Shannon Long (L) Caitlin Country, (R). Back Row: Jason Long (L) Aaron Biedrzycki (R). Part of the 20 Who Ran in Todays Races.

Debby Van Shows Her Medallion at Gritty’s This Afternoon

Lindsay Blacquier & Zac Osgood at RiRi’s Following the Race.

Derek Cellini, Walked the Half Marathon, as a Member of the Crohn’s & Colitis Team Challenge.

By Carol McCracken  (Post # 2,355)

“Last New Year’s Eve my family and friends got together.  We were drinking wine – a fair amount of it. I should say! That’s when we all decided to run in this race,” said Caitlin Country after finishing the annual Shipyard Old Port Race in which 4,900 people participated this morning. (100 people registered this morning between 5:30 – and race time -. mostly for the 5K.) There were twenty of her friends and family nine of them family – who ran in the 5K and half marathon.  What will  they do next New Year’s Eve? “We won’t be running in any races,” she shouted back leaving Amethyst Park  with her fiancée, Aaron, looking for a cold one at one of the pubs along Commercial Street.

Several runners said their feet really hurt following their events.  One of them was Derek Cellini,of Connecticut, who walked the half marathon in 3:55.  Another complaining of hurting feet was Munjoy Hill resident Chris McCabe. He ran the half marathon and said the tough part was around Back Cove.  There were no trees and no breeze there.  “It was brutal,” McCabe said grimacing.

Lindsay Blacquier and Zac Osgood, from South Boston, said they ran the half marathon for the fun of it.  They were enjoying a pint at the popular RiRa’s on Commercial Street. They agreed with Chris McCabe. Back Cove was tough.  There were no trees and no breeze.  Around mile 10 or 11 it got really “tricky” said Zac. “”The end was so close and yet so far away,” said Lindsay. Training for the race for them was hard because of all the snow this winter. The couple is staying at the new “Press  Hotel” on Exchange Street.  “We love it there.  The staff is so attentive. “It’s classy with a modern design,” said Zac. “We’d like to make this race an annual  event in our lives,” they agreed.

Debby Van, 25, came from Minneapolis, MN. to run in the half marathon – her second ever.  She trained for 16 weeks running 3 days a week.  The longest she ever ran was 11 miles, so the half marathon was an extra challenge. Van, like Cellini, ran as a member of the Crohn’s & Colitis Team Challenge, raising money to find a cure for the chronic disease.  She and 7 relatives were sampling Maine’s foodie and beer scene at Gritty’s in the Old Port. Her support team came from all over New England.  Her feet were okay.  It was mainly that her “armpits were chafing.”  Her mother, Victoria Mossman, an emergency room doctor and a spectator doctor for the Minnesota Vikings professional football team and the Minnesota College Gophers, said she could probably help her deal with that situation. ” I like Maine. It’s really pretty here.  I’d like to come back next year,” said Debby.

See previous Post herein for more details on the 5th Annual Shipyard Old Port Half Marathon and 5 K Race.

McCabe Rests His Hurting Feet That Took a  Pounding Today in the Half Marathon at his Home on Munjoy Hill.