Most of the races I attend are the first time I will be running the course. I many times try to find someone that has already run the race and at least get a brief description of what we are about to face for a course. This was the case with the 2 races I ran when I met these folks. Mike I met at a race in Forest Park which is in Springfield, MA. He works for the Sheriff's Dept. in the area and likes to run in local races. Not only did he give me the low down on the course before the race but turned out to be fun to talk with while hanging out after the race. A real friendly guy that introduced me to a lot of the people and helped make the the morning a great start to the day. The other picture is of me and a woman whose name I can't remember while I'm writing. When I do I will fix the entry. Her advice of the course was given to me at the Groton road race this past spring (April 26th I believe). People at the road races always seem to not only to be friendly but love to exchange stories about the run. We all share a common goal. We want to finish the race in a better than last race's time and want to share the tales of our running with people that can relate. And what better people to share those stories with than the ones you just ran with.