July 13, 2014 - Boilermaker Road Race Utica, NY

Because of the recent tornado activity in the area this summer, race officials were very skittish about the thunderstorm forecast for race time. They decided at 5:30am that it was a go – but would end the after party an hour earlier hoping to beat the rain.

We setup as usual on the parkway just before mile 2 – at the end of the international mile representing the East Utica Italian Heritage.

We all wore our 2014 Boilermaker T-shirts and played “Marcia Reale” for each of the wheelchair racers as they came by.

We broke into  Funicula, Funiculi as the Kenyans, Elites, and Women runners sped by.

We varied our songs among marches, polkas, Tarantellas, and the ever popular Rosamunda – better known as The Beer-Barrel Polka. The runners came by us waving, dancing, and conducting.

Four of our musicians didn’t play with us – Julia Galime, Brian Griffin, and new members Corinne and Hanna Bouchard were running in the Boilermaker this year.

VIVA to all the Athletes!!!

 PS – it didn’t rain until later in the day and a tornado was reported down near Watkins Glen – a few hours south of Utica.

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Boilermaker Road Race

VIVA LA BANDA ROSSA!!!