A little less than two years ago, Enny Santos, business manager for St. Patrick’s Parish in Lawrence, ran into a friend who ran.
It sparked something.
“I had run (cross country) at Lawrence High and wanted to get in better shape again,” recalled the 25-year-old from Lawrence. “I started in the Fudgsicle 5K (series), which trains you to run.”
She ran the Feaster Five 5K last year in 37:19. A year later, and now officially a “runner,” Santos ran the 5-mile yesterday and finished 51:52.
Santos is officially hooked, having run a half-marathon in Salisbury finishing at just over 2 hours and 29 minutes.
“I love it. I really do,” she said. “I want to do a marathon next.”
Bringing colors and smiles to Feaster
Andrew Frishman, now living in Cambridge, grew up in Andover and the Feaster Five Road Race and Thanksgiving in with family in town is and will always be a tradition for him.
Also putting smiles on people’s faces.
Frishman, 50, wore a sparkling, colorful suit he bought specifically for this annual run.
“These are some cold and dark times, literally and figuratively,” said Frishman. “I like to bring some bright sunshine and make people smile, hence the bright colors.”
First Feaster at 66
Betsy Sullivan’s bucket list grew recently, two years after a double-bypass heart surgery.
The 66-year-old North Andover resident wanted to run the Feaster Five, as her son and avid runner Matt Sullivan, 37, had done for many years, including high school at St. John’s Prep.
She wanted to run the race herself.
She did yesterday.
“I never really thought about it until recently,” she said. “I’ve been playing soccer with some older women and needed to get in better shape. I’m so glad I did this. But I am tired.”
Elf characters came alive
Andover native Aaron Moore and girlfriend Maija Mikkola started their day playing the roles of Buddy and Jovie, characters from “Elf,” the movie.
Moore, who resides in Gloucester and is a long-time Feaster Five participant, wanted to bring a little joy to the field of 6,000 runners and walkers.
“This is the best event there is, celebrating Thanksgiving, family and being grateful for everything we have,” said Moore. “It’s my favorite holiday. I love seeing so many people smile.”
Moore and Mikkola left Andover after the race to jump in the ocean in Gloucester, another annual event since moving their three years ago.
“And then it’s turkey time,” he said. “What a perfect day for us.”
Father-daughter tradition continues
Bill Tomamichel and daughter, Madison, 19, a UMass Amherst sophomore started their own tradition a decade ago.
The Salem, N.H., duo ran the Feaster Five 5K course together.
Son Matthew, who turns 21 in early December, also runs but does it on his own.
“He’s too fast for us,” said dad.
Bill, who works at Raytheon in Andover, said running with his daughter is one of his yearly highlights.
“Madison once said, ‘Some people wakeup on Thanksgiving and drink a mimosa. We wake up and do a our Turkey Trot,’” he said.
“We will do this for a long time,” said Madison, who like her dad, jogs regularly to keep in shape. “This is our race.”
Hames misses first Feaster ever
There were only three people that had run every Feaster Five Road Race since its inception in 1988, including Lyn Licciardello, Lou Peters and Bill Hames.
Unfortunately, due to a toe injury and impending surgery for Hames, there are only two.
“It’s killing me not to be out there,” said Hames, 79, of Salem, N.H. “I have a ‘hammer toe,’ and then it got infected. I will be having a surgery within two weeks.”
The long-time Merrimack Valley Strider, instead, had a new role for yesterday’s events. He held the tape for male and female winners of the 5K and 5 mile races.
Last year he ran the 5K in 43:28.
“Honestly, I feel guilty,” said Hames, showing his bib number under his jacket. “I love this race so much. But this is OK, holding the tape. I will be back.”
Honoring Sue Hurley
Long-time Feaster Five race director Dave McGillivray gave a heart-warming salute to Sue Hurley, who ran CharityTeams for the Boston Marathon since 2008, before the start of the 38th annual race.
Hurley, McGillivray’s ex-wife, was a Feaster Five regular as a runner the last quarter-century before she lost her battle to cancer earlier this month.
McGillivray and Hurley’s two sons, Max and Ryan, were here in Andover with their spouses, Max and his wife, both ran the race, while Ryan and his wife were part of McGillivray’s DMSE team handling the technical support for the event.
Hurley, who resided in North Andover, affected thousands of charities, helping raise nearly $50 million over her run.
“Her first client was Lazarus House (of Lawrence) and it took off from there,” said McGillivray. “She was a special person that impacted so many others and worthy charities. She will always be missed, but not forgotten.”
Kids race and next generation
Haverhill grandmother Mary Gillmeister was there at the Feaster Five last year, supporting her daughter, Kate Ray and son-in-law, Steve Ray, of Andover, as they ran the race pushing their children Nora and Stevie, then 4 and 2 years old, in a carriage.
Yesterday, Gillmeister was there for the Sydney’s Rainbow Run to watch her grandchildren actually run.
She made a sign rooting them on.
“I made a sign last year, too,” she said. “But this was different. They were actually running their first. This is so much fun, everything about the race.”
Applebaum rises to occasion
Eagle-Tribune sports intern Evan Applebaum took up running only few months ago.
The 2025 Feaster Five was his third road race and it went very well, with the 21-year-old from Haverhill finishing in 23:57, which is 7:43 per mile.