A Wicked Good Blog

My Award Winning Wife

2012-02-14T19:43:00.011-05:00

Couldn't let Valentine's Day, the day of sweethearts everywhere, pass without a beaming proud nod to my beautiful wife, Jackie, who took home a Civilian Achievement Award at last night's Lowell Police Department annual awards ceremony.

Dying of embarrassment at the honor, imagine how painful it was for her to join the dignitaries at the front of the Hall of Flags at the Lowell Memorial Auditorium while Deputy Superintendent Arthur Ryan Jr. read Jackie's accomplishments to the crowd.Jackie is responsible for submitting all of the city of Lowell's crime reports to the FBI, a task that allows the city to apply for and receive millions of dollars in federal grants. It looks like she's honoring a moment of silence here, but she's really just painfully shy and mortified at being in the spotlight.The LPD Records Section handles over 22,000 reports annually, and all of the reports have to be chronicled and submitted electronically to the FBI. Now imagine having to READ all those reports! Here she gets a big thank you from LPD Superintendent Ken Lavallee.City Manager Bernie Lynch, Senator Eileen Donoghue, Mayor Patrick Murphy, and City Councilors Rita Mercier, Marty Lorrey and Bill Martin were on hand to congratulate my sweetie.

And of course, her family support network was on hand, including an escapee from Holy Cross, and Jack's nephew John.Not to mention our beautiful daughter, only too happy to display her mom's citation, and Jack's sis, Annie.

And of course, the obligatory Fantastic Four shot, with smiles and pride all around:

Give it up for Jackie! She got the spotlight last night, but we're proud of her all year 'round!

Running Giants

2012-02-06T18:54:00.022-05:00

Sunday saw a double-header for many in the E Streeter running circle, with nearly everyone showing off their red-white-and-blue colors to support the Patriots, playing later that day in the ill-fated Super Bowl.

The line-up at the start/finish of the monthly N0 Bananas race on the Bruce Freeman trail in Chelmsford, with guest E Streeter, the legendary Scott Graham!
The Twin Towers, two pieces of a triple threat that would start the day running No Bananas, then hustling over to the other side of Lowell for the Super 5K.
Surpassing the excitement levels for the football game later in the day and hoping to settle their rivalry once and for all, 21:07 and 21:10 squared off on the trail. Right away, 21:10 made his move.

Scott Graham, taking a break from the dangerous roads of Westford, is scoping out the terrain. But hey, how'd we get that picture from in front of him? Could your intrepid running photog have been in the front of the pack?

Other members of the No Bananas competitors knew it was only a matter of time before Tommy and Carlos made their respective moves.

At the finish, Tom Hildreth still has plenty of wind left in his sails, which is a good thing, because he's the third fool headed over to a second 5K race a little while later.

At a balmy 17 degrees, the February outing was another success for Madame Banana Ruth Whalen Crockett.But wait. What's this? The finishing times as recorded in permanent ink? Do mine eyes deceive me? Is that Tommy at 25:32 and Carlos at 25:33? I guess this puts those rivalry questions to bed once and for all, eh?

From there, it's off to the Super 5K where Mike kept his shirt on, much to his son Brennan's relief.

You know, the dreadlocks SEEMED like a fun idea at the time. This is why I keep my hair so short.Barry can only look on in astonishment as Mike blows past all his competitors. Credit to Ted Tyler over at http://www.jimrhoades.com/ for race course photos and kudos to Race Director Rhoades, there to shake every finisher's hand personally as they crossed the finish line at the Lowell Elks.Barry cackles to himself, knowing he's going to blow past all posers right at the finish line.Terry Glenn came out of retirement to make a special appearance on behalf of the Patriots.The dreadlocks were billowing straight out behind me when I was running faster.

You DON'T want to know what the woman in white did to Mike at the finish line.Anne and Val kept a steady pace along Pawtucket Boulevard. Anne kicked it in for the finish, looking worried that Mike be shirtless at the finish line.Finally, the E Streeters showing their Pats pride. So what if the hometown team lost, we're still fans and we'll be back watching again next year! Remember, it's only a game and it's only a race. Unless, that is, you're Carlos being beaten by Tommy by one second yet again. Oh well, there's always next year!

Gloat the Ravens? Nevermore

2012-01-22T08:58:00.007-05:00

This is a piece I wrote for today's Lowell Sun, in honor of this afternoon's AFC face-off betwixt the Pats and Ravens. With apologies to Edgar Allan Poe.

Once upon a January dreary, an important football game drew neary,
A team of mighty Ravens spread their wings and roared;
And came the mighty Patriots never bitter, says Ochocinco, he of Twitter,
Our Team's focused not on snow or score;
The Pats are ready for their visitors, knocking on the AFC door
Standing in the way of Super Bowl victory Number Four.
"Slow down," says Coach Bill. "Only this game. Nothing more."

Ah, distinctly, I remember, it was back in bleak November
When the pundits labeled the Pats as ghosts of Pats teams yore.
Yet to the Jets' and Broncos' dismay, valiantly they reached the game today
Another battle in the quest for Super Bowl victory Number Four.
But before those victory marches take place 'neath the Gillette arches,
Lie one more challenge, that of Baltimore.

And here in Lowell, 'neath a fresh blanket of snow,
Is a link to poet Edgar Allan Poe.
It's a tavern, to some a haven, that played host to Poe, post-Raven,
In the shadow of City Hall's spire, across the street from Goodyear Tire,
Lies the Worthen, its flags a-wavin', 'neath a sign sporting Poe's Raven,
Not Baltimore's.

Once a House quite uncanny, it's where Poe, it's said, met Annie,
And would frequent several times in days of yore.
Trips to Westford and to Lowell, all to meet with his good "friend,"
And by-the-by, where did the vaunted Raven's author meet his end?
Why, Baltimore!

And so tomorrow, the other Ravens, we will pity, watching here in the Mill City
As the Ravens' vaunted players, just the latest Brady nay-sayers,
Watch the Patriots march down the field and score.
Yes, Tom Brady, king of Uggs, will make short work of Terrell Suggs,
As darkness falls once more on Baltimore.

Have the Ravens, by perchance, heard about our guy named Branch?
But before their team is collared, watch for Raven hits from Marcus Pollard,
And Ray Lewis, well he'll still be a boor.
And of course the Pats will heed the braggard boasts of Edward Reed,
You know the Pats collect the quotes of Baltimore.

If the waiting makes you sick, keep the faith in Belichick.
He's withstood all of the crying, from the jealous like Rex Ryan,
He's the mastermind, you know, who found a way to stop Tebow.
He's focused on ONE GAME, nothing more.
Bill's got tons of playbook manuals, and don't forget there's Josh McDaniels.
Belichick's got his sights fixed firm on the Ravens of Baltimore.

So tailgate with your dips and tacos, Bill's ready for QB Joe Flacco.
At press conferences, they'll all play nice, but trust me, there's a plan for Ray Rice.
And to no one but themselves they're beholdin', but they're ready for Anquan Boldin.
On Monday morning, they'll be sore.
And Welker, Wilfork, Light and Gronk? Their horns on Monday we'll be proud to honk.
Just keep perspective Pats: First beat Baltimore.

And so the Ravens, never flitting, will be sitting, will be sitting,
Surrounded today by the mighty Gillette roars;
Their eyes will have all the seeming of a demon that is dreaming
Watching as the Pats rack up the score.
And our souls from winter's shadow shall rise soaring, higher more
And our spirits will be lifted as our Pats seek Super Bowl victory Number Four!

Check it out on-line at the Sun's website here: http://www.lowellsun.com/local/ci_19794538

Course, my favorite version of this poem remains:And if you're worried about the game, don't be: our Brady's ready:Needless to say, go Pats!

Frost Giants

2012-01-21T10:32:00.012-05:00

"Neither snow nor rain not heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds. Or runs." - the E Streeters creed.

"Turn on your f'n lights!" - Another E Streeters creed.

Snow? Snow problem. That won't stop the E Streeters from hitting not only the mean streets of Westford, but the treacherous trails too! Great 10 miler this a.m. with the crew, though visibility was tough, not to mention the footing!

Joining us for today's run, special guest celebrity Andy Rooney! As Barry noted, this picture was taken of these two Klingons on the ice planetMike's still all smiles, though, and raring to do more mileage!As Ryan quickly discovered, facial hair is not always a bonus in driving snow.At the halfway mark, ready for round two!The trails were all ours today, no one else in sight!John won't be missed running in the woods with his hunter's yellow jacket.Afterwards, the group shot, taken by another group of idiots heading out to run. Can you believe those morons running in these conditions?

Bucking Broncos

2012-01-14T14:12:00.015-05:00

First, to be clear, the blog title says BUCKING.
So, the E Streeters set out this morning on a meandering 11-mile voyage through the wonderful trails of Carlisle's Great Brook forest, for what will go down in history as an unforgettable outing. For reasons that will soon become apparent.
We should have taken this as a sign.This morning's outing featured the largest group run yet to date, Ocean's Eleven, if you will. Jonathan volunteered to take the picture for the momentous occasion.Right out of the gate, we were faced with some interesting challenges, as the snow and rainfall of the past couple of days combined to make for some icy conditions, especially at some stream crossings. Here, Tommy does his best balancing act to show us how it's done. Sean, however, seeking to blaze new trails of E Streeter glory today took a leap of faith across an icy stretch that landed him on a wooden bridge. That promptly began sinking.Quickly, the E Streeter pioneering team quickly set to grabbing nearby fallen trees and logs to create a safe path back for our intrepid leader. Or at least some of them did.After a couple of unsuccessful attempts, which included a dousing for Sean in the frigid waters (marked in blue on Sean's trail map, according to Scott), he was able to teeter across one of the fallen logs into the waiting arms of the Brothers Scanlon, which is a scary thing to write, let alone experience. Those who weren't taking pictures of the event were undoubtedly frantically trying to help their stranded friend.With the life-saving rescue behind us, we were off for the second, less treacherous leg!Jonathan and Andrew just know they're heading for the blog when they see the camera go up mid-run.Were there any town-lines on the course? Why yes, there were! And who took it? Well, photos don't lie.....The lonely life of the long-distance winter runner.

And with that, another trail run is in the books. Still doing trails in January in New England for as long as we can! From now on, though, we'll avoid those floating bridges.

On to tonight's showdown between the Patriots and the Broncos!

No Bananas Love

2012-01-08T14:31:00.034-05:00

You'd think it was Valentine's Day, with all the love in abundance at today's No Bananas 5K race on the Freeman Trail in Chelmsford. As far as the eye could see, husbands and wives abounded, in the first No Bananas of the New Year. Apparently the race has become the latest rage in bringing husbands and wives closer together! And while Top Banana Ruth Whalen, seen here at left, couldn't run today, she was able to convince her husband Jonathan Crockett to stick to his New Year's resolution to stop making excuses for missing the No Bananas series and drag his butt out to run the event!Huge numbers, the highest yet, turned out for today's outing!Pre-race, some of the E Streeters prepare for a race for the agesBananas are scarce in the winter, and not allowed at this race, so series frontman Michael Gilmore proudly scraped together another victory todayExchanging knowing glances, Barry and I know our rolling roadblock tactic will immediately handicap the competitionAlong the way and in keeping the with the romance of the day, some of the E Streeters stop to share a hug with their sweetiesWith the love of their wives buoying their spirits, three of the E Streeters are ready to head to the finishJohn even took a detour to go visit the scene of the historic Pomeranian attack. (Google the reference if you've never heard of it, it's legendary.) Luckily, there were none to be found today.Post-race, the E Streeter men are all smiles as they await their better halves finishingRapid-fire, here's a flurry of finish-line shots:But wait! As the final times were entered into the log, what's this? Tommy fell a second off-pace from his fellow E Streeters! Apparently, without Carlos there to challenge him, the days of 21:07 are a thing of the past.His fellow runners are just aghast at the finish. Sean just looks disgusted with him.Could it have been the sneakers, purchased just yesterday?Maybe it was the running app on his iphoneLuckily, since this was the love-is-in-the-air version of No Bananas, he had a symphathetic ear to plead his case to. The rest of us? We don't want to hear it.Weather permitting, we'll see everyone in February for some frozen bananas!

A Souper Two-Fer New Year's Run -

2012-01-01T14:41:00.021-05:00

Another New Years Day, so naturally, another Soup Run from John's house for the E Streeters, continuing what has become an enduring tradition that spans generations. Today's crew, flanking Souperwoman Karen, who plans months ahead for this event.This year's features included a Tuscan minestrone and a garlic chicken noodle, seen here. Barry, commence with the salivating.Sean, scoping out the three route options that John mapped out and posted on the fridge for First Run consideration, dejectedly realizes his quest for the first town line of 2012 will not be an easy one.The Souperstar of the day, Karen, who, for the record, took the first official E Streeter running town lines of 2012.

Pre-run, Andrew volunteered to stand guard over the soup to protect it from overzealous Barrys.

Just 46 seconds into the run, Barry broke one New Year's resolution by running headlong into a branch. In his defense, he insist his brother Tom hit him with it, though as evidenced by this photo, Tom is well out of the picture at the point of impact. Exactly half a second later, Barry broke a second New Year's resolution by firing off the first official curse of 2012. Scott, in turn, promptly broke his resolution by laughing at a running mate in pain.

John apparently didn't go out to blaze the trail behind his own house, as he was immediately surprised by a fallen tree across our path. Tsk.

But once we orienteered our way around the impasse, all was back to normal.You've heard of rolling roadblocks? The E Streeter version shut down traffic on Westford roads, albeit there was no one actually awake or driving on said roads.

Think Chariots of Fire, and you can visualize our Offensive Line here:Sporting swag from three different Boston Marathons, it's an imposing sight.

Blinded by the light, we persevere, charting our way into the neighborhood where Scott and Joey once lived together, even though they never saw one another.

50 degree temperatures dealt us a surprise start to this year's running weather!

The rainbow collection

Heading into the final stretch toward Illusion Bridge, there's one thing on everyone's minds

He wasn't the first runner in, but Barry takes the gold medal when it comes to a soup line, claiming first broth. This is the first of his soup trilogy.

Finally, the spoils of war await.

For yet another year, great to have everyone still out there running with us. Glad everyone is still healthy enough to be running, and thanks to our extended E Streeter families, who are there for us all year long, supporting us throughout all of the ups and downs of running year-round in New England. Here's to a healthy and happy 21:07 - oops, sorry, 2012 to all!

The 1,000 Mile High Club

2011-12-31T11:22:00.016-05:00

An historic run for the E Streeters today as Tommy Scanlon roared past the 1,000 mile mark for what he thinks is the first time ever, with a 10+ mile trail run in the Mine Falls Park in Nashua, N.H.

Tommy was joined by his fellow 2011 Marathon Men (except for Ryan Scanlon, who was notching his mileage in the Ocean State), and to commemorate, purely by coincidence, some of us broke out the swag from the 2010 Boston Marathon. A fashion gaffe, yes, but it gave us the air of looking like gangstas when running in another state.And to look the gangsta part, here's the chin stroke line-up to confirm it:Andrew crosses the bridge at Khazad Dum, and unlike the Balrog, he did pass.Barry was running so fast today, he was a blur.By the way, if you haven't checked it out yet, scope out Barry's running blog through the Lowell Sun at http://runningthevalley.wordpress.com/

When you're exploring new trails, it's always nice to have a map handy. Now if only they could read it.Troubled on a Bridge over Water:At one point, Andrew got separated from the group, but worry not - from out of the woods we heard the familiar locator cry of Carloooossss, and the E Streeters were reunited.At the end of his 1,000 mile trek, Tommy can manage a fist bump, but wonders where the perks are that come with being a member of the Mile High Club instead.That's not fog rolling in off these weary wanderers, it's steam.Congrats to all the extended E Streeter family for another successful year of logging the miles, whether it was running, walking, cycling, swimming, on streets, trails, bikes, or treadmills. On to the next 1,000!

An E Streeter Christmas

2011-12-24T13:58:00.038-05:00

'Twas the day before Christmas, the temperature was rotten
But all was not lost, E Streeters were running in Groton

A brisk 24 degrees, some decided to can it,
But all of us knew Scott needed help with his graniteA hot breakfast would be waiting, a menu most grand,
Thanks to Susan, dear Susan, coffee cup in her hand. The breakfast, you see, was the true Groton draw,
Just ask these two men, fine brothers-in-lawIn Groton on trails, the water it freezes,
Giving grown men the chance to talk about baby cheeses

Today's trails were terrific, up hills high and low,

If you got lost, no worries, Scott knew where to goSome other E Streeters were dining on hams,
While this stalwart group had to climb beaver damsThe terrain it was tough, it could set men to cryin'
But not this E Streeter, no sir, not our Ryan

We ran on the trails for quite a long while,

We get best results when we run single file

At the halfway point, Scott was just doin' fine,

Out in Groton, the home of good old-fashioned moonshine

The E Streeter bunch, in the early morning fog,

Picture taken by Barry, for use on his blogOn the home stretch we head, everyone feeling just fab
But feeling quite worried, remembering that slab

At the end, in Scott's driveway, a pooped E Streeter pup,

But Ryan's got enough energy for one last thumb's up

We laughed at the granite in spite of ourselves,

And a special thank you to Sue's two kitchen elves

All as one, we did gather, feeling quite broken-hearted,

Knowing that finally, it was time to get started

When the heavy lifting started, somehow John, he was gone

But things were under control with Andrew looking on

We began the long journey, one step at a time,

This job would have been easier when we were in our prime

John made it to the party, albeit a tad late,

He made it in time for us to pass through the gate

Thought it might not actually seem it, 700 pounds were quite hard,

An eternity later, and we made it to the yard

With John ably shouting our paces in reps,

We began the tricky process of tackling the steps

Then Scott had a revelation, he said Holy Spit!

I don't think I measured if this thing it would fit!

With Sue looking on, her nerves quite a wreck,

We finally made it onto the back deck

With words of encouragement from Heather, Court, and Sue,

We said okay, we're here, NOW what do we do?

I know Scott was grateful for the help from his chaps,

But really, the day, it was saved by the straps

The stove slab did get planted with guts, brawn and hustle,

Good thing Scott's got friends who boast lots of muscle

We sat down to breakfast, pretty soon it was gone,

And all around the table, everyone asked "where was Sean?"

There were eggs, there was bacon, there were vitamin waters,

And for Scott and I, our two beautiful daughters

As we left from the Spences, saying bye to our bros,

We yelled Merry Christmas, and of course, Carlooooooos!

Merry Christmas to the entire extended E Streeter family!

E Streetebowers

2011-12-17T10:54:00.015-05:00

We're nothing if not opportunists.

With the New England Patriots ready to square off tomorrow against the Denver Broncos and their quarterback whose name escapes me, the E Streeters figured today's run provided us with a chance to pay our own homage to the frenzy. Well most of us, at least. Carlos apparently hasn't caught the wave yet.The E Streeters took our Saturday run to the trails of Great Brook in Carlisle, one of the truly best circuits of trails to be found anywhere in our area for a great 7 mile run this morning.
The run featured the return of Andrew, home from Holy Cross for the Christmas break!

And it was all downhill from there. (Look at Sub-4 Sean setting the pace out front.)
If you've never checked out Great Brook, it's a must-see, whether you're a cross country trail runner or skier, though we're thankful that on December 17th, we're still able to be running on the trails, free of ice and snow. Sorry skiers!

Sporting our best Christmas colors, this father-son duo is outstanding in their field.Shots during the run courtesy of the iphone. And just in case you're wondering how we capture some of these award-winning pics after it's all said and done? Here's The Tripod Trailrunner himself, John Piekos.

Best of luck to the Pats tomorrow!

Jack Rabbits

2011-12-11T13:33:00.024-05:00

The extended E Streeters family took to the Bruce Freeman Trail this morning for an important cause, raising money for Jack Christianson, who is bravely fighting leukemia. All of the proceeds from today's run and walk are being used to help Jack's family cope with so many other costs as they help their son tackle the disease. (And if you couldn't make it today, any donations are still welcome! Checks can be made payable to the Christianson Family Fund, c/o Krisy Ostrowski, and can be mailed to Kristy at 6 Margate Road, Nashu, N.H., 03062!) Please donate if you can, especially during this holiday season!

Pre-race, the extended E Streeters, now adding kids' bicycles to our repertoire.

Jill took the early lead, right out of the gate, but alas, it would not last long.Because Tommy wasted no time in blowing by herHere he is again, all smiles now, feeling satisfied with himself because he's crushed Jill in his wake.Sean and Barry, with their pace bike.At least one of the Scanlon boys would prove he had a chivalrous side today, though.Me, trying to figure out why the Scanlon boys are dressed in identical running suits.We're still all smiles at this point.Shea took off before her dad could take her bike and ride it back in.No bananas, and no husband (Jonathan was home tossing his Christmas cookies), Ruth was no nonsense out on the trail today!Surpisingly, none of us were even able to come close to catching Kara Haas, who makes us all look sadly old and and amazingly slow. An E Streeter alone, Tom Hildreth is trying to figure out where everyone is!Apparently, Anne walks the Freeman Trail every week, because our cameras keep picking her up out there.Dos corazons, en amor:This could have made for a great Christmas card, but the Kennys already got this year's mailed out.Post-ride, Shea found a quiet corner and took up a position that many of us feel like assuming after so many of our runs. Thanks again to everyone for turning out, and congratulations to the organizers, who pulled in quite a healthy number of participants to give Jack and his family a helping hand this holiday season!

Nashobananas or No Show Bananas?

2011-12-04T10:12:00.024-05:00

Today was the final No Bananas 5K in the 2011 version of the free racing series on the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail in Chelmsford, and it went off in frigid 28 degree temperatures!
But not everyone was happy today. Tommy, for some reason, seemed especially distressed (for reasons to be revealed later.)

There was a new top dog at this month's race, Kona. Pre-race, folks are getting ready to close out the season without any bananas. Sadly, the race went off again without Middlesex Community College Fitness Fireball Jonathan Crockett, who was home "painting," most likely with a big heaping bowl of Chocolate Frosted Sugar Bombs.

You never know who you're going to see out on the Freeman Trail.Two of the regular bananas finish up strong, including the Painter's Wife, at right.Post-race, the E Streeters who showed are all smiles.Tommy, though, still seems bothered by something. Could he be trying to give us a clue here?I wore special gear for today's race, honoring the Division 2 Super Bowl Champion Nashoba Chieftains, who cruised to an undefeated season yesterday, finishing the year at 13-0Who's on that Super Bowl Champion team? Why my nephew, Benjamin Nicholson, the hulking #78 seen here.

Of course, Ben had his cheering section present for yesterday's Super Bowl at Fitchburg State University. Congrats, Ben!

Meanwhile, back at No Bananas, we finally get to the bottom of Tommy's plight. It seems 21:07 was missing his running buddy, 21:10. Apparently he thought today was the day they could settle it once and for all. Alas.

Oh well, there's always next year's No Bananas. Stay tuned to the weather reports to see if we'll be running the race in January!

There's a Lot to Like About Tyngsboro

2011-12-03T11:17:00.018-05:00

Okay, so it doesn't have the panache of Lowell's award-winning marketing slogan, but the town of Tyngsboro was in need of some TLC, after receiving some bad-rap from some suburbanites afraid of the holiday shoppers, cell phone users, and fruit lovers in town.

So what better way to help boost the town's image than a run with the E Streeters?

In Tyngsboro, you can run on main roads, with no cars in sight!Here we are on the historic, albeit temporary, Tyngsboro Bridge:
Which is really safe and fun, until those treacherous winds blow: In Tyngsboro, the sun is always shining: And traffic safety markings help protect runners and pedestrians alike:The trails are wide open and devoid of those pesky hunters:They even give their trails cute names. We're thinking of renaming this one Barry's Bane:The trails afford you multiple opportunities to pose for bravado shots:And families come together in Tyngsboro, especially when they're wearing the same sports gear, made even more impressive when it shows that yes, they did indeed run the Boston Marathon!So come on, give the town of Tyngsboro a chance.

If you're interested, you can find out even more about the town's rich history and offerings here:
http://www.tyngsboroughma.gov/

In the meantime, in case you're wondering if the E Streeters will be back for more fun and exercise on the safe streets and trails of Tynsgboro, this picture should say it all:

Turkeys Can Run!

2011-11-24T11:06:00.028-05:00

Biggest E Streeter turnout ever for a race at this morning's Thanks4Giving 5k (and for Tommy, 10K) race in Lowell, to benefit the Alternative House.

A cold start to the day at a balmy 27 degrees, but everyone was hot on their feet as they looped through Pawtucketville for the annual Thanksgiving tradition. And as always, apple pies awaited everyone at race's end!

Some pre-race, race course, and post-race pics to share with everyone:

Crammed into the start, a large contigent of the E Streeters try to psyche out their challengers:
Home from Holy Cross, and ready to carry the torch for this father-son duo:Three of the brightest men on the course:

A mother-and child reunion, home from Wellesley to run wild in Lowell:

The Trudels in matching running gear:Somewhere in this crush of people is a hand waving. It belongs to Donna Corbin. She and Mary-Jo Griffin tried valiantly to muscle their way to the front:With a Godfather like Barry, Ryan was well-protected on the course: Yes, Sean was indeed beating Scott, Tommy and I for a brief stretch of the race:

Obviously, because we were too busy talking. Here's Scott, flanked by his official Boston Marathon gear Clydesdale bodyguards:

Victoria is either signalling victory or getting ready for a fight:

Brennan was the first Cassidy to cross the finish line:

Mary-Jo is still all smiles, even though she didn't get a tee-shirt out of the deal:

Barry and Jack Minch put on a final burst. Killian had already left them in his dust:

The Trudels take it home!

The Kenny family Christmas card! (Fresh off beating his father in the No Bananas race on Sunday, Finn sat this race out.)

D.J. represents, with her Keene State official running togs:

Afterwards, Brennan was happy to bring home the pie for the Cassidy clan: It's all about the pie, as these two guys clearly know. And yes, they are both wearing Boston Marathon gear. Have they ever run it? Why yes, they did....Sporting their MCC hats and neck warmers, Team MCC is all over the place with races these days.

Making her E Streeter debut, Anne Scanlon (on the left) finishes up the final leg. Little does she know her husband is hot on her heels.

And finally, the lonely life of the 10K runner. Special props to Tommy, who didn't get enough of the course, so he looped it twice!

Once again, thankful to have everyone here for another Thanksgiving day race. Thankful that we're all healthy enough to run. And thankful for friendships that have spanned more than 30 years! E Streeters, don your feedbags, it's time to eat!

No Bananas - Literally!

2011-11-20T18:32:00.013-05:00

An unseasonably warm November morning brought the runners out to the Bruce Freeman Trail in Chelmsford again this morning for the monthly edition of the No Bananas 5K race - this time marked with an appearance of a No Bananas empty banana peel! (We had to pinch hit since top banana Jonathan chose to stay home in his feety-pajamas and have a second bowl of Fruit Loops, most likely with a banana in it.) A new member joined the competition this week, a freaky, sticky, wooden train conductor who stands guard at the now-gated Chelmsford Ginger Ale plaza. Here's some of the intrepid runners pre-race.

And like a flash, they're out of the gate!

An early leader, Mike Gilmore's not even stopping to enjoy the fall foliage. Must be all the trail running and training he's doing with the E Streeters that gave him his racing edge.

A beautiful fall sight - father and son, running side-by-side...

....That is, until the son blows his father's doors off and leaves him in his dust.

Finishing up a two-fer (and early morning run with Petey's Pack to start the day), yet still No Bananas gets the thumbs up!

The No Bananas Maven herself, finishing strong!

A father-mother-and-son trio finish up, and yet again, Finn beats dad in.

Post-race, basking in their glorious victory, the E Streeters extended family is ready for the next edition, weather-permitting, in December!

Veterans Runners

2011-11-13T09:41:00.006-05:00

A hardy team of MCC students, faculty, staff, and friends took to the streets of Bedford and the roads of MCC's Bedford campus on Veterans Day for the second annual Veterans Day 5K and 10K.

Biting cold conditions to start the day, but as soon as the sun came out, things warmed up quickly. While it wasn't as stirring a version as could be found at the Chamberas race in Carlisle, the Star-Spangled Banner here was equally inspirational.

Representing the E Streeters in the 10K leg, during which the trio posted RECORD TIMES for their 10K racing careers, the three stooges themselves:

Courtesy of the over-the-shoulder run cam, here's Donna minutes after climbing the Mount Everest hill in the middle of the 5K course.

And finally, post-race, Mary-Jo and I are either running for office, advertising V for Vendetta, or just joining the hundreds of others who turned out to honor the men and women in our armed services. Thanks for protecting us worldwide, and thanks to Team MCC for a great outing on the local racing circuit!

Muddy and Muggy

2011-10-03T21:26:00.027-04:00

This weekend was the second annual MCC Fitness Trail 5K Challenge, and the E Streeter trail marking team was back on the job. A great time had by everyone, even with the muddy conditions along some stretches of the trail not to mention the humid weather conditions! The race was for a great cause, though, benefitting MCC's Foundation, which supports student scholarships. (Finish line photos courtesy of Alyce O'Connell.)
Here's the intrepid trailmarkers, ready to embark on their first 5K warm-up. Ever wonder what the Kenyans wear for footwear in inclement weather? Hint: it's not Market Basket bags.Who's number 1? Why that would be last year's winner. Who finished second last year? Who knows.

And they're off!From the John Piekos school of running: Always know where the camera is.Making his way into the Bedford quad, finishing a healthy 3rd in this year's race, is Scott:

Carlos, holding his own. Where did he finish last year?Racemaster JonathanSean gets a high-five from his cheering sectionTommy's not going to let this guy pass him at the finish line.....is he? Barry holds off the young challengerWearing the Holy Cross purple: Making a return to the running circuit, the most beautiful girl in the race:The husband-and-wife tandem of Kris and Jen Pisarik. She's pulling him across the finish. Scott poses for his mugshot.And Heather takes top prize. At least in my eyes. Great job all, see you next October!

Walking the Walk!

2011-09-18T22:20:00.016-04:00

Sunday was the annual Jimmy Fund Walk to fight cancer, this year, with a name change in honor of "Bumpa," who passed away last month. The walkers were familiar faces and the spirit was the same, but there was an extra bounce in everyone's step in honor of Donald Nicholson. Maybe that explains why the pace was faster than normal!

Jackie and Annie (a celebratory survivor) did the half-marathon trek along the Boston Marathon course, from Wellesley into Boston. They were joined at Boston College, as always, by Heather and John. Here, the Fantastic Four give their thumbs up after making it through to the other side of Kenmore Square. (Notice Jackieand Heather bleeding the purple for Holy Cross.)Heather - as always - rocked the best socks of the day, something that didn't go without notice from fellow walkers.And then, just two miles before the finish, the foursome was joined by a surprise guest, on loan from the College of the Holy Cross. Andrew leaped up from the steps of a Kenmore Square brownstone, shocking the heck out of the rockin' walkers!Andrew was determined to make the trek into Boston to support the fam, something he's done every year since the team started the walks five years ago! Here's a hug for his aunt, even as his mother still tries to figure out what her son was doing lurking on the steps of a Kenmore brownstone.Either Annie is getting a congratulatory hug from her husband John as she approaches the finish line, or he's tackling her to keep her from getting into the Gucci store on Boylston Street.Jack's got her two buds helping her finish things upAt the finish outside the Boston Public Library, the Team Bumpa foursome is all smilesProudly wearing her finisher medal, Heather adds some color to the balloonsMy three favorite people in the world, all fashionably Holy Cross.I didn't get the Holy Cross gear memo, but joined the photo line-up anywaysAnd finally, for those of you who were worried, yes, Andrew did manage to eat a smackeral or two at the finish.

Congrats once again to all of the finishers of this year's Jimmy Fund Walk, who helped raise more than $7 million to help fight cancer. But a special shoutout to team Bumpa for faithfully and proudly paving the pavement once more after a tough summer that didn't leave a lot of time for training. You done Bumpa proud!

Bombards in the Air

2011-08-27T20:55:00.007-04:00

You'd have to be there to understand the title of the post, but trust me, anyone who was at this morning's Thomas Chamberas 6K race through Great Brook Forest in Carlisle knows what I'm talking about. The race is a terrific annual event to help fight Cystic Fibrosis.

We were missing a couple of E Streeter stalwarts this morning, with Andrew off hitting the books and Scott battening down the hatches for Hurricane Irene. (Scott still managed to make his presence known, though.) Jonathan was off doing the birthday party scene. Barry gives his thumbs up for the opening number. Remain standing, please.Look at Carlos and Barry jockeying for post position! Either that, or they're just snuggling.And they're off! Sean would dust us all off pretty quickly, don't worry.A view on the trails, with a burly shoulder providing the obstructed view.And finally, post-race, everyone with a send-off for our missing E Streeters. Full race results can be found here: http://www.coolrunning.com/results/11/ma/Aug27_Thomas_set1.shtml
By the way, check out these results!

Rest in Peace, Mom

2011-07-23T19:05:00.026-04:00

My mom, Marie Cook, passed away this morning, August 11, around 9 a.m., peacefully in her sleep. She was a fighter to the end, but we got some quality time with her in her final weeks.

As most of you know, I lug my camera around with me everywhere, taking pictures and documenting everything left and right. Below you'll see some shots of mom with her kids, sister and grandkids, proudly beaming in recent years as she attended each of their graduations, weddings, road races, and various other ceremonies.

Thanks to everyone for the support.

Hope we all made you proud, mom.

A Day at the Park

2011-07-07T15:47:00.014-04:00

So yesterday, I was proud to join with my friends on the NEMLEC Police Foundation (that's the Northeastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council for the uninformed) to welcome an honorary member to our board. Who would that be? This fellow:That's right, Red Sox third baseman Kevin Youkilis joined our team yesterday, ready to play whatever position he's asked, just like his Red Sox credentials! The NEMLEC Foundation used a portion of the proceeds from our charity golf tournament this year and dedicated them to a new program Youk created as part of his Youk's Kids charity, known as Athletes for Heroes. Teaming with other Boston sports celebs, Youk is dedicating money to help the children of law enforcement or military personnel killed in the line of duty. You can find out more about it at http://www.youkskids.org/

On the infield at Fenway Park, here's the formidable lineup for our NEMLEC foundation, which raises money to support training programs for police in 53 cities and towns. I serve as a representative of Middlesex Community College, which runs numerous training programs for law enforcement personnel and first responders.The Foundation with our newest memberAnd what would a trip to Fenway be without a visit with Heidi Watney?Ready to step in for Tito Francona should he become unavailableOr, if need be, to cover the game from the press boxWatching batting practice from down on the field was a blastYooouuuukkkkkk!Youk, with Pedroia and Ellsbury, waiting to take some swingsHanging at home plateAnd finally, the venerable landmark itself, as seen from home plateBy the way, the Sox won the game. And Youkilis? He did like I asked him, and hit a homerun for us, although he didn't point first with his bat to show everyone where he was going to hit it. So not quite Babe Ruth level legend, but it was cool anyways and it's a legend that will live on at least in our minds.

Run on the Fourth of July

2011-07-04T19:56:00.017-04:00

To celebrate our nation's birthday (as well as Mike Cassidy and Martha McGuane's), a bunch of us took foot in the John Carson Fourth of July parade in Chelmsford this a.m. The race, which is turning into quite the social racing event in Greater Lowell, once again was a terrific showcase for some of Greater Lowell's finest runners and a slew of first-timers as well!

Making his racing circuit debut this year was Joshua Nicholson of Lancaster! While the race featured a ton of E Streeters, it's gotten so big, it's hard to pull everyone together, so missing from this year's photos Barry and Carlos, but take my word for it, they both ran (and did quite well!)

Here's the Nicholson grandkids six-pack pre-race The E Streeters and kids, sporting their red-white-and-blue ensembles to celebrate the dayHeather and Shea, a couple of running princessesJosh and Heather are still all smiles, course this was early in the race (it'll change for the later pics)Andrew represented well for the E Streeters, finishing 75th out of 1934 runners! Carlos was nipping at his heels, finishing 88th!Josh is all smiles, basking in the crowd's adulation heading into the finishA high-five from his godmother caps the performanceHeather gives mom a shoutout - we can't print it here on a family blog, thoughShe's so focused crossing the finishSean shows Shea how he posed at the end of his sub-four Boston MarathonAfterwards, sweatier for the experience, everyone is back to all smilesAnd this year's outing featured the running cast of the Lowell Police Academy (Jon Noone was missing from the photo, but he showed quite well for the LPA as well.

Great job by all, hope everyone had a safe and happy Fourth! A special thank you to the men and women of our armed services who protect this country year in and year out, and in particular, well-wishes to fellow geek Benari Poulten of Chelmsford who shipped out to Afghanistan - today of all days - for yet another tour of duty. Stay safe over there and keep your head low, Benari!

To my fellow firecracker runners and Fourth fans, see you all again next year!

Baby You're a Firework

2011-07-01T10:14:00.013-04:00

Thursday evening, some of the Cook clan (Andrew had to work the Spinners) attended an unforgettable night, in concert with Middlesex Community College, the Red Sox Foundation, Massachusetts General Hospital and Piers Park sailing program in Boston. The event was held to honor veterans, specifically, wounded warriors, and the work that the college, Red Sox, MGH, and the Piers Park sailing program have done to assist veterans. The collaboration was celebrated in a nighttime reception at 60 State Street in Boston, overlooking Boston Harbor, and capped with an outstanding fireworks display over the harbor.

Here's my all-star, with the Boston skyline and the Tobin Bridge behind her.My two favorite girls, beautiful with a beautiful skyline to back them upOne of the featured speakers of the night was 2008 Olympic gold medalist in sailing, Maureen McKinnon-Tucker, who heads the Piers Park sailing program, and brought her medal for folks to check out.Here's my own gold medalist, brandishing her authentic Olympic goldThe Red Sox and MGH Run to Home base program was front and center for the night. Hats off to all involved....Safe at home, me and my girlThe Boston skyline, after dark, with the Customs House in the foregroundIt's a weird experience watching fireworks from ABOVE themAnd finally, my two girls - you just gotta ignite the light, and let it shine, just own the night, like the Fourth of July, cause baby, you're a firework

Farewell to a Big Man

2011-06-22T14:31:00.022-04:00

The news this week about the passing of Clarence Clemons, he of E Street band fame, literally signified an end to an era for many of us in the E Streeters. His funeral services today were marked with an acoustic version of Tenth Avenue Freezeout performed by Bad Scooter himself.
To anyone who knows us, it comes as no news flash that Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band has been a part of our lives for more than 30 years. We've grown up with Bruce and the band, seen them collectively hundreds upon hundreds of times. And we've shared some unbelievable related memories over the years.
Like what?
Well, for example, there's Halloween 1983 - Tom Beaupre and I, doing our own version of the Boss and the Big Man:
The scary part is - that suit I'm wearing? It was actually a suit my father wore! And no, he was not a pimp! Here's our obligatory cover of the Born to Run cover:We met Clarence himself at the Biltmore Hotel in Rhode Island in 1985. Then of course, there's our backstage visit with Bruce at the Lowell Memorial Auditorium:But for me, personally, out of the dozens of times I've seen Bruce and the band, the most memorable ones have been the last round of them, which I've been able to experience alongside Andrew. Watching a next generation Bruce fan rocking out to the tunes the rest of us grew up with has been one of the most unforgettable parenting experiences. And while Heather didn't get bitten by the Bruce concert bug, listening to her belt out Born to Run and Thunder Road word-for-word from the back seat as a young toddler still reigns right up there among my personally proudest parenting moments. The summer of 2009 was a banner year for Bruce, Andrew, and I, as we took in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, featuring - who else? Bruuuuuce!Here's the Big Man and the rest of the crew at the Hartford show in 2009:At that same Hartford show, here's Bruce rocking it out, appropriately enough, during Tenth Avenue FreezeoutHere's a shot of Bruce and the band at the Verizon Center in August, 2009:Father and son, sweating it out at said concert:And then of course, there was April vacation, 2008, in Florida with the Scanlon family, which also happened to be the week that marked the passing of E Street organist Danny Federici. As luck would have it, Bruce and the E Street Band were playing in both Tampa and Orlando that week, and who'da thunk it - we scored seats for both shows!

Behind the Orlando stage, we got to see all the band members exiting the stage, including the Big Man himself, clearly impaired in his mobility:While Bruce and the band may tour again, it just won't be the same without the Big Man on stage, busting the city in half. Unquestionably, the greatest concert wingman in the history of rock band touring, his stage presence is irreplaceable.Truly, there are teardrops on the city.

Clarence, thanks for a great ride! As I've stated elsewhere previously, tell Gabriel to move over, there's a Big Man coming to blow his horn!

Cue the unforgettable Jungleland sax solo:

Outside the street's on fire in a real death waltz
Between flesh and what's fantasy
and the poets down here don't write nothing at all
they just stand back and let it all be
And in the quick of the night they reach for their moment and try to make an honest stand
but they wind up wounded, not even dead
Tonight in Jungleland

Good Times Bruin!

2011-06-18T16:12:00.018-04:00

So today, we headed into Boston with a million of our friends to celebrate the black and gold, or black and yellow, if you like that song. Great day for a Bruins celebration!

Here we are at the Garden, three of us in our Bruins colors, Andrew wearing his Red Sox green.Andrew and Mary on the downbound train.The happy couple at the GardenMy two girls -the biggest Bruins fans I knowClaude Julien, a fave of Jackie's, gives a nod to fellow championship coaches Terry Francona, Bill Belichick, and Doc RiversCam Neely happily shows of the spoils of war to the crowdBrad Marchand, Heather's fave whom she met earlier this season, takes a run at Black and Yellow rapTim Thomas takes his turn hoisting Lord Stanley's cup highAndrew just can't help himself. Here he is, beaming with the Bruins cheerleaders. Who knew the Bruins even HAD cheerleaders?!?I hate when this happens. I'm standing there, minding my own business, and suddenly I'm surrounded by cheerleaders who want their picture taken with me. Go figure.Heather gives a puck Overall, the day gets two thumbs-up from Bruins nut HeatherAndrew happily gives Mary a better view of the festivitiesChara gets ready to take the cup to the million people waiting to see itWith the cup behind them heading out to the parade route, the girls are all smiles Heather makes it a clean sweep Congrats to the Bruins for a great season, and kudos to the city of Boston for pulling off yet another exciting victory parade! Next up: the Red Sox!

The Party Line

2011-06-17T20:24:00.012-04:00

After all the awards ceremonies, formals and proms and graduation ceremonies, we finally got a chance to cut loose with a dual graduation party for both Andrew and Heather, with friends and family coming from all over! Held at the historic Middlesex MeetingHouse in Billerica, there was a ton of food, family, friends, and oh yeah, Baggo!

Here's Michael and Kate, playing the role of props for the food shotThe SMS crowdHeather's crew on deckIntense Baggo rivalries were renewed in between feedingsWhile Andrew makes his pitch, Scott apparently celebrates the results of a successful tossThe LHS crew, standing guard around the dessert tableThe E Streeters get decked outAnd back outside, the E Streeters make way for the LHS Red Raiders to square off on the field of battleUnlike the E Streeters, though, the LHS kids can finish things off with smiles and hugsThanks to everyone who turned out (and to those who couldn't make it but were with us in spirit)! It was a great wrap to a busy week!

Heather's Turn in the Cap and Gown

2011-06-15T07:40:00.019-04:00

Still playing blog catch-up here, so here's a fleet of photos from Heather's SMS graduation celebration. Goodbye SMS, hello LHS!

The graduated siblings, accompanied by their puppy, who graduated top of his class in obedience schoolMom couldn't be prouder A kiss for my beautiful treasure And then all together nowHeather and Virginia, waiting for the ceremony to get underwayDue to one of the fastest grad processions I've ever been to, photos were blurry at best, though I did manage to snag the beaming diploma shotAwash in white, the SMS eighth-grade girls beam up on the altar Heather and Mary - and just what is that look Andrew's sporting in the background?A hug from the proud brother, captured on film, proof that they DO love each otherHeather and her favorite teacher, John Locke, not to be confused with the enigmatic character from LostHeather and Chloe: "Seriously? They graduated US???"Graduated galsAdding some blue to the mixThe proud godmotherAnd the cousin, himself getting ready for his own eighth-grade experience Outside, the grandkids make a Nana sandwichAnd finally, a rose among the roses, my beautiful girl!Congrats, Heather! We're all proud of you! It's been a blast watching you grow up! Bring on Lowell High!

Graduation Pre-Season

2011-06-13T20:23:00.016-04:00

Falling way behind on the blogging front, probably because we've been running all over creation with awards nights, graduations, and parties to wrap up the school years. We've got a ton of photos to share in the coming days, so we'll start off with the awards and last week of school activities to wrap up Heather's time at St. Margaret's School.

For starters, at the sports awards night, Heather was all smiles after her cross country MVP award. And this from a girl who claims she doesn't like to run! She and her classmates were all smiles with their hardware in towA couple of nights later, it was time for academic achievements.

Here's the obligatory family shot in Nangle Hall for Scholastic Awards night. Heather captured two scholastic awards for the night - Honors, and School Spirit and Service Award!The night was a cap and gown affair, so we got to get lots of shots of the beaming graduates in advance of the actual pomp and circumstance event.

Here she is with her Washington roomies, Alex and VirginiaFresh off his LHS graduation, Andrew plays the role of proud brother nicelyMy two favorite ladiesYeah, I'll admit it - I couldn't be prouderHeather and ChloeWith her two buds, Sam and MichaelA motley crewAnd Nana, with two of her clanFor three years in a row, six SMS students were lucky enough to have Mr. Locke for their homeroom teacher. They were known as the Locke Six, and here they are with the proud teacher himselfHeather and MichaelAnd finally, the event that's apparently a new tradition among the SMS graduating classes - the shaving cream fight on the last day of school. Everyone claimed victory. Clearly, everyone had a blast.

A great finish to a great SMS education! Terrific job, Heather! Next up: graduation night!

Cycle Killers

2011-06-05T21:05:00.031-04:00

Proving that we're not one-trick ponies who can just run road races, the E Streeters took to the streets of Bedford, Billerica, Concord and Carlisle on Sunday on wheels, as part of Middlesex Community College's first-ever bike challenge! Sue, Scott, Andrew, Tommy, and I took on the challenge - Scott logging the 40 miles, the rest of us doing 10 miles that at times FELT like 40!

Photos via my BikeCam, through MCC photo Alyce O'Connell, and from Barry, who went out on a limb to take the shots for us, branching off into photography for the day.At the start of the 40-mile leg, here's Marc Burke, he of Pan Mass lore who's capable of doing the 40 with his eyes closed!Scott, looking bored as the safety rules of the road are announcedE Streeter Jonathan Crockett checks in out on the course, looking happier at the start than he would at the finish of the 40All smiles at the start of the 10Tommy, trying desperately to catch up the lad beating him out of the collegeAndrew, in racing form, even though it wasn't a raceMe, cursing Tommy for lending me a mountain bike for a road rideStill, holding my own out on the courseThere goes TommyAnd here he comes into the home stretchAndrew, wondering how it's possible Tommy beat him inScott, on his victory lapAs you can see, it was a close finishMary-Jo Griffin and Cathy Scott, both cycling psychos, tore up the 40-mile course like it was all downhillFinally, the end is in sightI'm not sure, but I think Sue tried to cut me off at the finishSome of the many in attedance to cheer us inA couple of rays of sunshineBeaming from every angleOur support staff grew as the morning went onA support group in action: E Streeter wivesAll tuckered out, post-raceThe MCC team that put the whole shebang togetherAnd lastly, the best looking bullhorn girl I've ever seen

Thanks to all who participated, it was a great day, with monies raised going to support the MCC Foundation, which helps supply scholarships to our students! Who knows, this cycling thing may just catch on. Maybe you'll be seeing more blog posts of us idiots on bikes, not just running road races!

To Infinity and Beyond!

2011-06-02T00:13:00.021-04:00

Okay, so bear with me on this one, it's gonna be a long one.

After an impressive four years of slogging it out in the Latin Lyceum program at Lowell High School, Andrew walked across the stage at the Tsongas Center tonight and walked off a proud graduate of the class of 2011! Everyone in his extended family couldn't be prouder, and even if they couldn't be with him tonight, they're still part of his success story. Sit back for a photologue of some of the people who've made the journey possible for him.

Bumpa and Mamma, sending the love from Paxton:The family shot, with Brady, who kept an eye on the neighborhood as pounding rain and lightning barrages buffeted the area. (On a side note - Andrew's named after the Hurricane that Jackie and I experienced on our honeymoon, it poured rain the night he was born, and tornadoes hit the state the night of his high school graduation. What's the hidden message there?)Long-time buds, now both LHS grads, Andrew and Nicole:They've been friends since birth and grown up alongside one another, congrats as well to fellow grad DJ Cassidy!Focused, and looking great decked out in his regalia:The confident walk of a graduate:With a smile for his cheering section:DJ gets congrats from hizzoner, Mayor Jim Milinazzo
Beaming with his best girl, Mary, post commencement:From St. Margaret's through LHS and great years of XC, Andrew and Barry have taken it all stride for stride:His biggest fan gives him her biggest hug:Side-by-side with Mayor Milinazzo, who gave an on-stage commencement shoutout to the boy he's known since he was just a young tyke:Nana and her boyfriend:One more with mom and dad:And post commencement, still beaming, now with a diploma in hand:

Thanks to all the friends and family who've helped Andrew along the way, his high school buds who helped make it a memorable four years, his fellow E Streeters who stuck with him for the long run (your graduation gown lies in rags at their feet), and the family members who couldn't be here in person to see the ceremony, but have always kept an eye on him (that's you Papa, Gerry, and Gwen!)

Andrew, it was a great four years, enjoy the glory, it was well earned. You've done us all proud! Your Toy Story continues!

Wah, Wah Wachusett!

2011-05-28T15:49:00.013-04:00

No, Andrew, Tommy and I aren't supporting the Mount Wachusett TV commercial, that noise was us crying today at the trail race up Mount Wachusett in Princeton. The Mount in the name is a dead giveaway that this isn't a flat course. The E Streeters were scattered to the four winds today, but a trio of us managed to make the trek out to run in incredibly muggy conditions.

Here I am, wondering just what the hell I'm doing out on the course:Tommy, looking just as surprised by the terrain on the course, which was changed to a more technical route today to accommodate a wedding in the lodge. We thought about being wedding crashers, but we were clearly underdressed.Father and son, ready to conquer the mountain: We always look so happy before these things start: The fog wasn't just in our heads, it enshrouded the mountain today at race's start: Andrew and Tommy are also trying to figure out why the hell they're spending their early Saturday morning running up hills:

Courtesy of Andrew carrying the RunCam, here's a look at the terrain:Ever wonder what a sweaty, out-of-control Clydesdale runner listening to Sympathy for the Devil looks like as he thunders to the finish line? Wonder no more. (Obviously the walker in front of me hears me coming and is feeling deservedly nervous.) Afterwards, the fog hasn't lifted, and the smiles have somewhat faded, lost somewhere in the mud or beneath Balance Rock out on the course.And of course, for all of our complaining and grousing, we'll be back again next year.

The Prom-ised Land

2011-05-27T20:27:00.011-04:00

A couple of days late, but hey, it's been a crazy week. Andrew's prom was this week, heading toward the finish line of his senior year. He opted for a James Bond tux, and of course a bowtie, since as all Doctor Who fans know, Bowties are Cool. Here's the proud family, with Brady surveying his surroundings.With the proud aunt and cousin:Towering above NanaIt took a committee to get that flower pinned on at his beautiful date's home. Mary was stunning. And as a sidenote, thankfully, despite the coincidence in name, we didn't have a prom event complete with firefighters a la "There's Something About Mary."The handsome couple. Looks like a Facebook profile picture to me:He's not heavy, he's her brother:And the proud mama with the blissful couple:Down at the Lowell Memorial Auditorium, LHS XC runners and their coaches, saying "cheese hamburger" for the camera:And no matter the event - prom, race, graduation, etc., you always need to "Remember the Moose."Great job by the LHS crew and congrats to Andrew and Mary for a picture-perfect night. On to commencement!

Of Firefighters and Fighters

2011-05-22T20:57:00.011-04:00

After a quick trek back from Boston, Andrew got to the starting line just in time for the Lowell Firefighters 5K this morning, joining Sean and a couple of his LHS XC and track teammates to represent the E Streeters well.

LHS track was well represented at the starting line (and the finish as well, but that's later in the post)Here's Andrew, on Fletcher Street, coming in for a landing. He finished 9th overall out of 257 runners, first in his age group.Sean Un-Kenny held his own, too, coming in comfortably in 25th place, clearly still riding his Sub-4 wave.Post-race, the Kenny family strikes a great family pose. Good luck to Jill on her upcoming half-marathon!Jackie with one of her Lowell PD buddies, Mickey O'Keefe, the movie star who made it big playing himself in the recent Mark-Wahlberg flick the Fighter. O'Keefe ran in fighting form, perhaps getting ready for another big screen appearance?A couple of Irishmen, waiting for the burgers to be done.And finally, LHS captured the 1-2-3 slots in their age group. Nice showing, gentlemen!

Just a Formal-ity

2011-05-22T20:46:00.008-04:00

Saturday night was our little girl's formal dance with her friends up at St. Margaret's School. They're getting ready to wind down the eighth-grade and their SMS experience, and they're going out in style.

Here's the family shot, complete with Brady actually facing the camera:Heather towers above her grandmother nowWith a bunch of her friends getting silly before the big night kicks off:Heather and Chloe, glitzing the glamour:Congrats to the entire SMS 8th grade, seen here hamming it up to end the night. Just two more weeks, and they're off to high school! Great job guys, you all looked terrific!

Long Live Walk

2011-05-15T18:22:00.011-04:00

Time for the 2011 Lowell General Hospital Cancer Walk, and another strong showing by the extended Nicholson/Blake/Cook clans, not to mention a healthy dosage of E Streeters. The walk is a terrific annual event aimed at raising money to help the hospital serve its patients suffering from cancer. A worthy cause if ever there was one... Six of the E Streeters did the 6 mile loop out to the Rourke Bridge and in-bound, but alas, we didn't have a RunCam in hand at the time, so you'll just have to take my word for it.

Heading to the stretch behind LeLacheur Park, the walk gets a big thumbs up from Zachary:A colorful looking clan, getting ready to head into the home stretch:After the walk, Andrew is more than happy to model the stylish bicycling jersey for the upcoming Middlesex Community College bike challenge on June 5:Heather and Mary cut a mean rug on the grass behind the Tsongas Arena:Once again, congratulations to walk organizers, there were literally THOUSANDS of walkers and runners out on the streets of Lowell for a great cause.

Oh yeah, and Andrew got his first tattoo ever. Leave it to him to get one to help advertise a Mexican food restaurant.....(the tattoo gets bigger when he flexes his muscle.)

Bananas Mayday

2011-05-01T11:21:00.016-04:00

As Queen Guinevere said in Camelot, "It's May, it's May, the lusty month of May..." That means it's time for the No Bananas race out in Chelmsford, and the numbers are growing, not to mention the cheering section, walkers, and baby jogger passengers! Jackie made her walking debut out on the course, except for the stretch she ran after coming across a snake that wriggled along the course. Great job as always by Ruth Whalen Crockett, who pulls it all together the first Sunday of every month on the Freeman Trail in Chelmsford. (And thanks to Heather for the race pics!)Two of our E Streeters couldn't join us for this outing, but they get a pass, riding as they were in the 62 mile bike ride on Martha's Vineyard to benefit Multiple Sclerosis. Nice job John and Scott, not to mention Donna, Mary Jo and Tom, who also did the island ride. Right out of the gate, here's the new Top Banana in the No Bananas race, Andrew, wielding the turnaround marker banana in his hand:
Running as a pack, the E Streeters don't give the runners behind them much room to get past them. We call this our rolling roadblock.

Chrissy can still manage a smile at this point, about 30 yards into the race: Two wins in a row and a new course record? Take a bow Andrew! But watch out for the OTHER Andrew on your tail!

After missing a month, Jonathan roars back to the top of the pack
Carlos, refusing to get beaten TWICE in a row by Barry Barry, resplendent in his Middlesex Trail Race teePat, proudly displaying a town line victory on his tee-shirt (more on those later)Ruthless, putting the finishing touches on her raceThe end is in sight! Rich, getting beaten by a baby jogger The cheering section grows each raceAnd finally, Pat, wearing his badges from not one, but EIGHT TOWN LINES! Tommy, alas, can only look on in abject defeat.See you all in June!

That Week in Washington

2011-04-25T15:38:00.055-04:00

So, a week overdue, but here's a photologue of Heather's 8th grade trip with her buds from St. Margaret's School to New York City and Washington, D.C. Lots to see here, so we'll move quickly! And trust me, there are THOUSANDS more photos where these came from.

Straight off the bus, Heather and Chloe rocking Times SquareCarly, Chloe, Erin, and Heather trying to lift the weight of the worldThe whole gang in Times Square - on to Madame Tussauds!Heather and Chloe with a simian friend at the Empire State Building Elle McPherson tried hitting on me, but I let her know I was happily marriedHeather kicks it back, with Barack and Michelle watching onSeriously??? They let me use the red phone?!?!?

In a preview of the Boston Marathon to follow, here's me beating out Jesse OwensHeather, rocking it down with Mick JaggerAnd once again, me letting Madonna know the same thing I told ElleAn Elton John chorus line Two Iron MenWhich one is the real Hulk?At the Smithsonian, a couple of lunarticsA group shot behind the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery

The Marine Corps Memorial, Iwo JimaTurning around from Iwo Jima, with the Washington skyline behind the St. Margaret's gangA bunch of animals at the Smithsonian ZooI can just hear the Anteater's voice from Pink Panther in the background Outside the people's house, which is also White My future PresidentAnd her Secret Service detail Heather, Chloe and Sam at the Lincoln MemorialA pair of statuesque beauties (with a dried up reflecting pool behind them)The action show at the LincolnOur Capitol tour guide, Dr. Frickin' EvilWith Congresswoman Tsongas on the Capitol steps And finally, just days before their marathon outing, a pair of E Streeters flexes some muscle on Capitol Hill.Thanks to all the SMS 8th graders for a memorable trip!

Marathon Men - the 2011 Edition

2011-04-18T19:35:00.030-04:00

So once again, five E Streeters took to the roads today to compete in the 2011 Boston Marathon, with another E Streeter joining me at the halfway point to get me into Boston. Thanks Andrew! Thanks also to our army of family supporters out there along the course!

An extremely warm day, with tons of laughs on the front end. Not so much on the back side. Great job by all, including those not represented in these photos (that means you Joe!) Photos courtesy of my RunCam, with an assist at mile 16 by Heather!

Question: by race's end, which of these two would need that vehicle seen in the background? Prior to departure (and a First Class delivery system courtesy of Elias and Victoria)Three of us, attempting a radical new stretching move perfected by one of our fellow runners (see next pic)Barry, showing off his patented pre-marathon stretching exercise, the "Scatman"The five fools waiting for the starting gunSean, at the starting line, telling Barry how many years in a row he plans to run a Sub 4 Lowell was well represented on the course, and Ryan basked in the attention it got himTommy and Sean (who's looking for the next town line)Father and son during happy timesTommy's got thumbs up because he's about to claim a town lineDon't know how he does it, but Sean always manages to find the women in the leopard clothingAlways stop to kiss the girls at Wellesley College. Thanks Nicole!Running through the debris that is a water stopAndrew has some marathon anger issuesThis photo on Heartbreak Hill comes courtesy of http://www.jimrhoades.com/Real men wear silver capesGreat job E Streeters! Take the day off tomorrow!

Run the Rivah!

2011-04-09T15:17:00.010-04:00

Or at least eat the chili! Saturday morning saw the 20th anniversary of Stephen "Petey" Peterson's awesome 10-mile trail race along the Merrimack River. A great course, with plenty of challenges, including an insane hill at the power lines, and nearly 200 brave souls showed up to run it! The Marathon Men were on hand too, but too afraid of inflicting a last-minute injury on the rocks, roots, and stream crossings of the trail course, so we opted for the pavement course through Andover instead. But that didn't stop us from sharing in Scott's chili, as you'll see shortly. Here's Petey, waving his flag, trying desperately to get people to listen to him: Carlos isn't looking too intimidated by his competition. Game face for Gametime.

Despite a last minute shoelace snafu, Scott is off and running!

Carlos, with barely a mud spatter on him, finishes the 10 mile trek

The E Streeters at large. Notice John has already claimed first blood

But Barry and Sean were right behind him, giving their thumbs up to the food offerings

Finally, the spoils of victory! What every marathoner needs to enjoy 9 days before the big race

Once again, congrats to Petey, seen here awarding the coveted YooHoo award at race's end to the first member of the 200 mile club who's run in all 20 of the annual events.

And for those of you worried that Andrew missed out on the feedbag, worry not - a bowl of Scott's ultra chili made its way home to the young lad.

Finally, here's Barry proudly displaying his autographed, personalized photo of Boston Bruin 7th Player award winner Brad Marchand, who wished him good luck at the Boston Marathon! Marchand wrote "You're Not Ready for the Marathon, Barry" but we appreciate his well-wishes anyways!

See everyone at next year's Rivah race!

Top Bananas

2011-04-03T18:16:00.027-04:00

First Sunday of the month, so that means it's time for the No Bananas 5K race along the Freeman Trail in Chelmsford, organized by Ruth Whalen-Crockett. A good crowd this time around, as the weather finally cooperated. Photos courtesy of http://www.johnpiekos.com/ and his RunCam and defending champ Jonathan Crockett. Ready to run!Right away, an early leader:

And pretty quickly, a lone runner:

Try as he might, Carlos just could not get past the wall that was Tommy and I:

Christine Martin-Roque, all smiles in her first 5K race:

Thumbs up from the new champ:

Just feet from the finish line, one of these two men would surge ahead for a dramatic second-place finish. Who claimed it? Check out later photo.

Tommy, ready to punch whoever made him get up this early:

High five for number five:

John, cheering because his wife didn't kill him for making her run:

In the final stretch:

Dame No Bananas herself:

Can't bear to look at Jonathan waiting at the finish:

A pair of Karens, looking to throttle John:

They should be excited, the race is over!

Who's number 5? Who's number 1?

The new champ, with the dethroned Top Banana:

No, Barry isn't calling for peace. He's bragging about his greyhound finish, nosing out Carlos for second place:

Carlos can't believe he lost to Barry. Either that or he's looking for post-race refreshments. Doesn't he know this is the No Bananas race?

The E Streeters, basking in Andrew's first-ever first place victory. See you all in May!

No Day at the Beach

2011-03-27T18:59:00.011-04:00

When will we learn? For the second year in a row, the E Streeters were Blowin' in the Wind thanks to the ridiculous winds at the Eastern States 20-miler. A three state run, from Kittery, Maine, through New Hampshire's coastline and down to Salisbury, Mass. The winds weren't as fierce as last year's outing, but they were constant, and coupled with colder temperatures than last year. And let me say this: do NOT be fooled by the beautiful blue skies overhead. It was frickin' freezing, Mr. Bigglesworth, with a wind chill of 14. Today's photos courtesy of E Streeter supporters Ann Scanlon, Misty Scanlon, and Andrew "Holy Cross" Cook. Here, Ryan gets ready to rob a bank, while the rest of us just shiver at the start: Early on (mile 5), people are in pretty good moods, with thumbs up all around:

Trust me, they won't be this cheerful in 15 more miles:

Everybody wants to get on the blog - who is this guy waving to Ann??

Ryan traded Barry in for Sean for a time. This was before he hit the wall. Or laid across it.Here's Barry and I, planning our chaperone trip to Washington, D.C.:

Tommy looking victorious passing the half-marathon mark:

Sean, deep in thought:Believe me, we're no longer happy: Heading into the final mile, Tommy goes solo:

Happy, knowing there's only one mile remaining: Barry, protecting his godson from the rogue massage therapists and pill pushers of New Hampshire's mean streets: (there's two stories there, neither one of which will see print on this blog)

And finally, with the American flag serving as our backdrop, everyone is all smiles, because there's a pasta dinner waiting nearby.

Check back next March to see if we maintain our idiot statuses and run the damn thing again.

Hot Time in the Big Fritty

2011-03-20T21:54:00.020-04:00

This morning was the first ever Fritty 5K, in honor of Patrick Frye, killed in October, 2007. The race, which raised a boatload of money for a scholarship fund in his name, was an incredible success, and a real tribute not only to Patrick's memory, but to his friends and family who turned out by the hundreds on a gorgeous Sunday morning! Photos courtesy of http://www.johnpiekos.com/ and his RunCam, MCC's Jonathan Crockett out on the course, and Abby Vergados, Patrick's cousin and official finish-line cheerleader.

The E-Streeters, natch, were there in force. Here's the father-son duo at the start, making their point. Here's Carlos, telling everyone to get behind him, he's ready to race:

After some coaxing, here's me, inducting Tom Hildreth into the E Streeters. Welcome, Tom!

Sean, Pat, and Tom, under blue skies:

This would have been a great pic of Sean and I if someone hadn't gotten his melon in the picture. A melon probably like the one thrown that fateful morning in Tyngsboro.

Keith O'Brien, clearly supporting Governor Deval Patrick's proposed flagmen plan:

Andrew, moments after a series of shoutout to his LHS buddies, staffing spots along the course. Scott had some great running advice for the young lad: "Stop talking to all the girls and run!"

Carlos has ditched the hat, but not the running form:

Thumbs up to Jonathan for coming out to support us:

John, showing Jonathan that he hasn't broken a sweat yet:

Fantastic finish for Andrew (7th overall, first in his age group)

John finishes fierce (must be the encouragement from the sidelines)

The obligatory post-race shot, sans Sean, who couldn't get past being called Barry out on the course by a spectator. Also our only pic of Scott, who was running too fast to be captured on film.

The Twin Towers, ready for their next father-son race:

Big cheers for two of the many who successfully pulled everything together today, one of the funnest sister combos to be found anywhere in the Big Fritty, Abby and Julie!

And finally, a nice tribute to the man everyone pulled it all together for, Patrick Frye. Today, Lowell was definitely P Fritty City!

Hynes Word!

2011-03-14T08:33:00.020-04:00

A fine Sunday on the streets of Lowell for a horde of E Streeters taking part in the annual Hynes 5 miler, the final piece of the Wild Rover trifecta. Maintaining a tradition that dates back decades to the days of running in basketball sneakers, the E Streeters held their own, even those coming off an 18.5 miler the previous day on the Boston Marathon course.

Andrew took top E Streeter honors, finishing 19th out of 670 runners. Here's his mugshot. He's got quite a collection of beer glasses, considering he's only 17 years old. The rest of the pics are set up in three packs, with on-course photos courtesy of Barry James as well as Jim Rhoades from over at http://www.jimrhoades.com/

Thumbs up on the way out for Andrew:

Singing to the masses at the halfway point:

And, the muscle shot:

Tommy, refusing to get girled - oh wait, that's Sean...

No brotherly love at 2.5 mark, but a Bowser shoutout

Tommy, clearly distracted by the package store off to his right:

At least someone was wearing the green:

Alas, no one would high-five him:

Not getting girled at the cemetery:

Sean's remembering that Dalton Road party:

Trying to get to other side of street to avoid Barry:
Knows the course so well, he can do it with his eyes closed:

Green Lantern and son make their Hynes' running debut:

Does Mike have the will power to do it? Can he beat Brennan? (Answer: No)

A quick wardrobe change, and Brennan is ready for the final stretch:

Andrew and the LHS cross country team were waiting with medals at the finish:And finally, a sad bunch of shamrocks:

There Arose Such a Claddagh

2011-03-06T13:53:00.012-05:00

Week two of the Wild Rover series saw a mix of E Streeters take to the streets of Lawrence for the Claddagh Pub four mile race. Decent conditions - temps in the 50s, strong headwind at the start, insane hill at the midway point, but overall, a great time to be had by all. Most pics by my beautiful wife, with a few added in courtesty of Ted Tyler over on http://www.jimrhoades.com/ Here's Valerie Armbrust, getting ready for the big run: (she ended up finishing first in her age group.) Apparently Tommy cracked the code and has figured out how to secure an award.

Andrew and the LHS track team come out of the gate strong, and he still finds time to pose:

So, funny story: seems that after Saturday's 15-mile run, there were a couple of electronic casualties in the wash, along with the running gear. Can you guess which E Streeter lost a watch, and which one lost an ipod to the washing machine?

Andrew's got the lucky 7s on his side: Jonathan has no idea of the hill that awaits him:Andrew might have been able to win the race, but instead opted to stop and high-five everyone along the race course:

Jonathan, running as fast as he can to get away from Tommy and I:Tommy, milling around in Lawrence:

Seriously, what the hell is the matter with this guy?

Valerie with a strong ipod-less finish:Post race, the L word team makes a fine showing at the finish line, taking 6 of the top 31 spots out of 736 finishers

And the E Streeters, ready for the post-race celebration

Which can be found here:

Next week: the Lowell five miler to finish off the Wild Rover trifecta!

Frozen Shamrocks

2011-02-27T15:49:00.011-05:00

Today was the start of the 2011 three-part Wild Rover series, with a 3-mile outing in Haverhill (followed by a 4-miler next week in Lawrence, and a 5-miler the week after in Lowell.)

Sloppy, messy road conditions, snowfall through the race, and pretty frigid temps kept E Streeter participation to a minimum this year, but a few hardy Irishmen made the trek.

Here we are at race's start: The Lowell High leprechaun striking a pose in the first half mile, followed with a couple of rapid-fire action shots:

And here is on his way back in, finishing 15th overall out of 618 runners:

Sean with a very respectable 33rd overall, coming through downtown Haverhill:

Basking in their post-race finish, wanna know why Andrew's smiling (see next pic)

The REAL star of the day, the beef stew:

I Am a DJ, I Am What I Play

2011-02-26T10:26:00.012-05:00

Wicked Good shoutout to DJ Cassidy, fresh off her 18th birthday (and apologies to David Bowie for borrowing his lyrics)! And to celebrate, DJ reminded everyone, including the elderly among us, that you can still be a kid at heart, no matter what your driver's license says! DJ (and by extension, Mike and Marcia) hosted a slew of LHS kids last night at Jump On In in Lowell, basically a king-size, big-kid friendly bounce house. Nice to see the teens and graduating seniors still remember how to have fun. College may be looming on the horizon, but there's still time to run a few obstacle courses and hit the trampolines.

Andrew, fresh off his MCC basketball outing earlier in the week, is back in mid-season dunk form:

The Old Men (who didn't wear the right clothing that would have allowed us to run the obstacle course)

All smiles from the birthday girl: DJ and Andrew getting their bells rung on the ladders:

It's not a corporate one, but Andrew's practicing his climb nonetheless:

Heather kicked her dad's @$$ at foosball, and then proceeded to do the same thing to Mike as well. (For the record, the table was tilted, but there's always time for a rematch.)

And here's the star of the night: Congrats DJ, you've grown into a remarkable young woman, and have a great future ahead of you. Don't let yourself ever think you're too old to Jump On In!

NBA All Stars Part Deux

2011-02-22T22:55:00.012-05:00

The MCC Middle-Agers took to the basketball court last night against our annual rivals over at UML, and lo and behold, came away with the victorious bragging rights for another year!

In what was probably the all-around best basketball game of the four outings, the MCC team took the lead right out of the gate despite a pair of errant passes that had everyone sweating in the early seconds, and there was no looking back after that.

Here's some shots from the warm-ups, where there's nary a bead of sweat in sight. (The same couldn't be said mere seconds into the game):
Barry looking foul (but more on that later)

Our swarming defense prevailed:

Carlos and Andrew working the guard positions and the fashion plates:
Tommy refuses to pass to his clearly-open son after his son threw one off his foot in the first half:

Tommy getting girled:

But everything worked out well for the E Streeters and Middle-Agers combo, as the guests prevailed as the last second ticked off the clock.

And just in case you're wondering how seriously we took this game, this shot of Barry should tell it all:

Daddy's Little Girl Isn't So Little Anymore

2011-02-20T09:53:00.021-05:00

So, last night was the 10th and *choke* final Father-Daughter dance at St. Margaret's School for Heather and I.

Starting in kindergarten and working our way up to her current 8th grade, this event has been a staple of our SMS memories, and a night out that I'll remember forever. I'm proud to say I've got a beautiful daughter who's - at least for now - still not too embarrassed to be seen dancing with her father.

It's been a treasure to watch her grow up over these years, and as you'll see from the pics to follow, she's had a great time doing it, with so many friends in tow. Unfortunately, these are just the pics from the years of digital cameras, I don't have her earliest years loaded in here.

Absolutely unforgettable memories. And it's not as if this wasn't already a difficult acknowledgement to realize my baby is getting ready to head off to high school, but what was the last song they played for daughters to dance with their dads last night? Of course, "Daddy's Little Girl."

2005 (2nd grade, 8 years old)

2006 (3th grade, 9 years old)

2007 (4th grade, 10 years old)

2008 (5th grade, 11 years old)

2009 (6th grade, 12 years old)

2010 (7th grade, 13 years old)
And last night, 2011 (8th grade, 14 years old)
And people wonder why I lug a camera around to all of these events.

Thanks Heather, for the best years and laughs!

A Sweet Skate!

2011-02-14T08:09:00.010-05:00

There wasn't anyone skating on thin ice yesterday at Middlesex Community College's first-ever Sunday Skate behind its Bedford campus, but there were hundreds of folks - including several E Streeters - who ventured out onto the ice. The Sunday Skate was held as part of MCC's 40th Anniversary celebration, and nearly 250 people from all over turned out for few runs around the homemade rink alongside the college's fitness trail. Kudos to photog extraordinaire Kevin Harkins for the shots.

Me and my two sweeties on the Valentine's Day weekend: Andrew Cook: Keeper of the Flame
Kayla Borges: Savor of S'moresAnd apparently Queen of the Crates as well:

Donna Corbin traded in her cycle for the skates:

Here's honorary E Streeters Judy Burke and Alice Rouse keeping folks fed:

And finally, here's the brains behind the planning of the event, minus E Streeter Jonathan Crockett, who was up north skiing with some MCC students for the weekend. And yes, Scott, boots still DO work on ice, you don't need skates after all.See everyone next year!

XC Does XC

2011-02-12T20:12:00.009-05:00

So members of the championship Lowell High School XC team traded in their sneakers for skis today and tried out a different form of XC, out on the maze of amazing trails at Carlisle's Great Brook state forest.

Here they are in a chillin' moment, complete with LHS XC gear: The rest of the photos pretty much speak for themselves. Great day, great landscape, and no broken bones.

In the background, that's Barry just taking a little timeout, waiting for his friends to catch up to him:

Nate's used to going downhill, but can adapt to any terrain:

What's next for LHS XC?

Why I Love Snowdays

2011-02-01T15:18:00.012-05:00

I write this blog post at great risk to my personal well-being, you see, I've got a number of friends, especially among my co-workers *cough* Rebecca *cough*, who despise these snow days that have been burying us with increasing frequency of late.

I could break out the tired mantra of "you live in New England, move to Florida if you don't like the snow," but that's too flip and overused.

Instead, I'd just like to throw out a few of the reasons why I savor, hope for, and and celebrate a good old fashioned, New England snow day.

1) DVD catch-up: There's nothing like a snowbound day to plop in a DVD collection to catch up on some of the previous seasons of your favorite show. I've currently got Smallville, the X-Files, Dexter, the Big Bang Theory, and Doctor Who queued up at my house. Today's choice happened to be a terrific run of David Tennant's Doctor, complete with Martha Jones:

2) Coming in out of the cold into a nice warm house makes you realize all those things that need fixing that you fret about the rest of the year seem pretty insignificant when you can just appreciate having a roof over your head on days like this.

3) A home-cooked meal, especially the soups among my wife's repertoire, just seem to taste better on days like this. And judging from the posts of my Facebook friends, culinary adventures seem to be a true pleasure for lots of other folks as well.

4) I can't lie, I love shoveling. Yeah, I've got a snowblower for the big stuff, but shoveling is great exercise, and just great fun, especially when you've got quality tunes cranking on the ipod.

5) Let's face it, we work hard. At least most of us do. So the occasional snow day breaking up a work week is just God's way of giving the kids and by extension, us, a mental health day. There's literally thousands of work days looming in front of us still. Can't we just appreciate the occasional time-out?

6) Admit it: the snow looks beautiful out there. Not so much when it's mixed with mud, dirt, salt, etc. and sloppily piled up along the busy roadways. But take a glance around your neighborhood. Isn't this one of the reasons you chose to live in New England?

7) But for me, hand's down, the best thing about snow days? Getting to spend more time with the kids, and over the course of years, capturing moments like this:

Haven't gotten fresh pics from today's storm yet, but there's still time, with snowzilla looming on the horizon.

So go ahead, tell me why YOU love/hate a good old fashioned New England snowstorm!

Derry Kings

2011-01-23T15:33:00.019-05:00

It seemed like a good idea at the time... Somewhere along the line one of us idiots suggested running the Boston Prep 16 mile race in Derry, N.H. in January. Of course, the suggestion was probably made when temperatures were within survivable norms.

And also of course, that was before we knew this weekend would be starting the coldest spell in New England in years, with temperatures flirting with sub-zero, not to mention a painful wind chill factor. Oh, and did anyone mention the most ridiculous freaking hills to be found in any race south of Mt. Everest? No? Apparently that part of the missive got lost in the mix somewhere. Truthfully, we needed Mother Abbess:Anyway, here's some frigid photos from along the race course, thanks to Anne Scanlon, uber cheerleader and wardrobe manager. I'm surprised the camera even worked in this weather.

Here's Tommy, early on, he hasn't broken a sweat yet.Even though there's hundreds of runners in front of me, I still have enough energy to muster the number one bravado to our intrepid photog. (That energy would quickly dissipate.)

Scott, running his first Derry, is undaunted by the temps, going for the unzippered look at the six-mile mark:

Yes, Sean really is as cold as he looks:

Barry looks surprisingly happy. Either that or he's delirious from the cold.

Tommy doesn't realize the worst hills lie directly in front of him, ergo the smile:

Here's me, in bank robber mode, still able to flex some muscles:

Barry, in post-race celebration, on the wrong side of the chute:

Sean, just happy to be done with the damn thing:Tommy, joining my bank robber posse:

Post-race, we're smiling because soup is just a couple of moments away. But as you can see from Barry's expression, apparently the chili was damn hot!

Post-race, I heard at least two "never again" comments from within the ranks of the E Streeters. And this blog will provide the documentation the next time that stupid email suggestion makes the rounds. Next up? Kilimanjaro.

The Icemen Runneth

2011-01-15T10:09:00.011-05:00

So, somewhere along the line, we E Streeters thought it would be fun to do an eight-mile run in sub-zero temperatures this morning. Needless to say, we were quite the spectacle for the Westford families who, instead of driving through an animal preserve, opted to take their kids for a ride to see the stupid-ass runners.

Here's the result (forgive the quality of the pics, electronic devices tend to malfunction at -4 degree temperatures, which it was at our East Boston Camp start.)

Here we are at the start, joined by Scott Graham, who decided to add seven miles onto his already-completed seven-mile loop: Preparing for the hills of Chelmsford:
Scott Spence had a clear advantage out front:

Here's the course, map complete with elevation, courtesy of John's runkeeper:

And the satellite pic of our course, because NASA likes to keep tabs on the E Streeters:
And finally, at the finish, Barry was a little worse for the wear:

And just think - next weekend we get to run twice the distance, only with more hills!

Frozen Bananas

2011-01-02T10:11:00.025-05:00

It wasn't a fit morning out for man nor beast. Here's the (men AND women):and here's the beast: Yes, come rain, shine, or freezing cold, icy, sloppy, chilling slush, the No Bananas racing series surges on. This morning, brave and hardy New Englanders (known 'round some parts as E Streeters) ventured out onto the Bruce Freeman Trail in Chelmsford for a 5K race under anything but optimal conditions. Cheers once again to race director Ruth Whalen Crockett.

As usual, photos courtesy of John Piekos and his Runcam.

Here's Andrew, taking the early lead: Tommy, watching his chance to defend his second place standing vanish into the fog:Sean and Scott, in town line racing form:Here comes the leader, undaunted by the wolf pack rushing toward him:The lonely life of the winter runner: Scott, choosing the path least travelled:The banana bunch, marking the turnaround:E Streeters thrive on punishing conditions: She's smiling on the outside. Inside, she's gonna kill John: I got out of bed for this??? Expanding monthly, No Bananas now boasts an official timer:The Lone Wolf: The male E Streeter contingent:Buoyed by her first place finish in the women's division, Karen basks in the adulation of her fans:Another photo finish, eerily mirroring the December No Bananas thrilling finish: And somehow, they still manage to look great after a grueling Iditarod: Finishing with Grace: Ready to kill the guy who talked her into running the course:But after all the slush and slipping, there they stand, the top 13. Mysteriously missing, though, is one stalwart E Streeter. Could it be? Was Scott Spence a DNF? Racing pundits will be talking about this one for a long time to come... See everyone in February!

Happy Soup Year!

2011-01-01T12:26:00.021-05:00

So today was the annual E Streeters New Year's Day run, a tradition that dates back decades. A time for friends to recharge, start the New Year off right, and log their first miles. Lately, though, a new participant has entered the game.

May I present the star of the run, Karen's soup: Here's the soup's pre-run shot, with some of its biggest supporters:

Heading out for the run, who takes the early lead on 1/1/11? Oh yeah, the guy wearing the number 1:

Here's Sean, mapping out his town-line strategy: And here we go, the first contested town line of 2011. Who won the horse race?

Gee, I don't know. Maybe the Clydesdale?

Running through the Tyngsboro springs, on a 50+ degree day:

Back in the lead, it must be the downhill momentum

Barry, ready for battle:

Andrew and Jonathan, heading into the Land of the Lost:

Andrew, flexing some frontrunner muscle:

And another town line. Who took this one? The Chili king?

Could it be Barry, angling to get back early for the first bowl of soup?

Or did 2011 start off with a two-timer?

The first father-son pic of the 2011 running season:

And afterwards, the soup takes the number 1 spot:

Thanks Karen, a memorable soup that even Scott Brown would enjoy! Thanks also to John Piekos and his Runcam shots. A great way to start the New Year off running! May there be many more E Streeter soup runs in our future! Here's to 2011!

A Real Honor

2010-12-15T21:51:00.007-05:00

Lowell High School held its annual National Honor Society induction ceremony this week, and there were a couple of familiar faces crossing the stage. Specifically, two second-generation E-Streeters, Andrew and DJ.

The two LHS seniors were inducted for the second year running, a worthy nod to their hard work and sweat on the academic front, not to mention their stellar seasons on the Cross Country and Field Hockey teams.

For anyone who knew their fathers in high school, cue the stories to contrast the differences in notoriety between a decade or three.

The stars of the night:

I mean seriously, to anyone who knew these two clowns in high school - did you ever think they'd be two guys who would raise a couple of NHS stars?

Proud parents with their NHS-er

And some more proud parents and sis with THEIR NHS-er

Great job guys, we're proud all around! Onward and upward!

Top Bananas

2010-12-05T10:09:00.009-05:00

So this morning was the second No Bananas race along the Bruce Freeman Trail in Chelmsford. A 3.1 mile out-and-back course, this race series is the brainchild of Ruth Whalen-Crockett, whose husband Jonathan is the fitness fireball at Middlesex Community College. The once-a-month race features no tee-shirt giveaways, no clocks at the mile splits, and no drinks or bananas at race's end. For now, at least.

A cold start to the morning but things warmed up pretty quickly. After a thrilling start, Jonathan takes the lead, carrying the banana trophy to be placed at the halfway point. It's not too often you'll see a photo like this.

And hopefully, the last time, you'll ever see a photo like this:

Always discouraging when the leader in the race passes you while you're still en route to the halfway point:

But the racing series still gets the thumbs up from the E Streeters:

The star of a the show, an appealing fellow:

A photo finish, the race organizer graciously pulls up so as not to foster any ill will:

The post-race glow is obvious on this bunch of finishers. Here's the top 10 finishers of today's outing:

And for the documentarians among us, here's the GPS map and the course elevation map for future references. Photos and map courtesy of race cartographer and photographer John Piekos. Nice job, Ruth, see everyone in January!

Rowdy with a Very Good Chance of Meatballs

2010-11-28T15:05:00.009-05:00

Great day running a 3.5 mile XC race along the Andover Country Club. Andrew, John and I were the trio representing the E-Streeters today, and we did the team proud. While I wasn't first across the finish line, I WAS the first getting a plate at the unparalleled feedbag afterwards.

In its 31st year, this race cannot be beat, both for the price ($20 registration comes complete with running gloves) the course, along the rolling and rolling golf course hills, and the pasta dinner waiting for you at race's end. Results were posted with minutes of the race's end, plenty of beer and beverages on tap, and a banner day of weather make this one of the don't-miss races of the running calendar.

This year's race featured an added bonus, as John ran with his electronic goomah, which collected GPS coordinates all along the course. Here's a satellite view of the course:
Andrew, waiting for the start, but thinking about the pasta dinner

Sizing up his competition, he knows he can easily out-eat these posers

Here's John, sidestepping goose poop, but dressed to hunt them

Thumb's up for knowing where the camera is always located

About the only time John can be found in the center of a golf course fairway:

And of course, the obligatory finish line line-up

And as promised, here's Andrew at the main event, giving instructions to his servers, who nearly let the meatballs touch his salad

One side note, beware of toppled chairs, their legs can cause significant problems for men carrying platefuls of food, as John (who is occasionally mistaken for Barry) can deftly attest to.

Return of the Turkeys

2010-11-25T10:44:00.013-05:00

Great time had by all at this morning's Thanks4giving race in Lowell to benefit Alternative House. As you can see from the group shot, the E Streeters were well represented, grabbing not only top places in the 5K and 10K legs, but apple pies as well!

Here's Scott, refusing to get girled

Carlos, with the thumbs up, or perhaps jumping rope

Taking it in stride

Beating the walkers

The scientist, all smiles

If Scott isn't going to get girled, Tommy sure isn't either

This is the photo of Barry that we COULD use on a family blog

Father daughter tandem

And the father-son combo

Some folks would be content with getting one pie

Once again, thankful that everyone is here for another year of healthy racing, good times and family fun at E Streeter race outings. Thanks, too, to the support team families that come out for all of the races to cheer us in!

Dashing Monsters

2010-11-08T09:31:00.018-05:00

A bit late, but we can't let the monster efforts of all seven of our teams go unnoticed in this year's Monster Dash duathlon! A combination of E-Streeters and Middlesex Community College's extended family, we threw seven teams into the mix at the Lowell Elks, with three of the teams coming away with prize-placing finishes!

A terrific family event, thanks in great part to all of our supporters, dogs and all!

Here's the motley crew, pre-race:

Father and son zombies:And yes, zombies can run fast (and scarily)Gina heads for the finish (of lap one)

Spider-Man breaks the cardinal rule of super-heroing, taking off her mask in public

Pumpkin-Man, sans pumpkin (and even on crutches, Heather is there to cheer)
A herculean effort by a beer bottle
Marc stops traffic wherever he goes Donna still finds the energy to give the thumb's up:

Some of our loudest supporters:

Brady ready to take on the big dog

And the scary aftermath:

A Father-Daughter Dance

2010-10-24T16:22:00.016-04:00

Got my beautiful girl out for a really fun 5K that roamed throughout the Highlands neighborhood today.

Here we are at the start, at Mt. Pleasant golf course, before Heather was annoyed with her father's incessant on-course coaching.Kudos to the Martin family, for pulling in a fantastic crowd for this first-ever race, in honor of Jimmy Martin, who passed away 15 years ago from cancer. All profits go toward the James S. Martin Scholarship Fund at Lowell High School, which is given annually to a Lowell High School senior with financial need who has participated in Highlands baseball, basketball or softball.

Making an extra-special debut along the course today was unofficial race photographer John Piekos, who ran the entire thing armed with his camera, taking not only award-winning photos, but neat videos to boot!

Running past the apartment where it all started for Jackie and I:Early on, through Tyler Park:Making the rounds on Pine Street:Booking our way up Parker Street:Surprisingly, Heather is still smiling, probably because we're running past her school while it's closed:A raucous water stop, courtesy of the Lowell High XC team, with Andrew front and center, and Congresswoman Niki Tsongas! An interesting combination, and an inspirational team effort outside Jim Martin's former home:The smiles are gone, but still the race continues:Much like life, there's the occasional uphill. Here's Heather digging deep:Passing her Chelmsford rival in the background:And the finish, up the steepest hill on the entire course!

The post-race party, waiting for the super soups:Great job, Heather! Onward and upward!

So What Did YOU Do This Weekend?

2010-10-17T12:44:00.016-04:00

Nice quiet weekend around these parts. It started with a high school reunion on Friday night. Got to catch up with old friends as well as the nun principal who spent four years trying to figure out how to get me out of her school.

Then, on Saturday morning, my beautiful daughter ran a chilly race, the first-ever BayState 5K. With her brother as her pace car, the pair delivered a terrific performance, captured here on the VFW Highway by race photog Jim Rhoades. Possibly my favorite running picture of all time. This was Heather at the start, with her brother pointing the way.

Nice loop around the Tsongas Arena

Always smiling.....

Getting high gives from Mom and Nana

And a kiss for a job well done from Mom

From there, it was time to Touch a Truck at St. Margaret's with Heather for a couple of hours. Heather got to wear a warm Allie-Gator costume. Mom spent the time indoors, tattooing children. Dad? He got outdoor duty touching trucks.

From there, it was the BayState pasta dinner, with the XC team supplying the support, and the XC parents taking care of the cooking.

Next, it was off to Tom and Megan's annual Halloween bash.

Like there was any question who's the Boss:

E-Streeter Wives:

E-Streeter gals:

And then Sunday morning, the BayState half marathon. The Scanlon father-son tandem, waiting to get started:

After the fact, at Lelacheur Park, here's the Lowell Police Academy contingent, staff instructors and student officers basking in their finishes:

And the E- Streeters, with Barry giving thumbs up to the post-race soup:

Whew! A nice, restful weekend!

Putting the Smut in Smuttynose

2010-10-03T22:13:00.008-04:00

Three E-Streeters took part in one of the strangest-named races to be found anywhere, notching decent times in the Smuttynose Rockfest Half Marathon in Hampton, N.H. Cool medals waiting at the end of a fairly flat course.

Some quick notes on the pictures below - believe it or not, Tommy and I didn't have a bromance thing going, we just happened, by coincidence, to both wear the same toss-away long sleeve tee to start in the 42 degree weather, and both had red tees beneath. Tommy was much more fashionable, choosing to go with a coveted MCC Fitness Trail 5K Challenge shirt.

Sean, as always, was an individual, running alone the entire time, while Tommy and I spent the 13.1 side-by-side making fun of everything we could along the way. Chances are, we won't be welcome back to the Northampton neighborhoods anytime soon. Here we are at the 6.5 mile mark spotting some friendly faces in the crowd

And reaching for some inspirational high-fives from Finn and Shea.

Sean at the High Water homestretch mark, hitting his stride and having flashbacks to the Eastern States windstorm.

Tommy and I with our rolling roadblock, preventing anyone from passing us:

And of course, the obligatory finish line shot. Apologies to Sean's sister for the finishing time, about a minute or so off her previous half marathon time. But thanks for the number, Taryn! Thankfully, I didn't have to bandit the race, because everyone knows how low that is.

Hot on the Trail

2010-10-02T19:47:00.014-04:00

E Streeters rocked the house today at the inaugural edition of the MCC 5K Fitness Trail Challenge on our Bedford campus, grabbing hardware left and right, and for one E-Streeter, the overall win! (You figure out which of the six that was!)

Here's the stalwart crew early in the morning, fresh off marking the course for all the other runners. Carlos, you'll notice, is carrying a lighter load of flags than the guy next to him.Here's the start. The speed bump didn't slow us down.And again with the start, with Sean preparing to make his move, cutting Tommy off from a sure win.

Speaking of wins, Scott apparently has his eyes on the prize. Or something down on the ground.Making his way up the final hill comes Carlos, still looking fresh, not having worn himself out staking an abundance of trail flags earlier.Sean has an otherworldly glow about him as he prepares his final stretch. Thumbs up from Barry for the race:Tommy's looking concerned

A pity you can't see it from this angle, but if you could see it from the other side, you'd know who's number 1.Here comes my star of the day. Pay no attention to the lunatic yelling behind her.

Accepting the award for her father, and much better looking to boot, Shea takes the prize!

Hey, Jack Kerouac!

2010-09-26T14:27:00.015-04:00

The Dharma Bums got On The Road this afternoon for a warm 5K through downtown Lowell and into Belvidere for the Jack Kerouac 5K. (And that should be the extent of my Kerouac references.) And thanks to Jill Kenny for the photo assist!

The first photo should be a clue as to how the E Streeters did today.

Here's Scott at the start, running side by side (to his left) with the man who would thwart Scott's strong effort at notching the overall win. Sean apparently wasn't prepared for the cameras this early in the race:

Heather, however, is always ready for the camera (note shameless plug by her father for the Middlesex Community College Fitness Trail 5K, coming this Saturday):

The lead pack, heading out (note shameless plug in background for Middlesex Community College, hosting its own 5K race this Saturday in case you hadn't heard):

Smiling because she's beating her dad:

No one else in sight, here comes the second place overall finisher, from Groton: Scott Spence!

Sean, trying desperately to catch up to Scott, represented well with a 34th place overall finish

And here comes Heather, posing for the Lowell Sun photographer in the foreground:

Medal time!

It's getting old for this guy! (Not that he's old, just the medal placing) And no silver comments today - today, he was "impressive!"

Sean and I took off our medals for this pic. Scott and Heather couldn't part with theirs. Nicely done, E-Streeters! Over and out from the Town and the City. (One more Kerouac reference, couldn't resist.)

Here's the overall results, via coolrunning:

http://www.coolrunning.com/results/10/ma/Sep26_JackKe_set1.shtml