Great Traditions Are Built One Brick at a Time

By Dave Camire

"An idea is only as good as its implementation." This philosophy has always held true in my experience—except when it comes to the Mill Cities Relay (MCR). While the MCR was a great idea, the people who brought it to life—and the improvements they introduced—far outweighed the original concept. Now, years later, the relay has become an event steeped in history.

My goal is to capture this history through the stories of those who ran it and those who built it into the institution it is today. The history of Mill Cities is, at its core, the history of the people who shaped it.

The Foundation

The 1982 Plymouth-to-Provincetown relay was a classic showdown between three New England powerhouses: Central Mass Striders (CMS), Greater Lowell Road Runners (GLRR), and the Boston Athletic Association (BAA).

At the time, CMS boasted the premier men's open club team in the country. That day, they built a commanding lead of several miles over both GLRR and BAA. Somewhere in the later miles of the 88-mile race, CMS made a wrong turn due to a missing course marshal, straying miles off course. Realizing their mistake, their lead runner was given a ride back to the point of departure. Despite the detour, CMS still went on to win. GLRR's Will Mason later gave them the fitting nickname: Central Mass Riders.