After 20 cold, grueling miles through four Island towns, this year’s Martha’s Vineyard 20 Miler ended with a distinctively local twist, when a native Vineyarder crossed the finish line first.
The Martha’s Vineyard 20-Miler, a road race in the middle of the cold, wet winter, steps off at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 18. A benefit for the Boys and Girls Club, the race celebrates its 20th year.
A harsh winter and the promise of more severe weather led to the cancellation of the Martha’s Vineyard 20-Miler Road Race scheduled for Saturday. Race organizers and emergency personnel cited concerns about runner and volunteer safety on the icy, narrow course.
It’s called the MV 20 Miler and it was started 14 years ago by Bill Brown as an opportunity for runners to tune up for marathons and — no less important — to raise funds for Martha’s Vineyard charities. It’s also a huge boost for Vineyard businesses. “We get people from all over the country, Ohio, California, Florida,” says organizer Kathy O’Sullivan. “We filled the Vineyard this weekend. It’s February — are you kidding me?
