The 5-mile version of the July 4 Mattapoisett Road Race is back for its 50th running after a two-year hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic. A 5k race was held last year and the year before a virtual running.
In honor of the anniversary race that has waited two years to properly commemorate its half century as a cultural staple in Mattapoisett, Road Race Committee member Pam Mello has an assignment.
Runners, community members and anyone whose life has been impacted by the Mattapoisett Road Race is invited to write an essay of no more than 500 words and submit it to, first of all, share memories and add to the event’s recorded history and for a potential prize.
“It means a lot of things to a lot of people,” said Mello, whose summers in Mattapoisett have been extra special in large part due to the race and the many kinds of community participation.
Thus her question, “What does it mean to you?”
Thanks to the outstanding athletes who compete, the race itself doesn’t take a long time to run, but the pageantry of the event, how families and friends come together for cookouts, how residents decorate their homes and/or volunteer at water stations to encourage the runners, how students’ lives are changed by scholarships, all of those things and then some make the event much more than a 5-mile run.
“We were away for so many years. We would always come back here with our kids,” said Mello. “The spectators are fantastic.”
The essay contest will add many voices to the retrospective of all the years of the race, their family’s traditions and those who help the runners with hoses on a warm day or just provide music, often patriotic, along the course.
“It’s such a good, small-town thing, I love it,” said Mello.
Writers’ 500 (or fewer) words are due no later than 6:00 pm on Saturday, July 2. Mello is hoping essay winners can be announced at the race. To participate, email your memories of the Mattapoisett Road Race to pam.mello64@gmail.com.
Registration for the July 4 Mattapoisett Road Race will be done entirely online by visiting RaceWire via MattapoisettRoadRace.com.
Mattapoisett Road Race
By Mick Colageo