to catch Finn, and failing miserably

He can only watch defeated as the 8-year-old leaves him in his dust.

So how do you think Sean feels, watching Tommy cross in front of him? He'll never hear the end of it,. trust me.

Even though there was No Bananas, Ruth still had a terrific showing

Tom Hildreth is looking for something.  Oxygen, maybe?

In Brightest Day, in Blackest Night, no Evil shall escape Mike's sight

Let those who worship evil's might, beware's Mike's power, Green Lantern's Light!

Fresh of the electric run the previous night at Gillette Stadium, Mary-Jo is still glowing!

Probably she knows the course, and knows the finish line is right around the corner

Donna was taking it easy, probably because she still had another 8 more miles to run to meet her goal for the day. 

Either that, or she was saving herself for a finish line dance.

Joined promptly by Alyce O'Connell, who took all the finish line shots (www.alyceoconnell.com)

There is no way these three are up to anything good

Sue Woods started shedding the outer layers once the temps started climbing up

Shea kicks her mom's butt, but at least Jill can still manage a smile over it

Members of Team MCC

My two favorite ladies, bar none.

Talk about an inspirational story - 89-year-old Janet Chin of Burlington read about the race in a newspaper and decided to do it on a whim!  God bless her, she was none the worse for the wear when all was said and done!  Hell, I hope I make it 89, let along manage to do a 3.1 mile race at that age!

Afterwards, it was time for the kid's race.  And as everyone knows, I refuse to grow up.

Finally, with the army of volunteers who make events like these possible

Great job, all!  The proceeds go to the MCC Foundation to help support student scholarships, so your sweat is much appreciated for a great cause!