During foggy mornings in Haverhill they come out of the mist withstrange flashing lights attached to fast-moving appendages.
A synchronized pack of five appear often and without warning onhazy hot afternoons atop a Linebrook Road hill in Ipswich.
Pairs of them thunder within inches of Brian Knoften when hewalks on narrow dirt paths in the Middlesex Fells Reservation.
Creatures from the unknown?
No, members of North Weekly running clubs.
'We're everywhere,' says Louise Rossetti, 73, of Saugus, who hasbeen running more than 20 years.
'Early in the morning, late at night. These runners are fromevery stage of life, engineers to carpenters and every age. You seethem all the time,' she says.
Indeed you do. And many of the runners seen on Salisbury'sstretches of sand south to Melrose's suburban streets are also foundat least once a week with a running club -- practicing sprints, longdistance and the occasional lifting of beer mugs.
And this interest in running clubs is not only for runnersinterested in training but as a way to socialize, too.
'Running clubs are there to train, to get better but also tohave fun,' says Jim Gilford, of Gil's Athletic Club, founded in thebasement of Gil's Grocery in Topsfield in 1985.
Members of Gil's Athletic Club hold that philosophy dear. Agroup of nine wore white Oxford shirts with the sleeves cut off andred ties at a Virginia race in October. They have run to theCommonwealth Brewery in Boston for a beer -- from Topsfield. A kegof beer is always on tap in the basement of Gil's Grocery.
'Most runners like to have fun, and running clubs are foranyone. We work hard, but we have a good time,' says Gilford.
There are a lot of runners to have a good time with these days.According to American Sports Data Inc., a New York group that doesstatistical studies, the number of US runners over the age of 6 whorun at least 50 days per year grew by 15 percent from 1993 to 1994,to a total of 15.26 million.
More serious runners -- those that run 500 or more miles peryear -- increased in the same time frame to 18 percent, for a totalof 4.48 million, according to Harvey Lauer, president of AmericanSports Data.
About 40 percent of active runners -- those that run about fivetimes a week and compete about once a month -- belong to runningclubs, estimates Michael Pieroni, officer manager of USA Track andField New England in Brookline. However, the number varies widelyand clubs often attract less competitive runners, he says.
Club officials in the region say they saw a lull in numbers ofrunners in the late 1980s in the area, but are now seeing aresurgence of races and runners.
Some attribute the trend to the 100th anniversary of the BostonMarathon next year, others say there is more focus on fitness now.
'A couple of years ago, races were down, but now you see a lotmore local races,' says Mike Page, 29, of Beverly, head of the NorthShore Striders running club.
Page and other running club officials say they often try toattract less serious runners to join their clubs, both for thecomradeship and competition.
'I think a lot of people have that perception you really have tobe a good runner to join a club and it's not true. It's meetingpeople, meeting other runners and having someone to run with. It's agreat way to train,' says Page.
And training differs for every individual runner. Clubs in the37-community North Weekly region, some 20 years old, meet about oneto three times a week. There is usually a track workout one eveningand then a long distance run on weekends. Many times members willmeet in smaller groups to go running before and after work on a dailybasis.
Some running groups require a small joining fee and nothingmore. Others are more formal and have annual meetings and bylaws.Others simply open up a door to anyone who wants to stop by for aworkout.
Most runners will run on their own or with a few other peopleand attend an organized workout when they can. Goals vary forpeople, from 5-kilometer races to 26-mile marathons. For some, thereare even ultra marathons -- 100 miles without stopping. It can takemore than 24 hours to complete.
Gilford says his club has one of the largest number of ultramarathoners in New England, about 12 people have completed one in hisgroup. Now, nine are training for one in Vermont on July 22 and 23.
Most runners' goals, however, are less lofty. They say running isjust an easy way to exercise that can be done anywhere, anytime andwith equipment no more sophisticated than sneakers.
But because it can be a lonely sport striding along country orcity roads, many join clubs in the North Weekly region.
'It's a solitary sport,' says Rick Bayko, who owns The YankeeRunner in Newburyport. 'A lot of people join clubs for the socialaspect, it's fun.'
Bayko and runners North of Boston say many club members belong toseveral running clubs, be it the Winner's Circle in Salisbury, NorthShore Striders, North Medford Running Group or Merrimack ValleyStriders. Some belong to a club near where they work.
Rossetti belongs to several running clubs, including the NewEngland 65 Plus Runners based out of Windham, N.H. She is a member ofthe Hockomock Swamp Rats running club south of Boston.
She and other running club members stress the social aspect ofrunning clubs needs equal billing with the training benefits.
'I don't go to the workouts regularly, I only go to the parties,'says Rossetti. A Haverhill race next week is named for her. 'And Igo to all the races.'
Many club members will meet once every few weeks at races or go tothem together. Gilford's group and others have traveled overseas fora race, including Bangkok and Dublin.
Locally, they organize races or help out at them, giving water toparticipants and registering runners. Many see the same faces overand over again at the events.
And the races are often, there is usually one within an hour'sdriving every weekend, runners say. Many races are in memorial of arunner who has passed away or one that is held up as a model forothers. Many proceeds from races go to charity. Gilford's club put on a Mother's Day ultra six-hour marathon thatraised $7,000 for breast cancer.
'A lot of running clubs are backbones of a community,' saysPieroni.
'The groups and runners are not just users, they put on events,they provide a service to charities. It's nice for the community tohave them. Running clubs help.'
Runners agree and say besides the charitable work running clubssometimes perform, the clubs offer members wisdom to take runningseriously, but not too seriously.
'Some people burn out, they run so hard, and those people come andgo,' on the running scene, says Leonard Femino, a Beverly lawyer whoruns almost every morning.
'But for the people who put it in perspective, they last. It'sjust a nice thing to belong to. You meet hard-working, healthypeople who are trying to improve themselves.'SIDEBARUpcoming Road Races
The following is a list of some upcoming area road races:WEDNESDAY
Louise Rossetti 5K for Women/2M fun walk, Beverly; 6:30 p.m.race, 6 p.m. fun walk; Lynch Park; $10 pre-registration, $12post-registration for race, $5 entry fee for fun walk; forapplication and information, write Michael Page, 183 Lothrop St.,Beverly, MA 01915 or call (508) 927-4203.SATURDAY, JUNE 24
North Shore 1/2 Marathon, Swampscott; 9 a.m. at BlocksidgeField on Humphrey Street; $15 entry fee; for application andinformation, write My Brother's Table, 98 Willow St., Lynn, 01901 orcall (617) 595-3224.TUESDAY, JULY 4
Boxford Athletic Association Jennifer Tinney Memorial 5M, 3M funwalk and roller blade race; 1M fun run; Boxford; 8 a.m. at BoxfordCommunity Center in East Boxford Village; $8 preregistration; $10post; for application and information write Peter Rakip, 36 GlendaleRoad, Boxford, MA 01921 or call (508) 352-7422.FRIDAY, JULY 7
18th Pat Polletta 5M, Newburyport; 6:15 p.m. at NewburyportYWCA; $7 preregistration, $10 post; for application and information,write Newburyport YWCA, 13 Market St., Newburyport, MA 01950 or call(508) 465-9922.TUESDAY, JULY 18
North Medford Club Summer Series 7M Handicap, Merrimac; 6:30p.m. at 1 Locust St.; $4 entry fee day of race; for information, call(508) 392-0034.FRIDAY, JULY 21
Tony Sapienza Memorial 5M/1M kids' run, Haverhill; 6:45 p.m. forrace, 5:45 p.m for kid's run; at Haverhill High School; $6pre-registration no shirt, $10 with shirt; $10 post, no shirt; forapplication and information write Mark Donais, 121 Kingsbury Ave.,Bradford, MA 01835 or call (508) 372-9522.TUESDAY, JULY 25
Seventh Hamilton Firefighter Five Miler, Hamilton; 6:30 p.m. atHamilton Fire Station; $7 pre-registration, $9 post; for applicationand information, call (508) 468-5558.TUESDAY, AUG. 1
36th Yankee Homecoming 10M/5K, Newburyport; 10M at 6:40 p.m., 5Kat 6:30 p.m.; at Newburyport High School; $6 pre-registration; $8post for 5K; $12 pre-registration and $15 post for 10M; forapplication and information, call 508-465-0977.FRIDAY AUG. 4
Beverly Yankee Homecoming 5M/1M fun run and walk/toddler andchildren races/ Beverly; 6:30 p.m. for race, 5:30 for fun run and 6p.m. for children's events; at Lynch Park; $10 pre-registration, $12post for race, $3 pre-registration and $5 post for fun run, and $1pre-registration and $2 post for children's events; for applicationand information write John Ayers, 150 Essex Street Beverly 01915 orcall (508) 922-2118.SUNDAY, AUG. 13
Salem Heritage Days 10K, Salem; 9 a.m. at Salem Common; $10pre-registration, $12 post; for application and information, call(508) 921-1990.MONDAY, SEPT. 4
61st Around Cape Ann Road Race, 25K, Gloucester; 9 a.m. at theO'Maley School; $12 preregistration, $18 post; for application andinformation, call (508) 283-0470.
