On July 4, the annual Mattapoisett Road Race will take place. The race is five miles taking runners through Mattapoisett village, around Ned’s Point Light and back to Shipyard Park. What is it like to run this race? This is Part I of a “View from the Road” brought to you by brother and sister, Charlie and Annie. They are everyone and they are no one. But they have run the race.
Annie is anxious for the race to start. There are 1,000 runners assembled on Water Street stretching, chatting, getting in the zone. Runners have donned their official race shirts – every year a new color. The back of the shirts display the names of the area businesses that have financially supported the race. Annie and her brother grew up in Mattapoisett and have run the race since they were kids. For both of them, it signifies the start of summer and a chance to spend time with family and friends. Up ahead, Annie sees Bill Tilden, race director, holding the starter’s gun. The sidewalks are lined with well-wishers. The Harpoon Harmonizers sing the National Anthem and the crowd joins in. Down in Shipyard Park, Annie knows volunteers have been cutting up watermelons and oranges since 7:00 am. In addition, there is the registration tent with last-minute runners checking in with the race volunteers. Many of these volunteers have been working all year preparing for this race which is considered one of the best.
Anticipation is felt up and down the street. In a few minutes, the race will start. At the front of the crowd is the winner of last year’s race, a well-deserved honor. Runners have come from all over New England and many have come even longer distances. There are individuals who have run the race since the year it started in 1971. Charlie and Annie will start the race together as they have always done. But eventually Charlie will leave Annie behind. She is a recreational runner; he is a serious runner who runs in half-marathons, marathons and even triathlons. When the starting gun sounds, it is hard to imagine 1,000 people taking off but they do. The well-wishers stay to cheer on every single runner at the start. It is a short distance on Water Street and then runners turn on to Main Street. Annie can see the homes displaying red, white and blue decorations in honor of the nation’s birthday. Because it is summer, the flowers are in bloom and add color to the surroundings. Streets in the village are narrow but that doesn’t bother the runners. Like many of the runners, Annie is pacing herself so she has the reserves necessary to finish the race. Her main goal is improving on last year’s time. Where she finishes is less important than actually finishing. It is now the first major turn on to Hammond Street.
How the race progresses for the runners will be coming up in the next part.