FINAL-1 Mon, Nov 11, 2019 11:25:37 PM FEASTER FIVE 2019 PROFILES • RACE HISTORY • COURSE MAPS 32nd year BY BILL BURT
[email protected] erry Fennessey was in his mid-60s when another GFeaster Five Road Race FENNESSEY had come and gone in his hometown of Andover. AT THE The retired owner of a print- FEASTER ing company had lived there for all 25 or so of those years, and Gerry Fennessey’s he always wondered what the results since he started big deal was, causing the early running the Feaster morning traffic issues every Five 5K: Thanksgiving. ` 2018: .........32:53 (min) Yeah, he heard about the Gerry Fennessey, ` 2017: ....................30:22 ` excitement it “allegedly” cre- a member of the 2016: ....................33:56 ` 2015: .....................34:10 ated. Then, in 2011, he literally Merrimack Valley ` 2014: ....................33:53 got off the couch and decided to Striders, has ` 2013: ....................35:34 give it a try. competed in the ` 2011: .....................36:23 He labored through the first annual Feaster Five one, jogging and walking, prob- since 2011. ably more of the latter, finish- ing in 36 minutes, 23 seconds. The next year he saw a story in The Eagle-Tribune about a six-week training program, hosted by the Merrimack Val- ley Striders, to prepare non- runners who wanted to run the Feaster Five. Called the “Couch to 5K” program and coached by the OFF THE COUCH, photo Staff HUTTON/ RYAN Striders, who sponsor the race, a group meets on Sunday morn- ings beginning in early October for training runs, advice and HEALTHIER THAN EVER instruction.