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This was my first trip to a Martha’s Vineyard road race. I’ve scanned results from Oak Bluffs’ races on coolrunning.com so often that I’ve developed a notion that islanders must take their running very seriously. After the start of the race on Thanksgiving I started to wonder.

I should have known something was amiss when calls to the race organizer’s number were never returned. I could find references to a Thanksgiving 5K both on-line and in “local calendar” promos but I couldn’t tie down a starting time or place. Undaunted, I continued to prepare to make my first race in years - a Thanksgiving morning wake-up affair. Wife Arlene, daughter Emily and son-in-law Matt planned on joining me.

I tried to get results from past races but could find nothing. Others called and still no word. My interest was piqued. I arrived on Wednesday to the news that my advance scout team was still clueless other than having heard that it was probably at 8:30 AM somewhere in town – maybe near the Wesley Hotel.

My strategy was to arrive at 7:00 AM and hang around until I saw anyone who looked like a runner. If they were lucky enough to have any info I’d relay the news back to the rest of the “Pink House” crew. (our base location on Sea View Avenue) The house was a short 5-minute stroll from “the Flying Horses” so I was confident the plan would work. Serendipity intervened. I woke up Thursday morning and the first words out of the radio told me that there was an Oak Bluffs race at 7:30 AM! Just before my coronary they corrected it to “7:30AM registration at the Old Town Hall and race at 8:30 AM”

I arrived at 7:25 hoping to catch the race organizer before he got too busy and to get a feel for the atmosphere. “Rocky” was just finishing up directions for the registration crew. I filled out the application, selecting a large t-shirt and returned the form with a $10.00 entry fee. In return I received lucky #500 and a paper showing the race course. It was obvious that there would be no shirt – but then again for that small fee it shouldn’t be expected. It turned out they were using leftover forms from another race. For we wash-ashores, any shirt that said Oak Bluffs, Thanksgiving, turkey, 5K and race – or any combination of the above words, would have easily been worth double the fee.

As Rocky gave his finish line crew their final instructions I waited for my opportunity to pounce. When he was done I walked up to introduce myself. After telling him that I planned on covering the race for northrunning.com he answered all of my questions with one simple statement. Matter of factly he said “This isn’t a serious race.”

For those of us that can’t put the phrases “not serious” and “ race” in the same paragraph, it still took me some time to understand what he meant. My only other question to him at the time was, “Are the turns marked?” He replied “Nobody has ever gotten lost.”

I was unconvinced! Three weeks earlier Arlene and I were on the island and we were trying to ride the same basic course, not even knowing this would be the race. WE got lost! So although I knew the leader would be following a police car, I was apprehensive for those of us that not only wouldn’t see the leader, but wouldn’t see the finish until the leader was eating dessert.

After warning the other racers in our party about their potential to get lost, I went about checking out the crowd. I’m always on the lookout for the “ringers” and the first to draw my attention was Cathleen (no last name given). With green bandana and a serious warm-up routine I thought she might be the favorite. Cathleen informed me that although she runs all the time this was her first race! Was this fact or smoke? Then I chatted with Jill Laskowski of Allentown , Penn., a senior cross country runner from Monrovian Academy in Bethyl, PA. She had run the race many times and clued me in that the sub-30 degree temperatures kept last year’s entries to about thirty. It didn’t take long to see that the great weather would bring many more runners.

The two most common phrases I heard until race time were the same, “ No one ever gets lost,” and “This isn’t a serious race”. I guess it’s the coach in me that is reluctant to accept such statements, having seen team results affected by poorly marked courses and “sandbaggers”. Just before the start I heard Rocky tell us that the race was for a good cause. It took me another five days to find out what the cause was.

After the start, I have to admit I was not very confident in my ability. Plantar fasciatis had curtailed my running since late August and my longest venture since then had been a four-mile jog that took two turns of an hourglass. Though I never turned around I’m sure that during the first half-mile only the walkers saw my back. But as I slowly worked my way up in the pack there was ample motivation. I would look at someone ahead and think “I can’t believe he/she is beating me!” So I would catch up and run with them for a time and then pick the next goal ahead. Slowly I would kick it up a notch (Bam) and pass a few more.

Even after the first mile I had difficulty finding Arlene. As I get older, admiration replaces embarrassment and I was hoping not to see her. As usual, my hopes were answered.She was to finish well ahead.

The race was relatively flat. On occasion there would be gradual inclines and there I would do most of my passing of runners. It is probably a result of my high-jumper quads but there is also a possibility that I need to get the misery over fast so I make my best progress vertically. Eventually I caught some of the early sprinters walking. Even though the course isn’t as scenic as the East Chop race that is done at other times of the year, this course was fast and enjoyable.

My favorite moment was on the downhill approaching “Dukes of Hazzard” - excuse me – “Dukes County Road”. I was passing a woman who I had seen talking to my wife before the race. As I as about to go by her she said, “Excuse me. But the rules say no passing this late in the race!” So we ran together for a few minutes talking about running. Soon another group of runners caught and passed us so I was compelled to catch and repass them. To that unknown runner, “I’m sorry for breaking the rules”.

I felt OK and finished strong during the gradual uphill from Sunset Pond to the finish line – happy in knowing that only one runner during the race passed and stayed ahead of me. Maybe that’s a little easier when you start as slowly as I did. I was in a little better shape than anticipated.

Still Matthew, Emily and Arlene were fairly well rested when I arrived.

As most races go I can say this. “It is what it is”. And what it is, is a chance to run on Thanksgiving morning. There are no prizes and finding out your actual time and place of finish are nearly impossible. One week later the “Times” gave a bare-bones article about the race. Emily and Matthew were mentioned because they placed high (see results). Arlene surprised herself by running in the 23’s without speed-work.

It is best that my time is lost to history. Rocky wasn’t kidding when he said it wasn’t a serious race. Or maybe he should have said it “Wasn’t a seriously run race!” The results of Matt Taylor and Amory Rowe suggest that for them this race was very serious.

As I was jogging in I passed Matt and Emily and found that he won and she placed second for women. It always catches my interest when someone can beat Emily. They ran side by side for the middle of the race, working together to pick off one runner after another. Apparently Amory Rowe pulled away between mile two and three on a gradual incline – opening up a lead that was tempting to close – but with the knowledge that in doing so Amory would shift to the next gear. Later I was to find out that Amory not only has won this race previously, but has an athletic resume that is remarkable. Within the next few months this lacrosse and field hockey all-American from Princeton will appear as a featured athlete of the week.

The ultimate question is – “What do I think of the race?” I have to agree with my wife’s comment to Rocky as we were leaving. She said “Thank’s for the race.” I agree wholeheartedly. Rocky’s response was, “I’ll see you next year!” I only wish we could. Chances are we won’t be there. There are other uncharted Thanksgiving races to run. But if you can be there – you should! Don’t expect prizes, t-shirts, hoopla or press coverage. But have a good run and know you can eat a little extra turkey because of it!