Rich on Running: Postponement leads to decreased numbers at Great Stew Chase

Back in February, when the Great Stew Chase was supposed to be held in Lynn, Mother Nature had other ideas for the 15K race.”It wasn’t just the snow,” organizer Roger Perham said. “It was snow on the side of the road that prevented parking. There was no place to park. With the number of cars we usually get, it would have clogged up the roads.”So the 2011 edition of the race wound up being postponed to this past Sunday – just the third such postponement in its 37-year history – and one result was a decreased turnout.”As it worked out, it was much better for the weather,” Perham said, “but it took runners away.”Last year, there were 313 finishers; this year, there were 143.”About half of last year,” Perham said. “It was sort of what I expected. There were other races on the same day and weekend ? Many people were out of town who had previously registered. It was disappointing but not unexpected.”Nevertheless, it sounded like the people who did show up found a great deal to enjoy.”I think people showed up because it’s a good tradition,” Perham said, “to enjoy the race and the stew afterward, the friendship that comes with it, and a good time.”The race began at 10 a.m. at the Knights of Columbus Briarcliff Lodge on Lynnfield Street. The course extended to Centennial Park in Peabody and back to the Knights of Columbus. Runners could stop for water at stations set up at the three- and 6.5-mile points.”Temperatures were probably to the 40s,” Perham said. “The wind was just tough. It was pretty strong.”This year’s race had a Boston connection as both the men’s and women’s top finishers hail from Charlestown. Eric Narcisi, 31, was the top overall finisher with a time of 52:52, while Allison Coughlin, 26, was the top female finisher in 1:05.23 (10th overall).”There are not many (15K races) today,” Perham’s assistant, Lynn native Allen Peterson, said. “People start (organizing) them, but if they give it up, no one else picks it up.”The Stew Chase originally began as a contribution to the North Medford Club series of winter races, with Perham, a Pine Hill native who now lives in Hamilton, helping out from the start. The original race was a 9.7-mile run from downtown Lynn through Swampscott and Marblehead, and back again. Eventually it branched off, with its own set of prizes and, of course, the stew that Perham makes and sells each year.Asked about the ingredients, Perham joked, “I like to keep it top-secret,” before disclosing the recipe: chopped-up beef made in Crock-Pots, potatoes, celery, turnips, onions and tomatoes, as well as noodles. There was also a vegetarian option.The race was sponsored by the New England Running Company in Beverly and organized by the Lynn Athletic Club. The race supported the Wyoma Lions’ Journey for Sight.Rich Tenorio writes a weekly running column for The Item. Email him at [email protected].