Boilermaker: Robert Bluey

Three years before The Boilermaker kicked off, Robert Bluey picked up running. It all started with the Turkey Trot in New York Mills. Bluey completed the mile run but says at the finish had to throw up. But Robert says it was that run that gave him "the bug" and years later he signed up for the very first Boilermaker. Bluey says, "But even at that time to have 800 people in a race seemed like, wow this is a lot of people, wehre did they all come from ya know. And I can remember seeing people with jersey's from Buffalo, Albany, Syracuse."

Over the years, Bluey admits the race has grown for better and worse but one of the main things that keeps him coming back (aside from the free beer) are the spectators. "Even the very first year there were a lot spectators out. The spectators are what makes the race for the runners. Those of us that have run them all probably would've quit before this if it wasn't for the spectators."

Robert says The Boilermaker stands out to him because runners get the unique experience of running with some of the best in the world. "I could never go to Yankee Stadium and play with Derek Jeter. But in running I can run with the world's best, ya know, they show up here for this race and we run with the absolute world's best runners."

But when Bluey thinks of the boilermaker two words come to mind. "It's fun it's my family, ah, getting together that weekend and seeing friends and family that I may only see once year."